Rasa theory of Bharata--Criticism & Theory

Rasa theory of Bharata
S. Sreekumar

Rasa theory of Bharata—in Vedas,  rasa means sap or essence—experience of the supreme reality. Seers of the Vedas knew about the need for ‘Sahridayatwa’ to understand poetry. Valmiki’s sloka—overpowered by the intense feeling of pathos—karunarasa of Ramayana—kraunca birds.

Bharata lived during the first or second part of the first century B.C. deals with various aspects of dramaturgy. Drama was a much developed art during his times. Gives a proper definition to rasa in his Natyashastra.

Bharata—Natyashastra

Bharata explains samgraha, karika and nirukta (Digest, memorial verse and etymology)

When subjects taught in detail have been compressed and brought together in sastras and their bhasyas we can call it samgraha.

 When a rule is explained briefly in the manner of a sutra by means of a minimum number of works it is called memorial verse. It shows the meaning clearly.

The etymology arises in connection with various nouns. It is helped by dictionaries and rules of grammatical interpretation, includes the meaning of the root as well as the reasons modifying it, and is helped by various findings of sastras. Words expressing meaning in brief are called etymology.

The 8 Rasas.

Sringara —              love

Hasya                        —        comic

Karuna          —        pathetic

Raudra          —        furious.

Vira                —        heroic.

Bhayanaka   —        terrible.

Bibhatsa        —        odious

Adbhuta        —        marvellous.

Later writers added one more rasa—santhi—making the total into 9 rasas—navarasas.

Rasa is defined thus: / vibhava anubhava vyabhichari samyogat rasa/         

vibhava — causes or mainsprings of emotion (characters setting  

                  season, background etc)

anubhava  — effects of emotions that develop sentiments or rasas (anxiety, anger, depression through which love (the principal emotion) is expressed.

Vyabhicharibhava — transitory states—33 in number.

CAUSE + EFFECTS + TRANSITORY STATES= RASA

Then Bharata speaks about the dominant states:- stayibhava, vyabhicharibhava, and satvikabhava. Satvikabhava is translated as temperamental state. Sat is connected with manas.

Stayibhava:- love, mirth, sorrow, anger, energy, terror, disgust, astonishment (8)

vyabhicharibhava:-  discouragement, weakness, apprehension, envy, intoxication, weariness, indolence, depression, anxiety, distraction, recollection, contentment, shame, inconstancy, joy, agitation, stupor, arrogance, despair, impatience, sleep, epilepsy, dreaming, awakening, indignation, dissimulation, cruelty, assurance, sickness, insanity, death, fright, and deliberation. (33)

Satvikabhava:- paralysis, perspiration, horripilation ( goose flesh), change of voice, colour, trembling, weeping and fainting.

4 kinds of histrionic representation— angika, vacika, aharya, sattvika (representation of temperament.

4 styles—      verbal (Bharati)(eloquent)

                         grand (sattvati)

                         graceful ( Kaisiki)

                        energetic ( arabhati)

4 usages—     avanti, dakshinatya, odramagadhi, panccalamadhyama.

2 practices— lokadharmi, natyadharmi.

2 groups of musical notes:- sari ra (body) and vainava ( from vina, instrumental)

3 types of playhouses—oblong, square, triangular.

RASAS EXPLAINED

Rasa is produced from a combination of determinants (vibhavas), consequents (anubhavas) and transitory states. Is there any dristanta for it?

TASTES  results from a combination of spices, vegetables and other articles. Six tastes are produced by articles such as raw sugar or spices or vegetables. So the stayibhava in combination with other bhavas become rasa.

What is the meaning of rasa—it is capable of being tasted- (asvadyate). How is rasa tasted?

It is said that just as  well-disposed persons while eating food cooked with many kinds of spices enjoy its tastes and attain pleasure and satisfaction, so the cultured people taste the dominant states (stayibhava) while they see them represented by an expression of the various states with works, gestures and the temperament and derive pleasure and satisfaction.

