2. The theory of rīti

The earliest scripture of India, i.e. Ṛgveda has been using the word rīti from time immemorial. This word has been employed in Ṛgveda denoting three different meanings, i.e. gati^[1], dhārā^[2] and mārga^[3]. Besides this, in other vedas and in different Brāhmaṇas also the word rīti was in vogue interpreting different meanings. Other than the śāstras, Bharata, Bhāmaha and Daṇḍin used the term mārga in their writings representing the same connotation with rīti, i.e.the way of writing.

Bhoja, in his Sarasvatikaṇṭhābharaṇa has given the derivation of the word rīti as:—

rīṅgatāviti dhāto savyutpatyā rītirucyate.^[4]

This means that the term rīti has been originated from the root rīḍ with the pratyaya ṛn denoting the meaning—‘to go’.

It is Vāmana who considered rīti as the soul of poetry for the first time—

rītirātmā kāvyasya|^[5]

Besides, Vāmana is the pioneer in defining rīti thus,—

viśiṣṭā padaracanā rītiḥ.^[6]

This viśiṣṭā according to him is adhering with poetic qualities—

viśeṣo guṇātmā.^[7]

In this way guṇas became associated with rīti.

Afterwards, following Vāmana, Rudraṭa also supported guṇas as the basis of rīti—

etāśca rītayo nālaṃkārāḥ kiṃ tarhi śabdāśrayā guṇā iti.^[8]

Rājaśekhara defined rīti in the third chapter of Kāvyamīmāṃsā as the chronological order of the implementation of words:

vacana vinyāsa kramau rīti.^[9]

Ānadavardhana accepts rīti as the pada saṃghaṭanā. He has stated clearly that as rasas are the residents of rīti, Being the residence, it helps in expressing the rasa concern.

Cf.—

guṇānāśritya tiṣṭhantī mādhuryādīnvanakti sā rasān/^[10]

Viśvanātha followed Ānadavardhana in this respect accepting rīti as the pada saṃghaṭanā like the formation of the limbs of a body .

Cf.—

pada saṅghaṭanā rītiḥ aṅga saṃsthānaviśeṣavat/^[11]

The earliest mention of the appellations of the rītis based on the geographical study comes through the writings of Bāṇa.

At the very beginning of Bāṇa’s Harṣacarita in one of its introductory verses he remarks that certain parts of the country create literature striking with certain characteristics thus—

śleṣa prāyamudīcyeṣu pratīcyeṣvarthamātrakam/
utprekṣādākṣiṇātyeṣu gauḍeṣvakṣaraḍambaraḥ//^[12]

The northerners (udīcya) write nothing but double entendre; the westerners (praticya), only the bare idea; the southerners (dākṣinātya) roll in imaginative vanities while the easterners (gauḍa) make a display of words uproar.

Bhāmaha is the first scholar to classify the rītis into two-Vaidarbhī and Gauḍī in his book Kāvyalaṃkāra, yet he has used the term mārga instead of rīti. He accepts Vaidarbha-mārga as the best and elegant one, assuming the Gauḍīyamārga as the opposite to it.

Cf.—

vaidarbhāmanyadastīti manyate sudhiyo’pare|
tadaiva ca kila jyāyaḥ sadarthamapi nāparam||^[13]

Like Bhāmaha, Daṇḍin also used the term mārga. He mentioned about two mārgas called Vaidarbhī and Gauḍavartma. The ten guṇa s like Ślesa, Prasāda, Samatā etc are attributed as the soul of Vaidarbhī mārga whereas the reverse of it is the feature of Gauravartmamārga.

Cf.—

iti vaidarbhamārgasya prāṇā daśaguṇāḥ smṛtāḥ/
eṣāṃ viparyayaḥ prāyodṛśyate gauḍavartman//^[14]

After Daṇḍin, comes the proponent of the rīti school, i.e. Vāmana. Vāmana supported three rītis called Vaidarbhī, Gauḍī and Pāñcālī.

