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Rāmacandra and Gunacandra, the authors of the Natyadarpana declare their position in these words : “Generally, they say, an actor does not: experience rasa, but there is no inviolable rule that he cannot do so.: A prostitute displays sexual pleasure in order to arouse her customer's sexual exitement (only) out of greed for money. But it can happen that sometimes she too will experience profound sexual pleasure. Similarly a singer (generally) gives pleasure (only) to others, but at times he too derives pleasure (from his singing). In the same way, even an actor when he imitates the feelings of loss etc. that Rama feels, may suddenly find he has totally identified himself with Rama.''16
Abhinavagupta takes a firm stand, as seen above, that there can be no rasa in an actor (i.e., the actor cannot be the location of rasu), The majority of thinkers follow Abhinavagupta regarding the location of rasa. Panditaraaj Jagannatha, for instance, clearly says, when he defends the ninth'rasa, śānta :
__ "The logical reason, that there is absence of sama (i.e. sama is not possible in an actor) does not stand to reason, because we do not accept that the revelation (i.e., aesthetic pleasure or relish or enjoyment of rasa ever takes place in an actor (i.e. the actor is never the location of rasa.'17
FOOT-NOTES
१. रस इति क: पदार्थः । उच्यते-आस्वाद्यत्वात् । कथमास्वाद्यते रसः । यथा हि नानाब्यजन-सस्कृतमन्न' भुजाना रसानास्वादयन्ति सुमनसः पुरुषा हर्षादी श्वाधिगच्छन्ति : तथा नानाभावामिनयन्यजितान् वागङगसत्त्वापेतान् स्थायिभावानास्वादयन्ति समनस:प्रेक्षका हर्षादीश्चाधिगच्छन्ति । तस्मान्नाट्यरसा- इत्यभिव्याख्याता :
-NS Vol. Ch. VI, pp. 288-89. २. तेन स्माय्येव विभावानुभावादिभिरूपचिते। रस:। स्थायी भवत्वनुपचित: (? स्वनुपचितः)। स चोभयोरपि । [मुख्यया वृत्या रामादौ अनुकार्येऽनुकतयपि चानुसन्धानबलात्-इति ।
-A. Bh. Vol. I, p. 272.. ३. श्रीशङ्ककस्त्वाह--- 'अतुकत रि रसानास्वादयतेो ऽनुकायें भावप्रतीतिः प्रयोगे । लेा के प्रकृति: - रसनिष्पादयति'. इति ।...एतदप्यसत् । नहि सामाजिकोऽनुकार्यानुकर्तृ विभागमवैति ।
_ -A. Bh. Vol. I, p. 2921 ४. ...इति नानुकाये रसः । अनुकतरि च तद्भाव : लयाद्यननुसरण स्यात् । सामाजिकगते । वा कश्चमस्कारः । प्रत्युत करुणादौ दु:ख-प्राप्तिः ।
Locana on Dhy. II, p. 184.
