Post on 05-Jul-2015
Preparing for
the Dance,
Parsvanatha
Temple
Out of the determinants
(vibhava), consequents
(anubhava), and
transitory mental states
(vyabhicharin) the birth
of rasa takes place.
–Bharata Natyasastra
VI.31
Bharata’s Eight Rasas in Relation
EMOTIONAL
STATE
PRIMARY
RASARELATION
EMOTIONAL
STATE
SECONDAR
Y RASA
Love Erotic is mimicked by Laughter Comic
Anger Furious results in Sorrow Pathetic
Energy Heroic results in Astonishment Marvelous
Disgust Vile results from Fear Terror
From Emotions to Rasas
STABLE
EMOTIONS
DETERMINANT
S
CONSEQUENT
S
TRANSITORY
EMOTIONSRASA
Love/rati
flirting, dates,
jewelry and
makeup, gardens
glances, sweet
words
not fear, laziness,
cruelty
Erotic (pathetic
when separated)
Cheer/hasa
unseemly dress,
misuse of words,
impudence
wide eyes,
throbbing lips, facial
coloring
laziness, dreaming,
lying, envy
Comic (laughing
with and being
laughed at)
Sorrow/shoka
curses, separation
anxiety, loss of
wealth, death,
captivity
crying, lamentation,
loss of breath
languor, anxiety,
yearning, fatigue,
delusion, dejection
Pathetic
Anger/krodharape, abuse, insult,
lying, cheating
red eyes, knit
eyebrows, defiance
determination,
indignation,
restlessness
Furious
Energy/utsaha
presence of mind,
perseverance,
diplomacy,
assertiveness
firmness,patience,
charity, diplomacy
contentment, pride,
energy, ferocityHeroic
Fear/bhaya
hideous noise,
panic, ghost, wild
animals, death
trembling, loss of
voice, horripilation
trembling, paralysis,
seizures Terrible
Disgust/jugupsaunpleasant,
offensive thingsvomiting, spitting,
seizure, delusion,
sickness, covering
the mouth
Vile
Astonishment/visma
ya
Heavenly beings,
rich architecture
wide eyes, staring,
exclamations
weeping, agitation,
hurryMarvelous
Bharata’s Transitory States
The thirty-three Transitory States (vijabhuari- bhava)1 are
known to be the following : discouragement, weakness,
apprehension, envy, intoxication, weariness, indolence,
depression, anxiety, distraction, recollection, contentment,
shame, inconstancy, joy, agitation, stupor, arrogance, despair,
impatience, sleep, epilepsy, dreaming, awakening, indignation,
dissimulation, cruelty, assurance, sickness, insanity, death,
fright and deliberation. These are defined by their names.
Bharata Natyasastra VI 18-21[Love] should be represented on the stage by Consequents such as clever
movement of eyes, eyebrows, glances, soft and delicate movement of
limbs, and sweet words and similar other things. Transitory States in it do
not include fear, indolence, cruelty and disgust.— in separation should be
represented on the stage by Consequents such as indifference, languor,
fears, jealousy, fatigue, anxiety, yearning, drowsiness, sleep, dreaming
awakening, illness, insanity, epilepsy, inactivity, [fainting], death and other
conditions.
Bharata Natyasastra VI 44-45
BHARATA—RASA AT A GLANCEThe Glances to express the Sentiments
I shall now explain the characteristics of these glances in connexion with the various Rasas and
Emotional States, and shall describe their functions.
Kanta : When with a feeling of love a person contracts his eyebrows and castes a sidelong
look, he is said to have a pleasing glance which has its origin in joy and pleasure. It is used in
the Erotic Rasa.
Bhayanaka : The glance in which the eyelids are drawn up and fixed, and the eyeballs are
gleaming and turning up is called terrible. It indicates a great fear and is used in the Terrible
Rasa.
Hasya : In the smiling glance the two eyelids are by turns contracted, and they open with the
eyeballs moving and slightly visible ; it should be used in representing jugglery (Comic).
