Rasa Theory

University of Hyderabad
Introduction
• Explore the relation of linguistics to literature as developed in India
between 2,000 years to 1,000 years ago.
• We study Rasa theory as per the Dhvani school
• This is the most popular and considered mainstream
• There are other schools as well, but it beyond our scope
• Builds upon the three व्यापारs of अभिधा, लक्षणा and व्यञ्जना
Books
• Adya Rangacharya, Introduction to Bharata’s Natyasastra, Bombay:
Popular Prakshan, 1966.
• Gives an easy, modern introduction avoiding the depths and nuances of
discussions found in various Sastras
• Misses the most important aspect – Generalization – but is an excellent
introduction
• We will start with this
• Chapters 1 and 10 are recommended for reading
Books
• Deshpande, G. T., Indian Poetics, Translated by Jayant Paranjpe. Mumbai:
Popular Prakashan, 2009.
• Gives a reasonably full treatment with excerpts from Sastra and copious explanation
• Too detailed for study at under-graduate level
• But it covers the topic of Generalization very well
• It’s the portal to further study
• Recommended Reading
• Diverse views about Rasa, pp 136-138, Chapter Seven
• Abhinavagupta, pp 176 – 191, Chapter Seven
• Development of Theories Concerning Rasa, Sthāyivilakṣaṇo rasaḥ, Rasa iti kaḥ
padārthaḥ? – āsvādyatvāt, Nāṭya eva rasaḥ - na tu loke; Mahārasa and its divisions,
pp. 211 – 222, Chapter Eight
Why is literature appreciated?
• Because of rasāsvādana
• What is Rasa?
• sap, juice  flavour, essence, taste
• Some call it “sentiment”, others “aesthetic experience”
• Paranjpe calls it “aesthetic relish”
• We will use the word “Rasa” as it is without translation
• Thesis: Any literature – poetry, prose or drama – is good if it results in
rasāsvādana, experience of the aesthetic relish
• Films are considered as literature in this framework.
• From a Rasa point of view, actually films and drama are more amenable to the
production of Rasa
How is Rasa “produced”?
Rasasūtra of Nāṭyaśāstra (Chapter VI)

विभावानुभावव्यभिचारिसंयोगात् रसनिष्पत्तिः
vibhāvānubhāvavyabhicārisaṃyogāt rasaniṣpattiḥ
విభావానుభావవ్యభిచారిసంయోగాత్ రసనిష్పత్తిః

Rasa is produced when Vibhāvā, Anubhāva and Vyabhicāribhāva come

together
Rasaniṣpattiḥ

• Varying theories on how exactly these come together and the process
through which Rasa is produced
• A simple explanation is offered first following Adya Rangacharya
• Scenario:
• A challenges B or quarrels with B or annoys him for some thing.
Rasaniṣpattiḥ
• A challenges B or quarrels with B or
annoys him for some thing.
• B gets angry. That anger shows
itself through B’s distended
nostrils, or his biting lips or
trembling etc. And then B in his
anger would raise his hand to hit
A or shout in anger and so on.
Three processes:
1. A challenging or quarrelling or
annoying B
2. B’s appearance with red eyes,
or distended nostrils or biting
of lips
3. B raising his hand to strike, or
trembling with rage, or
shouting at A
Rasaniṣpattiḥ
• Analysis from B’s point of view
• 1 is the reason for B’s anger
• B is angry but still unexploded
• 2 shows the signs that B is angry
• Signs in 2 are not intentional, they
are immediate involuntary
reactions
• B behaves like an angry man
• Factors in 3 are wilful
Three processes:
1. A challenging or quarrelling or
annoying B
2. B’s appearance with red eyes,
or distended nostrils or biting
of lips
3. B raising his hand to strike, or
trembling with rage, or
shouting at A
Rasaniṣpattiḥ
• Analysis from B’s point of view
• 1 is the reason for B’s anger
• B is angry but still unexploded
• 2 shows the signs that B is angry
• Signs in 2 are not intentional, they
are immediate involuntary
reactions
• B behaves like an angry man
• Factors in 3 are wilful
• Factor 1, the cause, is called
Vibhāva, the determinant
• It is external and causes 2
• Factor 2, the immediate and
involuntary reaction, is called
Anubhāva, the consequent
• Factor 3, the deliberate reaction,
is called Vyabhicāribhāva, the
transient.
Rasaniṣpattiḥ
• The three bhāvas together give
rise to the sthāyibhāva, the
permanent mood or dominant
emotion
• The permanent mood of krodha,
anger, is what leads to the
āsvādana, aesthetic experience
of the Rasa Raudra
• Factor 1, the cause, is called
Vibhāva, the determinant
• It is external and causes 2
• Factor 2, the immediate and
involuntary reaction, is called
Anubhāva, the consequent
• Factor 3, the deliberate reaction,
is called Vyabhicāribhāva, the
transient.
Rasas
• Eight Rasas are generally • Śṛṅgāra – Romance
accepted • Hāsya – Humour
• Many accept a ninth, Śānta • Karuṇa – Pathos
• Other rasas, like Bhakti are also • Raudra - Fury
added sometimes
• Vīra – Heroism
• शृङ्गारहास्यकरुणा रौद्रवीरभयानकाः। • Bhayānaka – Fear or Terror
• Bībhatsa – Disgust or abhorrence
बीभत्साद्भुतसंज्ञौ चेत्यष्टौ रसाः स्मृताः॥
• Adbhuta – Wonder
• Natyasastra, 6.15
 Rasas and Sthāyibhāvas
रतिहसिश्च शौकश्च क्रोधोत्साहौ भयं तथा।
जुगुप्सा विस्मयश्चेति स्थायिभावाः प्रकीर्तिताः॥6.17॥

