Word Power

WORD-POWER

It is neither the sun nor the moon that makes the Universe visible. A peculiar light which is not visible, but can be heard and experienced (by the ear and heart); enlightens this world and by ifs influence only the metabolism of the Universe is going on. So says Dandian in his Kavyadarsa

“Idam andham Tamah Krtsnam
Jayeta Bhuvana trayam
Yadi Sabdahvayam Jyothih
Asamsaram an deepyate” - Thus Sabda plays a prominent role in the maintenance of the universe. Unless it is supported by Sabda, work has no existence at all. So, Sabda is more powerful than anything else in this metaphysical world.

Word power is being utilized even in politics as an important weapon to win the game. If we recall our attention to the dogans of our earlier politicians - Viz. ‘Quit India’. “Vande Mataram” Independence is my birth-right - ‘Garibi Hatavo’ etc; the governing capacity of Sabda can easily be understood. Alankarikas pointed out that the sharpness of Sabda is that of an arrow left “Soyam ishoriva deerg ataro Vyaparah”.

All our Sastras and Darsanas have also taken WP as a pramana (Measure) to propound or establish their theories though ‘Sabda Pramana’, which is other wise known as ‘Aptavakaya’, Nowadays much research is being done on this “Apta Vakya Learning Philosophy” (AVLP).

WP has been vividly discussed in Indian Aesthetics and also in Darsanas. Rhetoricians have contributed much to the psychic aspect, while Naiyayikas (logicians) and Vaiyakaranas (Grammarians)have dealt with separately the evolutionary and involutionary aspects of the WP. Thus we may say, WP has its own influence on the society as well as on literature right from the beginning and it may last for ever.

Now, we shall analyse the contents, ­what does a WORD mean? It has been defined by the school of Logicians as ‘Saktam’ (That which has power). Now the question arises - what is sakti? It is nothing but ‘Abhidhana’ i.e., the expression suggested according to the will and pleasures of the LORD. – “Asmat Sabdat ayam ortho boddhavya iti ISWARASAMKE TO ABHIDHA”.

But the Grammarian’s view-point differs with this. According to them it is ‘SPHOTA’ that which enlightens the meaning as they define - ‘Sphutatyarthah Aneneti sphotah’. It was also treated as the Brahman in the guise of sabda. Which is other wise known as ‘Sabda Brahman’. Like Lord Brahma the four headed God, the creator of the universe; this SPHOTA OR WORD in its sense, sabda has four Heads i.e., a four fold phenomenon - Para, Pasyanti, Madhyama and Vikhari. Among these the last form Vikhari only can be observed or experienced by us through our organs of hearing ‘Sravanendriya’. Our ear cannot grasp the first three forms. They can only be seen by the seers who practice Yoga, that too, in the state of ‘Mahasamadhi’ i.e., in deep meditation.

The Sum total of the above two the theories has been explained in SIKSHAS, which are considered as the First organ of vedas in a more scientific manner as follows:

Atma budhya Sametyarthan
Mano Yunkte Vivakshaya
Manah Kayagnimahanti
Sa prerayati Marutam. ­

At the outset, Atman the inner self provoked by some thought joins with the mind, and  the mind desirous of awakening the inner fire of the body (Kayagni) acts upon and as a result of this, the fire thus kindled makes the air to go up and the air while passing out through some parts of the vocal-cavity touches the throat (Kantha), Palet (Talu) Head (Murdha) etc, and produces various sounds. In congruence with the mental harmony these sounds form some meaningful utterances called sabdas. If the articulation does not give any sense, it will be a mere sound. If it is meaningful it takes the name of sabda, a word.

Well, we have observed the outcome of the web of the vocabulary. Now, we shall discuss the other side of the coin i.e. power of a word. It has been clearly observed and classified by the Rhetoricians, that words will have three types of powers known as Abhidha, Lakshana and vyanjana.

‘Abhidha’ means ‘Bodha’ i.e. the perception which brings into our minds; the shape of the object which is expressed by the sabada. For example, if the word, ‘Book’ is heard; immediately the shape of a book i.e., the compilation of some papers in their right shape will be cognised and the I same will be caught by our visual organ i.e. the eye. This is what Abhidhana means.

