The sphoṭa theory and Ānandavardhana's suggestive power of poetic language

This article is designed as a concise presentation of the way, in which the linguistic theory of sphoṭa, proposed by Bhartṛhari (5th cent. CE), has influenced the idea of emotive suggestion (rasa dhvani) - one of the most prominent Indian aesthetic concepts, created by Ānandavardhana (9th cent. CE). Firstly, the most important facets of Bhartṛhari’s theory are presented, beginning with the essence of relation between sphoṭa - a singular and unchanging entity capable of conveying meaning - and its audible, differentiated, and temporal manifestation - dhvani. Next step lies in describing the theory of Ānandavardhana, in which dhvani becomes a factor carrying the suggested meaning (vyañjanā) of a single word and of a whole utterance; and eventually - a factor that can also convey the emotive suggestion of a literary work as a whole. It is proven that there exists a close relation between grasping the meaning of a statement through sphoṭa, and understanding the emotive overtone of a literary work through the power of suggestion (rasa dhvani)