Chapter 5

AESTHETIC EXPERIENCE ACCORDING TO ABHINAVAGUPTA

I

Aesthetic Issues relating to Bharata*s Rasa-Sutra

Abhinavagupta1 s enquiry into the nature o f aesthetic

experience is very comprehensive and elaborate. Several pages

o f the Abhlnavabharat 1 and the Dfavanyllokalocana are devoted

to the discussion on the nature o f aesthetic experience. In

both the trea tises AbhInavagupta*s ob jective is to lay a firm

aesthetic foundation fo r the fin e a r ts , e sp ecia lly fo r poetry

and drama.

In Abhinavabhirat1. which is a scholarly commentary

on Bharata's Natya Sdstra. Abhinavagupta has disoussed

threadbare d iffe ren t aesthetic Issues that arise out o f

Bharata's aphorism on Rasa, which is better known as the

' Rasa»Sutra' . As we have pointed out already, Bharata’ s

c la s s ic afborism is ambiguous and c ry p t ic , esp ecia lly with

regard to the meaning o f the words "Saipyoga" and "n isp a tti" •

The interpretation o f the meaning o f these two terms has been

the subject o f heated discussion among the commentators.

Another point that orested further confusion la Bharata's

s ilen ce about "ethaylbhava" in h is Rasa-Sutra. Hence, a

number, o f interpretations have been given in several

commentaries on the Natya Sintra. These commentaries have

brought to lig h t important issues on aesthetic experience and

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the process of a r t is t lo orestion . Ibe commentaries aimed at

the solution o f such perplexing questions as : What actually

the process o f aesth etic rea lisa tion consists in ? What re la tion does Vlbhttvas. Anubhavas and Vyabhloaribhava hear

Rasa?

II

Examination o f E arlier Views on Rasa-Sutra

The Ahfainavabharat1 is not merely a commentary on the

Natya S iatra. hut i t is an epitome o f several interpretations

o f Bharat a - a commentary on the commentaries. Ahhinavagupta

has scrutinised the interpretations and theories presented hy

h is predecessors. The oommentators whose views Ahhinavagupta

examines are i ( l ) Bhatta Lolla$a, (11) Sri Sahkukat

( i l l ) Bhatta Tsuta, and ( l v ) Bhatta Nayaka.

Bhatta Lollata...................■ ' ■ ' — ' —

In both Abhlnavahharati (Vol . I , p. 27k) and

Bhvanyalokalocana (p . 68) Bhatta L o lla ta 's interpretation o f

Rasa-Sutra is discussed. He appears to he one o f the e a r lie s t

oommentators o f Hbarata to o f f e r an explanation to the

aphorism. But h is works are apparently l o s t , and the only

information we have about him is from Ahhinavagupta. In

Abhlnavahharati (V ol. I , p. 27k) Bhatta L o lla ta 's view has

been summarised, as f o l l ow s ' t

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"By the term "union" Bharat a means im p lio itly the

union o f the permanent Mental state with the

Determinants, etc.| Rasa is the product o f th is union. More p re c ise ly , the Determinants are the

cause o f the b irth o f the mental more ms nt

( C itta v r tt i) which constitu tes the Permanent

Mental State ( Sthiyibhiva) . In using the term

consequents, Bharata does not mean the consequents

arising from the Rasa (sinoe these obviously

cannot be considered as causes o f the Rasa) but

only the consequents arising from the mental

sta tes . Bren though the Transltoxy Mental States,

in so fa r as they are mental movements, cannot

aoeompany simultaneously the Permanent Mental

States, Bharata in h is Sutra means that the

Permanent Mental State remains nevertheless in a

state o f la ten t impression ( Vienna ) ."*

According to Bhatta L o lla ta , the b irth (n lsp a tt i)

o f Rasa takes place from the union o f the Permanent Mental

State (S th iyin ) with the VibhSva. Anuhhava and Yyabhloarlbhiva.

In other words. Rasa resu lts from the operation o f the

stimulants o f an emotional s itu a tion , the resulting mimetic changes (in terms o f physical and mental s ta te s ) , and the

transient emotional con d ition s, on the Sthiyin (o r the

sentiment o f the orig in a l character enacted in a drama). In

1. Translated by R. Gnoli * Aesthetic Experience according to Abhinavasunta. pp, 30-31

171

dram we witness tba feeling (or emotion) of a obaraetar lika Ram or Dusyanta fo r another obaraetar lika Sita or Sakuntala. Tba presantation on tha ataga of tba thoughta and feelings, aetiona and raaotiona o f a oharaoter in a aignifleant aituation portraya tba eharaotar and bia anotiona, Ihe aaotlon ia alao produced in tha aotor by rirtua of hla training and tba eapaeity fo r identification with tha original obaraetar. Bbatta Lollafa indiraetly emphasised tba need for tha actor*s idantlfioation with tba role aaalgnad in order to affaet tha deaired emotional axparlanoa.

According to Bbatta Lollata, tha vlbhavae are responeible fo r arousing tba athiyin. lba athiyin ia already there in tha suboonseloua region of tba eharaotar*a mind, and ia arokad by a particular significant situation. Moreover, tha raaotiona of tba eharaotar that are aignifleant in an emotional situation are those tbat precede tba situation or those that lead to the situation. 1hus, i t is Ram’ * raaotiona on seeing Sita in the Srayamrara (tba anelent custom of selecting bridegroom by a g ir l h erself) tbat ard Important fo r getting a glimpse of bia amotion, and not tha raaotiona after tha amotion is produeed in bis mind, Ihe transitory feelings Ilka joy , eagerness, ato. although mental states, are different from the Sthaylns.

Abhlnavagupta mints in a that this view of Bbatta Lollata is alao tbe vise of tba older alamkarikaa (rhetoricians) like Dandln. Bbatta Lollata 's view, in b r ie f, is tbat Rasa is produeed as a result of tbe combination of tba Sthayln with

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the stimulants of a significant emotional situation. Its reactions on the character who Is the focus of the situation, and the aeoonpanylng mental states or feelings, Bass properly belongs to the character ( anukirya) in the drama, then to the actor playing the part (o r role) because of his ldentlflestion with the character.

Sri 3ank»)«« *

Sri Sankuka cr it ic ise s Bhatta Lollata's view on Seat,/ - / ■ ___

Sri Sankuka, who is often quoted in the Abhinavabharati.argues that there are no valid logical grounds (llnga) to infer the knowledge of the existence of the Sthayin as long as i t does not cone into contaet with the vlbhavaa. etc.Bhatta Lollata has to prove the existence of the sthiyln before he contends that the sthiyin is o on joined with the ylbhayas. etc. Moreover, i f , according to Bharata, the sthiyin is transformed into Basa as a result of its conjunction with the various bhivas or the mental states like the vibfaivas. e t c , , Bharata would have f ir s t discussed the nature of the bhivas and then the nature of Basa. to follow the logical order. But this is not the case) Bharata was of the opinion that Basa deserves primary consideration. Moreover, the sthiyin is not the same as Basa. Hence, Bhatta Lollata's view which seems to suggest that the bhivas deserve precedence over Basa, is incorrect.

After cr itic is in g Bhatta Lollata*s theory of Basa,Sri Sankuka has advanced his own view on Basa. According to

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/ /Sri San leak*, "Bait is simply s permanent mental stats, i . e . ,It ooosists In tbs 1 s it at Ion (anukarana) o f tbs Rsrmanent Mental Stats proper to tbs psrson imitated - Hans, e te .f andjust bsoauss It consists in an in itation , i t is not oallsd a

2 ^ -permanent mental stats but is given tbs name of Rasa," Sri Sankuka maintains that Rasa is an initation of tbs obaraotsr*s sthiyin. Aooordlng ts bin, tbs in itia l proosss of Rosaapprsbsnsion starts with tbs dramatist's picturesque

— Xdescription of tbs ribhayas like Sakuntala appearing before Dusyanta with tbs sesnio beauty of tbs hermitage in tbs background, Sakuntala watering tbs plants which are as tender, blooming and youthful as herself, whispering Innocent nisebiefs to her friends, who in return teasing her. This suggest ire pioture i t s e l f is capable of drawing the spectator's attention. In addition to th is, there is the exquisite sk ill of the actor, acquired through his long training in the art of expressive gesture (abhinaya), exhibited through bis intonations in elocution, dance and songs. Sri Sankuka maintains tbat the aotor is tbs most important faotor in the production of Rasa. Ibe transitory feelings like doubt, eagerness, anxiety, e te ., are also enaoted by the aotor on the basis of bis emotional reset ions, appropriate to the s it tuition. Ib us, the whole setting of the emotional situation are laid before the apeotators who apprehend i t primarily on the basis of the aotor's imitation of the character'a sentiment.

