Rasa Theory and nine rasas

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Rasa theory:

Introduction:                                                                                                             

                    Rasa theory has presented in the Natyashashtra of Bharatmuni, he has given a definition of drama and explained that how a person can get pleasure from the drama. He has given nine rasas and the process of how it evokes in human mind with the gestures of dancer. Bharatmuni has given this theory in Natyashashtra which is considered as an additional Veda of India. It has been in existence from third century; it has taken with different perspective from that time, critics have taken these theories as a very important part for their research.

                              There are four parts of Natyashashtra, Rasa, art of recitation, art of music, and art of dancing. There is a detailed description of all the theories and how it works with human emotions, it has been considered as a very philosophical work and with deep thinking and observation. It is considered as a very important part of an Indian literature. It has written in Sanskrit, but as time passes it has translated in many modern Indian languages, Bharatmuni has given 36 thousand couplets (surtas) and 6 thousand shlocks in which he has given the explanation of the feelings which increases through art.

Process of Rasa theory:

                              “Rasa” is word which means juice and essence, in context of Bharatmuni Rasa is a kind of an essence which comes with the expressions of the artist, and the process is very interesting that first artist feels the emotion and expresses the feelings with body gestures and facial expressions and then it has understood by the audience and if audience also get the same feelings Rasa is evoked.            Bharatmuni has identified the four kinds of bhava (emotions) responsible for the various Rasas, they are known as a state of mind or state of being they are Sthayibhava, anubhav, vibhava, and Satvikbhava. Bhava (emotions) are usful to evoke the Rasas in human mind.  

            

     Bharatmuni has presented his theory of Rasa in the sixth chapter of Natyashashtra According to Bharatmuni, Rasa is the mixture of vibhav (determinate), aanubhav (consequents) and vyabhicharibhav (fleeting emotions), and with all this three emotions we can experience Rasa.

      Introduction of nine Rasas:  

1)   Attractiveness Srngaram- Love and  :

                                                         Shringaram rasa is presiding by god Vishnu, the god of love and romance and the colour of this rasa is a colour of youth, green colour, which also suggests nature in which love evokes. In the most of the description and implication of love there is a presence of nature. Shringaram is a Rasa which suggests erotic pleasure, attraction and the expression which suggests romance and love between hero and heroine. This is the special Rasa which is considered as the ‘king’ of all the Rasas.  It includes the beauty of women and men and the sensuous description of the love of both.

2)   Hasyam- Laughter and Comedy:

                                 This rasa is presiding by lord Ganesha, the god of happiness and laughter. And the colour which is connected with this rasa is white, peaceful colour which suggests the peace of mind which can be gain by laughter. In hasyam rasa there is are comic elements by the characters of drama by which they tries to make audience laugh and fresh, if there is any tragic scene one after one, dramatist used to use the comic scene to make the audience fresh and ready for the next tragic scene. In British literature there is also this kind of technique has been used by Christopher Marlow in Dr. Faustus. Sometimes dramatist put such characters which are specially set in drama to evoke hasya rasa so the audience feel relief. Hasya rasa is another important rasa as per Bharatmuni. Hasya is also a therapy as per science which can help to relief the pain.

3)   Raudram- Fury and violence:

                  This rasa is presiding by rudra, the angery nature of Shiva is considered as Rudra, and its colour is red, which suggests fire too. Rudra also consider as destroyer. This rasa evokes when there is any sequence of anger and the situation is very furious and characters are full of passion and violence. This a very important rasa as far as veer rasa is concern because both are connected with each other, after anger there is a depiction of veer rasa and the story goes on. The depiction of Raudra rasa suggests that in the story something worst will be happen soon, for example in Abhigyanshakuntalam appearance of Durvasa suggests the fear the departure of lovers. As anger spoils the relation, in Rasa theory it suggests the downfall in the life of characters.

4)   Karunyam- Compassion and Tragedy:

                   This rasa is presiding by Yama, the God of death and the colour of this rasa is gray, colour of ashes, that itself suggests that its about tragedy and departure. Karuna is the second important Rasa. As per Bharatmuni, any story cannot be completed without Karuna rasa. Compassion is very important for drama; audience can be more involved by the tragic incidents than comic or any other. This emotion touches the heart of an audience more than any other rasas. Tragic elements are necessary for drama; because of tragic elements one can get pleasure of hasyam and shrungar. Karun rasa has also its own beauty, if a character is in pain audience can get tragic aesthetic pleasure. That is the reason that the experience over tragedy we find as much enjoyment as in that of a comedy.

5)   Bibhatsam- Disgust

                                  Bibhatsa rasa is preciding by Lord Shiva, shiva is considered as a tribal man, the colour of this rasa is blue. It suggests disgust and hesitation. Bibhats rasa evokes when there is a description of such unwillingly things and such kind of situation which is not accepted and which has not morally and ideally good perception. This rasa is rarely used, but when it is in use it fills the heart of audience with disgust.

6)   Bhayanakam- Horror and  Terror

                 This rasa is presiding by the goddess kali, the angry part of parvati goddess. The image of kali, even the description of it is also horrible. The colour of Bhayanaka rasa is black; ‘kali’ a word itself suggests the black colour. The colour is also used to horrify. In the drama, it cultivates the fearin the audience by the characters. In mythological drmas, an entrance of devil or any evil power, it evokes the terror in the mind of audience which is Bhayanakam rasa.

7)   Viram- Heroic Mood:

             Veer rasa is to show power and strength of the character. It is presiding by lord Indra which suggests power and strenghth of all the Gods. The colour of this rasa is wheatish brown, near to gold colour. This rasa evokes when thre is a time of fight and the character has to show his ability and physical strength. It suggests heroic presentation by the character in drama.

8)   Adbhutam- Wonder:

Adbhutam rasa is presiding by Lord Brahma, Brahma is a writer of destiny and Adbhutam rasa is about wonder in life of character. The colour of adbhutam is yellow; it is also a colour of brightness. It evokes when an unexpected incident or  thing happens, it creates wonder in the mind of character as well as audience.

9)   Shantam- peace and tranquillity:

            The last rasa is shantam it means peace. The colour of shantam rasa is white and it is symbole of peace and also it suggests purity. The rasa is presiding by Vishnu. It evokes when all the characters are happy in their life and feeling pleasure. Most of the time it comes in the end of the drama, when there is a happy ending.

v There are also two rasas which has came in existence after this nine rasas. It was by Udbhat and Rudrat:

1)   Vatsalya- parental love :

This rasa is also suggests love but parental love, and love without any condition. When the love of parents is described in drama the vatsalya rasa evokes.

2)   Bhakti- spiritual devotion

This rasa evokes divine feelings in the heart of audience and the sense of spirituality. It also has such connections with religion. Bhakti is connected with God, and when there is mythological drama Bhakti rasa is evoked.

Conclusion:

                         Thus, if rasa created between actor and audience but yet there are types in rasa also. We can’t say it is only one but there are nine rasa and through it we can enjoy any dance of performance. So after all we can say that rasa are very important to judge any dance or performance. We are unable to judge without these nine rasa. It helps us to understand or evaluating an art so it is very important. These all rasa are related to human nature we can find it in human being. 

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