371. ÆSTHETIC CURRENTS IN POETICS 409

ÆSTHETIC CURRENTS IN POETICS 409

tion to the dramatic ideal has been losing strength. After Bhamaha, according to whom the Vakrokti was the only distinctive feature of the poetic pro- ductions, Dandin asserted the importance of the poetic qualities and Vamana represented the style to be the soul of poetry. Udbhata's conception of poetry, therefore, coming historically after that of Vamana, represents another and probably the last but one stage in the evolution of the conception of poetry. For, after him the two conceptions, of poetry and of drama, have lost all the difference, except- ing that the one is intended to be presented on the stage and the other is simply to be recited. Udbhata's position may summarily be stated as follows :- 1. He, for the first time in the history of poetics, talks of Vrttis, (i) Parușā (ii) Upanāgarikā and (iii) Komalā.1 2. His position regarding Dhvani, according to Abhinava, is the same as that of Vamana. That is, he holds that the spiritual meaning (Dhvani) can be aroused by the secondary power of language (Laksaņā). 3. His attitude towards Rasa, the æsthetic i configura- tion, is very interesting. We know on the authority of Abhinavagupta that he commented on both, the Kavyalan- kara of Bhamaha and the Natya Sastra of Bharata. He was, therefore, in close touch with both the schools of literary criticism, the poetic and the dramatic. Neither of his two commentaries is available. We, therefore, cannot state, on their basis, his views on Rasa. His independent work, Kāvyālankāra Sangraha, is, however, published. Therein he seems to have well-nigh accepted the conception of the Kaya, propounded by the dramaturgic school 1. K.A.S., 5-6