Sahrdayaloka Part 03

SR No.: 006910
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Tapasvi Nandi
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad
Publication Year: 2005
Total Pages: 676
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 15 MB

Page 65

1240
SAHṚDAYALOKA
In all these occurrences 'rasa' carries the technical sense of natya-rasa. In the Vikrama. We have 'rasa' in its technical sense, at I. 8. : asyaḥ sargavidhau prajapatir abhut candro na kanti-pradaḥ, śṛngāraika-rasaḥ svayam nu madanaḥ mäso na puspakaraḥ, vedā❜bhyasa-jadaḥ katham nu viṣaya-vyāvṛtta-kautuhalaḥ nirmātum prabhaven manoharam idam rūpam purāno muniḥ." at III. 118 -
"muninā bharatena yaḥ prayogaḥ bhavatiṣv asta-rasāśrayo niyuktah. lalitábhinayam tam adya bhartā marutām drastumanāḥ sa loka-pālaḥ."
and at act III -
dvitiyaḥ - "tasmin punaḥ sarasvati-kṛtakābandhe lakṣmi-svayamvare, tesu tesu rasantaresu tanmayy āsīt."
Thus, in Kalidasa we have very clear occurrences of the word 'rasa' in the technical aesthetic sense of kavya/nātya-rasa.
"Rasa" in Bharatamuni.
The earliest discussion in the technical sense of aesthetic pleasure or artexperience of the term "rasa" is to be met with in the Nā. Sā. attributed to Bharata (Cir. 200 B.C.- 200 A.C.). In fact, the Nā. Sā. is also our earliest available written document that discusses such topics of Sanskrit alamkāra-śāstra as alamkāra, guṇa, doșa, vṛtti, rīti, etc. It may be noted that the textual criticism of this monumental work is not yet fully carried out. This much however is clear that it contains several strata belonging probably to different ages and probably also to different schools of thought. The major part of this work is in verse. There are however, a few prose passages containing the famous rasa-sutra which may be taken as an early discussion on the subject. However, whatever that may be, we are inclined to take the whole portion, i.e. both prose and verse, as one single harmonious unit, for our discussion here. The anuvamsya āryas and slokas quoted in support of the main text in prose and verse, clarify what is said in the main body of the text.
Having described in the first five adhyāyas of the Nā. Śā., the mythical origin of the science of dramaturgy, its first production, the construction of the different types of theatre buildings, the ceremonial worship of the theatre, the different aspects of pūrva-ranga, the difference between abhinaya, nṛtta and the different