NAVA RASA

Bharata Muni enunciated the eight Rasas in the Nātyasāstra, an ancient work of dramatic theory. Each rasa, according to [Nātyasāstra]], has a presiding deity and a specific colour. There are 4 pairs of rasas. For instance, Hasya arises out of Sringara. The Aura of a frightened person is black, and the aura of an angry person is red. Bharata Muni established the following[1]:
Śṛngāram (शृन्गारं) Love, Attractiveness. Presiding deity: Vishnu. Colour: light green.
Hāsyam (हास्यं) Laughter, Mirth, Comedy. Presiding deity: Pramata. Colour: white.
Raudram (रौद्रं) Fury. Presiding deity: Rudra. Colour: red.
Karuṇam (करुणं) Compassion, Mercy. Presiding deity: Yama. Colour: grey.
Bībhatsam (बीभत्सं) Disgust, Aversion. Presiding deity: Shiva. Colour: blue
Bhayānakam (भयानकं) Horror, Terror. Presiding deity: Kala. Colour: black
Vīram (वीरं) Heroic mood. Presiding deity: Indra. Colour: yellowish
Adbhutam (अद्भुतं) Wonder, Amazement. Presiding deity: Brahma. Colour: yellow Bharata Muni enunciated the eight Rasas in the Nātyasāstra, an ancient work of dramatic theory. Each rasa, according to [Nātyasāstra]], has a presiding deity and a specific colour. There are 4 pairs of rasas. For instance, Hasya arises out of Sringara. The Aura of a frightened person is black, and the aura of an angry person is red. Bharata Muni established the following[1]:
Śṛngāram (शृन्गारं) Love, Attractiveness. Presiding deity: Vishnu. Colour: light green.
Hāsyam (हास्यं) Laughter, Mirth, Comedy. Presiding deity: Pramata. Colour: white.
Raudram (रौद्रं) Fury. Presiding deity: Rudra. Colour: red.
Karuṇam (करुणं) Compassion, Mercy. Presiding deity: Yama. Colour: grey.
Bībhatsam (बीभत्सं) Disgust, Aversion. Presiding deity: Shiva. Colour: blue
Bhayānakam (भयानकं) Horror, Terror. Presiding deity: Kala. Colour: black
Vīram (वीरं) Heroic mood. Presiding deity: Indra. Colour: yellowish
Adbhutam (अद्भुतं) Wonder, Amazement. Presiding deity: Brahma. Colour: yellow


Shanta, or tranquility, was suggested by Abhinavagupta and had to undergo a good deal of struggle between the sixth and the tenth centuries, before it could be accepted by the majority of the Alankarikas, and the expression Navarasa (the nine rasas), could come into vogue. In addition to the nine Rasas, two more appeared later (esp. in literature):
Vātsalya (वात्सल्य) Parental Love
Bhakti (भक्ति) Spiritual Devotion
Shanta, or tranquility, was suggested by Abhinavagupta and had to undergo a good deal of struggle between the sixth and the tenth centuries, before it could be accepted by the majority of the Alankarikas, and the expression Navarasa (the nine rasas), could come into vogue. In addition to the nine Rasas, two more appeared later (esp. in literature):
Vātsalya (वात्सल्य) Parental Love
Bhakti (भक्ति) Spiritual Devotion

However, the presiding deities, the colours and the relationship between these addional rasas have not been specified.

Raudram rasa of the destructive fury of Durga in Bharatanatyam
In the literary compositions, the emotion of Bhakti as a feeling of adoration towards God was long considered only a minor feeling fit only for Stothras, but not capable of being developed into a separate rasa as the sole theme of a whole poem or drama. In the tenth century, it was still struggling, and Aacharya Abhinavagupta mentions Bhakti in his commentary on the Natya Shastra, as an important accessory sentiment of the Shanta Rasa, which he strove with great effort to establish. However, just as Shantha slowly attained a state of primacy that it was considered the Rasa of Rasas, Bhakti also soon began to loom large and despite the lukewarmness of the great run of Alankarikas, had the service of some distinguished advocates, including Tyagaraja. It is the Bhagavata that gave the great impetus to the study of Bhakti from an increasingly aesthetic point of view.
A Rasa is the developed relishable state of a permanent mood, which is called Sthayi Bhava. This development towards a relishable state results by the interplay on it of attendant emotional conditions which are called Vibhavas, Anubhavas and Sanchari Bhavas. Vibhavas means Karana or cause: it is of two kinds - Alambana, the personal or human object and substratum, and Uddipana, the excitants. Anubhava, as the name signifies, means the ensuants or effects following the rise of the emotion. Sanchari Bhavas are those crossing feelings which are ancillary to a permanent mood. Eight more emotional features are to be added, namely, the Saatvika Bhavas.[2]However, the presiding deities, the colours and the relationship between these addional rasas have not been specified.

