Topic: Rasa Theory and Bhava.
Paper: 7
Paper Name: literary Theory & Criticism: The 20th
Western & Indian poetics.
Name: Nidhi Jasani
Roll No.: 16
Class: M.A. Sem.2
Year: 2014-2015
P.G. Enrolment No:14101018
Submitted to: M.K. Bhavnagar University, Department of English.
Introduction
Bharatmuni wrote ‘Natyasastra’
in before the third century. The Natyasastra is a compendium of performed arts:
drama, music, and dance. The Natyasastra was used through the fifteen hundred
years of Sanskrit literature thought as the bedrock of literary theory. To many
revivlistic Indian critics last two hundred years, Bharata has been the maker
of the Rasa Theory. While there is no
denying that his fascinating insight in the psychology of aesthetic
reception was the phenomenal triumph of intellect, it is necessary to remind
ourselves that the Natyasastra is notdevoted solely to the exposition of Rasa
theory. In other words Bharatmuni’s Natyasastra is an encyclopedia of Sanskrit
literature is the earliest work on dramaturgy available at the Natyasastra.
“Natyasastra is the function of fine arts in India.” In
Natyasastra he talks about ‘Rasa theory’ and ‘Bhava’, he also talks about the connect of character,languages, prosoding, music employed in
drama. Nature of Rasa and Bhava etc… He has given an analytical theory as far
as Rasa is a concern.
The Sanskrit Natya theory is the creation of “Rasa.” Every
dramatic presentation was aimed at evoking in the mind of the audience a
particular kind of aesthetic experience, which is described as “Rasa”, the
concept of Rasa is the most important and significant contribution of the
Indian mind to aesthetics.
‘Bhava’ & ‘Rasa’
“Where the hand goes, the gaze follows. Where the eyes turm,
there goes the mind. Where the mind goes, there comes Bhava. And where the Bhava
comes, there also will be Rasa.”
-Natyashastra
Rasa and Bhava are connected with each other. In very first
meaning of the Rasa is derived from the root ‘rasah’ it means ‘juice’.
And other meaning of Rasa is ‘interest.’ We also says that
Rasa means ‘khato, kharo, turo, tikho, kadvo, mitho, this all are called as
rasa in Indian context. The denotative meaning of Rasa is Pleasure (Ananda).Bharatamuni
also talks about Rasa. How we get
pleasure from literary works and drama, acting (Abhinaya). Abhinayadevided in
to four parts…
1. AngikAbhinaya -
movement or acting through the body, it’s called AngikAbhinaya.
2. VachikAbhinaya–we passed message through speaking words
with stress,?!., etc.
3. AhariyaAbhinaya- we shows our identity of character
through wearing cloth or costumes.
4. SatvikAbhinaya-
Through this we can understand and enjoy the drama. This
enjoyment createsBhava in our mind. In Natyashastra he writes about three types
of Bhava. Hear one Sanskrit shlok mentioned in Bharatmuni’s ‘Natyashastra’
which suggest that all three Bhava combine together and create Rasa in our
mind.
“VibhavanubhavavyabhichrisanyogatRasanishpatti”
Vibhava(determinants or catalysts)
Vibhava means by which an emotion is activated are termed
Vibhava. There are two types of Vibhava. 1) The AlambhanaVibhava –the person or
the object in respect of whom the
emotion is experienced and who’s appearance is directly responsible for the
bringing forth of the emotion. 2) UddipanaVibhava, it means the situation in
the environment in which that person or object is placed and which is helpful
in intensifying the emotional experience.
Anubhava(consequences)
The outward manifestations brought forth as a result of the
Vibhavas are known as the Anubhavas. These are divisible in to Vacika- those
which can be expressed by words (vac-“speech”) and the Angika which are expressed
by bodily, expression, In Indian drama. For example, the Anubhava communicate
to the audience, the emotions being felt by the characters on stage.
