Part 9 - Sentiments (rasa) used in a Ḍima

The Tripuradāha contains characters like gods and demons and consists of the scenes of anger, altercation and fightingand hence the furious (raudra) is the main sentiment. In addition to furious sentiment, other sentiments i.e. heroic (vīra), terrible (bhayānaka), disgust (bībhatsa), pathetic (karuṇa) and marvellous (adbhuta), are also applied.

Furious (Raudra):

The furious sentiment is used in many cases of the drama. All characters are depicted as showing anger in appropriate places. For instance, Śiva gets angry when Nārada tells him that he was living here as an ascetic, whereas demons are engaged in terrible war. Śiva then in angry mood, asked Nārada, as to who he wants to die now (kathaya kathaya ko’yam nārada! drāṅmumūrṣuḥ -I.17). In this way, in many places the furious sentiment is applied.

Heroic (Vīra):

Like furious sentiment the heroic sentiment is also used everywhere in the Tripuradāha. The Tripuradāha is full of fighting, altercation and use of arms. The gods and demons are depicted as desirous of showing their heroic nature to the opponent.

For instance, in the first act when Rāhu brings darkness to the heaven, covering the sun, Śiva gets very angry and orders Nāndī to get his bow, which would make the solar world free from sorrow:

nandīnnupanaya me cāpam, drāgastu niḥśokaḥ sūryalokaḥ
  –Tripuradāha, C. Dalal, p.85.

Terrible (Bhayānaka):

The terrible sentiment is applied in some places of the drama.

For instance, in the first act, when Rāhu swallows the sun, it creates fearful situation in the drama.

sotkarṣaroṣabharabhīṣaṇaniḥpidhānadaṃṣṭraḥ………vidhuntudo’rkam
  –I.37.

Disgust (Bībhatsa):

Disgust is applied in the first act of the Tripuradāha, when demons occupied the earth (pṛthivī), the lower world (pātāla) and the heaven (svarga) and tortured pṛthvī, śeṣa and gods. The earth and other gods were agitated with fear and ran to Maheśa for his help. In the second act, disgust is applied, when demons occupied the heaven, cheating the gods through Viparīta and Alīka. Kṛṣṇa protects the heaven from them spreading darkness everywhere. Then in the darkness, the demons could not see anything and they fought and killed each other. However, when Sarvatāpa comes to know about this, he removed the darkness through the illusion called “Kaumudī”.

Pathetic (Karuṇa):

The Pathetic is employed in the first act of the Tripuradāha, when Śeṣa and Pṛthivī cried that the earth (pṛthivī), the lower world (pātāla) and the heaven (svarga), have been occupied by demons. Further, in the third act, the conversation of Viśadāśaya and Sarvatāpa indicates also low pathetic.

Marvellous (Adbhuta):

The marvellous sentiment is employed, when the gods decided to destroy the Tripurasand made the proper plan of fight. In the fighting, Pṛthivī became chariot, Brahmā became charioteer, Maheśa became warrior, Himālaya became bow, Śeṣa became string, Kṛṣṇa became arrow. Further, the fighting becomes an example of marvellous. It is when the dead soldiers of demons started regaining their lives in the fight with Kumāra. It surprised Kārtikeya and Nandī. However, Kārtikeya came to know that the dead soldiers of demons regained their lives by falling into the pond of ambrosia. Thus, the fighting was full of marvellous sentiment. Again, the mavellous sentiment was created when Maheśa, Viṣṇu and Brahmā saw the replicas of Tripura.