Which of the following concepts are associated with Bhartrhari’s theory of ‘Sphota’?
[A] Rasa
[B] Alankara
[C] Dhvani
[D] Vakrokti
[E] Shabda Brahman
Choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below:

The correct answer is C and E only.

Bhartṛhari, a seminal 5th-century Sanskrit grammarian and philosopher of language, proposed the influential theory of Sphota (Sphota-vada) in his celebrated treatise Vakyapadiya. This theory explores the metaphysics of language, sound, and meaning.

Let's analyze why the concepts Dhvani [C] and Shabda Brahman [E] are directly associated with Bhartṛhari’s theory of Sphota, while the others are not:

1. Shabda Brahman [E]:
According to Bhartṛhari, the ultimate, non-dual reality is of the nature of word/sound, which he calls Shabda Brahman (the Word-Absolute). The entire universe is a manifestation (vivarta) of this supreme reality. In his philosophy, the Sphota is the spiritual, indivisible essence of language through which meaning is illuminated, and it is ultimately identified with Shabda Brahman. Thus, Shabda Brahman is a foundational concept of his system.

2. Dhvani [C]:
In Bhartṛhari's linguistic scheme, a distinction is made between the inner, indivisible unit of meaning (the Sphota) and the external, physical speech sounds or acoustic vibrations that reveal or manifest it. These acoustic elements or articulated sounds are referred to as Dhvani (specifically, prākrta-dhvani and vaikṛta-dhvani). The physical sounds (Dhvani) serve as the medium through which the listener's mind grasps the unified, mental language-unit (Sphota) that conveys meaning. (Later, literary theorists like Anandavardhana adapted the term Dhvani to mean suggestion or poetic resonance, explicitly acknowledging their debt to Bhartṛhari's grammatical philosophy).

Why other options are incorrect:
Rasa [A] (aesthetic flavor/emotion) and Alankara [B] (poetic figures of speech/ornamentation) are core concepts of classical Sanskrit poetics (mainly associated with theorists like Bharata Muni and Bhamaha), not the linguistic metaphysics of Bhartṛhari's Sphota theory.
Vakrokti [D] (oblique or oblique-expression) is a theory of poetic language formulated much later by Kuntaka (10th century) in his work Vakroktijivita, and is not a part of Bhartṛhari’s original Sphota framework.

Therefore, only concepts C and E are associated with Bhartṛhari’s theory of Sphota, making "C and E only" the correct option.