ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the concept of santa rasa, the aesthetic experience of peace, which has occupied an important place in Indian aesthetics since Abhinavagupta's persuasive elaboration of it. Santarasaprakarana, discussion of santa rasa, is part of Abhinavabharati, Abhinavagupta's extensive commentary on the Natyasastra, the fundamental treatise on the classical Indian performing arts, traditionally attributed to sage Bharata, but in fact very likely a compilation composed by several authors between the second century BC and second century AD. Abhinavagupta adopts Bhatta Nayaka's focus on rasa as something pertaining to the consciousness of the spectator, but he disagrees with Nayaka's view that it is neither perceived nor produced nor manifested. In Abhinavagupta's view, the primary purpose of poetry or drama is to enable a reader or a spectator to experience bliss and not to provide moral guidance.
