Seminar On Indian Aesthetics

  

 

The dices turned to the lucky number of six when a renowned poet, playwright, critic & translator Dr. H. S Shivaprkarash came to enlighten us with his knowledge of rasa theory. To his credit he has Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for playwrighting in 1997. His works has been widely published and translated into many other Indian languages. His area of interests include bhakti studies, comparative aesthetics, history of literature, theater. folklore and linguistics. 

With beautiful references, examples and anecdotes from the ancient scriptures and literature ,even in from Sanskrit sholakas he explained us the Development of Rasa theory. 

On the 1st day he gave a brief introduction about the types of art & explained us that Natraj is the sprit of all arts. He said that human beings are homo-articos as creativity is present in all human beings but it is more active in artists poets etc. The ontology of art according to him is real as its shared by  others & its not like as an ordinary experiences, art experiences are different. He said that art produces joy, so immense that it overpowers our mind & it is the joy which is common in all arts. And creativity is the source of making things beautifuliful, which gives joy. 

After the introduction  about arts and the interrelation between arts, the next day he elucidated the topic further and explained the meaning of rasa and gave a brief introduction about rasa types and the controversies about the rasa theory. He informed us that rasa is a very old word even older then Natyashastra itself.

It means essence or juice in a metaphysical way. It was used for the 1st time in the context to drama and then later it was used in relation to other arts. The types of rasa he said are basically 89 as in mentioned in Natyasastra, but later by Abhnivagupta  a commentator one more rasa was introduced.

the rasas are as follows-

  • shingar [love ] ras

  • hasya [comedy] ras

  • veer [victory] ras

  • raudra [anger] ras

  • karuna [compassion] ras

  • adbhud [wonder] ras

  • vibhastya [disgust] ras

  • bhayanak [fear] ras

  • and shant [peace] ras vich ws later intoduced

 

All these rasas are expressions – and the alchemical process to transform the bhavas which are ordinary experiences to rasa is art.