Some Aspects of Rasa Theory

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

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SOME ASPECTS OF THE RASA THEORY
Sangita-ratnākara in I-26-30 expressly says that gita has the power to give the highest delight to all, from God Śiva down to an angry snake, 12
A Marathi poem, 'Satarice Bola’12 by the poet Keśavasuta is so well-known to Marathi speaking people. The poet had once been buried so deep in misery and disappointment that he for a moment felt like going to the length of committing suicide. As he was walking along in the darkness of the night in this mood, totally unmindful of everything that happened around him, he just chanced to listen to the sweet notes of a lute being played in some house. He at first got annoyed, thinking that the player was so self-centred as to be completly indifferent to the miseries of others. Gradually, however, he went on being so deeply influenced by the notes that continued to be emitted, that his mind ultimately achieved the state of perfect peace and happiness.
If music (gita or vådya) is able to give such a joy even in the worst of moods, it must be such as would move the feelings of a listener. En
A Sanskrit subhāṣital3 tells us that one whose heart does not melt on listening to a song is either one who has renounced all worldly bonds or is a beast. And can a song that is not rasa-pradhāna be capable of melting the listener's heart? The same is suggested by J. Dryden, an English poet, when he says:
"What passion cannot Music raise and quell ?"14. And what else do Shakespeare's following lines15 hint at ? :
The man that hath no music in himself, Nor is not moved with concord of sweet sounds, Is fit for treasons, strategems and spoils : The motions of his spirit are as dull as night,
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Let no such man be trusted.'
गीतेन प्रीयते देवः सर्वज्ञः पार्वतीपतिः। गोपीपतिरनन्तोऽपि वंशध्वनिवशं गतः ॥ सामगीतिरतो ब्रहमा, वीणासका सरस्वती । किमन्ये देवगन्धर्वयक्षमानवदानवाः ॥ अज्ञातविषयास्वादो बालः पर्यङ्किकागतः । रुदन् गीतामृतं श्रुत्वा हर्षोत्कर्ष प्रपद्यते ॥ वनेचरस्तृणाहारश्चित्रं मृगशिशुः पशुः । लुब्धो लुब्धकसङ्गीते गीते त्यजति जीवितम् ॥ क्रुद्धो विषं वमन् सर्पः फणामान्दोलयन् मुहुः ।
गानं जाङ्गलिकाच्छ्रुत्वा हर्षोत्कर्षे प्रपद्यते ॥ . 13. g ada mitaa gadiat a to
यस्य न द्रवते चित्तं स वै मुक्तोऽथवा पशुः॥ 14. 'A Song for St. Cecilia's day, 1687.' 15. Merchant of Venice, Act V. (Lorenzo's speech in the moonlight)