Part 1.3e - Adbhuta Rasa (The Marvelous Sentiment)

Bharata, opines that the Adbhuta rasa has its basis the sthāyibhāva or permanent mood of utsāha (wonder). This sentiment is created by Vibhāvas or determinents such as sight of heavenly beings or events, attainment of desired objects, entrance into a superior mansion, temple, audience hall, a seven storied palace and seeing illusory and magical acts. Wide opening of eyes, looking with fixed gaze, horripilation, tears of joy, perspiration, joy, uttering words of approbation, making gifts, movement of fingers are the anubhāvas of this rasa. The vyabhicāribhāvas of this rasa are weeping, paralysis, perspiration, choking voice, horripilation, agitation, hurry, inactivity, death etc.^[1]

In the 5th act of this Prakaraṇa Bhavabhūti describes the entrance of Kapālakuṇḍalā by a heavenly path and her miraculous power and her aerial journey. The description about her journey creates wonder in the mind of readers.^[2]

Besides, in the verse karṇābhyarṇavidīrṇasṛkkavikaṭavyādāna......................^[3] etc Mādhava depicts the activities of fiends which creates wonder in the mind of readers. Here, the sight of goblins are ālambanavibhāva, the activities of goblins are uddīpanavibhāva wide opening eyes of goblins are anubhāvas and choking voices of goblins are vyabhicāribhāva.

In the 8^th act, again there is another description of Kapālakuṇḍalā lifting Mālatī to Śrīparvata.^[4] The description of this unusual phenomenon also creates wonder in the minds of spectators. Hence, this is a case of Adbhuta rasa.

In the 10^th act a terrible admixture of darkness and lightning is found where the perceptive power of the eye appears for a moment and then vanishes.^[5] This scene creates wonder in the mind of Kāmandakī and Makaranda holds it as the greatness of Yoga.^[6] All these are regarded as the elements of Adbhuta rasa.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

athādbhūto nāma vismayasthāyibhvātmakaḥ / sa ca divyajanadarśanepsitaḥ monorathāvāptyupavanadevakulādigamanasabhāvimānamayendrajālasam bhāvanādibhirvibhāvairutpadyate / tasya nayana vistārānimeṣaprekṣaṇaro māñcāśrusvede harṣasā dhuvādānapravandhahāhākārabāhuvadanace lāṅgulibhramanādibhiranubhāvairabhinayaḥ prayoktavyaḥ / bhāvāścāsya stambhāśrusvedagadgadaromāñcāvega sambhramojaḍatā pralayādayah //
   –Nāṭyaśāstra,VI.p.330

[2]:

viṣvagvṛttirjaṭānāṃ prasalati nibiḍagranthivadho'pi bhārah /
saṃskārakvāṇadīrgham paṭu raṭati kṛtāvṛttikhaṭvāṅgaghaṇṭā //
urdhvaṃ dhūnoti vāyurvivṛtaśavaśiraḥśreṇikuñjeṣu guñja /
daṅṣṭrākoṭivisaṅkaṭairita ito dhāvadbhirākīryate //
vidyutpuñjanikāśakeśanayanabhrūśmasrujāloirnabho /
lakṣyālakṣyaviśuṣkadīrghavapuṣāmulkāmukhānāṃ mukhaiḥ // Ibid.,V.13

—[yāvacrīparvatamupānīya lavaśo lavaśa enāṃ nikṛtya duḥkhamaraṇāṃ karomi/
  –Ibid.,VIII.p.168]

—[nnuttālaḥ kimkiṇīnāmanavarataraṇatkārahetuḥ patākāḥ //
  –Mālatīmādhava,V.4]

[3]:

karṇābhyarṇavidīrṇasṛkkavikaṭavyādānadīptāgnibhira /
daṅṣṭrākoṭivisaṅkaṭairita ito dhāvadbhirākīryate //
vidyutpuñjanikāśakeśanayanabhrūśmasrujāloirnabho /
lakṣyālakṣyaviśuṣkadīrghavapuṣāmulkāmukhānāṃ mukhaiḥ // Ibid.,V.13

[4]:

yāvachrīparvatamupānīya lavaśo lavaśa enāṃ nikṛtya duḥkhamaraṇāṃ karomi/
Ibid.,VIII.p.168

[5]:

āścaryamāścaryam-vyatikara iva bhīmastāmaso vaidyutaśca/
kṣaṇamupahitacakṣurvṛttirūdbhūya śāntaḥ//
Ibid., X.8

[6]:

kathamiha mama vatsastatkimetat kimanyat prabhavati hi mahimnā svena yogīśvarīyam//
Ibid.,X.p.208