We shall now enumerate the Dominant states in different sentiments.

1. The Erotic Rasa

The Erotic (Sringara) Rasa proceeds from the Dominant State of love (Rati) and it has as its basis a  bright attire; for whatever in this world is white, pure, bright and beautiful is appreciated in terms of the dominant state of love (sringara).

            Hence the Erotic sentiment has been so named on account of its usually being associated with bright and elegant attire. It owns its origin to men and women and related to the fullness of youth.

It has two bases: union (Sambhoga) and separation (Vipralamba), of these two, the Erotic Sentiment in union arises from determinants like the pleasure of the season, the enjoyment of garlands, ornaments, (the company of) beloved persons objects (of senses), splendid mansions, going to a garden, and enjoying [oneself] there, seeing the [beloved one], hearing [his or her words], playing and dallying [with him or her]. It should be represented on the stage by consequents such as clever movement of eye, eyebrows, glances, soft and delicate movement of limbs and sweet words and similar other things. Transitory states in it do not include fear, indolence, cruelty and disgust. [The Erotic sentiment] in separation should be represented on the stage by consequents such as indifference, languor, fear, jealousy, fatigue, anxiety, yearning, drowsiness, sleep, dreaming awakening, illness, insanity, epilepsy, inactivity, [fainting], death and other conditions.

2. The Comic Sentiment   

The comic (hasya) sentiment has as its basis the Dominant emotion of laughter. This is created by determinants such as showing unseemly dress or ornament, impudence, greediness, quarrel, defective limb, use of irrelevant words, mentioning of different faults, and similar other things. This (the comic sentiment) is to be represented on the stage by consequents like the throbbing of the lips, the nose and the cheek, opening the eyes wide or contracting them, perspiration, colour of the face, and taking hold of the sides. Transitory states in it are indolence, dissimulation, drowsiness, sleep, dreaming, insomnia, envy and the like. This (sentiment), is of two kinds; self -centred and centred in others. When a person himself laughs it relates to the self – centred (Comic sentiment), but when he makes others laugh it (the comic sentiment therein ) is centred in others.

            It has six varieties of which I shall speak presently.  They are: Slight Smile (Smita), Smile (Hasita), Gentle Laughter (Vihasita), Laughter of Ridicule (Upahasita), Vulgar Laughter (apahasita) and Excessive Laughter (Atihasita). Two by two they belong respectively to the superior, the middle and the inferior types [of persons].

            To persons of the superior type belong the slight smile (Smita) and the smile (Hasita), to those of the middle type of Gentle Laughter (vihasita) and the Laughter of Ridicule (upahasita) to those of the inferior type the Vulgar Laughter (apahasita) and the Violent Laughter (atihasita)

3. The Pathetic Sentiment

            Now the Pathetic (karuna) Sentiment arises from the dominant state of sorrow. It grows from Determinants such as affliction under a curse, separation from dear ones, loss of wealth, death, captivity flight)[ from one’s own place], [dangerous] accidents or any other misfortune. This is to be represented on the stage by means of consequents such as, shedding tears, lamentation, dryness of the mouth, change of colour, drooping limbs, being out of breath, loss of memory and the like. Transitory states connected with it are indifference, languor, anxiety, inactivity, insanity, epilepsy, fear, fainting, sadness, dejection, illness, inactivity, insanity, epilepsy, fear, indolence, death, paralysis, tremor, change of colour, weeping, loss of voice and the like.

4. The Furious Sentiment

            Now the Furious (raudra) Sentiment has as its basis the dominant state of anger. It owes its origin to Raksasas, Danavas and haughty men, and is caused by fights. This is created by determinants such as anger, rape, abuse, insult, untrue allegation, exorcizing, threatening, revengefulness, jealousy and the like. Its actions are beating, breaking, crushing, cutting, piercing, taking up arms, hurling of missiles, fighting, drawing, of blood, and similar other deeds. This is to be represented on the stage by means of consequents such as red eyes, knitting of eyebrows, defiance, biting of the lips, movement of the cheeks, pressing one hand with the other, and the like. Transitory states in it are presence of mind, determination, energy, indignation, fury, perspiration, trembling, horripilation, chocking voice and the like.

