Vishnudharmottara Purana (Art and Architecture)
by Bhagyashree Sarma | 2021 | 59,457 words
This page relates ‘Elements of Drama (h): Sentiment (Rasa)� of the study on the elements of Art and Architecture according to the Vishnudharmottara Purana: an ancient text whose third book deals with various artisan themes such as Architecture, Painting, Dance, Grammar, etc. Many chapters are devoted to Hindu Temple architecture and the iconography of Deities and their installation rites and ceremonies.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
1.3. Elements of Drama (h): Sentiment (Rasa)
Rasa or Sentiment is a very important component in poetry. Through the delineation of different sentiments different way, the connoisseurs can relish the taste of a poetic piece.
Establishes that:
There are two broad divisions of 屹ⲹ in Sanskrit viz.,
- dṛśya屹ⲹ and
- śravya屹ⲹ.[2]
Drama belongs to dṛśya屹ⲹ variety and for this reason it can be said that rasa i.e., sentiment is the soul of Drama too. The famous commentator Abhinavagupta also says that-no meaning comes forward without sentiment.[3] The primary meaning of rasa refers to taste or to savour or to relish, but metaphorically it means the emotional experience of beauty in poetry.[4] The sentiment is that which touches our heart and fills it with a great sensation, after reading or hearing a piece of poetry or viewing a performing art. But the point to be noted here is that only suggestive type of literary piece has the capacity to reflect the sentiment or rasa, as rasa itself is always suggestive.
Ѳṭabhaṭṭa, the author of the 屹ⲹś accepts three kinds of 屹ⲹ viz.,
- dhvani屹ⲹ,
- guṇībhūtavyaṅga屹ⲹ and
- citra屹ⲹ.
Among those the dhvani屹ⲹ is regarded as the best type of poetry, where the suggestive sense stays as the predominant one.[5]
But in the ٲⲹ岹貹ṇa, only two varieties of 屹ⲹ are accepted which are�
- dhvani屹ⲹ and
- guṇībhūtavyaṅga屹ⲹ.[6]
The third variety i.e., citra屹ⲹ is not accepted in the ٲⲹ岹貹ṇa.
Moreover, there are three kinds of meaning of words which are:
- 峦ٳ,
- ṣārٳ and
- ⲹṅgٳ.[7]
The 峦ٳ is known by , ṣārٳ is known by ṣaṇ� and ⲹṅgٳ is recognized by ⲹñᲹ.[8] Thus it can be said that denotes the primary meaning, where the dictionary meaning of the word is predominant.[9] ṣaṇ� denotes the secondary meaning which is established after the failure of the primary sense though it is based on the primary meaning.[10] And ⲹñᲹ denotes the suggestive sense of a word.
The suggestive sense or meaning is the main component of poetry and supporting it, Ѳṭa �
idamiti 屹ⲹ� ܻ첹ṇa� Բūٲṭaū貹ⲹṅgⲹⲹñᲹ첹ⲹ śabdasya dhvaniriti ⲹ� ṛt�.[11]
The suggestive sense is referred to as dhvani in Sanskrit poetics.
ĀԲԻ岹Բ, the founder of Dhvani school of Sanskrit poetics and also the author of ٳԲǰ첹 speaks about two broad divisions of the suggestive meaning in the following way-
’rٳ� ṛdⲹś岵ⲹ� 屹ٳپ ⲹٳٲ� /
vācyapratīyamānākhyo tasya bhedāvubhau smṛtau //[12]
It establishes that the meaning that satisfies the soul of the connoisseur is the soul of poetry and it is divided into two varieties viz., 峦ٳ and īⲹٳ. Vācyārtha is the primary meaning which is explicit in nature and īⲹٳ is the suggestive meaning.