There also
“involuntary emotions” known as Sattvikabhava; Stambha (paralysis), sveta
(sweating), Romanca(hair standing on end),Svarabheta, it means changes in one’s
tone of voice. Vepathu (terembling.Vaivarnya it means change in the color of
one’s face. Asru (becoming tearful) and pralaya, it means fainting.
Vyabhicharibhava(complementarystates)
This Sthayibhava (permanent Mood) is a major emotion which is
developed by a number of minor feelings referred to as Vyabhicharibhava.we
found there are thirty-three Vyabhicharibhavas: Nirveda (disintrest), Glani
(tiredness), Sanaka (apprehension), Asuya (insecurity), Mada (intoxication),Srama (exhaustion ), Alasya (lethargy) , Dainya (pity),
Cinta (anxiety), Moho (delusion), Smrti (recollection), Dhriti (steadfastness),
Vrida (shame), Capalata (impulsiveness), Harasa (suddendelight), Avega
(excitement), Jadata (stupor), Grava (arrogance), Visada (depression), Autsuka
(longing) Nindra (sleep), Apusmara
(epilepsy), Supta (dreaming), Vibodha (awakening), Amarsa (restrained anger),
Avahittha (deception), Ugrata (ferociousness), Mati (analysis), Vyadhi
(sickness), Unmada (temporary insanity), Marana (death), Trasa (panic) and Vitarka
(argumentiveness).
For example,
the erotic Rasa arises from the AlambhanaVibhava-presence of the lover and
beloved, the UddipanaVibhava’s – the atmosphere of place where the two meet,
the call of night birds; a gentle breeze, the moon, etc.: it gives rise to the
Anubhavas-how the lovers express themselves to each other to holding hands and
etc.it produces involuntary bodily responses (the Sattvikabhavas) and may give
rise to complementary or transitory emotional states- the Vyabicharibhavas.
It means for
Bharata Rasa-the flavor or taste, emerges from the combination of the various
emotional factors in the same way that distinctive taste of a cooked dish it is
made from the different ingredients and the manner in which it is prepared. But
when we eat the food, we enjoyed it with all ingredients. We cannot say that I
eat only flour or only salt, but we enjoy combination of all ingredients not a
particular ingredient. Same in Rasa theory a particular Bhava can’t provoke
Rasa. But the mixture of all kind of Bhava provokes Rasa in our mind. Through
the Bhava we come to know and understand about Rasa. ‘Beauty is always in
completeness.’Bhava has no language, it comes from our mind.
“Our emotion is the gastric juice which transform world of
appearance into the more intimate of sentiments. On the other hand this world
has its own juices, and quality which excite our emotional activities. This is
called in our Sanskrit Rhetoric, Rasa, which signifies outer juices having
their response in inner juices of our emotions. And a poem, according to it, is
a sentence or sentaining juice, which stimulate the juice of emotion, it brings
to us ideas vitalized by feelings, ready to be made into the life-style of
nature”
-
Rabindranath
Tagore
Types of Rasa
“Shungarakarunaviraroudrahasyabhayanka,
Bibhatsadbhutashantshyanavanatyerasahsrmuta”
According
to Bharata’sNatyashastra there is eight fundamental feeling or mental states referred
to as Sthayibhavas which can be experienced by human beings. These are Delight
(Riti) laughter (Hasya), Sorrow (Shoka), Anger (Krodha), Heroism (Utsaha), Fear
(Bhaya), Disgust (Jugupsa), and Wonder (Vismaya).
Corresponding
to these mental states are eight Rasa:
(1)
The
Erotic - (Srungara)
(2)
The
comic – (Hasya)
(3)
The
Pathetic – (kruna)
(4)
The
Furious – (Raudra)
(5)
The
Heroic – (Vira)
(6)
The
Terrible – (Bhayanaka)
(7)
The
Odious – (Bibhatasa)
(8)
Marvelous
– (Adbhuta)
(9)
Peaceful
– (Shanta) (it was later added.)
The realization of Rasa is said to
result from the union of three interrelated elements-Vibhava, Anubhava and
Vyabicharibhava and also the permanent mood called Sthayibhava.
