Vada in Theory and Practice: Studies in Debates, Dialogues and Discussions in Indian Intellectual Discourses c10.s4.2

c10.s4.2

Debates have been raging in the form of agreements and disagreements as well as refutations and correspondences amongst the proponents of the six systems or theories holding one out of *rasa*, *dhvani*, *alaṁkāra*, *vakrokti*, *rīti* and *aucitya* (propriety) as the most essential element in *kāvya*. The tradition does not regard these systems as isolated schools of theory. They are related to the three aspects of literary activity — creative process, form and reception of a literary discourse involving the triangle of *kavi*, *kāvya* and *sahṛdaya*. The theory of *vakrokti* and *alaṁkāra* is concerned with the first, theory of *rīti* generally with the second and the theories of *rasa*, *dhvani* and *aucitya* with the third, i.e. receptivity.