History of Sanskrit Poetics c6.66

c6.66

There are several works that expound the theory of *rasa* realization such as the नाट्यशास्त्र VI-VII with the commentary of अभिनव०, the सरस्वतीकण्ठाभरण V, शृङ्गारप्रकाश, दशरूप, शृङ्गारतिलक, भावप्रकाशन, रसतर्ङ्गिणी. It is not possible to describe in detail what all these works say and to mark out the points of difference among some of them. Bharata’s text being the earliest one I shall rely on that text and the अभिनवभारती thereon and briefly set forth the several interpretations of that sūtra. The pivot round which the whole *rasa* system revolves sorrow in it. The शृ. प्र. also said ‘रसा हि सुखदुःखावस्थारूपाः’ (Dr. Raghavan’s ‘Number of rasas’ p. 155). Most writers, however, hold that all relishing of *rasa* due to dramatic representation is pleasurable. It is no doubt true that when an actor is seen weeping on the stage some at least among the audience find their eyes moist. The साहित्यदर्पण III. 8 explains ‘अश्रुपाताद्यस्तदद्भुत्वाच्चेतसो मताः’. The लोचन (on p. 18) puts the doctrine as follows ‘यस्तु स्वप्नेपि न स्वशब्दवाच्यो न लौकिकव्यवहारपतितः, किंतु शब्दसमर्पमाण हृदयसंवादसुन्दर-विभावानुभावसमुदित-प्राङनिविष्टरत्यादिवासनानुराग-सुकुमारसंविदानन्दचर्वणव्यापाररसनीयरूपो रसः’. Vide also अ. भा. vol. I. p. 290 ‘सामाजिकानां हि हर्षफलं नाट्यं न शोकादिफलम्’. The नाट्यदर्पण passage is : स्थायी भावः श्रितोत्कर्षो विभावव्यभिचारिभिः। स्पष्टानुभावनिश्चयः: सुखदुःखात्मको रसः...यत्पुनः सर्वरसानां सुखात्मकत्वमुच्यते तत्प्रतीतिबाधितम्। pp. 158-159. Some of the works say that when one is relishing *rasa* all other cognitions disappear from the mind for the moment and the state of aesthetic enjoyment is like ब्रह्मानन्द, which state lasts as long as विभावs and the other *bhāvas* continue to operate. Compare काव्यप्रकाश IV. p. 92 ‘सामाजिकानां वासनात्मकतया स्थितः स्थायी रत्यादिकः...चर्व्यमाणैकताप्राप्तो विभावदिजीविताविधिः...पुर इव परिस्फुरन्...अन्यत्सर्वमिव तिरोदधद् ब्रह्मास्वादमिवातुभावयन् अलौकिकचमत्कारकारी शृङ्गारादिको रसः’. Compare साहित्यदर्पण III. 2-3 for similar words. As regards there being a mixture of pain in *rasa*, the साहित्यदर्पण remarks III. 4-5 ‘करुणादावपि रसे जायते यत्परं सुखम्। सचेतसामनुभवः प्रमाणं तत्र केवलम्। किं च तेषु यदा दुःखं न कोपि स्यादनुन्मुखः’.