Nuances of Rasa

 

Yajur Veda mentions “For he indeed is Rasa, having obtained which, one attains bliss”. There have been several commentaries of Rasa (essence) in Indian aesthetics. Vipralambha Sringara Rasa is expected to be the fertile ground for poetry due to its viraha aspect, but Sambhoga Rasa also is interesting due its nature of continuing deficit. For instance, Gopikas never had enough of Krishna. The scope of Sambhoga widens with the anticipation of Gopikas meeting Krishna. It is not a fleeting experience but a persistent one. A connection can be made here with Adbhuta Rasa. The idol of Rajagopalaswamy in Mannargudi is a wonderous deity in the garb of a woman. It gives an experience of Vi smaya – where one is caught in that frame of time with a fixed gaze. It is not a transient experience, but one wants to come back to relive that moment and experience Rasa.

One just cannot obtain the Divine “grace,” (Karuna) but needs to become eligible to receive it. That eligibility will stem not just from continuous unconditional praise but from Vichara. Tyagaraja (in Nee Dayaraada) lamented how easy it is for sworn enemies like Sisupala to obtain moksha, but not for him who has nothing but pure praise for him. He then seeks refuge in Sita (in Maa Janaki Cheta Pattaga) extolling that she held Lord’s hand, and God became victorious. In fact, the brilliant thinker and theorist, Vedanta Desika suggests the very root “Sri” indicates her ability to save and seek in many ways.

Anger is evoked when sage Durvasa curses Shankuntala that whoever she is thinking about will forget her. The sthayi bhava of Raudra Rasa is anger and consequents are trembling of cheeks, red eyes, biting of teeth by Shankuntala. In the Sanskrit play Malati Madhava by Bhavabhuti, Makaranda rescues the life of Madayantika from the clutches of the tiger spurting out Utsaha exuding the vibhava of presence of mind expressing Veera Rasa. In Mudrarakshasa, a Sanskrit play by Vishakhadatta, the spy who conspires against King Chandragupta Mourya is terrified - aparadhajanitha (Bhayanaka Rasa) by his encounter with Chanakya that transpires (vyabhichari bhava) to trembling, perspiration and consequently leading to the spy’s execution. In the same play, Chanakya has an argument with Chandragupta Mourya where he is mentioning about the disgusting (Bhibhatsa Rasa) burnt corpse, vultures and the cremation ground.

In a satirical conversation Goddess Lakshmi asks Goddess Parvati where her Bhikshu (Shiva) went around begging holding a skull to which Parvati replies he must be in the place of yajna held by Mahabali where Vishnu begged three feet of land as Vamana invoking Upahasita (Hasya Rasa).  

Natya Sastra included the eight Rasas while later texts proposed the ninth Rasa which is the Santa Rasa the dominant state of which is Nirveda – representing enlightenment and moksha. Although we understand that combination of Sthayi bhavas, Vibhava, Anubhava, Vyabhichari bhavas result in Rasanishpattih, it is also important to comprehend the process of Sadharanikarana (Bhattanayaka). It is a process where there is a perfect synergy between the actor (Sahrudaya Preshaka) and the spectator (Sahrudaya Prabhakara). This coding and decoding route to a transcendental experience (aloukika) directing to the attainment of ulitimate bliss - Charavana (Sakshatkara).