2 . R. Gnoli's Trans, of Abhlnavabharat1. Vol. I , p. 274in Aesthetic Ezperienee aooordlng to Abhinavagupta, p. 34

17%

Bhatta Tauta

Abhlnavagupta's teacbar la lfatya-S&stra. Bhatta Tauta (or Bhatta Tota) orltle ises Sri San talks's theory, He argues, f ir s t ly , that the aotor's expressions, gestures, e tc ., eannot he ealled the iaitation of the original character's aental state like love, since these expressions e t c . , are insentient, apprehended by different sense-organs which belong to a person (aotor) who Is different fron the original character. Secondly, lnitation presupposes an original, the perception of which is essential so that the iaitation aay be th en . But since nobody has been Haas's love fo r Sita, how can one laitate the love? Thirdly, i f i t is said that the spectator apprehends the character's aental state through the aetor's aental state, what the spectator apprehends is a aental state and not the ia itation . Hence, the theory that the aental state is the actor 's iaitation is not tenable. Fourthly, i t cannot be said that the vlbhavas. e t c , , are real in the case of the character, and unreal (or a r t if ic ia l) in the case of the actor, The question is s Whether they are apprehended by the spectators as a r t if ic ia l or not? I f they are a r t i f ic ia l , they cannot lead to the knowledge of the character's sentiaent of love (in the ease of Haas's love fo r S its, for instance). F ifth ly , the appearance of the actor as angry, anxious, eto. cannot be regarded as ia itation ; the appearance only signifies reseablanoe. The spectators know how to identify the character and his sentlaents, Sri Ssnkuka is not justified in saying that the spectator's apprehension is neither real nor Illusory, but soasthing which lie s in

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between, being the laltatlon of the original. Sixthly, the actor baa no definite feeling that he la imitating Kane or hla sentiments. InitatIon may naan either "doing as another does" or "doing after another does". I f It means the former, it denotes an original who is not available for imitation (in the lite ra l sense). I f i t means the la tter , i t turns out to he a common (ordinary) worldly oeeurrenee. Moreover, the aetor cannot imitate, in the true sense, the behaviour of an ideal oharaeter, because in doing so his own personal behaviour w ill also be presented. What the actor does on the stage is to convey the apprehension of the character, and not his imitation. Seventhly, Hharata nowhere states that Rasa is the imitation of ethayin. Lastly, the mere combination of various pigments (in painting) does not produce a real horse.It yields a particular configuration producing the resemblance of a horse ( l . e . , the painting (c itra ) of a horse). But the vlbhavas. e t c ., produce the real apprehension o f love, and not the resemblanoe of love. Bence, Base is not the imitation of the original character's sentiment (or sthiyin).

This detailed eritieism of Bhatta Tauta against the/ " __ /

theory of Sri Sankuke has been fu lly endorsed by Abhlnavagupta. Therefore, this oritioism may be regarded as Abhinavagupta' s criticism of Sri Sankuka's theory on Rasa.

Sarikhva view

In the Abh inavabhfirat i (Vol. I , p. 278), Abh inavagupta referred to the Sahkbya view that Base is of the nature of

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p l e a s u r e a n d p a i n ( S a n k h y s d r s a s u k h a d u h k h a s r a b h a v o r a s a h ).

T h e S e n k h y a p h i l o s o p h e r s M a i n t a i n t h a t a l n e a t h e a a n a a

e x p a r l a n e a s a r a f a l l o f p l e a s u r e a n d p a i n a a a t h a t i o e x p e r i e n c e ,

w h i c h i s h a s a d o n s u e h e x p e r i e n c e s , l a a M i x t u r e o f p l a a s u r a

a n d p a i n . M e r e o r e r , t h a S e n k h y a r i e w d o e s n o t d i s t i n g u i s h

b e t w e e n S t h & y l n a n d B a s a .

A b h i n a v a g u p t a d o e s n o t s u h a o r l h a t o t h a S e n k h y a v i e w .

H a M a i n t a i n s t h a t t h i s v i e w g o a a a g a i n s t B h a r a t a * * s t e a c h i n g s .

H a a a y s t h a t , a c c o r d i n g t o B h a r a t a , S t h a y l n a n d B a s a a r a n o t

t h a s a n e j t h e S t h i y i n h a s t o h a d a r e l o p e d i n t o B a s a b y Means o f y l b h a y a s . a t e , H e n e e , t h a S i n k h y a r i a w t h a t t h e r e i s n o

d i f f e r e n c e b e t w e e n t h a S t h a y l n a n d B a s a i s n o t c o r r e c t .

H h a t t a N a y a k a

A n o t h e r v i e w w h i c h A b h l n a v a g u p t a d i s c u s s e d i s t h a t o f

B b a t t a N a y a k a . A c c o r d i n g t o H h a t t a N i y a k a , B a s a i n d r a s a o r

p o e t r y i s n e i t h e r d i r e c t l y a p p r e h e n d e d n o r p r o d u c e d n o r

M a n i f e s t e d . ^ H h a t t a N a y a k a M a i n t a i n s t h a t B a s a i n d r s M S a n d

p o e t r y i e d e r e l o p e d i n t w o s t a g e s , n a a e l y , t h a t o f p r e s e n t a t i o n

a n d t h a t o f b e i n g r e l i s h e d . B a s a i s b r o u g h t i n t o b e i n g b y a

s p e c i a l p r o o e e s o r f u n c t i o n k n o w n a s b h a y a k a t y a ( i d e a l i s a t i o n

o r g e n e r a l i s a t i o n ) . I n p o e t r y t h i s p r o c e s s is c h a r a c t e r i s e d

b y t h e a b s e n c e o f b l e n i s h e e ( d o s e s ) a n d t h e a b u n d a n o e o f M e r i t s

( g u n a s ) a n d f i g u r e s ( a l a a k a r a s ) j i n d r a a a i t t a k a s t h e f o r a o f

3 . B h a t t a N a y a k a s r a h r a s o n a a t o y a t e n o t p a d h y a t e n a b h i y y a j y a t e /

• A b h inayabha rati I , p . 179

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gesticulation (abblnaya). Tho process oonalata of the generalisation or idealisation of the eaotional apparatus used by the poet, suoh as stlaulants, consequents, eto. It is quite different fro* the process of abhidhiT or primary denotation, and it dispels the entire delusion of the hearer's Bind, After th is process of idealization, the Rasa is relished by another process known as bhosa or deleotation. This prooess of deleetation is quite different fro* the usual Means of knowledge like dlreot experience, reBeubranoe, eto, Bhatta Nayaka lntroduoes the eoneept of Sidhiranikarana (the arousal of the state o f generality in the hearer or speetator), and aaintains that i t is essential fo r aesthetic experience. He holds that the deleetation or relish (o f Rasa) is characterised by perfeot repose in the hearer's or spectator's own consciousness. In this experience there is the perfect joy of lllunlnatlon due to the preponderance of the eleuent of Sattva (purity). Bhatta Nayaka Maintained that the delectation of Rasa approxlaates the relish of the beatitude of the realisation of the Supreae Brahaan.

Abhlnavagupta has refuted the theory of Bhatta Nayaka. He has referred to Bhatta Nayaka's view that Rasa is neither ̂perceived, nor produced, nor revealed, and Maintains that this view is s la ila r to that of Bhatta Loblata, which has been

/ _already rejeeted with the help of convincing arguaents by Sri Sahkuka, Abhlnavagupta argues i How oan Rasa be relished i f i t is neither apprehended, nor produced, nor revealed?

Abhlnavagupta has objected to Bhatta Nayaka’ s introduction of the tern "Bhoxa" (or enjoynent of Rasa), which

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is not used by Bharat* h im self. The common words Rasa-^arvana.

Rasa-avidana. e t o . , are quite su itable to s ig n ify tbe aet of

re lish in g Rasa; and so , there is no need f o r Introducing a

technical t e n to desorlbe the a c t , According to Abhlnavagupta,

tBhogIkrtlt (o r enjoyment) In Bhatta Nayaka's terminology ist *

nothing but perception (p r a t i t l ) o f Rasa. The "Bhoga” o f

Bhatta Nayaka Is nothing but "Covada” which is e ffe cte d by the

power o f suggestion (dbvani) In poetry. Further, there Is no

need fo r admitting tbe function o f Bho.lakatv* as there Is no

authority who supports I t . According to Bhatta Hayaka, with

the help o f Bhoiakatva the element o f Sattya comes Into

prominence, subjugating the elements o f Bales and Tanas which

d is tra ct and s t if fe n the nind, and the wind thus beeoues steady

and responsive, leading to the state o f the enjoyuent o f b l i s s .

