Rasa: Drops of
Heavenly Bliss
Ms. Pooja Shukla
Department of
Communication Skills, MEF Rajkot
[PhD work in progress: T.S. Eliot’s
Murder in the Cathedral: A Rasa Perspective. ]
Mankind searches for eternal bliss in
each phase of life; a heavenly experience or miracle/s to happen. Though we
have heard of heaven and hell, no one has ever returned to share one’s
experience and describe those places after death. However, literature gives us
a temporary experience of heaven and hell, as we journey through the piece of
literary work. Rasa theory, propounded by Bharat Muni, is a notion which
explains the process of experiencing and relishing artistic/literary works to
attain eternal bliss, can make us experience all the good and bad in the world.
Bharat Muni, in his famous treatise, Nāṭyaśastra, which is a compendium of dramaturgy,
gives the well known Rasa-Sutra,
“Vibhavanubhava sancarisamyogat
rasanispatti”1
“विभावानुभाव संचारी संयोगात् रसनिस्पत्ति”
[Through the co-mingling, co-appearance – samyogat – of
vibhava, anubhava and sancaribhava, maturing/ripeness/appearance/ production of
rasa takes place/happens.]
Better explanation of the various components of the rasa
sutra is as under:
The graphical representation is a detailed explanation of, how the rasa is derived with the help of the various components of the Rasa-sutra.
The Rasa-Sutra of Bharat is well explained in the words of Rama Kant
Sharma,
Thus dominant emotions –Sthāyibhāvas, aroused by objects – Anubhāvas, excited by excitants – Uddipanvibhāvas, manifested through physical or movements consiquents – Anubhāvas, nourished by transitory feelings – Sancaribhavas are relished by
the sympathetic readers or audience as Rasa. The reader is not conscious of all
these ingredients while relishing any sort of sentiment. He only enjoys the
sentiment as a fountain that gives him thrill and pleasure. 2
The dynamics of Rasa can be explored further with individual engagement with the literary
works from the critical perspective called Rasa.
References:
1.
Kumar,
Puspendra, ed. Natyasastra of Bharatmuni. Trans. M.M Ghosh. Vol. 1.
Delhi: New Bharatiya Book Corporation, 2006.(Print)
2.
Sharma, Rama
Kant. Hardy and The Rasa Theory. 1. New Delhi: Sarup & Sons, 2003.
Page 28 (Print)
Very interesting topic. One also look at Indian Verse drama like Bhavai, Tamasha, Jatra, Akhyan etc. and see if new interpretation is possible through Rasa. Besides, I feel one needs to take a close look at various digital texts from Rasa perspective. For instance, how does one interpret an short film or photograph or even a news item from Rasa perspective? It wont be a bad idea even to study certain socio-political events from the same perspective as they do arouse feelings and emotions listed in the article above. Of course, then it will not be a search for aesthetic pleasure.
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