Indian Poetics: Rasa Theory & Natyashashtra
It’s a myth about the ‘Natyashashtra’ that the
God Indra has requested to Lord Brahma to create something which is delightful
to eyes and pleasing to ears. Brahma took the element of song from ‘Samaveda’,
‘the tandava’ from God Shiva and ‘Lasya’ from Goddess Parvati. And he compiled
the ‘Natyashashtra’.
Apart from myth the beginning of ‘Natyashashtra would
believed in anywhere in during 2nd B.C.E to 2nd C.E.
there are references and quotations are found in certain works of Kalidasa,
Ananadvardhana, Mammata, Bana, Danodaragupta shows Natyashashtra is a work
anterior to the fifth century C.E. The terminology used in the Natyashashtra
for acting, music, dance, gestures and musical instruments also indicates the
date of the work. A Natyashashtra knows musical instrument of the harps variety
only and has a musical theory based upon them alone, hence we can conclude that
it was formulated before arrival of the Zither which appears in sculpture
around 3rd century B.C.E. It denotes the music by the word ‘Gandharva’
or the science of ‘Gandharvas’ who had no relation to music in the
Vedic-Samhitas and the Bhrahamanas, it must belong to a period well
after the Bhrahamanas.
During Tretayuga there was a society having
monarchy and kings were deviating from the rituals an ethics. So gods wanted
the fifth Vedas which can instruct all including Shudras who were
abandoned to read the Vedas. To show the right path without any boredom
they have created the form of art which practically represents the rituals with
pleasure. The important thing is that any kind of the audience may it be King
or Shudra (lowest class person) can connect with it. It worked as sugar clotted
pill for them. To regularized the form of drama, Bharatmuni has given
some doctraines regarding the performance and the pleasure (Rasa/ Paramananda)
of the audience. They are given below.
1. The first question, that
is answered here, is “What are the aesthetic senses ?” And Bharata declares
that aesthetic senses are only two (i) eye and (ii) ear. He excludes touch,
taste and smell from aesthetic senses, operating in getting aesthetic
experience from dramatic presentation. For, the former are the only senses,
which can operate in relation to an object that is common to many. What is the
object of touch or taste of one cannot be the object of the same senses of
other persons. But whole audience can have in common what is addressed to eyes
or ears.
2. Another question, that is
answered here, is “What is the end of dramatic art ?’ And the reply is that the
end of dramatic art is instruction, not directly, but indirectly, through presentation
of what is pleasing to eyes and ears. It does not directly command, but it makes
the audience experience the goodness of virtuous path, through identification with
the focus of the dramatic situation. It administers the medicine of
instruction, but it either coats it with sugar or mixes it up with the milk of
pleasant sight and sound so that bitterness of medicine is not experienced.
3 Bharata maintains that the
aspect of sensuous pleasure is undeniable in the experience from dramatic
presentation. But it constitutes only the starting point. Thus he gives right
place to both (i) Hedonistic and (ii) Pedagogic theories of art in his
aesthetics.
4. He holds that drama is
simply a play or play-thing, which is meant for diverting the mind from what
worries or troubles it.
5. The most essential
subjective condition for aesthetic experience, according to him, is that the
mind of the spectator should not be occupied with excessive personal pleasure
and pain.
6. He recognizes the
importance of women on the stage. For, the correct expression of emotion, for
instance, blush at the sight of the object of love, is not possible unless the emotion,
from which such a physical change proceeds, be actually present in the heart. But
there are certain feelings, which are peculiar to fair sex only. Hence for
their accurate and life-like presentation women are necessary for stage.
Natyaveda or Natyashashtra were divided into four parts:
(1) Art of effective speech
or recitation (2) Art of music, (3) Art of acting and (4) Rasas. With the
science or theory of which, the Natya Veda is concerned, primarily presents
Rasa, and the three arts are the means of its effective presentation. Thus, it
is an organic whole. So the Natya is divided into two parts mainly: Rasa
& Presentation of Rasa. The presentation of Rasa can be done in four
ways: 1. Angika: Acting consisting part of body i.e. body
gestures and postures
2. Vachika:
Acting of speech organs i.e. recitation of dialogues & intonations etc
of speech for perfect dialogue
delivery
3. Sattvika:
The art of involve oneself in character and feel it which adds involuntary
expressions & gestures like goose bumps, shivering, tearful eyes etc. in
part of Acting.
4.
Aharya: The other supportive create atmosphere for play like
stage decoration, lights, microphones, speakers etc.
Indian poetry has one sutra (rule) to define
poetry, ‘A work of art is artistic only when it evokes the experience of Rasa.’
