Vada in Theory and Practice: Studies in Debates, Dialogues and Discussions in Indian Intellectual Discourses c10.s6.2
Vāda in Theory and Practice: Studies in Debates, Dialogues and Discussions in Indian Intellectual Discourses c10.s6.2
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c10.s6.2
Jai Shankar Prasad, one of the greatest poets of twentieth century, made an interesting remark in one of his essays on art and art experience — that there are two streams of thought regarding the aesthetic experience in India — Ānandavāda and Duḥkhavāda. The former is represented by Indra and the latter by Varuṇa. The remark was made rather surreptitiously and Prasad did not cite any authentic source to support his thesis. However, we find that the theory of *rasa* as a blend of pleasure and pain (*sukhaduḥkhātmaka*) has been supported long before Abhinavagupta, who cites the Sāṁkhya view of *rasa*.¹⁸