Ashta Nayika

A painting by Mola Ram: Abhisarika nayika, "the

heroine going to meet her lover". She turns back to
look at a golden anklet, which has just fallen off.
There are also snakes below and lightning above.
The Ashta-Nayika is a collective name
for eight types of nayikas or heroines as
classified by Bharata in his Sanskrit
treatise on performing arts - Natya
Shastra. The eight nayikas represent
eight different states (avastha) in
relationship to her hero or nayaka.[1] As
archetypal states of the romantic
heroine, it has been used as theme in
Indian painting, literature, sculpture as
well as Indian classical dance and music.

Nayikas
As per Ashta Nayika, there are eight
nayikas.
# Name Sanskrit name Meaning

1 Vasakasajja Nayika वासकस जा ना यका One dressed up for union

2 Virahotkanthita Nayika वरहो कं ठता ना यका One distressed by separation

3 Svadhinabhartruka Nayika वाधीनभतृका ना यका One having her husband in subjection

4 Kalahantarita Nayika कलहांत रता ना यका One separated by quarrel

5 Khandita Nayika खं डता ना यका One enraged with her lover

6 Vipralabdha Nayika व ल धा ना यका One deceived by her lover

7 Proshitabhartruka Nayika ो षतभतृका ना यका One with a sojourning husband

8 Abhisarika Nayika अ भसा रका ना यका One going to meet her lover

History and cultural

depictions

Vipralabdha throwing away her jewellery.

The Ashta-Nayika classification (nayika-
bheda) first appears in Natya Shastra
(24.210-11), a key Sanskrit treatise on
Indian performing arts, authored by
Bharata (dated between 2nd century BC
and 2nd century AD).[1][2] The
classification is detailed in later works
like the Dasarupaka (10th century),
Sahityadarpana (14th century) and
various other treatises on poetics as well
as erotic Kamashastra texts like
Kuttanimata (8th-9th century) based on
courtesans, Panchasayaka, Anangaranga
and Smaradipika. Keshavadasa's
Rasikapriya (16th century) in Hindi, also
elaborates on the Ashta-nayika.[3]
The Ashta-Nayika have been illustrated in
Indian painting, literature, sculpture as
well as Indian classical dance, such as
Kathak.[4][5][6] Notable medieval paintings
that depict the Ashta nayika are the
Ragamala paintings, as those from the
Bundi school of painting.[3]

A famous example in Indian literature is

Jayadeva's Gita Govinda (12th century)
as well as in the Vaishnava poet
Banamali's compositions, Radha dons
the roles of the various nayikas while
with her nayaka is the god Krishna.[7]

The Ashta-Nayika is a central theme in

Pahari embroidery used to decorate the
Chamba Rumal, especially produced in
Chamba, Himachal Pradesh. The Ashta
Nayika are usually portrayed in eight
panels on the Rumal.[8]

In Indian (Hindustani) classical music,

the eternal love between Radha and
Krishna is represented through the
consciousness of Radha as the leitmotif
that dominates the lyrics. Especially the
semi-classical genre of Thumri imbibes
the myriad moods of Radha as Ashta
Nayika consumed by passionate love for
Krishna.

The classification
The Natya Shastra describes the nayikas
in the following order: Vasakasajja,
Virahotkanthita, Svadhinabhartruka,
Kalahantarita, Khandita, Vipralabdha,
Proshitabhartruka and Abhisarika. The
nayikas are further classified in two
varieties of the shringara rasa, the rasa
related to love: Sambhoga (love in
meeting) and Vipralambha (love in
separation). Vasakasajja,
Svadhinabhartruka and Abhisarika are
associated with Sambhoga; the others
with Vipralambha.[2]

In the Shringara Prakasha, Bhoja relates

the various nayakas and nayikas with
musical ragas and raginis (a female
raga). Somanatha's Ragavibodha (1609)
and Damodara's Sangitadarpana (c.
1625) continue this trend.[2]

Vasakasajja …

Vasakasajja
Virahotkanthi
readying the bed
ta, waiting
for a night with
expecting her
her lover
lover

Vasakasajja ("one dressed up for

union")[2] or Vasakasajjika is waiting for
her lover returning from a long journey.
She is depicted in her bed-chamber filled
with lotus leaves and garlands.[3] She is
dressing herself for the union with her
lover and "eager with expectation of
love's pleasure".[6] Her beauty is
compared by Kesavadasa to Rati - the
Hindu love goddess, waiting for her
husband, the love god Kamadeva.[3] A
Vasakasajja sculpture is found in the
Lakshmana Temple in Khajuraho and the
National Museum, Delhi.[6]

The Ragavibodha associates the raginis

Bhupali and Todi with Vasakasajja.[2]

Virahotkanthita …
Virahotkanthita ("One distressed by
separation")[2] or Utka (as described by
Keshavadasa) is the distressed heroine
pining for her lover, who, due to his
preoccupation, fails to return home. She
is depicted waiting for him, sitting or
standing on a bed or out in the pavilion.[3]

