Sambodhi 2006 Vol 30

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

Page 23

SIDDHICANDRA ON “RASA”
TAPASVI NANDI
The very fact that Siddhicandra (S) has written a work called "kāvyaprakasa-khandana"*- i.e. “Refutation of The kāvya-prakāśa (K.P.) (of Mammata), suggests that he is not a die-hard conformist of the rasa-dhvani school of thought as represented by Manmața, who followed the lead of Anandavardhana and Abhinavagupta. It is therefore logical to expect differences of opinion, concerning many a thought current in literary aesthetics, on the part of S. This is borne out when we look into his treatment of the concept of 'rasa', in the IVth flash of his work. He discusses the topic in kārikās IV - 27-30 as read in the K.P. and vrtti thereon (pp. 22, Edn. '53. Parikh). We will try to critically present and evaluate his views. It may be noted that the editor, Prof. Parikh has in brackets indicated the number of kārikäs as in the K.P. of Mammata.
S. starts quoting the mūla-kārikās from the K. P. such as, "kāranāny atha kāryāņi..." etc. He proceeds in his vrtti as follows - He observes: "kāranāni i.e. causes are Rāma, Sītā etc. They are causes for love for each other, in case, of each other. The 'uddīpana-karanas i.e. external causes that enhance the emotion of love are like garden and the rest (=udyānā”dayah). The effects i.e. external physical manifestation of the emotion of love are side-glances etc. (i.e. katāksā"dīni). They are the "kārya'-effects. The accompanying auxiliary subordinate feelings or accessories or transitory emotions i.e. the mental states are "lajjā, hāsya” etc. i.e.
ness, smile, etc. These accessories are the enhancers - "upacāyakāni” of the basic emotion of love etc. They coexist with the basic emotion as they are part of the total complex - sāmagrī i.e. combination. S. accepts the K. P. reading viz. “sahacārīņi yāni tu,” but in the vștti observes that if the reading “sahakārīnīti tu” is accepted, then these factors add to the beauty of the total complex (combination) “sāmgrī-vaicitryā"-pādakāni” .