At times, the main shape of the object does not come into the picture, and some other meaning is to be inferred. For example, generally we call the vendor “Oh! Apples! come here”. The apple will come to your door step. Think a while, Is it possible? Can the apple come to your door? But it comes! How? The answer is WP, Apple can not participate in the action of coming as it cannot walk or run. That is how your order or command become invalid in its real sense. It is known as the ‘meaning suffered i.e., Badhita Jnana’ in the Sastra. In contexts like this where the primary meaning in Mukhyartha has suffered, and takes another shape i.e. Arthantara, with some relation to the main objects, as in our example, Apple means the ‘The person who carries the apples’. This kind of WP is named as LAKSHANA and the meaning thus changed its shape, It is known as ‘Lakshyaartha’ by the Alamkarikas.

There is another significant aspect of WP which concerns the poetic beauty, the concept of suggestion. It is Vyanjana, which is otherwise named as DHWANI. There is a famous verse in Sanskrit Rhetoric.

“Yami Na Yamiti dhave vadati tanvangyah.
Galitani puro Valayani Tanyeva Punardalitani”

A love says to his beloved ‘Dear! I am leaving now’, Immediately her bangles fell from her hand. Meanwhile, she raises the other hand so that the bangles of that hand my not fall down. The lover understood her immense grief and said ‘I am not going’, Immediately the bangles on the other hand had broken into pieces”. This is the substance of the verse.

It is possible to imagine? The person who cannot grasp the suggested meaning, think of the poet as - No bloody Fool will depict like this. Here the actual meaning which is otherwise known as ‘Vachyartha’ should not be taken. Only the suggestive meaning is to be viewed, when the lover said to his beloved, “I am going”. She becomes so lean and slim that her bangles fell down suddenly, and afterwards she raised the other hand. When he said again ‘I am not leaving, She becomes overwhelmed with joy and the bangles of the other hand had broken into pieces. Here a ‘Sahrdaya,’ who understands the heart of the poet, will think about the intensity of love which does not beat the separation even for a fraction of a second. He only can praise the poet’s delightful description whole-heartedly. This type of appreciation only shows the pulse of the poet and the poetry.

Janan Vyangya Camatkrteeh Padagateeh arthouchiteeschavasat,
Antassarma Yadasnute rasyita Sa jeevandi Kaveh.

This kind of poetry in which the suggestive meaning was given much importance is named as ‘DHWANI KAVYA’ It was accorded top priority by the Rhetoricians. Thus Jagannatha the most prominent of Alamkarikas considers it as ‘Uttamottama kavya’.

Though Logicians (Tarkikas) have mainly used the WP for their Pariskaras; their ultimate goal is to establish the pramanas to attain the ‘eternal bliss’ (Moksha). So is the Pramana Sutra­ “Pramana, Prameya, Samsaya, Prayojana, ­Drstanta, Siddhanta, Avayava, Tarka­, Nirnaya, Vada, Jalpa, Vitanda, Chala, ­Jati, Nigrahasthananam Tatvajnanat, Nisreyasadhigamah”. Same is the case with the grammarians (Vaikaranas) who identify themselves as ‘Sabdabrahmavida’ along with vedantins.

The Indian aesthetics concentrated to direct the WP only to attain the trinity-­“Satyam Sivam Sundaram”. In the same way Alamkarikas also converged their views towards the uplift of the human race by supplying samskaras though WP in the shape of upadesa. Thus ‘Upadesatmakata’ became the characterstic feature of the Indian poets who concentrated all their efforts to seek ‘MOKSHA’ the liberation as their penultimate goal.

Anyone will get surprised at his son or boy who is studying 2nd standard when he recites the famous verse’ of Sumatisatakam.

Udumundade Noorendlunu
Padi Yundade Permi Pamu Padi Noorendlun
Maduguna Kokkera Yundade
Kadunila Purusartha Parudu Kavale Sumathi!!

So exclaims Manu and advises that the entire human race to learn the character from an Indian Brahmin through WP.

“Etaddesaprasutasya Sakasadagra­janmanah
Swam Swam Charitram Siksheran Prthivyam Sarvamanavah”

And only on the basis of the WP it is said “Poets are uncrowned rulers of the world” Not merely this world, they are capable of twisting the whole universe according to their will.

“Yathasmairochate Viswam Yathedam Panvartate” It is said.

That is the WP we have for which India is very famous.