Rasa Essay

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In Europe, drama has been chiefly divid marriage ed into two classes–comedy and tragedy. In India, drama has been divided into nine classes. The class of a drama is determined by the Rasa or sentiment which the poet or playwright chiefly intends to embody in his drama. As there are nine Rasas or sentiments according to Sanskrit rhetoricians–drama also falls into nine classes. The theory of Rasa was propounded by Bharatmuni in Natyashashtra. He refers to Rasa as the delight that the audience derives from its experience of the generalized emotions presented in the drama. Seeing any evil or good action, one gets delight or sorrow. This sorrow or delight is known as Rasa in literature. According to Bharatamuni in this world 'nothing exists or excels without Rasa'. Similarly, in literature, without Rasa, the purpose of composition can not be achieved.There are eight Rasa in Natya of representation.Out of the eight Rasa, Karun Rasa is one of the prominent Rasas which has its Sthayibhava as Shoka or grief. The theory of Rasa is built around the concept of Bhava which is divided into Vibhava, Sthayibhava, Sancharibhava, Anubhava and Sattvikabhava. Rasa and Bhava are mutual illuminators. Bhavabhuti in the Uttar Ram Charitam has explained Karun Rasa as the main Rasa. When one feels very sad or sorrow, seeing one's plight condition, that situation is of Karun Rasa. It may occur due to many reasons such as death, separation, journey,plight condition etc. The drama which predominantly portrays and evokes the emotions or sentiments of pathos is a drama that belongs to Karun Rasa. On the basis of Abhinava Gupta's Sankhya Theory of ' Trigunatamaka Prakriti', Karun Rasa is of three kinds,they are namely- 1.Sattvika 2.Rajasika 3.Tamasika The grief caused by destruction of righteousness is Sattvika. The grief caused by the loss of worldly esteem and well being is Rajasika and
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