199. ABHINAVAGUPTA'S THEORY OF MEANING 223

ABHINAVAGUPTA'S THEORY OF MEANING 223

Some of the literary facts, however, are not like the scienti- fic ones. For, while the latter are objective and their existence can be demonstrated to the naked eye by various scientific appliances, the former are purely subjective and can be known through introspection only. And the introspection also can reveal those facts, if it is helped by necessary psycho-physical conditions and the proper intellectual back- ground. Further, these facts, in order that they may be recognised, require an appreciative attitude. For, unless the mind is free from previous intellectual bias, it is not in the necessary condition to see them. Hence it is that there is always a great controversy when a new theory, based upon facts, which are purely subjective, is promulgated for the first time. Who was the first discoverer of the suggested meaning in the total experience, stimulated by a poetic composition, we do not know. But the theory was well known and had its opponents also, long before the time of the Dhvani kārikā. But it was simply a matter of oral tradition. It had no systematic form. It was probably based on insufficient data. The theory, as found in the Dhvanyāloka of Ananda- Vardhana, is, however, fully developed in all details after refuting all the possible objections of the various types of opponents. It is, therefore, natural to believe that Ananda Vardhana took up the problem of Dhvani after all other poetic theories, which are taken into consideration and refuted, had been formulated and well established. Appar- ently, therefore, the facts, which enabled him to give such a fine systematic form to the Dhvani theory must have been of the latest discovery. The earlier poetic theories were based upon objective facts and therefore, could establish themselves easily and had a wider appeal. The earliest opponent of the theory