(1)
The
Erotic Sentiment (Shringara Rasa)
The Sringara Rasa proceeds from the dominant state of love and is
associated with the Lord Vishnu. The mutual affection of love is found not only
between man and woman but also between birds, animals and the other entire
creature. The Erotic Sentiment in union arises from determinates like pleasure
of the season the enjoyment of Garlands the company of beloved persons, objects
etc…
It should be represented on the stage
by the consequents such as clever movement of eyes, eyebrows, soft and delicate
movement of the body, sweet word and similar other things.
KaviKalidasa in his
AbhigyanaShakuntalam , the scene of union of Shakuntala and Dushiant at that
time he write the best example of Sringara Rasa.
“Sringara
is reach in pleasure, associated with desired object favorable music and poetry
and is related with either the union or the separation of man and woman.
(2)
The Comic Sentiment (Hasya Rasa)
Humor
is extremely difficult to analyze even he 20th century philosophers
who have set out to examine the origin of this manifold humor. But the nature
of its charm has not yet arrived at definite conclusion. While talk about humor
Bharatamuni says that,
“The Humor arises from the grotesque and
custom of others, shameless character craze for sensual; pleasure, mischief,
foul words. Physical handicapped accusation of others and the like.”
When a person make laughter on himself
or laughter related to his or her own self its cold self-centered laughter.
Centered
– in – others is other form of laughter. When a person makes laughter
on other person.In this there are six types of laughter.
(1)
Slight
smile (smita)
(2)
Smile (hasita)
(3)
Gentle
Laughter (vihasita)
(4)
Laughter
of Ridicule (uphasita )
(5)
Valgure
Laughter (aphasita)
(6)
Excessive
laughter (atihasita)
The best example of Hasya Rasa is
“TarakMahetakaUltaChashma”. It creat big laughter among the audience. It shows
both types of laughers.
(3)
The pathetic Sentiment (Karuna Rasa)
The pathetic sentiment arises from the dominant state of
sorrow. It is usually presented through
the separation from dear one, loose of wealth, death, accident or any type of
misfortune. All this represent on stage by the means of consequents.
We found some best examples of Krun Rasa. In
Abhigyanshakuntalam the separation of Shakuntala and Dhushiant due to cruse, it
generates pathos. We also find same types of pathos in Romeo and Juliet, the death
of Juliet create Karuna Rasa. According to shreekantaiya,
“Pathos is the very delicate Rasa,
during its experience the heart melts a great deal.”
(4) Furious Sentiment
(Rudra Rasa)
“The
Furious Sentiment is created by strayking cutting mutilation and piercing in
fights and Tamalt of
The beltle and the like.”
Many critiques say that the furious
Sentiment is full of conflict of arms, and in it words movements and deeds are
terrible and tearful. Transitory states connected with the furious sentiment
are presence of mind determinations energy indignation perception.
(5) The Heroic Sentiment
(Vir Rasa)
According to critique Heroic sentiment is,
“The special condition such as energy, perseverance,
optivison absence of surprise and presence of mind facility the NishpattihiVira
Rasa”
The Heroic sentiment reflects to the superior type of person
and has energy or enthusiasm has its basis. The presiding deities of the
sentiments areIndra and represented with the color ‘yellowish or orange,
mixture of both color’.
Theatrically
the Virarasa is represented on the stage through firmness passions, heroism,
charity diplomacy and the like. Bharatamuni in Natyashastra, he divided the
Rasa of velour in to three kinds,
(1)
Valor
of Munificence (Danvira)
(2)
Valor
of virtue (Dharmvira)
(3)
Valor
of war (Yudhavira)
Resent critic have add the fourth type of ‘Valor of
Mercy’(Dayavira). The entire valor interrelated with each other. We found,
Karana in Mahabharta was called as Danvira.Udhishthira was known Dharmvira.
Arjuna was Yudhavira. Shreedamaa was the best example of Dyavira.