Raudram rasa of the destructive fury of Durga in Bharatanatyam
In the literary compositions, the emotion of Bhakti as a feeling of adoration towards God was long considered only a minor feeling fit only for Stothras, but not capable of being developed into a separate rasa as the sole theme of a whole poem or drama. In the tenth century, it was still struggling, and Aacharya Abhinavagupta mentions Bhakti in his commentary on the Natya Shastra, as an important accessory sentiment of the Shanta Rasa, which he strove with great effort to establish. However, just as Shantha slowly attained a state of primacy that it was considered the Rasa of Rasas, Bhakti also soon began to loom large and despite the lukewarmness of the great run of Alankarikas, had the service of some distinguished advocates, including Tyagaraja. It is the Bhagavata that gave the great impetus to the study of Bhakti from an increasingly aesthetic point of view.
A Rasa is the developed relishable state of a permanent mood, which is called Sthayi Bhava. This development towards a relishable state results by the interplay on it of attendant emotional conditions which are called Vibhavas, Anubhavas and Sanchari Bhavas. Vibhavas means Karana or cause: it is of two kinds - Alambana, the personal or human object and substratum, and Uddipana, the excitants. Anubhava, as the name signifies, means the ensuants or effects following the rise of the emotion. Sanchari Bhavas are those crossing feelings which are ancillary to a permanent mood. Eight more emotional features are to be added, namely, the Saatvika Bhavas.[2]

The Rasas in the Performing Arts
Indian performing arts, a rasa is an emotion inspired in an audience by a performer. They are described by Bharata Muni in the Nātyasāstra, an ancient work of dramatic theory. Rasas are created by bhavas: the gestures and facial expressions of the actors.[3]Expressing Rasa in classical Indian dance form is referred to as Rasa-abhinaya. The Nātyasāstra carefully delineates the bhavas used to create each rasa.
The theory of rasas still forms the aesthetic underpinning of all Indian classical dance and theatre, such as Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, Odissi, Manipuri, Kudiyattam, Kathakali and others.
The expressions used in Kudiyattam or Kathakali are extremely exaggerated theatrical expressions. The opposite of this interpretation is Balasaraswathi's school of subtle and understated abhinaya of the devadasis. There were serious public debates when Balasaraswathi condemned Rukmini Devi's puritanistic interpretations and applications of Sringara rasa. The abhinaya of the Melattur style of abhinaya remains extremely rich in variations of the emotions, while the Pandanallur style expressions are more limited in scope.

[edit] The Bhavas
The Natyasastra identifies eight rasas with eight corresponding bhava:
Rati (Love)
Hasya (Mirth)
Soka (Sorrow)
Krodha(Anger)
Utsaha (Energy)
Bhaya (Terror)
Jugupsa (Disgust)
Vismaya (Astonishment) The Rasas in the Performing Arts
Indian performing arts, a rasa is an emotion inspired in an audience by a performer. They are described by Bharata Muni in the Nātyasāstra, an ancient work of dramatic theory. Rasas are created by bhavas: the gestures and facial expressions of the actors.[3]Expressing Rasa in classical Indian dance form is referred to as Rasa-abhinaya. The Nātyasāstra carefully delineates the bhavas used to create each rasa.
The theory of rasas still forms the aesthetic underpinning of all Indian classical dance and theatre, such as Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, Odissi, Manipuri, Kudiyattam, Kathakali and others.
The expressions used in Kudiyattam or Kathakali are extremely exaggerated theatrical expressions. The opposite of this interpretation is Balasaraswathi's school of subtle and understated abhinaya of the devadasis. There were serious public debates when Balasaraswathi condemned Rukmini Devi's puritanistic interpretations and applications of Sringara rasa. The abhinaya of the Melattur style of abhinaya remains extremely rich in variations of the emotions, while the Pandanallur style expressions are more limited in scope.

[edit] The Bhavas
The Natyasastra identifies eight rasas with eight corresponding bhava:
Rati (Love)
Hasya (Mirth)
Soka (Sorrow)
Krodha(Anger)
Utsaha (Energy)
Bhaya (Terror)
Jugupsa (Disgust)
Vismaya (Astonishment)

