Indian aesthetics 1

INDIAN AESTHETICS
Bharata-Muni Natya sastra,
Anandavardhana Dhwanyaloka,
Abhinavagupta
Abhinavabharati ,
Locana,

Indian aesthetics
areas
 POETRY, MUSIC AND ARCHITECHTURE
 PAINTING AND SCULPTURE

UPANISHADS
 108 Upanishads
 first 13 as mukhya, 21 as SāmānyaVedānta, 20 as
Sannyāsa, 14 asVaishnava, 12 as Shaiva, 8 as
Shakta, and 20 asYoga.
 Aithereyam, Kena, Chandokya, Brihadharanyaka,
Isovasya,Thaithariyam, Mandukya, Mundaka,
kata, Prasna

Schools of philosophy
 Asthika
 Nasthika
(Budhism, Jainism , Lokayata)

Schools of Indian aesthetics
 Alankara School by Bhamaha,
 Riti School byVamana,
 Vakrokti School by Kuntaka,
 Dhvani School by Anandavardhana
 Auchitya School by Kshemendra

“From the Indian points of view aesthetics is
the science and philosophy of the
independent arts—the arts which present the
Absolute in sensuous garb in such a way that
their products serve as the effective mediums
for the getting of the experience of the
Absolute for such connoisseurs as possess the
necessary subjective conditions.
- K. C. Pandey

Art and Life
 Art and life in India have been inextricably
intertwined.
 Art as a way of life, art as ritual, art as
decoration, and art as unity with God.
 From the abstract to the figurative, and from
the figurative to the abstract

Natyasastra
 Visible poetry with prayoga
 Performer (nata) centric
 Lokavrithianukaranam natyame thanmayakrita
(imitation of the world)
(thrailokashasya sarvasya natyam bhavanukirtanam)
 suggestive (based on natyadahrmi), rather than
realistic acting based on lokadharmi

Aim of natya
 Rasa
 Religious and moral
 Dharma, artha, kama and moksha
 It offers religion (duty) for religious people,
pleasure for pleasure seekers restraints for the ill
behaved, tolerance for the well behaved
courage to the cowards and energy to the
braves knowledge for the unknowing and
wisdom for the wise enjoyment for the rich and
solace for the worried money for the needy and
stability for the disturbed.
 Brahmandasahodara

Origin of natya
 Devas under Mahendra approached Brahma
and wanted something that teach and please
and accessible for all the people( vedas were
not allowed to shudras)
 Four elements from four vedas
 Padya, gita, abhinaya and rasa (text, music,
acting and emotions)
 rupaka

Rupaka
 Rupaka is divided into ten
 natak, prakarana, bhana, prahasana,
dima, vyayoga, samavakara, vithi, anka, and
ihamriga.
 There are eighteen classes of uparupaka, the
most important of which are Natika,
Sattaka,and Trotaka.

 Vastu (the plot), neta (the hero), and rasa (the
sentiments) - essential constituents of a drama or
rupaka
 Sanskrit plays
 Absence of tragedy
 Interchange of lyrics with prose
 Sanskrit and prakrit
 Begins with nandi and ends with bharatavakya

Rasa
 “Vibhavanubhava Sanchari(vyapichari)
samyogad rasa nispatti” – Bharata
 Vibhava, Anubhava &Vyapicharibhava
 Nine rasas: Hasya, Sringara, Karuna, Roudra,
Bhayanaka, Bhibalsa, Atbhuta,Vira and Santa

RASARASA
VIBHAVA
ANUBHAVA
SANCHARI
BHAVA
RASA

Vibhavanubhava sanchari
 Vibhava- objective condition leading to
emotion.
 Alambana vibhava & Udhipana vibhava
 Anubhava – expression of emotions
 Vyapichari bhava- diverse emotions leading
to the dominant emotion

