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(2) that of the actor or (3) that of the critics who analyse the real nature of the dramatic representation that you claim, Rasa has the nature of a reproduction or imitation ? (As it is said: It is the critics who analyse in this way), or (4) Finally according to Bharata's opinion ?
The first alternative cannot be maintained, for reproduction is only something perceived by means of cognition, as in the case of a person drinking some milk only, saying "In this manner, so-and-so drank wine". In this case, the action of milk-drinking reproduces the action of wine-drinking. But here, in the case of the actor what is it that is perceived in him that seems to be a reproduction of some feeling, say, of love ? This baffles us.
The actor's body, his headwear or turban, his horripilations, his faltering words, the raising of his arms, the waving of them, his frowns, his expressive glances and so on, surely cannot be regarded as the reproduction of the permanent emotion or mental state of love, which is a feeling. These being insentient, being perceived by different sense-organs and having different substrata are thus quite different from feelings. Consciousness of a reproduction requires perception of the original and the imitation thereof; but none has ever before perceived the love of Rāma, the original character. Hence the contention that the actor is reproducing Rama is dismissed as mere prattle.
If it is argued that the Erotic Rasa, the reproduction of Rati, is simply the feeling of the actor that, when perceived by the spectators appears to them in this very form, we do not agree with this argument; for when perceived, tell us, what does this feeling consist of ? It may be contended that the actor's feeling appears to the spectators to consist of just those characteristic signs - Portuis such as women, etc., pris or effects such as side-long glances, etc., HEEFTS such as .contentment, etc., which serve to render perceptible an ordinary
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