The īⲹٳ is influenced by the 峦ٳ and divided into three subvarieties. They are�
These three varieties of īⲹٳ are accepted as the three varieties of Dhvani i.e., suggestive sense.[14] It is worth notifying that in the Locana commentary on the ٳԲǰ첹 by Abhinavagupta, it is clearly mentioned that the rasadhvani or rasa is mainly the soul of poetry and other two divisions are included in it.[15] So it can be said that ĀԲԻ岹Բ also accepts the suggestive sense i.e., rasadhvani or rasa as the soul of poetry. In the վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa also, rasa is said to be the core of Drama and without it Drama can not produce a theme.[16]
The վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa accepts nine rasas or sentiments in Drama. These are�
- śṛṅ i.e., erotic,
- ⲹ i.e., humour,
- 첹ṇa i.e., pathos,
- raudra i.e., furious,
- ī i.e., heroic,
- Բ첹 i.e., terrible,
- adbhuta i.e., wonder,
- īٲ i.e., odious and
- śԳٲ i.e., quietism.[17]
It is important to note that according to Bharata, śԳٲrasa was not included in the group of ṭy.[18] But the subsequent scholars have included śԳٲ in the group of nine sentiments. On the basis of this academic confrontation, the վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa marks its existence by accepting the śԳٲrasa as an independent sentiment.[19] Moreover, it also says that śԳٲrasa is generated from 岵ⲹ[20] i.e., absence of worldly desires or passions. ŚԳٲ is quite impossible to establish in a Drama and it does not become interesting as Drama is all about movement. But the վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa clearly asserts that there are nine sentiments in a Drama including śԳٲrasa.[21] Ѳṭa also gives his view point in the same spirit in his 屹ⲹś and accepts nine sentiments.[22] Again the ٲⲹ岹貹ṇa also mentions the eight sentiments together and states the existence of the śԳٲrasa separately.[23] The reason may be that-Drama is all about acting, performing and expressing. But in the delineation of śԳٲrasa it is impossible to express or perform something, because here nirveda is the ٳī屹. The durable psychological state of śԳٲrasa happens to be nirveda or 岵ⲹ which goes against motion, emotion, action etc. It is clearly perceived by Ѳṭa and he expresses this situation in his work clearly.[24] So, the inclusion of śԳٲrasa in Drama by the վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa provokes discussion and demands reason of establishment.
There can be a very effective discussion regarding the varieties of rasa found in the ṭyśٰ and the վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa.
1. Śṛṇ:
Śṛṇ or the sentiment of love is very important in 屹ⲹ specially in dramas. Because, Sanskrit poetics advices to portray either śṛṇ or ī as the predominant sentiment in a Sanskrit drama.[25] It is the sentiment of love and desire where the manifestation of the activities of 峾𱹲 i.e the god of love can be noticed.[26] Rati i.e erotic emotion is the ٳī屹 or permanent feeling of śṛṇ.[27] Ś峾 i.e dark blue is the colour of this sentiment[28] . վṣṇ is the God of this sentiment.[29] It is of two kinds viz., ṃbDz i.e., love in union and viraha i.e., love in separation.[30] The ṭyśٰ also admits it in the same spirit.[31] In the վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa both the terms viraha and vipralambha are used to denote the second variety of śṛṇ sentiment. But most of the Rhetoricians of Sanskrit poetics like Ѳṭa[32] and Viśvanāthakavirāja use the term vipralambha only.[33]
According to the վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa, there are ten kinds of vipralambha śṛṇ which are based on different 峾屹ٳ i.e., stages of love or desire.[34] But in the ٲⲹ岹貹ṇa four types of vipralambha śṛṇ are accepted viz., ū岵, Բ, and 첹ūṇa.[35] Again in the 屹ⲹś of Ѳṭa, vipralambha śṛṇ is divided into five kinds viz., ṣa, viraha, īṣ�, and ś貹ٳܰ첹.[36]
2. ⲹ:
The վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa says that ⲹrasa is generated from some irrelevant or funny conversations or attires[37] which bring humour to the viewers� mind and the viewers start laughing. The ṭyśٰ speaks that, the comic sentiment is created through the determinants like deformed dress or ornaments, impudence, greediness, quarrel, use of irrelevant and inappropriate words etc.[38] According to the ٲⲹ岹貹ṇa, deformed movements of hands and feet are also the cause of laughing.[39] is the ٳ⾱屹 of this sentiment.[40] Sita i.e., white is the colour[41] and Pramatha is the God of this sentiment.[42] According to the վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa, it is of two kinds viz., ٳٳ i.e., self laugh and parastha i.e other’s laugh.[43] This books places the grade of laughing in three standards viz., uttama, madhyama and adhama.[44] Uttama is the best form of smile where teeth are not visible; madhyama is the middle form where teeth are visible and adhama type of laughing is associated with tears and noise.[45]
3. ṇa:
ṇa i.e., pathos is the sentiment delineated in the circumstances of sorrow. The վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa says that it is enacted through frightened limbs, crying in grief, pale and dry face.[46] This sentiment arises at the death of the beloved one or lovable friends or because of loss of wealth.[47] In this context the վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa is seen to follow the ṭyśٰ.[48] According to the ٲⲹ岹貹ṇa, pathos arises in loss of desired things as well as in attainment of unwanted things.[49] Śǰ첹 is the ٳ⾱屹 of 첹ṇarasa.[50] Kapota i.e., the colour of pigeon is the colour of this sentiment.[51] Yama is the God of this sentiment.[52] In the վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa, it is said that to project the 첹ṇarasa, the acting is to be done by frightened limbs, sighs, crying in lamentation, pale face and drying up of mouth.[53]
4. Raudra:
Like the earlier treatises, the վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa relates that raudra is the sentiment that arises from anger.[54] Krodha is the ٳ⾱屹 of raudrarasa.[55] Rakta i.e., red is the colour[56] and Rudra is the God of this sentiment.[57] According to the վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa anger is of four types. The first one is referred to as ripuja which means anger arising from enemy. The ٲⲹ岹貹ṇa also admits it.[58] The second one is referred to as guruja which means anger arising from elderly persons. The third one is ṛtⲹᲹ which means anger arising from servant and the last one is ṇaǻ which means anger arising from love.[59] But anger is not classified in the ṭyśٰ as well as in the ٲⲹ岹貹ṇa. The վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa again says that the facial expressions of anger viz., redness of eyes, cocked of eyebrows, face full of perspiration etc., should be used to project raudrarasa in performance.[60] In the ṭyśٰ, it is said that raudrarasa is full of conflict of arms. So according to this treatise, when the raudrarasa is displayed in the stage, the movements and deeds of the actors should be terrible and fearful.[61] The ṭyśٰ relates that this sentiment is projected by fights, striking, cutting, distortion, loud noise of battle etc.[62] According to the ṭyśٰ, the raudrarasa is presented on the stage through some special acts like release of many missiles, beheading, cutting off trunk and arms.[63]
5. ī:
According to the վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa gaura i.e., radish white is the colour of this sentiment.[64] Mahendra is the God of this sentiment.[65] The ṭyśٰ states that the īrasa relates to the superior type of persons and has excitement as its basis.[66] ٲ is the ٳ⾱屹 of īrasa.[67] This sentiment is enacted in stage through the consequents like firmness, heroism, sacrifice, diplomacy and the like.[68]
6. Բ첹:
According to the վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa Բ첹 is the sentiment of fear which arises from the commitment of a self committing offence.[69] In the վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa, Բ첹rasa is accepted as the result of īٲ.[70] In the ṭyśٰ, Bharata gives numerous causes of fear viz., horrible noise, sight of ghosts, sound of jackal and owls, scene of dark forest, sight of death or imprisonment of dear ones etc.[71] Bhaya i.e., fear is the ٳ⾱屹 of Բ첹rasa.[72] ṛṣṇa i.e black is the colour[73] and 𱹲 is the God of this sentiment.[74] According to the վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa, it is to be enacted on stage by the gestures of trembling hands, pale face, drying up of lips and throat etc.[75]
7. Adbhuta:
According to the վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa, Adbhuta is the sentiment that arises from wonder.[76] Vismaya is the ٳ⾱屹 of adbhutarasa.[77] īٲ i.e., yellow is the colour[78] and Brahma is the god of this sentiment.[79] The վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa states that adbhutarasa arises from īrasa.[80] According to the ṭyśٰ, this sentiment is projected through some determinates like the sight of heavenly beings, achievement of unexpected things or fulfillment of desires.[81] Moreover, some resultants are used to adopt for conveying this sentiment to the audience. These are-expanded eyes, bristling of hair, horripilation, perspiration and movement of fingers.[82]
8. īٲ:
According to the վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa, the sentiment of īٲ arises from ܱܲ i.e., disgusting[83] sight and it is showed by shaking of nose.[84] The ṭyśٰ agrees on it and accepts ܱܲ as the ٳ⾱屹 of īٲrasa.[85] According to the վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa, ī i.e., blue is the colour[86] and Ѳ is the god of this sentiment.[87]
Bharata says that īٲrasa is to be represented through some activities such as stopping the movements of the limbs, narrowing down the mouth, vomiting, spitting, shaking of limbs in disgust etc.[88]
9. ŚԳٲ:
Ś is the ٳ⾱屹 of śԳٲrasa.[89] According to the վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa, the colour of śԳٲrasa is recognized as 屹ṇa i.e., natural colour.[90] ʲ� purūṣa is regarded as the god of this sentiment.[91] But according to the ٲⲹ岹貹ṇa, Śīⲹṇa is the god of this sentiment.[92]
Thus, from the discussion on the various elements of different sentiments as reflected in the վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa and the other sources, the following table can be generated.