Cf.—

sātredhā vaidarbhī gauḍīya pāñcālī ceti/^[15]

Rudraṭa also pointed out the divisions of rīti based on vṛttis. He stated that Pāñcālī, Lāṭiyā and Gauḍīyā are the three divisions of samāsavativṛtti.

Cf.—

pāñcālī lāṭīyā gauḍīyā ceti nāmato’bhihitāḥ|^[16]

And he acknowledged Vaidarbhī under asamāsavativṛtti—

vṛtterasamāsāyā vaidarbhī rītirekaiva.^[17]

Rājaśekhara while showing the geographical differences of the applications of languages stated about these three rītis.^[18] —

1. Gauḍī,
2. Pāñcālī and
3. Vaidarbhī

Contrary to the above writers, Bhoja considered six types of rītis viz.,

1. Vaidarbhī,
2. Pāñcālī,
3. Gauḍīya,
4. Āvantikā,
5. Lāṭīyā and
6. Māgadhī^[19]

Kuntaka, using the word mārga instead of rīti, mentioned three divisions of it viz.,—

1. Sukumāramārga,
2. Vicitramārga and
3. Madhyamamārga.^[20]

According to Ānadavardhana rītis are saṃghaṭanā. And these pada saṃghaṭanā has asamāsa, madhyama and dīrghasamāsa—these three divisions.

Cf.—

asamāsā samāsena madhyasena ca bhūṣitā/
tathā dīrgha samāseti tridhā saṅghaṭanoditā//^[21]

Upanāgarikā, Paruṣā and Komalā-these three vṛttis according to Mammaṭa are the Vaidarbhī, Gauḍī and Pāñcālī rītis respectively—

etāstisro vrttayaḥ vāmanādīnāṅ mate vaidarbhī, gauḍī pāñcālyākhyā rītayo matāḥ.^[22]

Latest Sanskrit rhetorician like Viśvanātha followed Ānadavardhana, accepting rītis as pada saṅghaṭanā—

vaidarbhī cātha gauḍī ca pāñcālī lāṭikā tathā/^[23]

Thus it is seen that most of the rhetoricians are unanimous on the three rītis of Vāmana -Vaidarbhī, Gauḍī and Pāñcālī based on verbal expression. These three rītis are explained bellow:—

i. Vaidarbhīrīti:

Generally the appellation of this rīti comes from the writing style of the poets of Vidarbha. There are different names of this rīti given by different scholars. For Bhāmaha and Dandin it is Vaidarbhī-mārga; Vāmana, Rudraṭa, Bhoja and Viśvanātha called it Vaidarbhī-rīti; Kuntaka named it Sukumara-mārga; Ānadavardhana termed it asamāsā and Mammaṭa called it Upanāgarī-vṛtti.

It was Bhāmaha who for the first time mentioned about this rīti. According to Bhāmaha this is the best amongst the rītis having beautiful manifestation of words.

Like this, for Daṇḍin all the ten guṇas are present in it.

Cf.—

iti vaidarbhamārgasya prāṇā daśaguṇāsmṛtāḥ/^[24]

But Vāmana is the pioneer who defined this rīti saying thus—

samagraguṇāvaidarbhī/^[25]

While defining the rītis, Vāmana explained about Vaidarbhī as the rīti of being ornamented with all the guṇas, bereft of doṣas and as pleasing as the tune of Vīnā.

Cf.—

aspṛṣṭā doṣamātrābhiḥ samagraguṇagumphitā/
vipañcī svara saubhāgyā vaidarbhī rītiriṣyate//^[26]

After Vāmana, Rudraṭa defined Vaidarbhī-rīti as the vṛtti which is bereft of compounded words.

Cf.—

samāsarahitapadavṛtte vaidarbhīnāmarī rītirekaiva/^[27]

In a similar way Rājaśekhara defined Vaidarbhī-rīti as the one used in appropriate places and bereft of samāsa and yogavṛtti (abhidhā vṛtti).