But Abhlnavagupta Maintains that the function o f Bhojafcatva

eonee within the purview o f Vyanlan*. and as such there is no

need fo r postulating th is now fu nction .

S im ilarly , there is no need fo r Introducing the other function , namely, " Bhavakatva" . In Abhlnavagupta,s opinion,

the generalisation or unlversalisatlon o f v lbh ivaa. e t c . , are

e ffeoted spontaneously In tbe mind o f a refined appreelator

who possesses responsive heart (sahrdaya) on reading a poem

or witnessing a play. The capacity fo r generalisation

(Bhavakatva) Is Inherently present In a l l Bhavas. In other

words, Bhavas are so named as they lead to tbe rea lisa tion o f

Basai i t i s by the capacity o f the Bhavas that the

generalisation is e ffe c te d . Hence, there is no need fo r recognising Bhavakatva as a separate function o f words.

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Abh inavag upt a has solved the problen of the enjoy Bent of Base with the help of the eonoept of Vvan.lana. He has dlsalssed as unnecessary the tiro eoneepts, naaely, Bhojakatva (or Bhogatva) end Bhavakatya. vhloh have been Introduced by Bhatta Hayaka to aeoount for the proeess of Base realisation.

Although Abhinavagupta erltlo ises Bhatta Nayaka aainly in natters of teralnology, he agrees with the la tter, in principle, that though poetry or drana deals with personal experienoe or situation, there nust be a generalised or universalised eleaent (sadharanlkarana) in order that they asy beeoae worthy of appreciation by an aesthete, The objeetive eleaents in the individual's experience should be brought out to the forefront. In aesthetio experienee the personal faotors are pushed to the background, and Basa is relished on the generalised level. For th is purpose the universal i s approached through the particular. The draaatist or the poet should be oapable of realising the universal in the particular. The eonoept of bhavana. which was used by Bhatta Kayaka (who probably derived i t froa Miaous! Darsana), lays stress on the generalised elenant in poetic or draaatle oontent in order that the presentation nay be relishable (rasana). Moreover, there i s also the neeesslty on the part of the hearer or spectator to go on repeated aeditatlon or oonteaplatlon (earvana) over the poetie or dranatie oontent so as to yield renewed pleasure.

Abhinavagupta has assigned proper plaoe to the viewpoints of his predecessors within his own aesthetio theory. He has nade judiolous use of whatever grains of truth he finds in the views of his predecessors, Abhinavagupta has conceded

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that tha fin a l truth on Rasa haa bean enunciated by Bharat a

h in s e lf . However, Abhlnavagupta is oonoerned with the b etter

underatanding o f the trutha about Haaa and alao with elevating

Rasa at the lev e l o f higher apeeulatlona and contemplation.

While explaining hla a l l Abhlnavagupta used the s ln lle o f

medicine (b i t t e r in ta ete ) and honey, and maintains that hla

purpoae la to make palatable to the readera and hearera what

la otbexwlse found to be d i f f i c u l t , Be reoognlsea hla indebtedneaa to hla predeooaaora when ho w rites s "When

ln te lleo tu a l eurloa ity (dbih ) e linbs higher and higher and

aeea the truth (artbatattva) without getting t ir e d , th la ia

because o f the laddera o f thought b u ilt by e a r lie r w riters ,"

Abhlnavagupta does not lose sight o f the achievements o f h is

predecessors. He examines d iffe ren t views with great

In p a rt ia lity , and builds up h is own theory on the foundation

already la id by hla predeoeasors.

I l l

Obstacles to Aeathetie Experience and the Means fo r removing Then

In h is theory o f the nature o f aeathetie experience, Abhlnavagupta maintains that a l l the synenymous words fo r

aesthetic d e lig h t , such a s , canatkara. raeana. asvada. n irresa .

k . Urdhvordhvamaruhya yadartbatattvamdhih pasyati srantinavedayanti/

Phalam tadadhyaih pari kal pitchapvivekasopanaparamparanam/

- Abhinavabharati, I , p. 278

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bhoaa. saac^ ettl, l a y , v laranti (hrdaya v lo r a n t i) , a t e . , a y

only tbe d i f fa y n t names fo r eonaelouaDaaa wbieb la devoid o f

a l l obataelas (sakalavlgbanavlnlrauktasaavittlr e ra ), T fc e y fo y ,

In ordar to y l l a b Baaa 1b aaatbatle experience a l l the

obataolea to tb ls eooaelouaBeaa (o f tbe apeetator) should be

y a ora d . The Abblnavabharat 1̂ axplaloa tbe n atu y o f the

obataolea. which are Berea In nunbar.

The f lr a t obataela la the apaetator'a In a b ility to

gat at the Meaning due to tbe abaanca o f Imagination ( Prat i pat t arayagy at a saabhavana virahah) . Hay In , the

apeetator who cannot Imagine the objeot o f appybanaion f a l l

even to auataln hla eonaolouanaaa in the objeet o f apprahanaion,

Abhlnaragupta auggeata two waya fo r reaoring thla obataela.

One yaady la that the apeetator abould try to widen the

borixon o f bla observation and aa n a lb ility ao that ha may be

able to look at tbinga froa the b y a d e r perspective, and with

ay apathy. The other yaady Ilea in the d y mat 1 st. While

describing extraordinary aceoaplisbaenta ( lo k o t t a y ) tbe

d y a a t is t should employ the names o f famous eharaetera Ilka

Raaa, a t e . , the s tor ies o f whose achievements a y more or

leas fam iliar to tbe eoaaon fo lk s .

The saeond obataela to the appybanaion o f Rasa is

the overabsorption in a partloular place and time as belonging to oneself or to another p a y on ( svagataparagatatva - niyaaana

desakalavlsesavesah) . This obataela may arise fr o * tbe

apaetator'a Id en tifica tion o f tbe fee lin g s or amotions o f the

5 . Abblnavabharat 1 I , pp. 280-284

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characters presented on the stage with his own personal feelings or enotions. It may also arise when the spaetator identifies the eharaoter (or aetor) with himself or with sons ether person. Abhinavagupta suggests that th is kind of ehstaele ean he resored when the spaetator Is able to keep the proper aestbetle or psychical dlstanoe. Abhinavagupta has stated that Bharata's derlees for keeping psyohlcal distance oonsists in disguising the actor's personality with the use of headdress, e tc . And a ll the theatrical eonrentlons (natya- dharal) including that of stagecraft ( Kaksya or sones dirldlng the magdapa or pavilion, the ranaanltha or stage), various types of women's dances, e to ., are s tr ictly followed for eliminating the obstacle referred to above. For this purpose Bharata lays down certain rules (in Adhyaya V of the Maty a 8astra) in the form of advioe, such as, 'there Should not be too auoh of dance and song', eto. He also advised the dramatists to establish the actor's personality as actor.

Die third obstacle, according to Ahhinavagupta, refers to the spectator's absorption with his own feelings of happiness, sorrow, eto. fnijasukhidlvivaslbhave). It nay so happen to soae spectators that though they enter the theatre fo r entertainment, they are so much engrossed in their private worlds that they cannot come out of them. In order to remove this obstacle items for entertainment such as playing musloal instruments, songs, various kinds of circular movements, e to ., are displayed on the stage in order to arouse the quality of generalisation inherently present in the mind of each and every speotator. Due to the impact of these accessories of

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the dramatic art even a person who lacks aesthotle se n s ib ility

Is tamed into an aesthete as h is heart is purified in th ismanner.

The fourth and f i f t h obstaeles to the apprehension of

Base, namely, lack o f proper means o f perception or

apprehension ( pratityupiyavalkalyam) and laok o f o la r lty

( sphutatvabhava), are disoussed together by Abhinaragupta,

since th e ir nature is more or le ss the same* Apprehension or

perception eannot take plaoe when the means fo r apprehension

or perception i s absent. S im ilarly, when the means fo r c lea r

and d ls tin e t apprehension are absent, there eannot be

apprehension. In order to re more these obstacles ,

gesticu la tion (abhlnaya), rein forced by w orldly conventions,

mannerisms, e t c , , are made conspicuous, in order to create

v ivacious impressions in the minds o f the spectators.

The sixth obstacle in the apprehension o f Rasa is the

laok o f prominence ( apradhanata) assigned to the Sth iyin . in

a play. A playwright should make judicious d iffe ren tia tion between the sth iyin and the set o f v lbh iva . anubhava and

vyabhloarin. He should not make the la t te r prominent.

