Studies in the History of Sanskrit Poetics v2.c86.49

v2.c86.49

The discussion of this extensive topic of the nāyaka and nāyikā comes in topically under the theory of vibhāva and anubhāva, which act as factors of rasa. The mood, which is at the root of sentiment, is held to be the sthāyi-bhāva, the dominant feeling, the main theme of the composition in question. These feelings, according to Bharata, who is accepted on this point by all writers, can be classified into eight categories, viz., Love (rati), Mirth (hāsa), Sorrow (śoka), Anger (krodha), Energy (utsāha). Fear (bhaya), Disgust (jugupsā) and Astonishment (vismaya), though some later writers add, as we shall see, Tranquillity (śama or nirveda) to the number. These dominant feelings are worked up into a corresponding number of sentiments or rasas through the means of the vibhāvas etc²⁹. The vibhāvas or Excitants are said to be of two kinds³⁰, viz., (1) the Substantial or Essential (*ālambana*), which consists of such material