Name: Dhruvita Dhameliya
Roll no : 03
Semester : 2
Year: 2021 to 2023
Subject: Literary Theory & Criticism and Indian aesthetics
Topic: Rasa theory
E-mail ID:
dhameliyadhruvita24@gmail.com
Submitted to: S. B. Gardi Department of English Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University
Introduction of the Indian poetics :-
"Western criticism focused on result
while Indian criticism focused on process".
BharataMuni is the first among all critics who pioneered in Indian aesthetics. Some of the noteworthy critics of Sanskrit literature are :-
1) Bharat
2) Anand vardhan
3) Kuntak
4)Bhamaha
5) Jagannath
6) Abhinav Gupta
7) Dhananjay
8) Bhoja
9) HemchandraCharya
10) Dandi
These all are well known critics of Indian poetics who give ideas of all the theories like - Rasa theory , Dhvani Theory , vakrokti theory, Riti theory and Auchitya theory.
"Relation of Word and meaning called literature"
There are The Six Schools and the pioneers of Indian poetics :–
1)Rasa - Bharat
2)Alamkara - Bhamaha
3)Riti - Vamana
4)Dhvani - Anandavardhana
5)Vakrokti - Kuntaka
6)Auchitya - kshemendra
School of Rasa:-
Introduction:-
The concept of rasa is unique to Indian poetics and dramatics and is essentially a creation of the Indian genius-Bharata, which can be considered as an important contribution to the field of performing arts. He presented the rasa formula in context to natya in his Natyasastra. Later on the rasa-sutra became the touchstone for all the poetics. The aim of a dramatic performance is to evoke sentiment or rasa in the mind of the sahrdaya the learned
audience‘. According to the Natyashastra,
the major purpose of dance, drama, ritual
and poetry is catalytic in that aesthetic
performance should provoke an emotion
that is already present in members of the
audience.
According to BharataMuni, Rasa is the soul of poetry.
रसप्राणो हि नाट्यविघि:
According to this theory whatever we feel we decide that another person also feels the same thing and we conclude that whatever we feel another person also feels the same thing but it isn't true it is our allusion and belief that everyone feels the same thing in one condition.
According to BharataMuni 'Bhava' is more important than the experience of the person. And he says that we are here for instinct not for thinking.
Rasa theory includes everything including Vakrokti, Dhvani and Alankara.
Rajshekhar wrote granth name - Kavyamimansa. In that he claimed that creator and reader both have capacity to read and feel the art and poem - kavya. And everyone isn't able to do such things and creativity because he/she is average.
BharataMuni give some characteristics of Rasa and definition of 'Rasa' :-
There is three type through this we got knowledge of the world:-
1) Memory- unchangeable
2) Dream - uncontrollable
3) Imagination - controllable
।। विभावानुभाव व्यभिचारी संयोगात् रसनिष्पति: ।।
"Rasa is produced from a combination of Determinants (vibhava), Consequents (anubhava) and Transitory States (vyabhicaribhava).
According to Bharatmuni, the realization of Rasa results from the Union of Vibhavas, Anubhavas, and Vyabhikaribhavas. When Sthaibhavas unite with others, the three Bhavas, one attains the quality of Rasa.
This sutra of Bharata is explained by various philosophers and rhetoricians after him till 11th century. The following names are noteworthy in this tradition, BhattaLollata, Srisamkuka, Bhattanayaka
and Abhinav Gupta. While understanding the rasa theory in detail one must understand the above term.
How does the spectator achieve poetic pleasure? What is the process of enjoying the rasa? The celebrated rhetorician, Bharata tries his best to solve this psychological phenomenon in one sentence, say in one Sutra, only and expounded it in much detail:
Bhava, literally, means existence and mental state. In aesthetic contexts, it has been translated as feelings, psychological states and emotions. In the context of the drama, bhavas are the emotions represented in the performance. There are three types of Bhava : Sthayi, Vyabhichari and Satvika explained by Bharata in the natyashastra, Bharata raises the question,
“ ककं भवन्तीनत भावा ककं वा भावयन्तीनत भावा ”।
Whether that which happens is bhava or that which causes the manifestation of experience is bhava. And answered of this question is given in this by saying that bhava is that
"उच्यते-वागङ्गस््वोपेतान्काव्याथाथन्भावयन्तीनत भावा इनत”
Bhavas(emotions): sthayi-bhavas (static emotions), sanchari-bhavas or also called vyabhicari-bhavas and the third is sattvika-bhavas.