Prominence should be given to the sthiyin because i t is the

abode o f r e lis h . Among the sthayins again, some are more

prominent than oth ers, depending upon the situation and sta te .

A ll sthayins are based upon the fou r goals o f l i f e (Purusartha).

Thus the sthiyin o f love is based on passion and re lig iou s

conduct and wealth follow ing i t s wake) the sth iyin o f anger

i s based on wealth, though terminating in passion and

religious conductf and so on. In tbe sans drama the prominence of the sthiylna go on varying. Abhinavagupta Maintains that there are four Major basie Mental states (sthaylns) more Important than any others. He associates these four with the four goals of l i f e . Rati, love (the sthaylbhava of arngara) corresponds to teams. Krodha. anger ( the sthaylbhava of Raudra) corresponds to Artha. Utsaha, energy (the sthaylbhava of Vira) corresponds to three ( Kama. Pharma and Artha). Nlrveda. world-weariness (the sthaylbhava of Santa) corresponds to Motesa.

The seventh and tbe last obstacle in the apprehension of Rasa is the rise of a doubt or uncertainty ( samsayayoga) as to the exact nature of the athayIn in an emotional situation. The sthayin cannot be identified or ascertained on the strength of the anubhavas. vibhavas and vyabhlcarins since they are not restricted to any specific sthlyln. That is why we find that anubhavas like shedding tears occasioned by Joy as well as by an eye disease, vibhavas like the sight of a tiger become the causes of anger, fear. etc*, and vyabhloarins like fatigue, anxiety, e t c ., are seen as audrlliaries to many sthaylns like enthusiasm, fear, e tc . However, the combination of vlbhava. anubhava. and yyabhlo&ribfaava does not give rise to a doubt in the matter of the sthayin. Thus, when we have a vlbhava like the loss of a close relative, an anubhava like lamentation, shedding of tears, e t c . , and vyabhlcarins like anxiety (or concern), misery, e to ., the sthiTyin is definitely sotea (or g r ie f) . Thus, Abhinaragupta Maintains that when the doubt with regard to the exaot sthayin arises, the combination

185

o f vibharas. anubhavas and vyabhicarlbhavas helps in removing

the obstacle due to the doubt.

Abhlnavagupta's discussion on the seven obstacles and

the aeans f o r removing then proves beyond doubt h is impenetrating

insight into a l l the aspeots o f drama which leads to the

rea liza tion o f Base by the spectators. Abhinavagupta gives

deta iled instruction as to how each o f the three human agencies

involved in the process of Rasa rea liza tion - the dramatist,

the actor and the spectator (o r aamSJifca) - should try to r ise

to the best o f h is s k i l l and a b ility so that Rasa nay be

apprehended through the c o lle c t iv e experience o f human emotions in the theatre.

IV

Caaatkara and Ananda

-According to Abh inavag upt a , when the obstalces to

tasting (rasana) are elim inated, the consciousness w il l be

dominated by sattva. and there w il l be contemplation or

intense immersion (n lrvesa) in the essence o f lig h t (eamstkara)

which is c lo s e ly dense (ekaghana). This experience i s

aesthetic experience o f Rasa rea lization whioh con sists o f

the tasting o f one 's own oonsoiousness (o r the " I "

consciousness). Ib is is the state o f beatitude - the state

o f pure joy (devoid o f pain) free from a l l obstacles . Abhlnavagupta maintains that a l l Rasas are dominated by

pleasure; hence, in a l l enjoyments o f Rasa one is in th is

186

•ta te of beatitude.

In Abhlnavagupta's lBvarapratyabhl.1ffa y lT rllv l« a ra ln i.

there la an excellen t exposition of the concept of Ananda or

beatitude. Be says, "What we o a ll beatitude la nothing but a

f u l l illu ain atio n of one's own being, aocoapanled by a fon t of

in te lle c tio n whioh pervades a l l one's own nature, one's own

s e l f (svaripasya svataanah paripurnani jasvabhivaprakSsanaa

eva paraaardaaayataa dadhah ananda l t l ueyate/).** According

to Selva speculation, the essence of oonsoiousness Is Ananda.

Ananda is resting in oneself to the exclusion of everything

e ls e . When we engross ourselves with personal needs, privations

or d esires, Ananda cannot be attain ed . This is the reason why

in aesth etic experience a l l such cravin gs, d esires, e tc . ought

to be coapletely banished and aesth etic or psychic distance

has to be kept froa the object of aesthetlo attention as w ell

as froa the objeots of everyday l i f e . In the saae work

referred to above, Abhinavagupta w rite s, "What is called

supreae beatitude, solution and caaatkira i s , th erefore,

nothing but Tasting, l . e . , an in te lle c tio n , in a l l i t s ooapaot

d en sity, of the re a lla sla a ( l . e . , not aetapborloal) lib e r ty ,

inseparable fro a the nature of consciousness" (tasaad

an upaoaritasya saavedanarupatInantariyatvena avasthitasya

s vatantryasya eva rasanalkaghnataya paraaarsah paraaanando♦

/ — 7n ir v r tis oaaatkara u cyate/).'

6. Quoted and translated by R. G noli, The Aesthetic Experience according to Abhinavagupta. pp. 87-88J#

7 . R. G noli, lo c c l t

187

The tern ' Caaatkara' i s widely used in Indian

aesthetics as w ell as re lig iou s speculation . In aesthetics

Caaatkara is considered as a state o f oonsolousness, free froa

the H a ltin g obstacles and without any personal requirements.

It is the state o f rest arising out o f the aesth etic experience

o f Rasa. Caaatkara la used in alaost s la i la r sense by

VIsyanatha in Sahltyadarpana I I I . According to Visvanatha, i t

i s a kind o f expansion o f the e e l f (eaaatkaras eittavlstCrarupo

visaayaparaparyiyah) . The te ra 'Canettors' is a lso found in

AanlPurina (chapter 339 > sloka i - e ) , where i t i s written thus s

" I t is said in the Vedantas that the Brahaan is iaautable,

supreae, e tern a l, innate, oanlpresent and unique} i t is

oonsolousness, lig h t and Lord. When the innate beatitude of

th is princip le is aanlfested, th is nanifestatlon is what is

ealled oonsolousness, Caaatkara or Rasa."

Aoeordlng to Abhinayagupta and the Haas th e o r is ts ,

Caaatkara appears, whenever Vlbhivas. e t c . are eoabined with

the Sthaylns. In Fratyabhllna systea , Caaatkara is regarded/

as the category o f Saktl. whioh is the soul or oonsolousness

o f a l l oonsolousness, the eleaent whioh distinguishes the/

conscious s e lf froa inanlaate aa tter. And in the Salve

re lig io u s praatioes Caaatkara is interpreted in the sense o f

8. Quoted and translated by R. Gtnoll, o p .c l t . . p . 73 ff"Aksaraa paraaaa brahaasanatanam ajaa vibhu/

Vedantesu vadaaty ekaa oaltanyaa Jyotir idvaraa/' Ahandas sabajas tasya vyajyate sa todaoana/ Vyaktis s5 tasya caitanyaoaaattora rasahvaya/

188

wystic experlenoe of the Absolute ParaBateau, the Sadasiva, who is the abode of complete beatitude (Ananda), It is an experience of the complete identification of the individual self with the Absolute Self - an experience which is characterised by perfeet b lis s .

However, although both cystic experience and aesthetio experience end up in Ananda. Abhlnavagupta has distinguished between the two experiences. In the nystlo experience of the Absolute Paramatwan, a ll distinctions are dissolved and everything is nerged into Siva, But aesthetio experience requires the presence of vlbhavas, anubhavas and vyabhicaribhavas in order to evoke the experience. Further, aesthetic experience presupposes knowledge on the part of the spectators about the artistic content, psyohlo reactions, and siwilar other a rtistic elewents.

V

The Nature of Aesthetio Experience as stated in Abhlnavabharat i and Looana

ibe resaws' of Abhinavagupta's exposition of the Rasa- Sutra is given in the Abhlnavabharatl I (p , 286 in Kavi's Ed,).

