Anandavardhana

Ānandavardhana (c. 820 – 890 CE) was a Kashmiri court poet and literary critic, honored with the title of Rajanak during King Avantivarman's reign. Anandavardhana authored the *Dhvanyāloka*, or *A Light on Suggestion* (*dhvani*), a work articulating the philosophy of 'aesthetic suggestion' (*dhvani*, *vyañjanā*). Ānandavardhana is credited with creating the *dhvani* theory. He wrote that *dhvani* (meaning sound, or resonance) is the 'soul' or 'essence' (*ātman*) of poetry (*kavya*). 'When the poet writes,' said Ānandavardhana, 'he creates a resonant field of emotions.' To understand the poetry, the reader or hearer must be on the same 'wavelength.' The method requires sensitivity on the parts of the writer and the reader. The complete *Dhvanyāloka* together with Abhinavagupta's commentary on it has been translated into English. Ānandavardhana is mentioned in Kalhana's Rajatarangini. He was noted to not have cited or commented on Daṇḍin's work, instead preferring Bhamaha or Udbhata. Anandavardhana classifies three categories of poetry: 1. Dhvani kavya (prominence of suggestion) 2. Gunibhuta vyangakavya (secondary place of suggestion) 3. Chitra kavya (portrait like - absence of suggestion) He categorizes Dhvani kavya as the best form of poetry, Gunibhuta vangiya kavya as the second class and the third or lowest class is said to be Chitra kavya. The philosopher Abhinavagupta (c. 950 – 1016 CE) wrote an important commentary on *Dhvanyāloka* titled the *Locana*, or *The Eye*.