Karuna : The glance in which the upper eyelid has descended, the eyeball is at rest due to
mental agony, and the gaze is fixed at the tip of the nose, and there is tear (Pathetic).
Adbhuta : The glance in which eyelashes are slightly curved at the end, eyebrows are raised,
and the eyes are charmingly widened till the end (Wonder).
Raudri : The pitiless glance in which the eyeballs are rough, red, raised, and the eyelids are still
and the eyebrows knitted, is called cruel, and it is used in the Furious Rasa.
Vira : The glance which is bright, fully open, agitated, serious, and in which eyeballs are level is
used in the Heroic Rasa.
Blbhatsii : The glance in which the corners of the eyes are nearly covered by eyelids, the
eyeballs are disturbed in disgust and the eyelashes are still and close to each other (Vile).
Bharata’s Tempermental States
Are these States called Temperamental because other States
(Determinants, Consequents and Transitory States) are said to
be without the Temperament ?
[In answer] it is said that the Temperament in this connexion is
[something] originating in mind. It is caused by the concentrated
mind…. Its nature … cannot be mimicked by an absent-minded
man.
Bharata Natyasastra VII 93
How can sorrow which has weeping as its basis be represented on the
stage by anyone who is not sorry ? And how can happiness which has joy
as its basis be represented on the stage by any one who is not happy ?
Hence in acting there is a desired temperament connected with certain
States. The explanation of (he Temperament is this, that tears and
horripilation should respectively be shown by persons who are not [actually]
sorry or happy.
Bharata Natyasastra VII 93
Bharata’s Transitory States
…as taste (rasa) results from a combination of various spices,
vegetables and as six tastes (rasa) are produced by and other
articles,
such as sugar or spices or herbs, so the Emotional States,
when they come together with various other States become the
Rasa. Now one enquires, “What is the meaning of the word
rasa" ? It is said in reply to this that rasa is so called because it
is capable of being tasted. How is rasa tasted ? It is said that
just as well-disposed persons while eating food cooked with
many kinds of spices enjoy its tastes and attain pleasure and
satisfaction, so the cultured people taste the Emotional States
while they see them represented by an expression of the
various States with Words, Gestures and the Temperament and
derive pleasure and satisfaction.
The Birth of a Rasa
EMOTIONAL
STATEDETERMINANTS CONSEQUENTS
TRANSITORY
STATERASA
Love
flirting, dates, jewelry
and makeup, glances, sweet wordsnot fear, laziness,
cruelty
Erotic (pathetic when
separated)
For example, one who is elegantly dressed is called a lovely person (irnyarin).
Just as persons are named, after the custom of their father or mother or family in
accordance with the traditional authority, so the Rasa, the States and other
objects connected with drama are given names in pursuance of the custom and
the traditional authority. Hence the Erotic Rasa has been so named on account
of its usually being associated with a bright and elegant attire.
–Bharata Natyasastra VI.44
EMOTIONAL
STATE
DETERMINANT
S
CONSEQUENT
S
TRANSITORY
STATERASA
Laughter
unseemly dress,
misuse of words,
impudence
wide eyes, throbbing
lips, facial coloring
laziness, dreaming,
lying, envyComic
Why are the bhava (States) so called ? Is it because they bhavayanti (pervade) and are hence
called bhavas (States)?" It is said in reply that bhavas (States) are so called because through
Words, Gestures and the Representation of the Temperament, they bhavayanti (infuse) the
meaning of the play into the spectators. Bhava is 'cause' or ‘instrument’…
–Bharata Natyasastra VII.0
The Pathetic Rasa arises from
seeing the death of a beloved
person, or from hearing something
very unpleasant and these are its
Determinants.
–Bharata Natyasastra VI.62
EMOTIONAL STATE DETERMINANTS CONSEQUENTS TRANSITORY STATE RASA
Sorrow
curses, separation
anxiety, loss of
wealth, death,
crying, lamentation,
loss of breath
languor, anxiety,
yearning, fatigue,
delusion, dejection
Pathetic
The Pathetic Rasa is of
three kinds: that coming
from obstruction to lawful
deeds, from loss of wealth
and from bereavement.
