Studies in the History of Sanskrit Poetics v2.c86.48

v2.c86.48

But here the theorists do not stop. The hero is endowed further by a set of eight special excellences, as springing from his character (*sāttvika*): e.g. brilliance (*śobhā*) including heroism; cleverness, truthfulness, emulation with superiors and compassion to inferiors; vivacity (*vilāsa*) indicated by his glance, step and laughing voice; grace (*mādhurya*) displayed in placid demeanour even in trying circumstances; equanimity (*gambhīrya*) consisting in superiority to emotions; steadfastness (*sthairya*) in obtaining one's object; sense of honour (*tejas*) manifested in his impatience of insult; gallantry (*lalita*) in his word, dress or deportment; magnanimity (*audārya*) exhibited in generosity, agreeable words and equal treatment to friend or foe. The heroine is allowed a more generous set of qualities. First we have the three physical characteristics : *bhāva* or first indication of emotion in a nature previously exempt, *hāva* or movement of eyes and brows indicating the awakening of emotion, *helā* or the decided manifestation of feeling. Then we have seven inherent qualities : e. g. brilliance of youth, beauty and passion, the touch of loveliness given by love, sweetness, courage, meekness, radiance and self-control. Then are enumerated her ten graces, to which Viśvanātha adds eight more. All her gestures, moods or different shades of emotion, e g. giggling, trepidation, hysterical fluster of delight, involuntary expression of affection, self-suppression through bashfulness, affected repulse of endearments, as well as the deepest and tenderest display of sentiments, are minutely analysed and classified. To this is added a detailed description of the modes in which the different types of heroines display their affection, the maidenly modest demeanour of the *mugdhā* or the shameless boldness of the more experienced heroine. We cannot refuse to recognise the subtle power of analysis and insight which these attempts indicate ; but speaking generally, the analysis is more of the form than of the spirit, based on what we should consider accidents rather than essentials. At the same time, marked as it is by much of scholastic formalism, there is an unmistakable attempt to do justice to facts, not only as they appeared to the experience of these theorists but to the observation of general poetic usage ; and in the elaborate working out of the general thesis that the *rasa* is evolved on the basis of one or other of what they call the permanent mental moods, with the help of the various emotional adjuncts, the writers on Poetics have proceeded a long way in the careful analysis of poetic emotions, the psychology of which bears an intimate relation to their theory and in itself deserves a separate study.