Part 9 - Sentiments (rasa) used in a Samavakāra

According to the rule, Samavakāra should have all the sentiments as necessity but the heroic (vīra) is the principal sentiment.

The other sentiments should touch the drama, i.e.

1. [heroic (vīra)],
2. pathetic (karuṇa),
3. laughter (hāsya),
4. horrific (bhayānaka),
5. erotic (śṛṅgāra) and
6. marvelous (adbhuta).

Heroic sentiment:

Samavakāra has a story of the gods and the demons, which constitutes heroic (vīra) sentiment as the main sentiment. Gods were clever who snatched everything from demons by force and fought for ambrosia. In the first act, the arguments between Indra, Varuṇa and Bṛhaspati show how they are proud and to prove their greatness. In second act, when Bali listens about the war, he leaves everything behind even the beautiful girl like Mohanikā and valuable thing ambrosia without being greedy, because of his heroic nature.

Erotic sentiment:

The erotic (śṛṅgāra) sentiment is just reflected in the first act, when Lakṣmī sees the portrait of Kṛṣṇa, she is smitten by love and appreciates the portrait of Kṛṣṇa,

“aho rūpam aho rūpam! sthāne mahāmunayaḥ puruṣottamamanirmitam vyāharanti,
na khalu na khalu etādṛśam rūpam kenāpi nirmīyate”
  –(Samudramanthana, C. Dalal, p.158).

Kṛṣṇa also cannot stop him without praising the beauty of Lakṣmī, when comes out of the ocean by churning,

“adhijalanidhigarbham ko’pi lāvaṇyavārddhirnivasati janirasyāstatra nūnam babhūva”
  –(I.56).

She is for him; other gods should not look at her. Maheśa says,

“nūnamiyam sā bhāvinī puruṣottamasya vallabhā lakṣmīstadevam tāvat”
  –(Samudramanthana, C. Dalal, p.171).

Then in the second act, the erotic (śṛṅgāra) sentiment manifests through Bali and Mohanikā.

Bali losses his control watching her beauty and immediate he proposes his love,

“māmanugṛhāṇa mugdhe! dṛkpātairamṛtapāṭavagrahilaiḥ,
jīvitamajīvitam me samprati subhru! tvadāyattam”
  –(II. 5).

He did not even hesitate to disclose in front of Guru Bhārgava, that he loves Mohanikā. The context of Mohanikā and Bali is very interesting.

It also creates some laughter through the love. Vatsarāja has arranged this very beautifully.

Terrible sentiment:

The terrible (bhayaṅkara) sentiment is applied when Lakṣmī comes to the beach-forest with friends Dhṛti and Lajjā, to worship Pārvatīand they face a terrible tropical-storm. It creates panic in the mind of Lakṣmī and others (I.16). Then at the end of the first act, the same calamity strikes. As effect, everything has been void within few minutes. Kṛṣṇa is worried. The gods became frightened and move here and there (I.69 and I.70).

Again, terrible (bhayaṅkara) sentiment is in the third act, when Śukra creates artificial panic to take revenge on Kṛṣṇa, who brought ambrosia from Bali, in deceitful way.

Therefore, he wants to take revenge with Kṛṣṇa–

anhāya lumpanniva ………… ko’pi naṭo’ndhakāraḥ.
  –(III.5).

Laughter sentiment:

Then laughter (hāsya) sentiment manifests when Padmaka and Niṣṭhuraka converse ith each other. For example, when Padmaka says my wife is hot with the temperature and now she resides in the ocean. Niṣṭhuraka asks him in comic way that if she is getting heat in the ocean means being inside the water, then what will happen if she will come out? She may burn here. In this way, their total conversation creates humour. Then in the second act, the erotic conversations between Bali and Mohanikā are quite laughable.

Pathetic sentiment:

Then pathetic (karuṇa) is applied in the third act, when the churning of the ocean is finished, so many troubles are seen. Lakṣmī is worried about her father Samudra. She thinks every moment, how is heand in which condition he passes his time now. Kṛṣṇa is with her.

He tries to console her in every moment–

“muñca priye! pitṛviyogabhayākulatvam………… jalajantuvadantarabdheḥ”
  –(III.2).

Again, in the third act, the pathetic sentiment is manifested when Samudra reached with Varuṇa and seeing father Samudra, Lakṣmī becomes imotional, her eyes become full with tears and she immediately embraces him. Samudra consoles her and says, do not worry daughter, everything will be correct.

Marvellous sentiment:

Then marvellous (adbhuta) sentiment is applied in the third act, when Samudra decides the marriage of Lakṣmī with Kṛṣṇa and gives her away to Kṛṣṇa in front of all gods. Before their marriage, they both are excited thinking about what father or Samudra will do. Vatsarāja nicely brings the end using marvelous sentiment.