Some Aspects of Rasa Theory

Author(s): V M Kulkarni
Publisher: B L Institute of Indology

Page 45

ABHINAVAGUPTA ON THE ALAUKIKA NATURE OF RASA
inference and worldly feelings of happiness, etc.14 The empirical means of valid knowledge such as direct perception, etc. do not operate in the case of this non-worldly or extra-worldly (alaukika) rasa-carvaņā. This aesthetic enjoyment or relish of rasa is brought about solely by the combination of the vibhävas, etc., which are extra-worldly (alaukika)15. It is different from the perception of the permanent emotions of rati (love) etc., aroused by the empirical means of valid knowledge such as direct perception, inference, agama, upamāna, etc.16 It is also different from the perception without active participation of the thoughts of others on the part of imperfect yogins;17 further, it is also different from the ecstatic experience of the perfect yogin in which he experiences the undifferentiated bliss of his Self and in which all desire for worldly objects is absent.18 For these three forms of perception are vitiated by one kind of defect or another. To explain, : (i) The perception of the worldly permanant emotions like love etc. gives rise to practical desires such as possessing the object of love etc; (ii) The perception of an imperfect yogin lacks vividness and (iii) The perception of a perfect yogin is simply overpowered by the Ātman (self, or Brahman, the Ultimate Reality); and therefore all these three perceptions are devoid of beauty.19 In aesthetic experience, on the contrary, there is no possibility of there arising any obstacle or defect : because of the absence of sensations of pleasure etc. as inhering exclusively in one's person, one is not overpowered by Atman, or Brahman, (the object of samadhi); because of one's active participation and the absence of sensations of pleasure etc. as inhering exclusively in other persons, there is no lack of vividness; and because of one's being overpowered by one's own vāsanā, say, love etc., awakened by the corresponding vibhāvas, etc. which are generalized, there is no possibility of any obstacle confronting you.20
14. तथा हि लौकिकचित्तवृत्त्यनुमाने का रसता। तेनालौकिकचमत्कारात्मा रसास्वादः स्मृत्यनुमानलौकिका स्व] संवेदनविलक्षण एव।
-A. Bh. I. p. 284 15 ...न चात्र लौकिकप्रत्यक्षादिप्रमाणव्यापारः । किन्त्वलौकिकविभावादिसंयोगबलोपनतेवेयं चर्वणा ।
-Ibid, p. 285 16. #19 TANISHRITHI THPT f-ww-fata-trareaalea..aferad i
-Ibid, p. 285 17. det alfitare fatadeperateralitat...rafica
-Ibid, I. p. 285 18. सकलवैषयिकोपरागशून्यशुद्धपरयोगिगतस्वात्मानन्दैकघनानुभवाच्च विशिष्यते ।
-Ibid, p. 285 19. एतेषां यथायोगमर्जनादिविघ्नान्तरोदयात् ताटस्थ्यहेतुकास्फुटत्वेन विषयावेशवैवश्येन च सौन्दर्यविरहात् ।
-Ibid, p. 285 20. अत्र तु स्वात्मैकातत्वनियमासंभवान्न विषयावेशवैवश्यम् , स्वात्मानुप्रवेशात् परगतत्वनियमाभावान्न ताटस्थ्यास्फुटत्वम्, तद्विभावादिसाधारण्यवशसंप्रबुद्धोचितनिजरत्यादिवासनावेशाच्च न विघ्नान्तराना संभवः ।
-Hemacandra's Kavyānuśāsana, MJV edn, pp. 102-103