1)sthayi-bhavas:-
These are the permanent or dominant moods.Sthaibhavas are the basis of Rasa and are supreme among all Bhavas. Sthaibhavas constitute the principal theme of a composition.They run all emotions like garland and cannot be overpowered by them. Rather the latter feed and strengthen them and help them emerge as Rasa. These all are sthayi bhava , Rati -love, Hasya -humorous, soka - sorrow, krodha- anger, utsaha - enthusiasm, bhaya -fear, jugupsa - disgust and vismaya -wonder.
2)The vyabhichari-bhavas:-
They are the transitory and temporary mental states.They strike the mind and become the cause of experiencing a permanent mood.They spring out of principal emotion and ultimately merge into it. They are like waves and bubbles that appear and disappear as the mighty stream of dominant emotion flows on, smiling and replying and dancing.They are 33 in numbers. Some of them are weakness, depression, anxiety, despair, etc.
3)The sattvika-bhavas:-
Satvik Bhav are in building bodily responses to the situation, for ex. When someone see an angry person, his body expression represents that he is angry, his bodily expression like his words with full of anger, his eyes with red color, the wrathful emotion on his face are some Satvik Bhav which indicates anger of the person.The sattvika-bhavas are also eight. They are stambha (stunned), sveda (sweating), romanca (thrill), svarabheda (break in voice), vepathu (trembling), vaivarnya (pallor), asru (tears) and pralaya (deluge).
4)AnuBhav:-
They are their effect seen upon the character after the emotions arise in the actor. They make spectators feel or experience Abhinaya by words and gestures.
Rasas are created by bhavas : The state of mind Nothing proceeds on the stage without reference to rasa is Bharata‘s most important pronouncement.
Meaning of rasah:-
The word Rasa is derived from the root 'rasah' meaning juice, taste or flavour or savour or relish. The extract of a fruit is referred to as 'rasa,' which itself is the essence of it, the ultimate flavour of it.
"In a metaphorical sense it refers to - the emotional experience of beauty in poetry and drama"
The ultimate goal, purpose of writing, presenting and viewing a play is to experience rasa realization. Rasa is associated with the palate, it is a delight afforded by all forms of art, and the pleasure that people derive from their art experience.
According to Bharata, rasa or sentiment is the mental condition of delectation produced in the spectator of a play or in the hearer or the reader of a poem, as the inevitable reaction of the bhavas or emotions manifested by the characters.
In the Indian performing arts, a rasa is a sentiment or emotion evoked in each member of the audience by the art. The Natya Shastra mentions six rasa in one section, but in the dedicated section on rasa it states and discusses eight primary rasa. Each rasa, according to NATYASHASTRA, has a presiding deity and a specific colour. There are 4 pairs of rasas. For instance, Hasya arises out of Sringara. The Aura of a frightened person is black, and the aura of an angry person is red. Bharata Muni established the following:
1)Sringara - (शृङ्गारः): Romance, Love, attractiveness.
2)Hasyam - (हास्यं): Laughter, mirth, comedy.
3)Roudram - (रौद्रं): Fury.
4)Karunyam - (कारुण्यं): Compassion, mercy.
5)Bibhatsa - (बीभत्सं): Disgust, aversion.
6)Bhayanakam (भयानकं): Horror, terror.
7)Veeram - (वीरं): Heroism.
8)Adbhutam (अद्भुतं): Wonder, amazement.
A ninth rasa was added by later authors. This addition had to undergo a good deal of struggle between the sixth and the tenth centuries, before it could be accepted by the majority of the Alankarikas, and the expression "Navarasa" the nine rasas could come into use.
