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Articles

Vol. 3 No. 2 (2026): ILN Journal: Indian Literary Narratives

Synaesthetic Sphota: Reimagining Dali through the Linguistic Vision of Bhartrhari

Submitted
4 June 2026
Published
2026-06-30

Abstract

This article introduces the concept of synesthetic sphoṭa by extending Bhartrhari’s theory of sphoṭa—the sudden, holistic emergence of meaning -beyond language into visual art. Drawing on stages of expression (paśyantī, madhyamā, vaikharī) and the intuitive faculty of pratibhā, it argues that images can function as utterances, producing multisensory semantic flashes. Through close analysis of Salvador Dalí’s “The Elephants” and “Metamorphosis of Narcissus”, the study shows how surrealist visuality evokes meaning in ways analogous to linguistic cognition. This framework fuses Indian epistemology with Western aesthetics, offering a new model for reading, hearing, and feeling images.

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