Śṛṅgāra – Romance Rati - love

Hāsya – Humour Hasi - laughter
Karuṇa – Pathos Śoka - sorrow
Raudra – Fury Krodha - anger
Vīra – Heroism Utsāha - energy
Bhayānaka – the Terrifying Bhaya - fear
Bībhatsa – Disgust Jugupsā – abhorrence
Adbhuta – the Fantastic Vismaya – wonder
Generalization Theory
• The Theory of Generalization resulted from an intense analysis of how
exactly Rasa comes into being and is experienced
• Speculations relating to Rasaniṣpatti occurred over seven to eight
centuries before the final view was arrived at
• Many of the earlier speculations are no longer available in their full
form, but their summaries are known.
Divergent Views about Rasa
• Sthāyin is developed by the
contact with determinants,
conseuqents etc.
• This, in its developed state, then
becomes Rasa.
• Sthāyin resides in Rāma etc.
• It is seen in the actor on account
of his being identified with Rāma
• Sthāyin is inferred by signs such
as determinants, conseuqents
etc.
• This, in its developed state, then
becomes Rasa.
• Rasa resides in the actor
• There is a feeling in the
spectator that there is no
difference between the actor
and Rāma
Divergent Views about Rasa
• In a wall painting, the combination • Every spectator has latent
of colours on the wall creates an impressions - Saṃskāras.
illusion of a horse.
• These are brought to the fore by
• Similarly, as a result of the power the determinants, consequents
of representation we have an etc. This results in the Sthāyin.
illusion that the Sthāyin is in the
actor. • This, in its developed state, then
becomes Rasa.
• Actually Sthāyin resides in Rāma
etc. • Rasa resides in the spectator
• In its developed state, it then
becomes Rasa.
Divergent Views about Rasa
5. Only determinants, or only
consequents, or only transient
emotions, or only Sthāyin, or
their combination, or their
mixture is Rasa.
6. Rasa can be directly expressed. • Together these give rise to
7. Rasa is not perceived, or
produced or inferred. It is only
enjoyed.
• Determinants are external, and
cause of the subsequent
process.
• They cause consequents and
transient emotions.
Sthāyin which is of the nature of
pleasure or pain.
Abhinavagupta’s Exposition
• काव्यार्थान् भावयन्तीति भावाः।
काव्यार्थान् = the meaning of poetry
= Rasa
Bhāvas (basic mental states) are
those that bring the meaning of
poetry, that is Rasa, into
existence.
• Basic mental states and transient
emotions bring forth the Rasas.
• Basic mental states and transient
emotions are already known to
the spectator
• Poetry or Drama “generalizes”
these mental states and
transient emotions
• Which leads the spectator
experience them at the aesthetic
level
Generalization: Exercise
• General Statement • What do you feel after reading
• X asked for extension for each of these statement?
submission of assignment and the
Instructor allowed it.
• Y joined a programming course
and after three months got a job
in an IT company.
• Some celebrity: I use this product
and find it to be nice
Generalization: Exercise
• General Statement
• X asked for extension for
submission of assignment and the
Instructor allowed it.
• Y joined a programming course
and after three months got a job
in an IT company.
• Some celebrity: I use this product
and find it to be nice.
• Individualized internalization of
meaning by a cynic
• The instructor is partial towards X;
if I ask I will not get it.
• Must be a fluke or something. Or Y
might have bribed somebody.
• Plain bakwas! Why will that
Celebrity Z use such an ordinary
product? They get money for
saying that.
Generalization: Exercise
• General Statement
• X asked for extension for
submission of assignment and the
