ABSTRACT
This chapter traces the origin of literary criticism in India and the genesis of rasa to the earliest writings in Sanskrit. The mythological origin of the Natyasastra written by Bharata around the birth of Christ is also looked at. Natyasastra is a book comprising 36 chapters on the science of acting and the theory of rasa is explicated in Chapter 6. Bharata states that rasa or aesthetic emotion is generated in an aesthete when the actor presents the corresponding sentiments (bhava) in an effective way. Bhāva and rasa are two states of existence of the same emotion. When bhāva is enjoyed it is rasa but otherwise it remains as bhāva. The process is enriched with the help of vibhāva (determinants), anubhāva (consequents) and vyabhicāris (transitory states). The vibhāva are of two types – ālambana and uddīpana. Ālambana vibhāva is the person who is a cause for exciting an emotion. For example, Juliet is the ālambana vibhāva of Romeo’s śṛṅgāra. Uddīpana vibhāva is the setting and gestures that aid in exciting an emotion like a garden or a coy look. Anubhāva is the effect of the rise of bhāva. For example, sweet words ensue when the sentiment of rati (love) is aroused. Vyabhicāri bhāvas are the multiple, fleeting, psychological states the character can display to portray the bhāva. These are transient as opposed to the sthāyi bhāva or principal sentiment. This chapter looks at the 9 rasas and 49 bhāvas in detail and also lists the corresponding bhāvas of each rasa. The evolution of rasa theory over the next 2,000 years is also summarised.
