Some Aspects of Rasa Theory

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

Page 86

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SOME ASPECTS OF THE RASA 'THEORY
dharmottara Purana, the śāstras of gita (vocal music), atodya (instrumental music), nȚtta (dancing), citra and mūrtiśilpa (pratima-laksana) have actually been mentioned and are dwelt upon in that and the following adhyāyas. Pratimă-laksana is discussed in a number of adhyāyas after the C'itra-sūtra, under the heading, Devatarūpa-nirmanam'.
Let us first see whether the rasa-theory is considered by the Visnudharmottara Purana to be of use, in the discussion of the fine arts mentioned therein. We have, constantly, to bear in mind that so far as the application of the rasa-theory to fine arts other than kavya or natya is concerned, we are not at all concerned with the different views regarding the process of rasa-realisation put forth by the so many commentators of the rasa-sūtra of Bharata. We have to take into account only the core of the rasa theory pointed out above and see what importance it has in relation to the fine arts other than poetry and drama.
In Adhyâya II of the third Khanda, the Vişnudharmottara says that Citra-sūtra cannot be understood without the NȚtta-śāstras and out of the fifteen Adhyāyas from XX to XXXIV which deal with NȚtta sästra, Adhyaya 30th is called Rasādhyāya and the next one (i. e., 31st) is named Bhāvādhyāya. Nine rasas (including santa) are mentioned and described in the Rasådhyâya, the last (i. e., the 29th) verset of which says that nștta without rasa is of no significance and hence a dancer should always have recourse only to that nștta which is based on rasa. It will be interesting to note that in the 4th, 5th and 6th verses of the same Adhyāya, 'Colours of the various rasas are mentioned. Are we to take the hint and use these very colours to depict the different rasas in Drawing and Painting?
As many as forty-nine bhāvas are listed in the Bhävädhyâya and in the last (i. e., the 58th) verse of that Adhyāya we are told which bhāvas are to be made use of in depicting each of the nine rasas. .
Thus because Citra-sästra cannot be understood without Nịtta-śästra and because NȚtta is of no importance without a rasa, it follows that no Citra is worth anything if it does not delineate a rasa.
3. P a neru fetei uchun 4. नाटयस्य मूलं तु रसः प्रदिष्टो रसेन हीनं न हि नृत्तमस्ति ।
तस्मात् प्रयत्नेन रसाश्रयस्य नृत्तस्य यत्नः पुरुषेण कार्यः॥ elme: Famiques Taslan teren शङ्गारस्तु भवेच्छयामो रक्तो रौद्रः प्रकीर्तितः ॥ सितो हासश्च विज्ञेयः कृष्णश्चैव भयानकः । गौरो वीरस्तु विज्ञेयः पीतश्चैवाद्भुतः स्मृतः॥ कापोतः करुणश्चैव नीलो बीभत्स एव च ।
These very colours are mentioned in Bharata's Natyaśāstra also (VI, 42-43).