The Ragavibodha identifies the raginis

Mukhari, Pauravi and Turushkatodi with
the Virahotkanthita, while the
Sangitadarpana names Patamanjari in
this category.[2]

Svadhinabhartruka …
 A Kalighat
painting Kalahantarita
depicting refusing
Svadhinabhartr advances of a
uka with her lover
lover applying
mahawar to her
feet

Svadhinabhartruka ("one having her

husband in subjection")[2] or
Svadhinapatika(as named by
Keshavadasa) is the woman who is loved
by her husband and controls him. He is
subjugated by her intense love and
pleasing qualities. He is devoted and
faithful to her [3][6] In paintings, this
nayika is depicted with a nayaka, who
applies mahawar on her feet or a
vermilion tilak (mark) on her forehead.[3]
In Jayadeva's Gita Govinda as well as in
the poem Kuru Yadunandana, Radha is
portrayed as a Svadhinabhartruka. In the
latter, Radha commands her lover, the
god Krishna, to rearrange her makeup
which is in disarray due to their fierce
coitus.[6]

Many raginis like Malashri, Travanika,

Ramakriti, Jaitashri and Purvi are
associated with Svadhinabhartruka.[2]
Kalahantarita …

Kalahantarita ("one separated by

quarrel")[2] or Abhisandhita (as named by
Keshavadasa)[3] is a heroine separated
from her lover due to a quarrel or
jealousy[6] or her own arrogance.[3] Her
lover is usually depicted leaving her
apartment disheartened, while she too
becomes heartsick and repentant
without him.[3][6] In other portrayals, she
is depicted refusing the advances of her
lover or refusing a wine cup from him. In
Gita Govinda, Radha is also portrayed as
Kalahantarita in an instance.[6]

Khandita …
Khandita rebuking her lover.

Khandita ("one enraged with her lover")[2]

is an enraged heroine, whose lover had
promised her to spend the night with her,
but instead comes to her house the next
morning after spending the night with
another woman. She is depicted
offended, rebuking her lover for his
infidelity.[3][6]
In the Sangitadarpana, the ragini Varati
represents the Khandita Nayika.[2]

Vipralabdha …

Vipralabdha ("one deceived by her

lover"),[2] , is a deceived heroine,[6] who
waited for her lover the whole night.[3]
She is depicted throwing away her
jewellery as her lover did not keep his
promise.[3] This happens when a lover
meets a Khandita and promises a tryst
and breaks his promise.[6]

The Sangitadarpana associates

Vipralabdha with the ragini Bhupali.
However, the Ragavibodha presents the
raginis Varati and Velavati as
Vipralabdhas.[2]

Proshitabhartruka …

Proshita-patika mourning.

Proshitabhartruka ("one with a

sojourning husband")[2] or Proshitapatika
(as named by Keshavadasa) is the
woman whose husband has gone away
from her for some business and does not
return on the appointed day. She is
depicted seated mourning, surrounded
by her maids, but refusing to be
consoled.[3]

The Ragavibodha describes the raginis

Dhanashri and Kamodi as
Proshitabhartrukas.[2]

Abhisarika …

Abhisarika ("one who moves")[2] is a

heroine, who sets aside her modesty and
moves out of her home to secretly meet
her lover.[6] She is depicted at the door of
her house and on her way to the tryst,
defying all kinds of difficulties like the
storm, snakes and dangers of the
forest.[3][6] In art, Abhisarika is portrayed
often in hurry towards her destination.[6]

The raginis Bahuli and Saurashtri are

described having the traits of the daring
Abhisarika.[2]

References
1. "Erotic Literature (Sanskrit)". The
Encyclopaedia Of Indian Literature. 2.
Sahitya Akademi. 2005. ISBN 81-260-
1194-7.
2. Luiz Martinez, José (2001). Semiosis
in Hindustani music. Motilal
 Banarsidas Publishers. pp. 288–95.
ISBN 81-208-1801-6.
3. Sodhi, Jiwan (1999). A study of
Bundi school of painting. Abinav
Publishers. pp. 52–3. ISBN 81-7017-
347-7.
4. Pratishtha), Pratishtha saraswat
(Acharya (2014). Essential Elements
of Kathak . Acharya Pratishtha. p. 43.
GGKEY:3KKQDB5P3C5.
5. Banerji, Projesh (1986). Dance in
thumri . Abhinav Publications. p. 13.
ISBN 81-7017-212-8.
. Varadpande, Manohar Laxman
(2006). "Shringara nayika". Woman in
Indian sculpture. Abhinav
 Publications. pp. 93–106. ISBN 81-
7017-474-0.
7. "Learn the lingo" . The Hindu. Sep 14,
2007.
. Naik, Shailaja D. (1996). Traditional
embroideries of India . APH
Publishing. p. 40. ISBN 81-7024-731-
4.

Retrieved from
"https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?
title=Ashta_Nayika&oldid=936744410"

Last edited 6 months ago by Chiswick Chap

Content is available under CC BY-SA 3.0 unless

otherwise noted.