Sentiments | ٳī屹 | Gods | Colours |
Śṛṇ | Rati | վṣṇ | Ś峾 i.e., Dark blue |
ⲹ | Pramatha | Sita i.e., White | |
ṇa | Śǰ첹 | Yamadeva | Kapota i.e., The colour of pigeon |
Raudra | Krodha | Rudra | Rakta i.e., Red |
ī | ٲ | Mahendra | Gaura i.e., Reddish white |
Բ첹 | Bhaya | 𱹲 | ṛṣṇa i.e., Black |
Bibhatsa | ܱܲ | Ѳ | ī i.e., Blue |
Adbhuta | Vismaya | Brahmadeva | īٲ i.e., Yellow |
ŚԳٲ | Nirveda | ʲḥpuruṣa | 屹ṇa i.e., Natural colour |
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
ٲⲹ岹貹ṇa, 1.p.24
[8]:
vācyo'rtho’bhidhayā bodhyo lakṣyo lakṣaṇayā ٲ�/ vyaṅgyo ⲹñᲹyā tā� syustisra� śabdasya śaktaya�/ Ibid., 2.3
[9]:
sa mukhyo’rthastatra mukhyo vyāpāro’syābhidhocyate/ 屹ⲹś, 2.8
[10]:
[11]:
Ibid., p.6
[12]:
ٳԲǰ첹, 1.2
[13]:
[...] Ibid., 1, p.37
[15]:
[17]:
Ibid., 3.30.1
[20]:
śԳٲsya tu samutpattirnṛpa 岵ⲹta� smṛtā/ Ibid., 3.30.9
[22]:
[...] 屹ⲹś, 1.1
[23]:
[...] ٲⲹ岹貹ṇa, 3.182
[24]:
[...] 屹ⲹś, 4.44
[25]:
[...] ٲⲹ岹貹ṇa, 6.10
[26]:
[...] Ibid.,3.183
[27]:
[...] ṭyśٰ, p.246
[28]:
[...] վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa, 3.30.4
[29]:
[...] Ibid., 3.30.6
[30]:
[...] Ibid., 3.30.16
[31]:
[...] ṭyśٰ, 6. p.246
[32]:
[...] 岵śīṭīk, 屹ⲹś, p.41
[33]:
[...] վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa, 3.30.16
[35]:
sa ca ū岵Բkarūṇātmakaścaturdhā syāt/ ٲⲹ岹貹ṇa, 3.187
[36]:
[...] 岵śīṭīk, p.42
[38]:
[...] ṭyśٰ, p.254
[39]:
[...] ٲⲹ岹貹ṇa, 3.214
[42]:
[...] Ibid.,3.30.6
[43]:
[...] Ibid., 3.30.12-13
[44]:
[...] Ibid., 3.30.13-15
[45]:
alakṣitadvija� caiva uttamānā� ٲ� bhavet// tathā darśitadantantu madhyamānā� prakirtīta�/ sātra� tadadhamānā� syātsasvana� ca mahībhujām// Ibid., 3.30.14-15
[46]:
trastagātrādvini� śvāsaparidevitarodanai�/ mukhavaivarṇya śoṣaiśca tasyehābhinayo bhavet// Ibid., 3.30.23
[48]:
첹ṇastu śāpakleśavinipataneṣṭjanaviṣayogavivhavanāśavadhabandhanasamutthonirapekṣabhāva/ ṭyśٰ, p.246
[49]:
iṣṭanāśādaniṣṭāpte� karuṇākhyo raso bhavet/ ٲⲹ岹貹ṇa, 3.222
[50]:
[...] ṭyśٰ, p.258
[52]:
karuṇo yamadaivata�/ Ibid., 3.30.7
[53]:
ٰٲٰ屹Ծḥśv貹𱹾ٲǻ岹Բ�/
mukhavaivarṇya śoṣaiśca tasyehābhinayo bhavet// Ibid., 3.30.23
[55]:
raudro 峾 krodhasthāyibhāvātmaka�/ ṭyśٰ, p.259
[57]:
raudro raudrādhidevaśca�../ Ibid., 3.30.7
[58]:
ܻḥ�..ālambanamaristatra/ ٲⲹ岹貹ṇa, 3.227
