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RASA AND ITS PLEASURABLE NATURE
V. M. Kulkarni
Bharata nowhere in his Narya - Sastra makes any explicit statement that the rasa by its very nature is pleasurable. There are, however a few clear indications in the text of Natyaśāstra of its pleasurable nature. The Indian tradition of the origin of the drama as preserved in the Natyasastra says : Nafya, the completely new form of literature was created as a kridaniyaka (lit, a play-thing, pastime, recreation) to give pleasure to the eyes and ears alike (disyam, fravyfica). It was meant to give courage, provide pastime, pleasure, friendly or salutary advice, etc. It was also intended to give relief or aesthetic.repose to persons afflicted with grief, exhausted with work, or overpowered with sorrow or distressed through weakness caused by different religious practices including fasts tapasvinām.3
Dhananjaya, who in his famous .work, Dasarūpaka, gives an abstract of Bharata's Nāļyaśāstra explicitly states that the rūpakas (the ten types of drama) overflow with joy or delight.4
Dhanika, his brother and commentator comments in his Avaloka : Aesthetic enjoyment consisting of supreme joy that is inwardly experienced or felt is the real purpose of the ten forms of drama, and not merely knowledge of the three goals of human life, etc. as the case in the Mahabharata (Itihāsa).
Some modern scholars, however, çite Bharata's definition and description of ideal spectator :
"An ideal spectator at a dramatic performanaco is one who, when (the character) is pleased becomes himself pleased, when the character) is angry becomes himself angry, when the character) is frightened or terrified becomes himself frightened or terrified."
Also, Ideal spectators at a dramatic performance are those who, when (the characters) are depressed become themselves depressed, when (the characters) are pleased become themselves pleased, when the characters) are in sorrow, are themselves in sorrow".? And, they interpret it to support their own feeling that it was Bharata's view that some rasas are pleasurable and some others painful,
Sambodhi XII-16
