Poetic Qualities, Riti, Imagery and Symbol
Poetic Qualities, Riti, Imagery and Symbol
This topic gives one to two questions and it is the part of poetics that candidates leave for last. The names are few and the counts are settled — three qualities, three riti and two kinds of poetry — so the return on preparing it comes quickly.
The Three Poetic Qualities
| Quality | Character | Which ras |
|---|---|---|
| Madhurya | softness and sweetness | shringar, karun, shant |
| Oj | force and vigour | vir, raudra, bhayanak |
| Prasad | simplicity and clarity | all ras |
The quality of oj brings in harsher letters and more conjuncts, which is why poetry of the heroic sentiment sounds different the moment it is read aloud. Dinkar's poetry is the most familiar example of oj, and that is a link worth adding in a Bihar paper.
✗ Prasad is found only in shant ras | ✓ Prasad can be present in every ras; it is the quality of simplicity and clarity
The Three Riti
Riti means a particular style of word arrangement. Acharya Vaman called riti the soul of poetry and named three of them.
- Vaidarbhi — soft, sweet diction; linked with madhurya.
- Gaudi — harsh, compound-laden diction; linked with oj.
- Panchali — between the two; linked with prasad.
Hold this pairing of quality and riti — vaidarbhi with madhurya, gaudi with oj, panchali with prasad. One table then answers questions from two different topics.
Kinds of Poetry
| Kind | Sub-kind | Nature |
|---|---|---|
| Prabandh kavya | Mahakavya | many cantos, a whole life |
| Prabandh kavya | Khandkavya | one section of a life |
| Muktak kavya | — | each verse independent, no narrative thread |
Ramcharitmanas and Kamayani are mahakavya, while the Bihari Satsai is muktak kavya, because each of its couplets is complete in itself. That paired example is asked directly.
Imagery and Symbol
A bimb is a word picture that puts a scene before the senses as soon as it is read — visual, auditory or tactile. A pratik is an object that points beyond its own meaning to some larger idea, as the lotus stands for purity and the lamp for hope.
The difference is direct — imagery shows, a symbol points. Both were used most heavily in Chhayavad poetry, so questions usually arise in that context.
याद रखने का सूत्र: गुण तीन, रीति तीन, और दोनों की जोड़ी बनी हुई है। काव्य भेद में केवल यह देखिए कि कथा-सूत्र चल रहा है या नहीं — चले तो प्रबंध, न चले तो मुक्तक।
TRE pointer: Learn the quality and riti pairs together — vaidarbhi-madhurya, gaudi-oj, panchali-prasad — since questions from both topics come out of it. That Vaman called riti the soul of poetry is settled. Keep the example pair of Bihari Satsai as muktak and Kamayani as mahakavya.
60-Second Recap
- The three poetic qualities are madhurya, oj and prasad.
- Oj goes with vir and raudra ras, madhurya with shringar and karun.
- Prasad can be present in every ras.
- The three riti are vaidarbhi, gaudi and panchali; Vaman called riti the soul of poetry.
- Prabandh kavya has two kinds, mahakavya and khandkavya; Bihari Satsai is muktak.
- Imagery puts a scene before the senses; a symbol points to a larger idea.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the three poetic qualities?
Madhurya, oj and prasad. Madhurya is the quality of softness and sweetness and goes with shringar and karun ras. Oj is the quality of force and vigour and goes with vir and raudra. Prasad is the quality of simplicity and clarity and can be present in every ras.
Who called riti the soul of poetry?
Acharya Vaman. He described riti as a particular style of word arrangement and named three of them — vaidarbhi, gaudi and panchali. The doctrine is asked directly, so the name and the doctrine should be held together.
What is the difference between mahakavya and khandkavya?
In a mahakavya the whole life of the hero is treated across many cantos, as in Ramcharitmanas and Kamayani. In a khandkavya only one section or one episode of a life is taken and its scope stays limited. Both are kinds of prabandh kavya.
What is the difference between imagery and symbol?
Imagery is a word picture that brings a sight, a sound or a touch before the senses as soon as it is read. A symbol is an object that points beyond its ordinary meaning to some larger idea, as a lamp stands for hope. Imagery shows; a symbol points.