Rasa & Sthayeebhava
 Rasa – aesthetic expression
 Sthayee bhava – dominant (permanent)
emotion
 Rati (Sringara), Hasa (Hasya), Soka (Karuna),
Krodha(Roudra), Utsaha(Veera),
Bhaya(Bhayanaka), Jugupsa(Beebhalsa),
Vismaya(Atbuda), Nirveda(santa)

Sthayibhava
 Ratirhasasch shokasch krodhotsaho bhayam tatha
Jugupsa vismayaschti sthyayibhāva ha prakirtita
(N.S, 6.18)

Rasa theorist
 Udbhata
 Lollata -’ Utpatti vada’.
(Rasa – effect,Vibhava – cause)
 Sankuka
 Bhatta Nayaka -’hridaya darpana’
Questioned the theories of Lollata and Sankuka
Rejected ‘Anumana’ and vyanjana as factors
leading to Rasa nishpati

Lollata
 Rasa is an effect whileVibhavas are its direct
cause.(Karaka Hetu) (Rasa is nothing more than
an intensified and heightened Sthayibhava as a
result of the combined effects of the play, the
players and various theatrical devices.)
 Rasa is located primarily in the characters.
 Rasa-nispatti (realization of Rasa) becomes Rasa-
utpatti (production of Rasa) or upaciti
(intensification of Sthayibhavas culminating to
Rasa)

Lollata
 Vibhavas awaken, Anubhavas support andVyabhicaris
Bhavas strengthen theSthayibhavas
 The locus of Rasa and focus of attention are characters,
the imitating actors come secondarily
 The spectators are charmed by the grandeur of theatre
and the performing skills of the actors and what they
are enjoying are not their own permanent emotions but
the upacit sthayibhava (intensified permanent
emotions) of the characters and indirectly of actors.
This communication happens through the actors and
their acting skills.

Sankuka
 The cognition of Sthayibhavas is not possible
withoutVibhavas asVibhavas are the linga
through which the Sthayibhavas are cognized
 Questioned the theory of Rasa being the
intensified Sthayibhava.
 Rejects Lollata’s classification of Rasa ( Hasya
– smitha, hasitha, vihasitha, upahasitha,
apahasitha & athihasitha)
 Certain sthayi never intensifies

Bhatta Nayaka
 Bhuktivada
 Hridayadarpana
 Questioned the theory of ‘Dhwani’
 Sadharnikarana, (Universalisation/Generalisation/
Transpersonalisation of emotions in Arts)
 advocated a three function (Vyapars) theory
through which language, specially in poetry,
accomplished its desired task.

Sankuka
 only through vibhavas the spectators infer a sthayi in
the actor which in reality is not there.
 The realisation of Rasa is a process of logical
inference (vibhavas - anumapakas , Rasa anumapya.)
 Imitation of sthayibhava leads to Rasa

Bhatta Nayaka
 Rejected theories of Lollata and Sankuka
 Opposed the theory of ‘Dhwani’ in his work Hridaya
darpana
 Sadharnikarana, (Universalisation/Generalisation/
Transpersonalisation of emotions in Arts)
 Advocated a three function theory (vyapars)
through which language, specially in poetry,
accomplished its desired task

Bhatta Nayaka
 ‘Abhidha’ - contains indication (lakshana)
-Enables the artist to convey the meaning
 Bhavakatwa (bhavana) – emotive meaning
 Bhojakatwa ( bhogikarana) - relish

“Thus dominant emotions –Sthāyibhāvas, aroused by objects –
Anubhāvas, excited by excitants – Uddipanvibhāvas, manifested
through physical or movements consiquents – Anubhāvas,
nourished by transitory feelings – Sancaribhāvas. are relished by
the sympathetic readers or audience as Rasa.The reader is not
conscious of all these ingredients while relishing any sort of
sentiment. He only enjoys the sentiment as a fountain that gives
him thrill and pleasure.”
-Rama Kanth Sharma

Indian aesthetics 1

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