Rasarnavasudhakara 2.220.p3

2.220.p3

nanu nirvedasya śānta-rasa-sthāyitvaṃ kaiścid uktam | tat katham asya anya-rasopakaraṇatvam iti ced, ucyate | sati khalu grāme sīmā-sambhāvanā | sthāyitvaṃ nāma saṃskāra-pāṭavena bhāvasya (vāsanā-rūpeṇa sthitasya kāraṇa-vaśād udbodhitasya) muhur muhur navībhāvaḥ | tena nirveda-vāsanā-vāsitaṃ bhāvaka-cetasi naiṣphalyābhimateṣu vibhāvādiṣu (bhāvakānāṃ prathamaṃ pravṛtter evāsambhavāt) tat-sāmagrī-phala-bhūtasya nirvedasyotpattir eva na saṅgacchate | kiṃ punaḥ sthāyitvam | kiṃ ca asati nirveda-sthāyini śānta-rūpo bhāvakānām āsvādaś citra-gata-kadalī-phala-rasāsvāda-lampaṭānāṃ rāja-śukānāṃ viveka-sahodaro bhaved iti kṛtaṃ saṃrambheṇa |

Now, it may be objected: despair has been stated by some to be the durable emotional state of the aesthetic sentiment of tranquility. How then can it be an accessory to other aesthetic sentiments? If this is asked, we reply: Indeed, the boundary of a village can be contemplated only when the village exists. A durable emotional state is the repeated renewal, through the vigor of latent impressions, of an emotion (existing in the form of a latent trace and awakened by causes). Therefore, in determinants and the like which are regarded as futile in the mind of an appreciator imbued with the latent trace of despair (since the initial engagement of appreciators is impossible), the very arising of despair, which is the fruit of that aggregate of factors, is untenable. How much less its durability! Moreover, in the absence of despair as a durable emotional state, the aesthetic experience of tranquility by appreciators would be a brother to the discernment of royal parrots eager to relish the juice of a plantain fruit depicted in a painting; so enough of this agitation!