Instructor allowed it.
• Y joined a programming course
and after three months got a job
in an IT company.
• Some celebrity: I use this product
and find it to be nice.
• Individualized internalization of
meaning by a Sahṛdaya
• If X got an extension, surely I will
also get an extension; let me ask.
• This course seems to be good. I
will also join the course and get a
nice IT job.
• Ah! Celebrity Z uses the product. It
must be good. Let me also use it.
Abhinavagupta’s Example of Generalization
• Consider the passage: “Sāmba
prayed to the Sun-god and
became free from disease.”
• Step1: We understand the
meaning of the sentence. The
vācyārtha or direct sense is
understood.
• Step 2: An additional meaning is
discerned: “whoever prays to
Sun, will become free of Sun”
• Step 2 is the generalized
cognition and is characterized by
the absence of temporal and
spatial limitations
• This is true at all times
• This is true at all places
• Step 3: We feel that we can also
similarly become free of disease
if we pray to Sun
Generalization
• 3 Stage process
• Stage 1: The first cognition is
concerning an individual
• Stage 2: Stage 1 is followed by a
generalized cognition.
• Stage 3: Final stages is
characterised by the active
participation of the listener.
• स्वर्गकामो यजेत (one desirous of
attaining heaven may perform a
sacrifice)
• This motivates those read Veda
to perform sacrifices
• This is called Bhāvanā, Vidhi or
Niyoga in Mīmāṃsā.
• It is called Generalization –
Sāmānyīkaraṇa – in Alankara
Sastra.
Generalization – Fourth Stage
• First literal sense is understood
ग्रीवाभङ्गाभिरामं मुहुरनुपतति स्यन्दने बद्धदृष्टिः
• Then limitations are removed
पश्चार्धेन प्रविष्टः शरपतनभयाद्भूयसा पूर्वकायम्।
• Situation perceived at the
दर्भैरर्धावलीढैः श्रमविवृतमुखभ्रंशिभिः कीर्णवर्त्मा universal level
पश्योदग्रप्लुतत्वाद्वियति बहुतरं स्तोकमुर्व्यां प्रयाति॥ • The young deer is not a
Flinging a glance over and anon at the pursuing chariot in a way particular one being chased; it is
graceful on account of the bending of his neck, having with the any frightened deer
major portion of his hinder part entered the fore part of his • Only a frightened state of mind
body through the fear of the descent of an arrow, and strewing is perceived
his path with half-chewed darbha grass dropping from his • This fear is not related to anyone
mouth gaping through exhaustion, behold how he, on account in particular
of his lofty boundings, traverses more through the sky, and less • Every eligible spectator gets the
on the ground. same generalized mental state
Impediments to Aesthetic Relish
• The impossibility of the
Presented
• Either the poet is not skilled
enough
• Or the reader does not have विश्रान्ति
and cannot perceive the poetic
whole
• Or is incapable of mental
imagination
• Subjective and Objective
Limitations of Time and Space
• Defect related to the reader
• Approach poetry as if poetic
incidents concern them
• Such readers do not attain the full
level of generalization
Impediments to Aesthetic Relish
• Influence of Personal Joys and
Sorrows
• Mind of the reader is preoccupied
• Decoration of theatres,
introductory songs or dances are
designed to convert an ahridaya
into a sahridaya.
• Lack of Clarity due to insufficient
stimuli
• Defect related to the author
• If determinants etc. are not clearly
delineated, Rasa cannot be
relished.
• Lack of Clarity in Expression
• Defect related to author or
performers
• Subordination of the Principal
Theme
• Author’s defect
• Lack of Obviousness in
Presentation
• If insufficient determinants etc.
are presented
• Or the combination is such that
the Sthyain is not clear