Six Ornaments of Indian

Aryadeva, Born from a Lotus(Abhayadatta Shri #18. Vajrasana #2) Miraculously born from a lotus, Aryadeva was raised by the king of Sri Lanka. As a young man he went to study with the renowned master Nagarjuna, eventually becoming his spiritual heir.During the same time, there also lived a very learned non-Buddhist named Matracheta who lived in western India. Matracheta was a physician that had saved thousands of lives during an epidemic and had a large and fiercely loyal following. It was said that no man born from a human womb could defeat him in debate or combat. Empowered by Maheshvara, Matracheta was able to shoot fire from his forehead, utterly destroying all who challenged him in combat. He also had special advantages while debating, for Maheshvara would secretly enter his body to help him, Shiva would write answers to questions by using invisible ink written in the sky, a magical parrot would whisper helpful tips in his ear, and the goddess Sarasvati would come to his aid with beautiful and wise verses. Having vast knowledge and supernatural aid, Matracheta had never been defeated and became known as 'The Black Conqueror'.On a continual quest to find a worthy adversary, Matracheta eventually arrived at Nalanda monastery along with his retinue of followers. Knowing of Matracheta's power, none of the monks of Nalanda challenged him. The non-Buddhists then surrounded Nalanda and began beating a drum and declaring victory, occasionally entering the grounds to assault and humiliate the defenseless monks. While still surrounded, the abbot of Nalanda had a dream that Mahakala, a fierce protector of Buddhism, was angered by the invaders and told him to summon Nagarjuna from the south to challenge Matracheta. A black crow with a message tied to its leg was dispatched to find Nagarjuna. When the messenger bird delivered the urgent plea, Nagarjuna was anxious to challenge Matracheta immediately, but Aryadeva held him back. Aryadeva told Nagarjuna that he was too old, but that he would gladly go in his place. Nagarjuna agreed and quickly taught his student the art of debate and then bid him farewell.

Asanga, Arya (Tibetan: tog me, pag pa): the 4th century founder of the Mind Only School of Buddhist Philosophy. This composition belongs to a set of nine paintings depicting the Six Ornaments and Two Excellent Ones of the Southern Continent. (See the story of Asanga in the For Kids section of the web site)
Gazing downward and to the side he holds the two hands at the heart in the mudra (gesture) of Dharma teaching. Attired in the orange patchwork robes of a monk he also wears a pandita (scholars) hat. With the legs forward, the left supported by a footstool, he is seated atop an elaborate snow lion supported throne, the head surrounded by a dark green aureole.
From early youth until mid-life Asanga lived and studied in a monastery (middle left), then he withdrew to a cave retreat (upper right) with the determination to actually see the bodhisattva Maitreya. After three years without results, discouraged, he left the cave. Upon meeting with a patient man who was engaged in making a needle by rubbing a large piece of iron with a small piece of cotton cloth (middle right), Asanga resolved to go back to the cave and persevere. After another six years had passed he again became discouraged and left the cave. Again seeing a man with a small spoon slowly digging away at a mountain that was blocking the light from shining on his house (lower middle right), Asanga renewed his resolve and returned to the cave. After another 3 years, thoroughly discouraged, he left the cave to return to the monastery.
Along the way near the town of Achinta meeting upon an old mangy dog with a back covered in sores and a host of maggots feeding on the wounds (bottom left). With thoughts of compassion he cut a piece of flesh from his own body and began to remove the maggots with his tongue to place on the substitute meat, suddenly the dog vanished and the bodhisattva Maitreya appeared in front. Asanga immediately asked where he had been all these years and Maitreya responded that he had been by Asanga's side all this time and if he didn't believe him, then he should hoist the bodhisattva onto his shoulders and carry him through the town. When Asanga did this, amongst all the townspeople, only an old pious beggar woman was able to see a mangy old dog on Asanga's shoulder (bottom right). No one saw the form of the bodhisattva Maitreya.
After this, Maitreya and Asanga flew into the air and up to the Tushita heaven (top right) where the bodhisattva taught Buddhist principles to Asanga for 50 years (top left). When Asanga finally returned to earth he brought back with him the famous Five Texts of Maitreya.

Six Ornaments of Indian Art

NagarjunaIt was prophesied at his birth that Nagarjuna would live for only ten days but because of pious actions by his father, his life expectancy was raised to seven years. At age seven his parents sent him away from their home because they could not bear the thought of seeing his corpse. He eventually arrived at the great monastic academy Nalanda. At Nalanda he was initiated into meditation practice by the master Saraha (Rahulabhadra) and attained immortality. Nagarjuna became a great teacher and was widely known in all Buddhist traditions.Over time Nagarjuna's grasp of the Buddha's teaching deepened and he expressed his understanding in a series of commentaries which taught the doctrine of emptiness and clarified the Middle Way. His teachings became especially revered and important to practitioners of the Mahayana Buddhist Tradition and became the foundation for the Madhyamaka School of philosophy. At one point during Nagarjuna's long life of ceaseless teaching Nagas, nature spirits that appear as snakes, visited him. The Nagas offered him a teaching of Shakyamuni Buddha known as the One Hundred Thousand Verse Prajnaparamita Sutra that had never been seen in the human world. Nagarjuna also established a vast number of temples and stupas and converted countless non-Buddhists in great debates. The end of Nagarjuna's life was spent in mediation at Shri Parvata and after his death Aryadeva carried on his work.