Shabd Shakti (शब्द शक्ति) — Abhidha, Lakshana and Vyanjana, and the Test That Tells Them Apart

Three Meanings Live Inside Every Word

Hindi grammar recognises that a single word rarely means only one thing — and shabd shakti (शब्द शक्ति) is the power by which a word delivers each of its three possible meanings. Every question in this chapter is really just asking: which of the three is doing the work in this sentence?

• ›अभिधा (Abhidha) — the direct, dictionary meaning. "पानी बरस रहा है" (water is falling) means exactly rain, nothing more.
• ›लक्षणा (Lakshana) — the literal meaning doesn't fit, so it shifts to a *related, logical* meaning. "गाँव जा रहा है" said of a stream doesn't mean the stream has legs — it means the stream is *flowing toward* the village.
• ›व्यंजना (Vyanjana) — the words carry no literal or logical clue at all, only a *suggested* meaning built from tone and context. "क्या समय हो गया है!" spoken to a friend still in bed doesn't ask the time — it scolds.

Only one of these three is at work in any given line, and the exam wants you to name it.

1. In the sentence "गाँव जा रही है" said of a river, which shabd shakti is at work?

2. In the sentence "राम ने फल खाया", which shabd shakti is at work?

3. A person stuck in pouring rain with cancelled plans says "कैसी सुंदर सुबह है!" — which shabd shakti is at work?

4. What is the term for Abhidha's meaning?

5. Calling a coward "मुर्गा" (chicken) — a shift so conventional it needs no special context to understand — is which type of lakshana?

6. "लाल टोपी आ गई" — pointing at a specific person by their clothing, needing context to understand — is which type of lakshana?

7. Which of the following correctly states the order to test a sentence's shabd shakti?

8. Which of these is true about vyangyarth (the meaning revealed by vyanjana)?