[59]:
ripujo gurūjaścaiva ṛtⲹᲹ� ṇaǻ�/ վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa, 3.31.5
[60]:
raktatvanetrabhrukuṭikrodhāmarṣai� sasāhasai�/ Ibid.,3.30.24
[61]:
śastraprahārabhūyiṣṭa ugrakarmatmaka/ ṭyśٰ, 6.66
[62]:
yudhaprahāraghātanavikṛtacchedanavidāraṇaiścaiva/ saṃgrāmasaṃbhramādyairebhi� saṃjāyate ܻ�// Ibid., 6.64
[63]:
nānāpraharaṇamokṣai� śiraḥkabandhabhujakartanaiścaiva/ Ibid., 6.65
[64]:
gauro īstu ñⲹ�/ վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa, 3.30.5
[65]:
vīro mahendradeva� syāt/ Ibid., 3.30.8
[66]:
vīro 峾…utsāhātmaka�/ ṭyśٰ, p.262
[67]:
ī utsāhasthāibhāvaka�/ ٲⲹ岹貹ṇa, 3.232
[68]:
sthairyaśauryadhairyatyāgavaiśāradyādibhiranubhāvairabhinaya� prayoktavya�/ ṭyśٰ, p.262
[70]:
utpattirbībhatsācca Բ첹/ Ibid., 3.30.3
[71]:
sa ca bikṛtaravasatvadarśanaśivolūkatrāsodvegaśūnyāgārāraṇya praveśasmaraṇasvajanabadhabandhadarśanaśrutikathādibhirvibhāvairutpadyate/ ṭyśٰ, p.264
[72]:
bhayānako 峾 bhayasthāyibhāvātmaka�/ Ibid., p.264
[74]:
kāladevo Բ첹�/ Ibid., 3.30.7
[75]:
trastagātrādvini� śvāsaparidevitarodanai�/
mukhavaivarṇya śoṣaiśa tasyehābhinayo bhavet// վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa., 3.30.23
[76]:
āścaryeṇa samutpattiradbhuta� tatprakīrtita�/ Ibid., 3.30.25
[77]:
adbhuto 峾 vismayasthāyibhāvātmaka�/ ṭyśٰ, p.266
[78]:
[...] վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa, 3.30.5
[79]:
adbhuto brahmadaivata/ Ibid., 3.30.8
[80]:
ī峦ܳٴdzٱ貹ٳپ/ Ibid., 3.30.3
[81]:
adbhuto 峾 vismayasthāyibhāvātmaka�/ sa ca divyadarśanepsitamanorathāvā�./ ṭyśٰ, p.266
[82]:
prasphuritākṣiromāñcairaṅgulībhramaṇādibhi�/ svedena cābhineya� syādadbhutaḥstu tathā �// վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa, 3.30.27
[83]:
V.S Apte, The Student’s Sanskrit English Dictionary, p.222
[84]:
jugupsayā ca bhavati īٲsya ܻ�/
nāsāvighūrṇanāttarasya codvegena tathaiva ca// վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa, 3.30.25-26
[85]:
bībhatso 峾 ܱܲsthāyibhāvātmaka�/ ṭyśٰ, p.266
[86]:
�.nīlo īٲmeva ca�./ վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa, 3.30.6
[88]:
[...] ṭyśٰ, p.266
[89]:
[...] ٲⲹ岹貹ṇa, 3.245
[90]:
[...] վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa, 3.30.4
[91]:
[...] Ibid., 3.30.8