–Bharata Natyasastra VI.78
EMOTIONAL
STATE
DETERMINANT
S
CONSEQUENT
S
TRANSITORY
STATERASA
Angeranger, rape, abuse,
insult, lying, cheating
red eyes, knit
eyebrows, defiance
determination,
indignation,
restlessness
Furious
Now the Furious (raudra)
Rasa has as its basis the
Dominant State of anger. It
owes its origin to …
haughty men, and is
caused by fights.
–Bharata Natyasastra VI.63
EMOTIONAL STATE Energetic
DETERMINANTS
presence of mind,
perseverance,
diplomacy,
assertiveness
CONSEQUENTSfirmness,patience,
charity, diplomacy
TRANSITORY STATEScontentment, pride,
energy, ferocity
RASA Heroic
The Heroic Rasa is of three kinds, arising from making gifts, from doing one’s
duty(dharma) and from fighting one's enemy.
–Bharata Natyasastra VI.79
Now the Heroic (vira) Rasa
relates to the superior type
of persons and has energy
as its basis.
–Bharata Natyasastra VI.66
EMOTIONAL
STATE
DETERMINANT
S
CONSEQUENT
S
TRANSITORY
STATERASA
AstonishmentHeavenly beings, rich
architecture
wide eyes, staring,
exclamations
weeping, agitation,
hurryMarvelous
The Birth of a Rasa
The Marvelous Rasa is of
two kinds, viz. celestial and
joyous. Of these the
celestial is due to seeing
heavenly
sights, and the joyous due
to joyful happenings
–Bharata Natyasastra VI.82
The Birth of a Rasa
The Marvelous Rasa is that
which arises form words,
character, deed and
personal beauty.
–Bharata Natyasastra VI.75
Siva as Bhairava
EMOTIONAL STATE Fear
DETERMINANTS
hideous noise,
panic, ghost, wild
animals, death
CONSEQUENTStrembling, loss of
voice, horripilation
TRANSITORY STATEStrembling, paralysis,
seizures
RASA Terrible
The Terrible Rasa is also of three
kinds: feigned fear, fear from a wrong
action, and fear from an apprehension
of danger. –Bharata Natyasastra VI.80
The Goddess As Death (Camunda)
EMOTIONAL STATE Disgust
DETERMINANTSunpleasant,
offensive things
CONSEQUENTS vomiting, spitting,
TRANSITORY STATES
seizure, delusion,
sickness, covering
the mouth
RASA Vile
The Vile Rasa is of
three kinds:
nauseating, simple,
and exciting.
–Bharata
Natyasastra VI.81
BHARATA—RASA
Just as connoisseur of cooked food (bhalcta) while eating food
which has been prepared from various spices and other
articles, tastes it, so the learned people taste in their mind the
Emotional States (such as love, sorrow etc) when they are
represented by an expression of the Emotions with Gestures.
Hence these Dominant States in a drama are called the rasas.
BHARATA—RASA
Rasa is an emotional state cultivated through
the media of human gestures, behaviors, and
music and dance for conscious savoring.
The meaning of the
sentence as a flash of
insight (pratibha) is
described—when the word-
meanings in a sentence are
detached (from out of the
sentence) and (thus)
understood, a different
flash of insight is produced
(out of it) T
–Bhartṛhari Vākyapadīya
143
Glancing at the amaranth’s glossing sprays
glowing in exquisite loveliness, just-revealed,
–loveliness that rightly belongs to the
beloved’s face–
how can a sensitive heart not flutter in pain
stung by proud Love’s flying arrows, my love?
—Kalidasa, The Gathering of the Seasons
(Rtusamharam), 18
That (flash of insight)
presented by the word-
meanings is described as
the meaning of the
sentence. It is by no means
describable to others in
such terms as "it is like this"
Having been formed from
the function of one's inner
self, its nature is not known
even to the person.