QAbhlnavagupta waintalns that Rasa is not an objeot of cognition,7 Rasa consists solely of a tasting ( rasasvadana). According to Abhlnavagupta, the weaning of " ra sen is pat 1* in Hharata’ s

9, R. Gnoli, o p .o it . . p. 103

i«9Sgtra i s that " f r o * the union of vibhavas (determinants) ,e tc .

the hirth of the tastinn of Rasa takes place," He saps that

the expression "the birth of Rasa" ( rasanlapati) should be

Interpreted as "the birth of the tastin g of Rasa." He thinks

that th is interpretation of "n lspatl" i s free f r o * a l l

d if f ic u lt ie s . Abhinavagupta concludes that "Vhat i s aroused

by the union of the Determinants, e tc . , i s sl*p ly the Tasting)

the fo r * of existence, of a non-ordinary character, what is

the natter of th is Tasting, i s called Rasa. Tbis i s the

sense and purport of the su tra ." 10 lhus, what i s aroused by the combination of v ibhavas. anubhavas and vyahhloaribhiVaa

is not the Rasa as such but the tastin g of the Rasa.

Abhinavagupta says that alnoe th is kind of tasting i s not

ordinary (alaukika). i t can be done only by a person who

poisesses heart ( sahrdaya) . that is one who i s capable of

enjoying Rasa. The definition of sahrdaya i s given in the

Dhvanyalokalooana. thus i "Those people who are capable of

identifying with the subject-natter, as the mirror of their

hearts has been polished through constant repstltion and

study of poetry, and who sympathetically respond in their own

hearts - those people are what are known as sensitive readers."* 11

10. Translated by R. Gnoli, ib id ., pp. 103-4"tena vlbhSvidisamyogad rasana yato nlspadyate tatas tathlvidharasanCgocaro lokottaro*rtho rasa l t l tatparya* sutrasya/" - Abhinavabharati, I , p. 287

11. Translated and quoted by Hasson and Patwardhan, Santarasa and Abhinavagupta^ Philosophy of Aesthetics, p. 78*"yesam kavyan aslLlnabhyasIvasAdv is'd ibh ut e manomukure varnanlyatanmayIbh avanyogyat a te svahrflayasamridbhajah sabrdayab/" - Dhvanyilokalocana, p. 38(Banaras edition with Balapriya)

190

Abhlnavagupta’s f i r s t systematic exposition of his ▼lew on the nature of aesthetic experlenee Is given in the seoond tJfldyota (Plash) of the D h v an y a lo k a lo can aHe ■alntaIns that Hasa belongs to both poetry and drama. In the ease of poetryv Hasa is oonyeyed through svabh«rokti (the rea lis tlo elements in poetry or the eontent) and yakroktl (the convention of alamkiraa or rhetoric) by aeatis of transcendental (alaukika), vibhavas (determinants), etc. whioh are presented by words possessing suoh qualities ( sabdagunas) as o larity ( prasanna), softness (madhura) and vigour (ojasvin). In the case of drama, Hasa is oonveyed through Lohadharml (rea lis tic elements in drama) and Natyadharml (the theatrioal conventions) by means of the union of the vibhavas. e tc . Abhinavagupta says that aesthetio experience (rasap ra tltl) in poetry is d istinet in nature from that experienced in drama, since there is a difference in the means by whieh i t is conveyed.

■Abhlnavagupta maintains that the perception involved in aesthetio experience (in poetry and drama) are not ordinary perceptions. I t should be distinguished from dlreot perception (prStyasiki), inferential perception (anumaniki), perception arising from verbal testimony (Egamottha), perception that is caused by intuition ( pratibhanakrtft), and perception which rises from Yogic insight (Yogipratyaksaja).

12. Extract, translated by Hasson and Fktwardhan, QP.oit.. pp. 60*112

191

Abhinavagupta holds that aasthetle experience ( rasana)

Is a speolal form o f perception, hoeauso i t Is not poreaptlon

in the l i t e r a l sense, Thus, whan wa say "rasas ara paroaived"

( rasah pratlyanta) wa ara using language lo o s e ly , just as when

we say "odanam paoati" ("ha is cooking the ho Had r i c e " ) , what

is aotually eooked is rioa (tandula) and not "adana" (bo iled

r ic e ) because i t is the fin ished produet o f cooking,

Abhinavagupta says that Rasa is the prooess o f perception

( pratiyamina era h i rasah), and aesthetic experience (rasana)

is a particu lar kind o f perception. Rasa is the actual process

o f aesthetic experlenoe, and not the ob ject (v lsaya) o f that

process ( Pratjyamana era h i rasah. th ere fore , means

Pratlyaminata era h i rasah) .

Abhinavagupta explains the production o f Rasa in

poetry in the lig h t o f the theory o f Dhvanl (suggestion) which

was propounded by Anandavardhana. The follow ing passage,

which is the translation o f Phvanyalofcalooana (pp* 188-190)

by Masson and Patwardhan ,*■* summarises Abhinavagupta *s

standpoint t

" . . . by means o f the function known assuggestiveness (as a means), and through (the use

o f aunas. alankarma and propriety ( aucltya) . e t c . ,

as a procedure ( itlkartavyata) . poetry which is

possessed o f the power o f oonveying ( bhavaka)( rasas)oonveya ( bhavayati) rasas, and in th is

15. Masson and Patwardhan, o p .c i t . . pp. 76-79

192

threefold eoheme of bhIrene (ee aooepted by tbe Mlneneekes) suggest Ireneee f i t In ee the Mans ( fclrapa). Her does bhoga (eesthetle enjoyment) o o m about through the words used in poetry (alone)« but rather ( i t o o m i about) through the removal of the obseurstion ( sanitate) (o f the b lissfu l nature of the Self) eauaed by the blinding darkness which is its e lf the result of deep ignorance ( moha). In the transcendental (lokottara) aesthetic enjoyMnt (bhpga) that is to be brought about (in this Banner), fo r which another nan is asvlda (enjoyment), and which consists of drutl. vlstare and vlkaaa. suggestireness alone (according to us, should be) given the highest place of honour ( wSrdhibhlslkta). When suggestireness (o f poetry in relation to rasa) is admitted, this so-called bhogakrttra (o f poetry) inevitably follow s. For Bhoga is nothing other than the inexplicable th r ill of delight ( oamathara) that arises from aesthetic enjoyMnt ( rasvamSnata) . But it is not oorreet to say that aesthetic pleasure ( aevade) is divided (only) into three, drutl, e t c . , (because there are lnnuMrable variations possible) on account of the endless variety created by the prinolpel-subordinate relation aoong the (gunas) sattva. eto. Ve admit with Bhattaaayaks that aesthetic enjoyMnt is similar to the joy (that c o m s from realising one*s identity with) Brahman,Ve also admit with Bhattanayaka that the intellectual refineMnt (ry at pad ana) (that results

193

from poetry) is d ifferen t front that which comes

fr o « the Sastra through sandatee ( aasana) and from

the lt ih is a through recommendation ( nratipftdana) .

• •• • •• 'therefore the follow ing is v

established * rasas are suggested ( abhlvyaJyante) .

Biey are aesth etica lly enjoyed by th e ir very

perception ( pratitya eva ca rasyante) ( i . e . rasa

is aesthetic enjoyment i t s e l f , "

Abhlnavagupta re fers to Anandavardhana's Dhvanyaloly

(KBrika V) whioh says, " I t is the (suggested) meaning alone

that is the soul o f Pbetry" ( kayyasyitmah sa cvarthastatha) .

Although Anandarardhana recognised three modes o f suggestion

( dhvanl) . naaely, vastudhvanl (suggestion pertaining to the

l i t e r a l aeaning o f words corresponding to abhldhivyapara or

convention o f w ords), alanharadhvani (suggestion pertaining

to alanhara or rhetoric corresponding to yyaitlanavyapara or

lite ra ry convention), and rasadhvani (suggestive o f rasa ) . i t

is rasadhvani which is the nost inport ant o f the three.

" Yastudhvani and alanhiradhvani f in a lly end up in rasa" ( Ibna

rasa eva vastuta at me vastvilanlnradhvani tu sarvatha rasam

) . Rasadhvani alone is the soul o f poetry.

