Sambodhi 2002 Vol 25

Author(s): Jitendra B Shah, N M Kansara
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 13

P. R. VORA
SAMBODHI
when they do not have any faith in the latter's theory of Sphota68. Even Kashmir Saivism accepts the parāvāc of the grammarians to account for the absence of determinancy in the Sadāśiva though it is self-conscious. (vide I. A. P. 96)
Sankuka claims that the unreal vibhāvas are taken for real by the sāmājika and on the strength thereof he infers the Sthāyi of the actor. This has no parallel in the Nyāya śāstra. Abhinava remarks that there cannot be any valid inference from an ureal mark (linga).69 Hemacandra70 quotes a verse from Dharmakirti's Pramāna-vārtika to justify Sankuka's stand; for artha-kriya-kāritā is after all the true test of reality,71 (i. e. for the right form of cognition). 'Even a mistake', observes Dharmakīrti, 'if it does not delude the perceiving subject, is a source of right knowledge.' So Sankuka is vindicated to that extent if we accept causal efficiency to be the basic criterion for reality.72
It should be noted in this connection that though they do not subcribe to the view of Sankuka, Dhananjaya and Dhanika resort to a similar analogy
It would not be out of place to see what our greatest poet has to say in this connection. In the sixth Act of the sakuntala, the hero looks at the picture of his beloved, drawn by himself on the canvass. He gets so much lost in the act that for the time being he forgot that he was looking at the picture till he was awakened, so to say, of course sadly, by the Vidūşaka with words, “Bhoh citram khalv etat.” The disappointed king's reply73 suggests Kālidāsa's view in the matter. He probably thought that it was not impossible to act on citra-turaga-naya, for Dusyanta says, “Punar api citri-kstā kāntā.”
Bhatta Nāyaka's Theory: His main contribution to the theory of Rasa is the idea of universalisation (Sadhāranīkarana), whereby the determinants (vibhāvas) etc. are stripped of all relations, temporal, spatial or personal, and presented in a universalised form by a distinct function of word admitted by him and called Bhāvakatva. The sthāyi which too is universalised by Bhāvakatva is enjoyed by virtue of the third function viz Bhoja-katva bhoga bhogikrti, which is of the nature of Samādhi74.
Now Bhatta Nāyaka has no śāstric authority to support him so far as the admission of the last two functions, besides Abhidhā, is concerned. One may call it his invention but that does not in any way lessen the importance of his contribution to the explanation of the Rasa Theory.
From the word 'Sattvodreka' used by Bhatta Nāyaka, Govind Thakkur75 and Nāgesh Bhatta believe that he was influenced by the Sāmkhya Darśana.76