Some Aspects of Rasa Theory

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

Page 88

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SOME ASPECTS OF THE RASA THEORY
plies to mūrtiśilpon ting living figureshows feelings
stanza and the first part of the third stanza give a list of eleven rasas and the latter part of that stanza states that experts in the art of painting hold that rasas are eleven. The thirty-third and the thirty-fourth stanzas of the same Adhyâya tell us that citra is dependent on the import that is suggested by the hands and the eyes. These (i. e., the hands and the eyes) serve to make the picture appear as if it were living.
The same theory applies to mūrtiśilpa also. As that art is concerned mainly with mūrtis, that is, with representing living figures, it could be said without hesitation that the mūrti which exquisitely shows feelings should be considered to be superb and far superior to one which does not exhibit a feeling, but which is just a symbol of a particular deity.
A word about sadharanikarana which is an essential part of the rasatheory, would be quite appropriate here. I am not going to examine the different interpretations of that term offered by critics. I am trying to take quite an independent, practical view and to find out what the main idea underlying this concept can be. Both Bhattanāyaka and Abhinavagupta Thave held that sådharanikarana takes place only after the rasika has understood the expressed (vacya) sense. Now, what can be the nature of the expressed sense of a kávya ? It is obviously the knowledge of the vibhāvas, anuubhāvas etc., as described by the poet. In the case of a picture for a mūrti), we may say that the expressed sense therein is equivalent to the vibhāvas, anubhāvas, etc. as shown or displayed by the artist. Now the vibhāvas and anubhāvas could be shown by the artist only in a 'particular? form. He has to choose 'particular characters and show their gestures and movements and those, too, in a particular setting only. He has to choose Duşyanta or Rama or some particular hero and a particular heroine etc. and manifest the intended bhāva through their gestures and movements, So the reader or the spectator first understands the anubhavas etc. of those particular individuals at particular times and in particular places. But everything is presented by the artist with great workmanship hence if the beholder is a rasika, he is so much influenced by that workmanship that he repeatedly contemplates on whatever is expressed or shown. This is what Abhinayagupta means by anusandhāna'. We must not forget that the main aim of a great artist is to depict a bhāva and that the vibhāvas etc. are but the instruments employed by him to achieve that aim. As a result of his repeated contemplation the rasika gradually forgets or loses sight of the instruments or less important details and concentrates all his attention only on the main bhāva and on the beauty with which it is delineated. This and nothing else is, to me, the main idea underlying the concept of sadharanikaraņa. To be aware, only of whatever 9. हस्तेन सूचयन्नथै दृष्टया च प्रतिपादयन् ।
सजीव इति दृश्येत सर्वाभिनयदर्शनात् ॥ antia da para... yaydi (Hacaica (?)-) FFATCAI H A 11