Rasa is a theory based upon the emotion evoked by any literary work. The theory
is dominant concept in Indian Poetics. The Natyashashtra is giving some basic correlation
between human mind, its certain status and feeling related to the particular
states of mind. The basic or universal feelings which felt by reader or
audience , was targeted. The actor plays or acts in play carry the emotions of
the character he is acting. It present it in a such a way that the performance
evokes the relevant emotions or feelings among the audience. The intensity of
the emotions and feelings may be very from person to person. Although the
sthayi bhava(basic sentiments) are same. Sthayi bhava is believed that already
lied in human mind. It is the psychological conditions which are changed with
the situation. When the person involved in the literary work, he feels the
emotion. That emotion is brought out from the various psychological conditions
he is passing through; during the involvement. Those emotions are transitory. That
emotions are called Vyabhichari bhava. Rasa is the aesthetic pleasure
thet generated in human being while watching the pla or drama or reading any
literary work.
There are different types of sthayi bhava from which
nine rasas are engenderwed. Tey are as given below.
|
Sthayi Bhava
|
Rasas
|
|
1.
Rati (Love)
|
Shringar Rasa (Erotic)
|
|
2.
Shok( Grief)
|
Karuna
Rasa(Pathetic)
|
|
3.
Utsaah(
Energy)
|
Veer Rasa (Heroic)
|
|
4.
Krodh (Wrath)
|
Raudra Rasa (Fierce)
|
|
5.
Hras (Humor)
|
Hasya Rasa (Comic)
|
|
6.
Bhaya (Fear)
|
Bhayanak Rasa (Terrible)
|
|
7.
Jugupsa
(Disgust)
|
Bibhatsa Rasa (Loathsome)
|
|
8.
Vismaya
(Wonder)
|
Adbhut Rasa (Marvelous)
|
|
9.
Sham/Nirved
(Tranquality)
|
Shant Rasa (Tranquility)
|
Sthayi bhava and Vyabhachari bhava are the two types
of bhavas. Rasas are engendered from the combination of these three elements. Vibhanubhavvyabhicharisanyogaad
rasanishpati :the savouring of the emotion is possible through the
combination or integration of these elements: vibhava (causes and determinants
of the rise of an emotion). It means
that vibhav, anubhav, vyabhichari bhav and sanyog are essential for rasa.
Let’s elaborate it in brief.
1.
Vibhav:
Vibhav has two elements a). Alamban (supportive cause)
b) Udipan (features or circumstances that
accentuate the feelings of hero or heroine).
a) . Almban
(supportive cause): it is the means of expression of feelings through which
feelings reaches to the viewer. They are the characters of the literary work
and performers of the drama.
b). Udipan
(features or circumstances that accentuate the feelings of hero or heroine).They
are the events happens in the drama and the stage decoration as well as the
atmosphere created by music, light effect on the stage and depiction of the
atmosphere through words in text.
2. Anubhav (Voluntary
Gestures) : Anubhavas (gestures expressive of what is going on in the heart or
the mind of main characters) are the physical changes due to the rise of an
emotion. In actual life they are known as effect of emotion.. These changes are
voluntary as they can be produced by an effort of the will. They are called
anubhavas because;
i) they communicate the basic emotion to the
characters, present on the stage
ii) they make known the nature of emotion in the hero
iii) they make the spectator
experience an identical emotion.
3. Vyabhichari Bhav (transient
emotions): Vyabhicharibhavas are transient emotions. They are like waves, which
rise from the ocean of the basic mental state and subside into the same. Though
they are mental states, they appear as it were embodied. These supporting
feelings are short lived and they can enter into alliance with a number of
sthayi bhavas. There are thirty three vyabhicharibhavas.
Rasa determind the dominant emotions of literary work
and the abstract enjoyment of such an emotions, a work may well engender
several emotions, some are independent and some are not. When there is no such
spiritual emotional connection between the actor and the audience then it is
called ‘rasabhas’( the abhas of rasa).
“rasa offers a more “comprehensive and convincing
account of poetic semantics and a
consistent general theory of poetry”
There are various factors helps the viewer to feel the
aesthetic pleasure i.e. Rasanubhuti like purpose of poetry, status of mind ,
relishable state,Nature of rasa and Four kind of knowledge . To,
the Indian acaryas kavya prayojana (the purpose of poetry) is to impart this
experience. Bharat holds that dramatic presentation primarily aims at giving
rise to aesthetic experience in the aesthete and later this experience is followed
by moral improvement. He further says that dramatic presentation imparts
pleasure to all who are unhappy, tired, bereaved and ascetic. This account
shows that poetry helps in promoting all the good ends of life, both mundane
and supramundane and imparts anand (immediate pleasure) to sahrdaya. Indian
tradition of critical appreciation has crystallized ultimately in the
acceptance of anand as the function and purpose of poetry. The experience is
both a means of achieving perfect mental balance and ultimate salvation.In
Indian aesthetics this rasa or anand has been understood as kavyanand or
rasanand or brahmanandsahodara which can be translated as art experience. Anand
is closely associated with rasa which is the soul of Kavypurusha. It crumbles
down discrimination. It is because of this rasa or anand, kavya is different
from jagat(world) . It is again because of this rasa or anand Acarya Mammat
holds Kavi’s creation to be greater than that of God. Unlike Kavya, jagat lacks
this rasa or anand. There is only either pleasure or pain in jagat. This kavi
has extraordinary or say superhuman power. In this regard he is said to be greater
than a yogi even in relation to their respective states and approaches to this
world. To know this one needs to know the process of the
composition of the kavya.