This thesis o f Anandavardbana has been illu stra ted

with reference to the Adlsloka o f V&lnlki t

"Mi nlsada px&tlsthan tvanaganah sasvatlh samah/

TatkrauneanithunSde kamavadhih haaeaohitaa/ "

14. Dhvanyalohalooana, p . 85

("Oh hunter, nay you never, for eternal years, attain to stability (pratlstha) (in this world) slnoe you killed, from a pair of kraunea birds, the sale (when) he was engrossed in love (-asking)*)*^

The soke (sorrow), in this rfloka (verse), whieh is the sthayibhava (peraanent emotion) of karunarasa. has beooae ^ eapable of being aestbetloally enjoyed (aav*dyaaanata) through stages. First, there are the vlbhavas (both alaabana and uddlpana) and the anabhavas (i,e«, the walling of the asle kraunea bird, eto,) that arise froa the vlbhavas. Next through intense feeling on the plight of the nale bird, sage Yalalkl syapathises with the plight of the bird and heidentifies with the situation. The sorrow (the sola) he feltis different froa the ordinary sorrow we feel in everyday life. Its essence becomes eapable of being enjoyed onoe the sensitive wind has melted (dhruti) to the point of total reeeptivity. When this is the ease, the emotional upheaval of the sage is like the overflowing of a jug filled to thebria with water, or like the ery of sorrow as a result of the

m

unrestrained outpouring of grief, Abbinavagupta quoted a famous line froa Bhatta Nayaka's Hrdayadarpana. whieh says,” Xbe poet does not regurgitate Base until be is ooapletely filled with it."1** (yavatpurno na caltena tivannalva vaaatvaaua). The words that the sage uttered on that oeoaslon are suggestive

15t Translated by Masson and Patwardhan, ibid., p. 83 16, Efavanyilokaloeana, p. 87

195«

o f t h o a e s t h e t i c a l l y o n j o y a b l e s o k a . w h i o h b e c o m e s k a r u n a r a a a .

I n V a l m i k l ' s s i o k a . s o r r o w ( s o k a ) i s t h e s t h a y l b h a v a . w h i o h

l e a d s t o k a r u p a r a s a . T h e s u g g e s t i v e n t t e r a n e e o f t h e p o e t h a s

R * s a a s t h e e s s e n c e . H e n c e , t h e D h v a n i k a r a s s a y t h a t R a s a i s

t h e s o u l o f p o e t r y . T h u s , a c c o r d i n g t o A b h i n a v a g u p t a , t h e

b i r t h o r M a n i f e s t a t i o n ( n i s p a t t i ) o f R a s a o c e u r s w h e n t h e

p e m s a e n t m o o d ( s t h a y l b h i v a ) i s d e v e l o p e d t o t h e l e v e l o f

a e s t h e t i o a n j o y s e n t t h r o u g h t h e f u n c t i o n o f v y a i T l a n a

( s u g g e s t i o n ) , p e r t a i n i n g t o v i b h i v a . a n u b h b v a a n d

y y a b h i o i r i b h l v a . T h u s , t h e f ( m o t i o n o f s u g g e s t i o n p l a y s v e r y

i n p o r t a n t r o l e i n p o e t r y .

P r o f , S . K . D e h a s a d m i r a b l y s u m m e d u p A b h l n a v a g u p t a ' s%

v i e w . H e s a y s , " . . . h e ( A b h i n a v a ) c a r r i e s t h e i r ( b i s

p r e d e c e s s o r s 1 ) t h e o r y t o i t s u t n o s t l o g i c a l o o n s e q u e n e e b y

d e c l a r i n g t h e e s s e n t i a l i t y o f R a s a ( r a s a n a l v a s a r v a w l i v a t l

k a v y a m ) . w i t h o u t w h i c h , i n h i s o p i n i o n , t h e r e c o u l d b e n o

p o e t r y ( n a h i t a p c h u n y a n . i . c . , r a s a - s u n y a m . k S V y a m k l n c l d

a s t i . p . 6 5 ) . H e a t t e m p t s , h o w e v e r , t o e x p l a i n t h e t h e o r e t i c a l

d i s c r e p a n c y b y s a y i n g t h a t t h e t w o o t h e r a s p e c t s o f s u g g e s t i o n ,

c o n c e r n e d r e s p e c t i v e l y w i t h V a s t u a n d A l a s k a r a . r e s o l v e

t h e n s e l v e s u l t i m a t e l y i n t o t h e s u g g e s t i o n o f R a s a , w h i o h i s

i n f a c t t h e e s s e n c e o f p o e t r y ( r a s a e v a v a s t u t t n a v a s t v a l a n

k S r s d b v a n i t u s a x v a t b a r a s a m p r a t l p a r y a v a s y e t e ) . " 1 ^

A b h i n a v a g u p t a h a s c l e a r l y e s t a b l i s h e d t h a t t h e t h e o r y o f R a s a -

d h v a n l s o l v e s t h e p r o b l e m o f t h e e n j o y m e n t o f R a s a i n p o e t r y .

1 7 , S . K , D e , H i s t o r y o f S a n s k r i t P o e t i c s , Y o l . I I , p , 1 7 7

196

The Bole of ftratibhh in Artlatle Creation

Another Important contribution of Abbinavagupta to aesthetiof In general and poetlea in particular ia the ooneeption of PratibhS. In Abhlnavabharati (Vol, I , 87) Abhlnavagupta haa pointed out that Bharata characterised Pit amah a (Grandfather) Brahmi aa the originator of drama, and the author of the fira t drama, Amrtamanthana. by name. Lord Brahmi mho haa created the world by virtue of hla creative power (Pratlbha) ia alao known aa " Pra japati" .

Sinoe the poet createa the poetic world ( Kavyasamsira),e. «

Anandavardhana a peaks of the poet aa " Fr* japati" , He says that "in the in fin ite world of poetry, the poet is the true and

i 8sole creator, and be ia pleased to see it grow and transform." The poet ia at once he who sees (the seer, r a i ) . and he who ia able to express that whloh he sees (varnanipuna). Rasa, the aeathetio state of consciousness belongs, in rea lity , to the poet alone. Rasa la nothing but the poet's 'generalised* consciousness. It f i l l s his entire being and flows out spontaneously into poetio expression. In other words, art 1stio creation is the direot expression of a generalized feeling, which is freed from a ll distinctions in time and space and, therefore, from a ll individual relationships and praotioal Interests by an inner force within the poet himself.

VI

18. "Apare kavyasamsare kavirekah ProjapatihTath&smai rooste visram tathedam parlvartate/*

- Dhvanyaloka, p. %98 ( Benaras edition)

197

This Innor foreo is the Pratibhg. This stats of oonselousnsss sxpresssd in poems e t c ., is transfsrrsd to ths actor, or tbs rsoltsr (in the drama), and than to ths spsotator. Born in ths hsart of ths post, i t blossoms in ths aotor and fru etlfles in ths spsotator.

Some thsorlsts liks Vlevanatha, who ooas a ftsr Abhinavagupta, aalntain that ths orsatlTs proosss lnvolrss two stages. In ths f ir s t stags, ths post la fu lly oeoupied by ths fatiguing nsossslty to give birth; and in the ssoond stags hs stops outsids himself, as it wars, and oontsaplatss bis own work with serenity. The creation of a work of art, therefore, is equal to ths creation of ths whole world, which a ll at ones opens in ths creative intuition of ths post. It is this creative intuition which gives l i f e to ths l i fe le s s , and withdraws l i fe froa tbs liv ing.

Ths most famous definition of Pratlbha. f ir s t quoted by Abhinavagupta and later by a great many writers, is that of Bhatta Tauta, who says, "Poetio imagination is that fora of intelligence which shines with ever new scin tilla tion ."

( Pya.jga navanavollofcfaa sal ini pratlbha aata)

Abhinavagupta has also quoted in ths Ahhlnavabharati ths famous verse of Bhaaaha, which reads t

✓"Even a stupid aan can learn the Sastra froa the

teachings o f bis Guru. But poetry is only given to the person who has imaginative genius

198

( pratibha) and that only onea in a while

Abhinaragupta has pointed ont that i t is the e rsa t ly s

imagination iron which a l l o reatiys works spring. Following

Bhatta Kayaks, ha compares poatry wbleb flows fro * tba l ip s of

a post, to a eow fro * who* * l lk , tha aesthatie idea (that is

emitted by aesthatie rupture), flows on aocount of tha

affection fo r tha o a l f , tha aesthete , who experiences i t20su b jeetlre ly by losing h la s e lf in i t . The experience of the

power of poetic production by the aesthete i s not a natter of21inference but experience of what i s d lreotly present. In

th is regard reference *sy be made to what Bhatta Tauta (as

quoted by Abhinaragupta) says, "The Goddess of speeoh has two

ways t soienoe and poetry. Hie former is born of in te lle c t

and the la t te r of Inagination.n22

Abhinaragupta has conpared Para-Pratibha. the Supreme/

Power of S ira , which e tern a lly resides in Himself rereallng

the entire oreatlon in the process of se lf-re re a la tio n (Ahhasa),

19 . "Gurupadesffda dhyetun sastram Jaddhiyo-pyala*/KSryaa tu jayate ja tu kasyacitpratibhavat/'"