9)Santam:- शान्त: Peace or tranquility
Rasa is actually the impression created on the mind of the sympathetic audience by the expression of bhavas or emotions and is an experience the individual is subjected to on account of this expression. Bhava is the emotion that creates a sense of enjoyment or experience which in
itself is an entity and that enjoyment or experience is rasa.
The realisation of Rasa is said to result from the union of three interrelated elements –Determinants (vibhava), Consequents (anubhava) and Transitory States Complementary Psychological States (vyabhicaribhava). The root-cause or the excitant that creates the emotions caused by the determinant is called anubhava or the consequent. Although the words vibhavaand anubhava incorporate the word bhava it may be noted that they are not bhavas. Vibhava, anubhava and bhava are thus intimately connected with one another.
The Natyasastra identifies nine rasas with nine corresponding Bhava (mood):
1. Rati (Love)
2. Hasya (Mirth)
3. Soka (Sorrow)
4. Krodha (Anger)
5. Utsaha (Energy)
6. Bhaya (Terror)
7. Jugupsa (Disgust)
8. Vismaya (Astonishment)
9. Shant (Peace)
Let me discuss three rasah:
1)Sringara:-
Sringara is one of the nine rasas, usually translated as erotic love, romantic love, or as attraction or beauty. Much of the content of traditional Indian arts revolves around the relationship between a man and a woman. The primary emotion thus generated is Sringara. The romantic relationship between lover and beloved is a metaphor for the relationship between the individual and the divine.
Classical dancers consider Sringara as 'the Mother of all rasas.' Sringara gives scope for a Numerous other emotions including jealousy, fear, anger, compassion, and of course for the expression of physical intimacy. No other Rasa has such a vast scope.
2)Hasya:-
Hasya is a Sanskrit word for one of the nine rasas or bhava (mood) of Indian aesthetics, usually translated as humour or comedy.
Hasya often arises out of Sringara as mentioned in Natya Shastra, the classical treatise on the performing arts of Bharata Muni, theatrologist and musicologist.In Gujarati, the word Hasya simply means "laughter".
3)Karuna:-
Karuna is generally translated as compassion or mercy and sometimes as self-compassion or spiritual longing. It is a significant spiritual concept in the Indic religions of Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Jainism.
Karun rasa has its central emotions as sorrow and pathos and are found very importantly both in Mahabharata and Ramayana. Bharata states in Natyashastra that Karun rasa means compassionate or the pathetic and sorrowful that comes from the primary rasa of Rudra or the furious. The result (Karma) of furious should be known as the aesthetic experience of compassion. It clears that Rudra is the primary source of the Karun and that leads to pathos or sorrow. In the Natyashastra it is stated that the Karun rasa arises from the permanent
emotion of sorrows. It proceeds from vibhav such as curse, separation from those who are dear, their downfall, and loss of wealth, death and imprisonment or from content with misfortune , destructions
and calamity. The soka or sorrow is the sthayi bhava of Karun rasa or the mood that of unhappiness is generated throughout its sthayi bhav i.e. soka or sorrow.
Conclusion:-
The realization of Rasa is the result of the union of Sthaibhavas, Vibhavas, Anubhavas, and Vyabhikaribhavas. Rasa theory draws a clear distinction between real-life experience and art experience- unordinary. In order to realize Rasa that must possess an adequate degree of intellectual and emotional equipment. To conclude, rasa is that internal enjoyment which is relished not only by the audience but also the actors who perform it. The very fact that Bharata‘s Natyashastra has stood the test of time through all these ages to the Modern age proves its relevance and validity till date even in the
field of cinema.
Word count:- 2027
References:-
“Rasa.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., https://www.britannica.com/art/rasa.
“Rasa Theory (Indian Aesthetics); Summary & Analysis • English Summary.” English Summary, 16 Aug. 2018, https://englishsummary.com/rasa-theory/#:~:text=Rasa%20Theory%20asserts%20that%20entertainment,%2C%20spiritual%20and%20moral%20question).
Sarkar, Somnath, et al. “Rasa Theory of Indian Aesthetics.” All About English Literature, 20 July 2021, https://www.eng-literature.com/2021/05/rasa-theory-of-indian-aesthetics.html.
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