Cf.—

sthānānuprāsavadasamāsaṃ yogavṛtti garvañca jagāda sā vaidarbhī rītiḥ/^[28]

Again the vṛtti which possesses abhivyañjakavarṇa of Mādhurya has been considered as the Upanāgarī or Vaidarbhī-rīti by Mammaṭa.

Cf.—

mādhuryavyañjakaivarṇairupanāgarikocyate/^[29]

In the words of Viśvanātha, Vaidarbhī -rīti is the one such beautiful composition which has been composed of Mādhuryavyañjaka and bereft of compounded words.

Cf.—

mādhurya vyañjakairvarṇaiḥ arcanā lalitātmikā/
avṛttiralpavṛttirvā vaidarbhī rīti riṣyate//^[30]

ii. Gauḍīya-rīti:

This rīti has been for the first time elaborately defined by Vāmana. According to the definition, the rīti having the Oja as well as the Kānti-guṇa is called the Gauḍīya-rīti.

Cf.—

ojaḥ kāntimayī gauḍīyā^[31]

Vāmana further clarifying the Gauḍīya rīti writes that the one containing Oja as well as the Kānti is commonly known as ojakāntimatī. This is nothing but the Gauḍīya-rīti itself. Due to the absence of Mādhurya and Saukumārya but abundant in compounded words … this is called the Gauḍīya-rīti.

Cf.—

ojaḥ kāntiśca vidyate yasyāṃ sā ojaḥ kāntimayī/
gauḍīyā nāma rīti/mādhuryasaukumāryayorabhāvāt samāsa bahulā atyulbaṇapadāca/^[32]

Rājaśekhara considers those styles of composing a kāvya as Gauḍīya-rīti wherein the traditions or behaviour of long compounded words and anuprāsa as well as yogavṛtti (avidhā) are expressed or revealed.

Cf.—

…samāsavadanuprāsavadyogavṛtti paraṃparā garbha jagāda sā gauḍīyā rītiḥ/^[33]

In a similar fashion, Bhoja believes the rīti having Oja and Kānti guṇa compounded with very peculiar words as the Gauḍīya-rīti.

Cf.—

samastātyudbhaṭa padābhojaḥ kāntiguṇānvitām/
gauḍīyeti vijananti rītiṃ rīti vicakṣaṇāḥ//

The vṛtti and the rīti in conjunction with varṇa that expresses the Oja-guṇa are considered as Paruṣā-vṛtti and Gauḍīya rīti respectively by Mammaṭa.

Cf.—

ojaḥ prakāśakaistaistu paruṣā/^[34]

Viśvanātha again considers the compositions containing varṇa that expresses Oja-guṇa and bound with abundant compounded and exaggerated words (śabdāḍmbaro) as the Gauḍīya rīti.

Cf.—

ojaḥ prakāśakavarṇebandhaḥ āḍambara punaḥ/ samāsa bahulā gauḍī/^[35]

Therefore, sufficient unanimity can be observed amongst the Sanskrit scholars in their respective versions of definition of Gauḍīya-rīti. Summing up, the rītis bonded with varṇas having Oja and Kānti and abundant in compounded and exaggerated words are called Gauḍīya-rīti.

iii. Pāñcālī-rīti:

Vāmana, the first proponent of Pāñcālī-rīti, defined it as the rīti that is conjoined with the Mdāhurya and Saukumarya-guṇa.

Cf.—

mādhurya saukumāryopapannā Pāñcālī/^[36]

While exhibiting the nature inaugurating the definition (swarupa) of Pāñcālī rīti, he writes, due to the absence of Oja and Kānti-guṇa, devoid of long compounded words bound with Mādhurya and Saukumarya guṇas is called Pāñcālī rīti.

