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SOME ASPECTS OF THE RASA THEORY
Abhinavagupta. But let them also take on the task of restating and defending the ancient theories in the context of contemporary literary thought. They will then be required to meet new objections and give an adequate account of modern aesthetic data. They might also realize that it is necessary to modify the ancient theories. For example, a mere juxtaposition of the ways Abhinava" gupta and Butcher have treated the problem of universalization in literature will force them to do radical rethinking about the whole issue. If the modern Sanskritists want to be part of the world critical tradition, they will have to assume a new role; they will have to become moulders and not merely discoverers of critical concepts. An active dialogue with Western aestheticians will bring them close, as living minds, to their own past. The past in its turn will become living if they approach it in this way. POST-SCRIPT :
In the discussion during the Patan Seminar and elsewhere I have made the following additional points about Sanskrit:Poetics.
(1) In modern times, particularly after the emergence of the Novel as a distinct and important form of literature, we often evaluate literary works in terms of the insight they give into reality. We cannot do this from within the Sanskrit Poetics. There is provision for this in Aristotle's Poetics; for example, see chapter IX of Poetics.
(2) A play like Sophocles's Antigone is rated very high for the moral problem it presents with great force. Again, one cannot do this with the critical tools ancient Sanskrit Poetics has given us. It is not as if there were no moral problems in ancient Sanskrit literature; nor is the case that moral problems were not dealt with in ancient literary works. Mahabharata is full of moral problems. And yet Sanskrit poetics does not tell us how to discuss them or how to bring out their bearing on the literary excellence of poetic works which deal with them. Aristotle must have given thought to the moral aspect of literature, as can be seen from his theory of Catharsis.
(3) When the rasa theory is sought to be applied outside Drama and Poetry, care should be taken to see whether this application involves any metaphorical extension of the meanings of terms like vibhāva, sthāyibhāva.
(4) While discussing the nature of literary experience we should regard our own experience as of supreme importance. A priori reasoning such as the following will not convince/deceive any modern reader : 'rasa is by definition pleasurable; karuņa is a rasa; karuna is therefore pleasurable.'