(6) Terrible Sentiment (Bhayanakarasa)
The
Terrible sentiment has its dominant state of fear. Black color refers
BhayanakaRas, and it associated with ‘Lord Yamaraja’. It is usually created by
fearful atmosphere like Hideous, Noise, side of ghost panic and anxiety due to a
timely cry of Jacket.It is to be represented on the stage by consequent such as
term ling of the hand and the feet, horribilation, change of color and loss of
voice. Ti is very easy to perform the Bhayanaka Rasa on the stage.
Through
rear appear to be one of the nature tendency of man as he grow more civilized
try to control in and things it shameful to exhibit it. According to many
critics fear is not natural to Nobel character and on contrary what excites
fear in ordinary people excites anger in violent.In many horror movies we found
Bhayanaka Rasa. When Rama in forest and fight with ‘Rakshasa’ at that time we
fell ‘Bhaya’.
(7) Odious Sentiment (Bibhastya Rasa)
The Odious sentiments
has its basic the dominant state of disguise it is created by determinants like
hearing of unpleasant, offensive, impure and harmful things or sing them or discussing
them. It is to be represented on the stage by consequent such as stopping the
movement of all the limes. Narrowing down of the mouth vomiting.
In
other word Bibhastya is disgust. The emotion evoked by anything that nauseates
us, that revolts or sickens us is Bibhastya. When something comes to our notice
that is coarse and graceless, beneath human dignity, something which revolts or
sickens us it is Bibhatsya that we feel. For example ‘When prince Siddhartha
was a young man and for the first time
he sickness, old age and death, he was moved to disgust which later translate
in to sorrow, deep introspection and peace, as he transformed into Gautama, the
Buddha.”
(8)
The Marvelous Sentiment (Adabhuta
Rasa)
The
marvelous sentiment has its basic dominant state of atonement. The preceding
deity of the sentiment is ‘Brahman’. It is created by determinants search as
slight of heavenly begins or events attainment of object. In this we found
superior mention or temple, and seven storied place and illusory and magical
acts.It is to be represented on the stage by consequence such as ‘wide opening
of eyes, looking with fixed gas horribilation and tears with joy. Bharatamuni
has mentioned this Rasa in his treaties the ‘Natyashastra’ he elaborately
states for each its color.
“The principle of Rasa is the very
soft of Indian poetics. It is the nectar that our thinker has obtained after
charning the ossom of poetry.”
-Shreekantaiya
Adbhuta
Rasa is acuriosity of man regarding the creation of the world and all its
wonders, For example, ‘the glory of a king returning from a successful battle,
the magical feats of a god are both adbhutafor a common man.’
(9)
The Peace Sentiment (Shanta rasa)
This
Rasa is added later after all eight Rasa. Shant is serenity and peace. It represents
the state of calm and unruffled repose that is marked simply by the lake of all
other Rasa.Because all emotions are absent in Shanta there is controversy
whether it is a rasa at all. According to Bharata, the other eight rasa are as
proposed originally by Brahma, and the ninth, shanta, is his contribution. It
represents complete harmony between the mind, body and the universe. Shanta
rasa is what Buddha felt when he was enlightened, when he reached the higher
spiritual plane that led him to salvation or nirvana and freed him from the
cycle of life and death. We can say that when we go to nature and seat on the
green hill site at that time we feel peace, it also called shanta rasa. Shanta
is a clear and cloudless state. Shanta is untroubled steadiness. Shanta is the
key to eternity.
·
Contribution of Bhatt Lollat in Rasa
theory
In Rasa
theory we found four schools (vada) of different critique. First one is Bhatt
Lollat.His school known as ‘utpattivad’. He says that there is no Rasa in us,
but Rasa should be created in our mind. He says thatwhat Nayak (hero) they
create Rasa in our mind. According to him the rasa essentially embodies the
emotional state that the work of art seeks to portray. It hopes to evoke a
resonant emotion in the audience. He says that feeling(pratiti) of rasa are
just knowledge, how it is become joyful (Asvadya)? For example when we see smock
we feel (Pratiti) that there is fair. But we cannot feel rasa in sane manner.
