Vada in Theory and Practice: Studies in Debates, Dialogues and Discussions in Indian Intellectual Discourses c10.s2.5

c10.s2.5

*Prāpti* is another *kāvya lakṣaṇa* envisaging the techniques of *vāda*. *Prāpti* incorporates the concepts of *anumāna* and *pañcāvayava vākya* from *Nyāyadarśana*. It occurs when a *bhāva* (situation) is inferred by visualizing some of the *avayavas* (components).⁷ In *akṣara-saṃghāta* (confluence of letters) *chala* as defined in Nyāya philosophy is adopted. Abhinavagupta has cited dialogues from the play *Ubhayābhisārikā* to illustrate *akṣara-saṃghāta*. In the dialogue between a *viṭa* (pander) and a *parivrājikā* (nun), the former tells his name as Vaiśikācala and the nun adopting *chala* (cheating), understands the meaning of his name in the sense of an adherent of the Vaiśeṣika philosophy, and quickly retorts that she has nothing to do with a person who sticks to the Vaiśeṣika philosophy. In this way the dialogue goes on presenting a fake debate.⁸