Cf.—

mādhuryeṇa saukumāryeṇa ca guṅenopapannā pāñcālī nāma rītiḥ/
ojaḥ kāntyabhāvādanatabaṇapada/ vicchāyā c|/^[37]

Rudraṭa considers Pāñcālī-rīti as the one consisting of up to four compounded words.

Cf.—

…catvāri nā samāsavanti casyāṃ sā pāñcālī|^[38]

Again, Rājaśekhara considers that the rīti wherein one observes the usage of short compounded as well as a alpaprāṇayukta words and sentences having secondary meaning are called Pāñcālī-rīti.

Cf.—

…īṣadasamāsaṃ īṣadanuprāsamupacāraṃ garbhañca jagāda sā pāñcālī rītiḥ/^[39]

Viśvanātha considers the rīti having remnant letters of Vaidharvī and Gauḍīya rīti that indicates five or six compounded words as the Pāñcālī rīti.

Cf.—

… varṇai śeṣaiḥ punardvayoḥ/ samastapañcaṣapado bandhaḥ pāñcālikā matā/^[40]

Thus it is clear that almost all the scholars have given their definition of rīti similar with that of Vāmana.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

mahāvarītiḥ śavasā sarat pṛthak/ Ṛgveda, 2.28.14

[2]:

vātevājuryā nadyeva rītiḥ/Ṛgveda, 2.39.5

[3]:

tāmasyarītiparaśoriva/ Ibid., 2.39.4

[4]:

Sarasvatikaṇṭhābharaṇa, II.27

[5]:

Kāvyālaṃkārasūtravṛtti,I. II.6

[6]:

Ibid.,I. II.7

[7]:

Ibid.,I. II.8

[8]:

Kāvyālaṃkāra of Rudrata, p. 23

[9]:

Kāvyamīmāṃsā, III,p.42

[10]:

Dhvanyāloka, III.2, Ed. By Sobhit Misra, Chaukhamba Sanskrit Series Office, Varanasi-1979

[11]:

Sāhityadarpaṇa, IX. 1

[12]:

Harṣacarita, I.7

[13]:

Kāvyālaṃkāra, I.31, as quoted in “concepts of Rīti and Guṇa in Sanskrit Poetics by P.C. Lahiri, Munshiram Mohanlal Publishers Pvt. Ltd. 1974

[14]:

Kāvyādarśa, I.42

[15]:

Kāvyālaṃkārasūtravṛtti,I. II.9

[16]:

Kāvyālaṃkāra, II.4

[17]:

Kāvyālaṃkāra,II.6

[18]:

Kāvyamīmāṃsā, III

[19]:

Concept of Rīti and Guṇa in Sanskrit Poetics, p. 156

[20]:

Vakroktijīvita, I.24

[21]:

Dhvanyāloka, III.5

[22]:

Kāvyaprakāśa, p.203

[23]:

Sāhityadarpaṇa, IX.2

[24]:

Kāvyādarśa, I.42

[25]:

Kāvyālaṃkārasūtravṛtti,I.II.11

[26]:

Kāvyālaṃkārasūtravṛtti, p.5

[27]:

Kāvyālaṃkāra, p.23

[28]:

Kāvyamīmāṃsā, p.42

[29]:

Kāvyaprakāśa, IX.80

[30]:

Sāhityadarpaṇa, IX. 2,3

[31]:

Kāvyālaṃkārasūtravṛtti,I.II.12

[32]:

Kāvyālaṃkārasūtravṛtti, p.6

[33]:

Kāvyamīmāṃsā, p.20

[34]:

Kāvyaprakāśa, IX.80,p.202

[35]:

Sāhityadarpaṇa, IX.3,4

[36]:

Kāvyālaṃkārasūtravṛtti,I. II.13

[37]:

Ibid., p.6

[38]:

Kāvyaprakāśa, II.5 (vṛtti)

[39]:

Kāvyamīmāṃsā, p. 39

[40]:

Sāhityadarpaṇa, IX.4