There are five aspects of staus of mind—srasti
(creation), stithi (preservation), samhar(transformation), tirobhava
(diffusion) and anugraha (grace)— involved in the composition of a poem. Here
srasti is aesthetic intuition that charges the poet; stithi denotes objects of inspiration
which captivate the mind of the poet; samhar is indication of expression which
is the depth of the poet; tirobhava is resulting stimulation which diffuses
illusion and finally anugraha is the manifestation of the universal rhythm. All
these aspects are not found in every poem. Kavya which has these aspects offers
truth, meaning and knowledge; kavya lacking them is not a poem but merely a
verse. The ability of recognizing the
universal rhythm takes place in a particular state of mind of a poet.
According to the ancient theorists each of us is
fitted with a built-in structure of ‘sthayi bhavas’ or basic mental states
which are the modified forms of basic drives or instincts as a result of
centuries of evolutionary process of humanization and social living. These
sthayibhavas (permanent emotions) . It is practically admitted on all hands, on
semi-psychological considerations of poetry, that the rasa is a state of relish
in the reader, of the principal sentiment in the composition, a subjective
condition of his mind, which is brought about when the principal or permanent mood
(sthayibhava) is brought into a relishable condition through the three elements
vibhava, anubhava and vyabhicharibhava exhibited in the drama. The poet
succeeds in doing this by resorting to the devices of concretization.
In this process the spectator changes from laukik
(worldly)into alaukik (super-human) and hence now the spectator gets anand even
in weeping. Here it is noteworthy that the spectator transcends the world but
does not enter into a divine a world. Citta is like sealing wax which melts in
the company of heat. Like sealing wax, citta also melts and converts into a
liquid form. Rasa melts itself and liquefies rajas and tamas and now reader’s
chitta experiencesrasa. It is because rajas and tamas that the citta have
different experiences of life. In fact, rajas and tamas limit one’s realization
but the moment these gunas are melted, the limitations of citta are removed and
we have rasa. The liquefaction of chitta takes place due to the mixture of
rajas and tamas which get subdued for the time being, affording scope for the sattva
to inundate the inner consciousness.
In order to explain the nature of rasaubhuti or anand Shankuka
has pressed into service the analogy of the chitraturanganyaya (logic of the
picturehorse).It is extraordinary, forming a distinct species in itself.
Looking at the picture of a horse, one does not assume that it is a real horse;
one does not fail to understand that it is a horse; one does not, further,
harbour any doubt whether it is a horse; and likewise, one does not think that
it resembles a horse. All that suggests that the despite the perception of the picture
–horse not confronting to any of the four types of knowledge, it strikes as
real or living creates delight in us. Accordingly, the samajika comes to regard
the nata as the real hero and associates the rasa with him on the line of
picture-horse logic. That is the secret of his dramatic enjoyment.
We have sadharanikarana or generalization.
Explaining to sahradaya,
Abhinavagupta remarks that those , who by constant reading of practice of
reading poetry have acquired in their cleansed mirrorlike minds, the capacity
to identify themselves with the poet and are thus attuned to the poet’s heart,
are sahradaya. But it is again impossible for a reader to attune to the heart
of the poet, if he is not to savasana i.e. one who has vasana
(desires) which are of two types—idantini(desires related to the past lives and
praptakalik (desires of the present life). Abhinavagupta holds that
sthayibhavas reside inherently in the human chitta (psyche) in the shape of
vasanas (desires) and transmit from generation to generation of mankind. He
adds that they are evoked under the impact of art or poetry in such a manner as
to be animatedly felt and experienced. A child has the desires related to the
past lives but the desires of this life have not developed in him fully so far.
Hence he cannot experience rasa.
According to Dimock Indian Poetics may be appropriated
for Indian Literature. He believes ‘Sanskrit critics have taxonomic approach to
the psychology of emotions’. The ‘taxonomic’ involves to more from the
‘personal’ to ‘transpersonal’. There is a highly particular level. It is the
level of interpersonal aesthetic delight.
“An exhibition and enjoyment that is more like
spiritual realization is very much present in Indian Literature”
-
K.
R. Shrinivas Iyanger
Further Dimock adds that the translation of Sanskrit
Literature only consist the Sthayi Bhava but cannot take the reader or viewer
to the Rasa.
T.s Eliot’s theory of objective correlative and the
Rasa theory can be compared. Eliot also believes that a set of objects, a
situation, a chain of event are reasponsible for the portrayal of the emotion
in poetry. The feeling of the character is shown by surroundings and it tis
made objective that can be seen by eyes and felt by heart. The sahradaya can feel the exact emotions and connect
himself with the character.
Rasa theory has
its own limitations as well as so many version in Indian literatureas Ramayana
has. It is like gigantic tree with many branches. The vague interpritations of various Indian
Scholars about the Rasa theory demand more attention to study an emphasis for
the criticism of Indian text.
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