–Bhartṛhari Vākyapadīya
144
[Glancing at ((the amaranth’s glossing sprays)
glowing in exquisite loveliness)]
It effects the fusion of the
(individual) word-meanings,
without itself being logically
thought out, and it is
comprehended as
seemingly taking the form
of the collection (of the
word-meanings).
–Bhartṛhari Vākyapadīya
145
She will come into your view absorbed
in the day’s rites of worship or drawing my
likeness
imagined wasted by separation
or asking the melodious songster in the cage,
sweet one, do you remember our lord?
You were a favorite with him.
—Kalidasa, The Cloud Messenger
(Meghadutam), 84
or asking the melodious
songster in the cage,
sweet one, do you remember
our lord?
You were a favorite with him.
In the matter of the
knowledge of what to do,
no one transgresses it (i e
this flash of insight) which
is either produced directly
from speech or is a result of
recollection. The whole
world looks upon it as
authority (for their conduct )
Even in animals the
knowledge of the beginning
of behavior dawns by virtue
of it.
–Bhartṛhari Vākyapadīya
146-7
And this (flash of insight)
arises from precepts
accompanied by
recollection The precept is
qualified by either proximity
or distance (That is, it may
be of the near past, or of
ancient times).
–Bhartṛhari Vākyapadīya
151-4
The impassioned loverhaving passed some
months
on that hill, parted from her unsupported
—the golden armlet slipping down
to lay bare his wasted forearm—
saw on Asadha’s most auspicious day
a cloud embracing the crest of a hill,
strikingly shaped like a sportive elephant
bent down to butt a river bank
—Kalidasa, The Cloud Messenger
(Meghadutam) 2
That flash of insight is
considered to be of six
lands, as obtained (1 ) by
nature (2) by action (3) by
practice (4) by meditation
(5) by invisible causes and
(6) as handed down by the
wise—(similarly) although a
word functions as denoting
an object, which is
associated with shape,
color and parts, it does not
denote these (as part of its
meaning)
–Bhartṛhari Vākyapadīya
151-4
a cloud embracing the crest of a hill,
strikingly shaped like a sportive elephant
bent down to butt a river bank
—that through the
instrumentality of the
scent of a jasmine, or of a
lotus flower, the
accompanying which are
invariably associated with
the scent, are also
apprehended. The word
("water") functions as
denoting water whether it
is a drop or a mass—
without reference to
attributes, number,
quantity and location
–Bhartṛhari Vākyapadīya
157-8
Having rested, go on, sprinkling with fresh
raindrops
clusters of jasmine-buds in the gardens by
woodland streams,
enjoying a fleeting togetherness
as your gift of shade touches
the faces of flower gathering maidens, who
each time they wipe the sweat off their
cheeks, bruise
the wilting lotuses hung at their ears
—Kalidasa, The Cloud Messenger
(Meghadutam) 28
The burnt man understands
burning in a certain way
from his (direct) contact
with fire, but the meaning
burning is conveyed by the
word in a different way. The
meaning of the sentence is
grasped as of the nature of
a synthesis, when the
individual word-meanings
are in mutual association.
Its essential nature is not
presented (at the individual
word-meanings)
A preception is not identical
with its actual constituents
(the sense-data), and
similarly that formless one
(the meaning of the
sentence) is understood m
the form of the synthesis of
the word-meanings
–Bhartṛhari Vākyapadīya
418-22
BHARTṚHARI—PRATIBHĀ
Pratibhā is an ineffable intuitive understanding
co-originating from the logico-linguistic
apprehension of the meaning of a thing.
REFLECTIONS
What aesthetic terms would you use to describe Swades or the music in
the film?
Where would Bharata place Swades in his list of rasa? Where would
you? What inflections (other rasas) might Bharata make on the primary
rasa? You?
Is Swades more heroic or marvelous, in Bharata’s senses of the terms?
What is the relation between rasa and pratibha? How do each apply (or
not) to Gowariker and his film? To your experience of the film?
Compare and contrast the film scene in Swades with the drama scene.
Consider how to describe them in terms of pratibha.