Rasa Theory

In Meghdootam, Kalidasa‘s Yaksha sends a message to his beloved through a cloud.
He
says to cloud:
“O cloud! you will see river Narmada,
Spread out at the foot of the Vindhaya Mountain,
Rough and full or rocky hills,
looking like the decorations on an elephant’s body,
Made by scattered marks of painted streaks.”
The above-quoted sloka gives us the idea how poetry is made effective with the help
of apt diction and imaginative language. When we read any
good piece of literature, we get pleasure as a reader or when watch a play on the
stage, we derive certain kind of pleasure from the scenes enacted
on the stage. This kind of pleasure according to Indian poetics is called ‘rasa.
The word ‘rasa’ actually means ‘essence’ or ‘sap’ but here it can be taken
as aesthetic pleasure, poetic delight or poetic relish.
What is ‘Rasa’?
Rasa at one time meant ‘water’, ‘juice’ or ‘wine’. At another time it implied
‘essence’. In another context it meant ‘relish’ or ‘savouring’. There was a
time when it indicated the primary constituents of medicine. It also meant
‘aesthetic pleasure’ or ‘enjoyment’ – a meaning or association of meanings
with which we are essentially concerned.
Rasa Theory Context

Rasa Theory finds its root in the late Vedic period in Atharvaveda (200 BC- 100
BC). But Bharata Muni is regarded the father of Indian Rasa Theory as he
gave major statement in his book Natyashastra (1st century AD Approx) which is a
Indian Treatise on performing arts, encompassing theatre, dance and
music.Indian concept of aesthetic flavour, an essential element of any work of
visual, literary, or performing art that can only be suggested, not
described. It is a kind of contemplative abstraction in which the inwardness of
human feelings suffuses the surrounding world of embodied forms.
The theory of rasa is attributed to Bharata, a sage-priest who may have lived
sometime between the 1st century BCE and the 3rd century CE. It was
developed by the rhetorician and philosopher Abhinavagupta (c. 1000), who applied
it to all varieties of theatre and poetry. The principal human
feelings, according to Bharata, are delight, laughter, sorrow, anger, energy,
fear, disgust, heroism, and astonishment, all of which may be recast in
contemplative form as the various rasa-: erotic, comic, pathetic, furious, heroic,
terrible, odious, marvelous, and quietistic. These rasas comprise the
components of aesthetic experience. The power to taste rasa is a reward for merit
in some previous existence.
Bharata, the great rhetorician has tried to explain how this aesthetic pleasure
takes place. He has tried to give the theory of ‘rasa’ in one sutra
(aphorism). He says:
vibhava anubhava-vyabhichari-samyogad rasr-nisapattihi (N.S.6th ch).
विभावानु भाव व्यभिचारी संयोगाद रस निष्पतिः।
This means that rasa develops from the blending of vibhava, anubhava and
vyabhichari. It manifests itself when the sthayibhava, the emotion of the
reader is correlated with the following three aspects presented in a piece of
creative literature (i) excitant (ii) ensuing response and (iii) transitory
feelings.
These three should be combined into one. Many theoreticians have tried to explain
the above mentioned aphorism in different way.
According to Bharatmuni, the realization of Rasa results from the Union of

Vibhavas, Anubhavas, and Vyabhikaribhavas. When Sthaibhavas unite with others, the
three Bhavas
, one attains the quality of Rasa.
Bhavas in Indian Aesthetics

Sthaibhavas
These are the permanent or dominant moods.
They are 8 in number- Rati (love), Hasya (humorous), soka (sorrow), krodha (anger),
utsaha (enthusiasm), bhaya (fear), jugupsa (disgust) and vismaya (wonder).
Sthaibhavas are the basis of Rasa and are supreme among all Bhavas which are 49 in
number.
Sthaibhavas constitute the principal theme of a composition.
They run all emotions like garland and cannot be overpowered by them. Rather the
latter feed and strengthen them and help them emerge as Rasa.
Vhibhavas
They are the situations which are responsible to bring out Sthaibhavas. Vhibhavas
have two aspects- Alambana and Uddipana. The person in whose mind Sthaibhavas run
is
known as Allambana Vibhavas.
The moonlit, spring, soft breeze, fragrance of flowers are Uddipanana Vhibahavas.
In other words, they are stimuli.
Anubhavas
They are their effect seen upon the character after the emotions arise in the
actor(s). They make spectators feel or experience Abhinaya by words and gestures.
Vyabhikaribhavas
They are the transitory and temporary mental states.
They strike mind and become the cause of experiencing a permanent mood.
They are 33 in numbers. Some of them are a weakness, depression, anxiety, despair,
etc.
They spring out of principal emotion and ultimately merge into it.
They are like waves and bubbles that appear and disappear as the mighty stream of
dominant emotion flows on, smiling and replying and dancing.
Rasas in Indian Aesthetics

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In Meghdootam, Kalidasa‘s Yaksha sends a message to his beloved through a cloud.

“O cloud! you will see river Narmada,

Spread out at the foot of the Vindhaya Mountain,

Rough and full or rocky hills,

looking like the decorations on an elephant’s body,

Made by scattered marks of painted streaks.”

Rasa Theory Context

vibhava anubhava-vyabhichari-samyogad rasr-nisapattihi (N.S.6th ch).

विभावानु भाव व्यभिचारी संयोगाद रस निष्पतिः।

According to Bharatmuni, the realization of Rasa results from the Union of

Bhavas in Indian Aesthetics

Rasas in Indian Aesthetics

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