·
Contribution of Shree Shankuk in Rasa
Theory
His vada
(school) is known as ‘Anumativada’. His school introduce us some failure of
BhattaLollat and try to clarify it, though we cannot found proper rasaprakreeya
(proses of Rasa). According to him Rasa comes from the imagination (anuman) of
the audience. We found four types of imagination 1. ‘yathartha’(as it is) for
example he is Rama.2. ‘Sadrushya’ (like) he is similar to Rama.3. ‘Sanshya’
(doubt) he is like Rama. (4) Mithya (false) he is not Rama, first we believe
that he is Rama but actually he is not Rama but a person played role of Rama.Same
in the picture of Horse, and we cannot says that it is a Horse. We can also say
that it is not Horse because it is a picture of horse not a real one. We can say
that willing suspension of disbelief.
·
Contribution of BhattaNayaka in Rasa
Theory
His school
known as ‘Bhukteevada’. He gives a principal of ‘Sadharanikaran’. He was
apposing to above both critique. According to him Rasa is not in Hero but
audience has to create it. He says that ‘sadharnikaran’ (commonness) is
necessary between audience and
Nata(Hero) for creating Rasa or enjoying the play. Audience and Hero have power
of grasping (Bhavn). He put more weigh on sthaibhava and sadharnikaran, and says
rasa is not come from Hero,and not from original character. It’s come from the
‘sadharnikarn’ of audience. In essay way the audience, first go through the
person Mr. A, who play the role of Rama at this stage he cannot enjoy the play.
But slowly people started doing ‘sadharnikaran’ and forget about Mr. A, and
think about the original Rama, a people think that Mr. A is an original Rama,
and then Rasa is created in the mind of people.Entire proses known as ‘sadharnikaran’.
·
Contribution of Abhinav Gupta in Rasa
Theory
Abhinav Gupta was one of the Indian greatest philosophers, mystics and
aestheticians. Forthcritique who talks about the Rasa theory, his school known
as ‘Abhivyanjnavada’. In his work ‘Abhinavbharti’ he talks about Rasa theory. Inthis
work, he writes about the rasasutra of Bharata in consonance with the theory of
abhivyakti (expression).He says that when the hero (Nata) and the audience,
both forget about their personality, who is he or her at that level they
feel
Rasa and enjoy the play. For example,
Mr. A played a role of hero or Rama. When Mr. A forgets that he is Mr. A and
enters in to the character of Rama. He thinks that now he is original Rama.
Form audience one person knows Mr. A at that time he can’t enjoy the play. But
when he accepts Mr. A as a Rama and forgets that he is Mr. A. At this level
both Hero and audience really get pleasure form the play.
We
get true meaning of ‘Rasaprakriya’ from Abhinavgupta’s view on Rasa theory.
Conclusion
After
knowing all this, hear we can says that ‘Rasa’ comes from the ‘Bhava’ and Bhava
have no language. In short both are connected with each other.“The term ‘rasa’
has a twofold significance: it means the ‘Aesthetic content of literary art’
and also ‘Aesthetic relish’ which the reader-spectator enjoys.”
The
sources of origin of the ‘Rasa’ are the four basic sentiments-‘Erotic’,
‘Furious’, ‘Heroic’, ‘Odious’. The Erotic sentiment is light- green (syama),
the comic is described as White, the pathetic is Grey (Kapota) and fearful is
(Red), the Heroic is yellow-Red (Gaur), Terrible is Black, the Odious is (Blue)
and the Marvelous is yellow. The ‘Erotic’ (sentiment) has Vishnu as Deity, the
‘comic’ is pramaatha, the ‘furious’ is Rudra; the pathetic is Yama, Odious is
Mahakala, terrible is Kala, the Heroic is Mahendra and the Marvelous has Brahma
as it deity.
Although
the concept of rasa is fundamental to many forms of Indian art including dance,
music, musical theater, cinema and literature, the treatment, interpretation,
usage and actual performance of a particular Rasa differs greatly between
different styles and school of Abhinaya, and the huge regional differences even
within one style.
