Studies in Jain Literature

SR No.: 001868
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: V M Kulkarni
Publisher: Shardaben Chimanbhai Educational Research Centre
Publication Year: 2001
Total Pages: 114
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Literature, & Story
File Size: 14 MB

Page 368

350 STUDIES IN JAIN LITERATURE noteworthy work on poetics and dramatics. Hemacandra reproduces the whole section of Abhinavabharati on rasasutra and acknowledges his indebtedness to Abhinavagupta. Now, these disciples who wrote Natyadarpana have freely and copiously drawn on Abhinavabharati. They, however, have criticised Abhinavagupta's theory that rasas, one and all, without exception, are pleasurable by nature. Indirectly they have criticised their own guru who has literally followed Abhinavagupta in the exposition of the nature of rasa. They nowhere in their work have given any indication as to whether they had discussed this topic of the nature of rasa with their guru and whether he had approved of their presentation of the view that rasa is sukha-duhkhatmaka--both pleasurable and painful. They support their theory with the following arguments : "To say that all rasas are pleasurable is against experience. Karuna, raudra, bibhatsa and bhayanaka-these four rasas cause indescribable pain to the sahrdayas. They simply shudder when they witness plays depicting these rasas. If these rasas were pleasurable they would not shudder. The camatkara (thrill of pleasure, peculiar delight) experienced by the sahrdayas at the end of the performance of tragic scenes, etc., is however simply due to the display of the creative imagination (pratibha, sakti) of the poet and the great skill of the actors. The literary critics (like Abhinavagupta) who hold that these rasas also are pleasurable are perhaps deceived---misled by this camatkara. It is through excessive desire to experience this camatkara that people go to the theatre to see plays depicting these rasas also. Poets present the subject-matter keeping in mind the pleasant and unpleasant nature of the emotions of the hero Rama etc. : these four rasas resemble the pungent taste that adds to the sweetness of a beverage. For they heighten the pleasure yielded by pleasurable rasas. Tragic events, for example, the abduction of Sita, Dussasana dragging Draupadi by her hair and attempting to disrobe her, Hariscandra's serving a candala as a slave, the death of Rohitasva, Laksmana's being hit by a missile, Aghoraghanta's attempt to kill Malati, when represented on the stage can never cause delight in the hearts of sahrdayas. If through imitation by actors the unpleasant or painful feelings and emotions are said to become pleasurable, it is obvious that the actor's art of acting is very deficient or defective-it represents things falselyin their perverted form". It is for the first time in the history of aesthetics we find that this unconventional view on rasa is presented so vigorously and eloquently by the authors of Natyadarpana. Rudrabhatta's Rasakalika agrees with the above view that some rasas are pleasurable and some others painful. It attributes our interest in witnessing