Dramaturgy in the Venisamhara
by Debi Prasad Namasudra | 2016 | 70,412 words
This page relates ‘Rasa-carvana (The relish of Rasa)’ of the study dealing with the Venisamhara of Bhatta Narayana and its practical application of Sanskrit Dramaturgy. The Veni-Samhara is an extraordinary drama in Sanskrit literature which revolves around the great war of Mahabharata within six Acts. This study deals with the author, background and the technical aspects, reflecting the ancient Indian tradition of dramaturgy (Natya-Shastra).
Rasa-carvaṇa (The relish of Rasa)
“The very connotation of the term Rasa is that which can be relished.”[1]
Effect of the relish of the Rasa, metaphorically called flavour, is very wonderful. It creates an ecstatic joy in the heart of the enjoyer and leaves upon him an impression of wonder (camatkāra), which is the source of uncommon delight (lakottara-ānanda). It is compared to the bliss enjoyed by a yogin when he is in unison with Self. The relish of Rasa creates a concentrated state of mental harmony (sattvodreka) unadulterated with any other element of human nature; and for this reason, irrespective of the nature and substratum of a particular type of rasa which is relished; there is an outcome of joy to a sensible person (sahṛdaya). That is why even Karuṇa-rasa or Bibhatsa-rasa with grief and disgust as their basic features produce a state of jubilance in the mind of the enjoyer, and elevate him to the realm of total bliss.[2] It is so possible for the simple reason that an enjoyer in course of his cognition (bhāvanā) of a rasa feels that his individual existence in this world which is subjected to diverse disabilities by virtue of his birth, caste, status, wealth and other circumstances sinks, and he is full sympathy with the sentiment which is an expression of Self[3].
This enjoy some attitude is the result of the force of fruition which is again a mental operation or an effectum mentis called Bhoga-kṛttva-vyāpāra. These two forces of cognition and fruition (bhāvaktava and bhogakrtva) respectively relive the enjoyer of his individual existence and identifies him with the substratum (ālambana) of the rasa. The cumulative effect of these two forces is to remove the collateral obstructions from the course of indetification, which are caused by such factors as distance of time, place and personality including a feeling of unapproachability to the other ālambana of rati felt by the relisher in case of the Śṛṅgāra-rasa. The mental fusion (dhruti) is the result of the sentimental relish (rasavāda), which has a maddening effect having an oblivois tendency.[4]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
“Rasyate ili rasah”….; “Asvadyatvat rasah”.
[3]:
[4]:
There are various schools of rhetrocians who have their own theoris about the process of sentimental relish, one refuting the other and going a step ahead of him by one’s forensic skill. A detailed presentation of these views and their critical study becomes out of place in this dissertation as it purports to deal more with the practice of the dramatists.