5. The Heroic Sentiment

            Now the Herioc (vira) sentiment, relates to the superior type of persons and has energy as its basis. This is created by determinants such as presence of mind, perseverance, diplomacy, discipline, military strength, aggressiveness, reputation of might, influence and the like. It is to be represented on the stage by consequents such as firmness, patients, heroism, charity, diplomacy and the like. Transitory states in it are contentment, judgement, pride, agitation, energy (vega) ferocity, indignation, remembrance, horripilation and the like.

6. The Terrible sentiment

            Now the Terrible (bhayanaka) sentiment has as its basis the Dominant state of fear. This is created by Determinants like hideous noise, sight of ghosts, panic and anxiety due to (untimely cry of jackals and owls, staying in an empty house or forest, sight of death or captivity of dear ones, or news of it, or discussion about it. It is to be represented on the stage by consequents such as trembling of the hands and the feet, horripilation, change of colour and loss of voice. Its Transitory states are paralysis, perspiration, choking voice, horripilation, trembling, loss of voice, change of colour, fear, stupefaction, dejection, agitation, restlessness, inactivity, fear, epilepsy and death and the like.

7. The Odious sentiment

            Now the odious (bibhatsa) sentiment has as its basis the dominant state of disgust. It is created by determinants like hearing of unpleasant, offensive, impure and harmful things or seeing them or discussing them. It is to be represented on the stage by consequents such as stopping the movement of all the limbs, narrowing down of the mouth, vomiting, spitting, shaking the limbs [in disgust] and the like. Transitory states in it are epilepsy, delusion, agitation, fainting, sickness, death and the like.

8. The Marvellous sentiment

            The Marvellous (adbhuta) Sentiment has as its basis the dominant state of astonishment. It is created by determinants such as sight of heavenly beings or events, attainment of desired objects, entrance into a superior mansion, temple, audience hall (sabha), a seven – storied palace and (seeing) illusory and magical acts. It is to be represented on the stage by consequents such as wide opening of eyes, looking with fixed gaze, hooripilation, tears [ of joy] perspiration, joy, uttering words of approbation, making gifts, crying incessantly ha, ha, ha waving the end of dhoti or sari, and movement of fingers and the like. Transitory states in it are weeping, paralysis, perspiration like. Transitory states in it are weeping, paralysis, perspiration, chocking voice, horripilation, agitation, hurry, inactivity, death and the like.

The three kinds of the Erotic, the comic and the Terrible sentiments

 The Erotic sentiment is of three kinds, viz. of words, dress, and action. And the comic and the terrible sentiments are likewise of three kinds, viz limbs, dress and words.

The three kinds of the pathetic sentiment

The pathetic sentiment is of three kinds, viz, that arising from obstruction to lawful deeds, from loss of wealth and from bereavement.

The three kinds of the herioc sentiment

The Heroic sentiment is like wise of three kinds, viz, that arising from making gifts, from doing one’s duty (dharma) and from fighting [one’s enemy]

The three kinds of the Terrible sentiment

The terrible sentiment is also of three kinds, viz, feigned fear, fear from a wrong action, and fear from an apprehension of danger

The Three kinds of the odious sentiment

The Odious sentiment is of three kinds, viz. Nauseating, simple, and exciting, of these the sentiment from a sight of stool and worms is nauseating, and the sight of blood and similar objects is exciting.

The two kinds of the marvellous sentiment

The Marvellous sentiment is of two kinds, viz. Celestial and joyous. Of these celestial is due to seeing heavenly sights, and the joyous due to joyful happenings.

Dr. S. Sree Kumar