- KaVyalankara, I , 5

20. Dhranyaleka with Lecana. pp. 9I-92 (Benaras edition)

2 1 . loc c it

22 . "Dre rartmani g i r l * devyah s is t r a * oa karikarma oa/Pra jnyo pa jnan tayoradya* pratibhodbhayamantimam/ "

- Dhvanyaloka with Looana, p. 170

(Kappuswami S astri edn., Madras, 19*4 )

199

1° Kav 1-Prat ibha. the poet's imaginative (creative) vision to vtaiota the whole universe is presented.25

VII

The Nukbcr of Rasas

Bharata and following him writers on poetios have classified the emotional moods (hhivas) into dominant (sthiyi) and transitory (vyahhieirl or sanearl), They maintain that the dominant moods are permanent and enduring and that they alone are developed into Rasas. The transitory moods are simply aids or support a (sahacarl or saneari) to the dominant ones just as the different ripples of the waves of the Sea help to form the Sea. The basis of the olassifieatlon of moods into dominant and transitory is their relation to the ends of life (Purusarthas), Those moods which are dlreotly associated with some Purusartha are dominant and they have their permanent impressions (vasanas) in all human beings. They are aroused and developed under certain conditions, that is when the ri.laslk and tanaslo elements are subdued by the sattvik element through the agency of vibhavaa. etc., in an aesthetic situation. When the sthiyfbhavas are developed in this manner through the combination of vibhavaa. anubhavaa

23. "Yadunnllanasaktyalva vlsvamunmilati ksanit/9vatmayatanavisr£ntam tam vande Pratibham "

• Dfavanyaloksleeana, and of chapter I (Benaras edition)

200

end vyabhicaribharas the birth of Baaa takas plaoe, as Bharata

has stated in h is Rasa-Sutra. *

04 /Bharata recognised eight Rasas. nawely - Srngara.

Hasya. Earuna. Randra. V lra . Bhayanaka. Bibhatsa. and Adbhnta.

'Their athiylbhavas are - Rati ( lo v e ) , Hasa (ln d io ro as ), Soke

( g r i e f ) , Krodha (an ger), Ptsaha (courage), Bhaya ( f e a r ) ,

Jug ups a (d isgu st ), and Vlsaaya (wonder). Opto Bandin the

nunber of Rasas were eonsldered generally to be eight only.

Baah one of these Rasas are related in some wanner or other to

the ends of l i f e . Thus, Srngara has Rati (lo v e ) as it s at hay in .

which leads to the attainnent of Kffwa and consequently of

Dharwa and Artha: Baudre springs froa Krodha (an ger), and

leads to the attainnent of Artha. Vlra is based upon Ptsaha

(courage) and leads to Dharwa and Artha. and in this wanner

a l l other Rasas are related to the ends of l i f e .

Abblnavagupta deals elaborately with the developaent

of eaoh one of the Rasas in the Sixth chapter of Abhinavabharat1.

24. " Srhgara-hlsya-karuna-ra ud ra-y ira-bhayanakSh/Blbhatsidbhutasaajdau eetyastaunfffye reach mmttEff "

N.s'., VI, i5

About the athivins of the Rasas Bharata says 1Ratirhasasca sokasca krodhotsihau bhayan tatbS/Jugupsa y i sway seat i sthdylbhlvah praklrtithh//

N.s', VI, 17Bharata naintained that the eight Rasas were nropunded by Lord Brahnan, who was the exponent of Ngtya S&stra ( Katya Sistra pravakstfwl brahwanS yadudShrtawTI

nX , 1 , i

201

Abhlnavagupta, however, na intains that there are nine Rasas (on ly ),8 ̂ whleb are - Srngara. Raudra. Vlra. Blbhatsa. Hasya. Karuna« Adbhuta. Bhayahaka. and Santa. He says that these are the only Rasas f i t fo r exposition slnoe they are dlreotly or Indirectly related to the ends of hunan l i f e and also sines they are Interesting to the Bind. Abhlnavagupta oleins that s * in the Itlh isas. the Pttrinaa. dictionaries, e tc ,, we hear of nine Rasas as well as in the revered SlddhBnta-Sastra. Thus i t Is said : "He should display the eight Rasas in the places allotted to the eight Gods. And in the centre he should display Santa rasa in the place of Suprene God (S iva)."2**

VIII

Sftntarasa as the Confluence of other Rasas

Abhinavagupta has assigned a unique place to /■ /

Santarasa and shows how ether Rasas oonverge in Santa. He

25. "Bvan navaiva rasah . . . . ”- Abhinavabharati, Chapter VI - (end)

26. "ItlhAsa-parSnibhidhankesadau oa nava rasah sruyante,SrlnatsidvKnta s&stresvapi/Tatha ooktaa - astSnanlh devanan srrigaradina pradarslyet

• » •

Madhya oa devadevasya sahtan rupa pradarsayet/'"- Abhinavabharati, loc c l t .

(English trans. for this atansa given above * * by Masson and Patwardhan, lec c l t . . p. 139)

Notes- To eaoh of the nine Rasas have been assigned naves of oolours and panes of Gods, besides sthffyin. Thus the colour of Srnje&ra is syawa (sky blue ) and Its Devata (God) is visnu, and so on.

202

says, * ... Sfintarasa does exist. And so in (certain) oldmanuscripts, after the passage 'we will show how thesthaylbhavas develop into the rasas' is read the definition

✓ /of Santa In tha phrase 9what Is ealled Santa has for itssthlyihhava sana* etc. In this eonneotion the aesthetic enjoyment of all Rasas is similar to that of Sfihta. because it(i.e.f this aesthetie enjoynent) is turned away from aotual

* 27sense object contact." '/According to Abhlnavagupta, the sthlyin of Santa

Rasa is Sana (quietude or the oalm mental condition), whioh is directly related to title highest end of life, namely, salvation (noksa). Santa is based upon Tbttvajfiaha or the knowledge of the Supreme Reality. Abhlnavagupta says, " ... knowledge of the truth alone is the means of attaining noksa. and so it would be proper to regard that alone as the sthiylbhava of noksa. Knowledge of the truth is just another name for knowledge of the Self. Ihe knowledge of any object other than the Self is the knowledge of worldly objeot. For

27. Trans. Masson and Rstwardhan, loc cit.

"Tasmadastl sdhto rasah/Tatha oa oirantana pustakeau *sthiyibhavan rasatvanupane- sySmah' ityanantaram sen to nama samasthayibhBvatnok ityadi santalaksanan patbyate/Tatra aarvarasanan santapraya evasvadah

visayebhyoviparivrttya/ "- Abhinavabharati, VI, loc cit.

203

anything that is d ifferen t fr o * the Self is nothing hot non-

S e lf."28

/According to Abhlnavagupta. Santa Rasa arises froa

the desire to seoure the liberation of the Self., which leads

to a knowledge of the Truth. I t is connected*with the property

o f the highest happiness. Ahhinayagnpta has quoted froa

Bharata :

swag swam almlttaaadaya

Sintddutpadhyate raaah/

punarnlaittapdye tu santa

era prallyatayy

( N X , VI, 87)

("Various feelings because of th e ir particular respective

causes arise froa Santa (a state of aental oa la ). But when

these causes disappear they ae lt back into Santa." )28

/

Thus, fo r Abhlnavagupta, Santa is not aerely one of

the Bases, but I t is the v ita lis in g energy of a l l the other

Rasas. He argues that Santa is the source of a l l the Rasas./

and a l l the Rasas are synthesised in Santa. Ihe realisation

o f a l l Rasas, being free froa sensual enjoyaents, is essentiallyX

of the nature o f Santa.

2 8. Abhlnavabbirati, VI, loc c i t . i Trans. Masson and Patwardfaan, ib id ." . . . iha tattvajn&haeva tavanaoksasadhananitl

tasyaiva aokse sthayita yuktf/ Tattvajnanan ea naaataajnCnameva/ Ataanasca vyatiriktasya Jnanam; paro hyevaaataa Anataaiva syat/"

29, Trans. Masson and Patwardhan, loc o i t .

20%

All the properties of Rasa assigned by Bharat a to

other Rasas. namely, its yarna (co lo u r), Pevatl (presiding

d e ity ), V rttl (node), Guna. e to ., are given hy Abbinavagupta

(and a l l writers who accept Santa) to S a n t a Thus, the* *

oolour of Santa is pure white (white as Kanda ot jasmine, as

VidvanStba says); it s Derata is Buddha or'the enlightened soul

in general CJina); its v r t t i is "the sattvatl (which is fu l l of

Sattvaguna).'' Regarding its guna. Anandayardbana says that

it must be Prasada. which shows the total absence of Riga andxo f

Dve|a,-' The nature o f the mental state in SSntarasa has been

nicely defined in Dhananjaya’s Dasarupaka ( (I? , %5) with

Dhanika's commentary ) , thus t "Where there is no sorrow and

no happiness, no anxiety, no hate or lore and no desire at a l l ,/ /

th is is ealled Santarasa by great sages, and i t has Sana as

it s sthaylbhava. " ^

Anandayardbana has pointed oat in Dhvanysloka

(Uddyota IV ) that the Rasa of the great epic (Mabakavya), the

MahSbharata. is Santa. The description of the yicissitudes

in the lives of the Kauravas and the FSndavas, simply suggest

50. V. Ragbayan, The Number of Rasas, p. %9

31. loc c l t .

32. o p .c it . . p. 5i

33• Quoted and translated by Masson and Patwardhan, ib id . , pp. 166-167

Notet- Dhananjaya and Dhanika, both of whom weradramaturgists, however, did not accept Santa. bpeause of the d if f ic u lt ie s in the presentation of Santa on the stage. But Asvaghosa's Saundar&nanda and Buddhaoaritra are based on Sgntarasa. (Masson and Patwardhan, o p .c it . . p. 3)

Ref. V. Raghavan, o p .c it . . p. %5

205

that Sana ( qu ietltude) is the greatest goa l fo r which nan

should s tr iv e . In the Gita Sri Krsna teaches Arjuna to

perforn h is duties with d isin terestedness, that i s , without

raga and dvesa ( Kamayoga. Chapter I I I ) f o r the rea lisa tion

o f th is g o a l. Only when one is in the*state o f Sana that s e l f -

rea lisa tion is p ossib le . Sim ilarly aesthetic experience o f

Stntarasa is possible only when the nind is in the state of Sana. That is why the sthAyihhava o f Sfntarasa is Sana.

Abhinavagupta 's view on the nature o f Sdbtaraea has

been sunned up in a passage o f Abhinavabhffrat1 (Scntarasa-

prakaranan), whlob reads t

"What is the nature o f i t s true re lish ? It is the

follow ing : The nature o f the soul is tinged by

54. Quoted and translated by Masson and Pfttwardhan, o p .c i t . . pp. 119 , 142-3N ote:- have reproduced only the la tte r part o f

3gntaraeapralri»ranaw o f Abhinavabharat1 (Chap.VI).

"TattvasvCdofya kfdysah? Uccyateuprlgadayibh ih utsAhartyad iruparaktam yadStnasvarupan tadeva viralonbhltaratnantaralanlrbhA^snansitatarasHtravad yadahltatsvarupan sakalesu ratyidlqu uparanjakeau

tatbibbavenffpi salqrdvlbhatoyanStneti nycyena _ bhasananam parangnuU>tfftnakasakaladuki|a jalahlnam paramffhandalabba-sanvidekatvena kSVyaprayog prabandhlbhyan sadh#ranatayV nirbhSsananap antanurkhavasthabbedena lokottarihandStaayanam tatbavldhabrdayan vidhatta i t i /

Ete navaiva rasih punarthopayogltvena ranjanldhlkyene va ityaneva upadesyatvit/ Tana rasintarasanbbavepl psrsadaprasldhvaya sankhyanlyana i t l yadanyairuktan ta t pratyuktan/”

206

utsSha, r a t i , a te ., which are capable of imparting their ( peculiar) tinges to i t . It is like a Tery white thread that shines through the interstices of sparsely threaded Jewels, It assumes the forms of a ll the various feelings like love, e to ,, (which are superimposed on i t ) , beoause a ll these feelings are capable of Imparting their tinges to i t .Bren then (tathlbhavenapi) it shines out (through them), according to the maxim that once this Atman shines, ( i t shines for ever). It is devoid of the entire collection of miseries which consist in ( i . e . , which result from) turning away (from the Xtman), It is identical with the consciousness of the realisation of the highest b lis s . It takes its e ffect through the process of generalisation in poetry and drama. It makes suoh a heart ( i . e , , the heart of the sensitive spectator or reader) the receptacle of an other worldly b liss by induoing a peculiar kind of introspeotion (antarmuhhavasth&bheda ).

There are only these nine rasas, beoause only they deserve to be taught, as they are useful to the (four) goals of l i f e or are exceptionally pleasant. Therefore, what others say, namely that this restriction on numbers is beoause only these nine are well-known to enlightened literary o r it ie s , though other rasas

207

are possible, has been refuted."

IX

Abbinava’ a View on the Nature of Acsthctio Experience : A Rotroepoot

Abhinayagupta baa deaoribed the nature o f aeethetie experience in tbe context of ” BaeaN vhiob, by and large, constitutes tbe essence of art experience. It is mainly due to the importance and Indispensability of Base in art experience tbat Abhinayagupta has concentrated on the analysis of the constituents of Rasa in order to arriye at a proper definition of the nature of aesthetic experience.

Bharata, in his Rasa-Sutra. has given a compact but compressed definition of Rasa. Owing to its brevity,Bharata's Sstra (aphorism) has created an enigmatic aura.Like the smile o f Mona Lisa shying at the attempts to unravel the enigma, the Sutra has eluded the precise grasp of the

V Iearly oommentatorsS ' But Abhinayagupta has noticed the Sutra from the right perspective and he has given the correct interpretation to its meaning and significance. He, however, does not Ignore the views of bis predecessors. Prom the early commentaries on tbe Rasa-Sfftra he has carefully picked up the important points according to their merits and fitted

35. Note*- This analogy may be considered as far-fetched. Hence, we employ it in the lighter sense.

208

those deserving one* into bis theory of Been.

Abhlnavagupta has formulated his own theory of aesthetio experience (o f Base realization) in a systeaatlo manner. He has found out the ohstaoles to aesthetio experienee. He has aaintalned that the path should he oleared o f those obstacles, because until the road is c lea r ,realization o f Bafa is a far cry.

Next, Abhlnavagupta nslntalns that there ought to be the preparation fo r the th r ill of the tryst (with Base) because the aesthete is engaging hlnself in sone kind of a ritual.-*** For this purpose the Bind should be clerked of the eleaents of selfishness, narrowness, eto . When the aind is free froa the impediments, the aesthetic attitude should be general or universal ( eAdharapya). looking at the situation in its true essence. The aesthetio object should be looked from an aesthetic distance with the feeling of eapathy ( Binfubliag. i f we say so ). Then the "aesthetic content" should be so cast as to evoke the appropriate eaotlon in the wind of the aesthete. I f the art fora is drama, the accessories of the drama (human as well as material) f should be presented excellently on the stage. I f , on the other hand, the art form is poetry, then the words should be suggestive (vyanjana) of Baaa. Words ean be sprinkled with "a ll the perfumes of Arabia" only by the poet who is gifted by Fratlbha (ereatlve

36. Motet- Vo aay even eompare this preparation to thepreparation fo r the rituals o f a wedding ceremony or the preparation for the Tantrio ritual with a Put! (g ir l associate).

2 0 9

im agination). Whan tha poem w ritten by tha g iftad poat la

raad by tha raslka (aaathata) poaaaaaing tha q u a lities o f

a r t la t ie s e n s ib ility ( sahrdaya) . Rasa is perceived (Resah

pratlyanta). S im ilarly, in tha oaaa o f a dramatic performance

whan tha presentation is superb tlje amotion o f tha aesthete

seeks i t s oourse to the amotion o f tha oharaoters depleted in

tha drama, Just as water seeks i t s le v e l . The aesthete "melts

h is heart" and plunges him self in the eeean o f joy when the

Base is rea lised .

/Abhlnayagupta*s acceptanoe o f Sgntarasa as the

confluence o f a l l other Rasas is more than a mere th eoretica l

stance. In a sense, Santa accounts fo r the alpha and the

omasa o f aesthetic experlenoe. Abhlnayagupta maintains that

aesthetio experience is not possible under the strained and

disturbed mental s ta te . Tranquil and balanced mental state

is the ideal condition fo r aesthetio experience. According

to Abhlnayagupta, Same (tra n q u ility )1 is the sth iyin o f

Slntarasa. Only when the mind is in Same there oan be the

oonsumation o f aesthetio experlenoe in the enjoyment o f

Attends ( b l i s s ) . Hence, Abhlnayagupta has placed SSnta at the

apex o f the Rasas.

We sh a ll, then, proceed in the next chapter to the

comparative study o f the views o f Kant and Abhlnayagupta on• *

the nature o f aesthetio experience.