Two recent works on Sanskrit aesthetics

Abstract

In the whole range of Sanskrit poetics and Indian aesthetics, the Nât yasastra (NS) of Bharata and the Dhvanyâloka (Dh.A.) of Anandavard hana are the basic texts, and the Abhinavabhârati (A.Bh.) and the Dhvanyalokalocana (Dh. A. L.) are the famous commentaries on them by Abhinavagupta, who was one of the most profound philosophers and literary critics that mediaeval India produced. The difficulty of Abhinava gupta's writings is proverbial. The Dh.A.L. is, admittedly, often more erudite and certainly more difficult than the text of the Dh.A. But most of it can be made intelligible through a deeper acquaintance with Abhina vagupta's diction and style. To understand the A.Bh. is a much more difficult task, since the text has suffered heavily at the hands of scribes. Consequently it is in many places highly corrupt and often totally un intelligible. In spite of these difficulties, the fact remains that these two works of Abhinavagupta are without parallel in the field of Indian poetics and aesthetics. These texts contain within them many of the early Indian views on the philosophy of beauty. The most important of all these concepts has proved to be rasa, 'aesthetic rapture'. If one were to judge Sanskrit literary criticism by universal standards, there can be no doubt that rasa takes its place as the greatest contribution that India has made to the world of literary criticism. Abhinavagupta's commentary on Bharata's Rasâdhyâya (NS, Ch. VI), especially on the famous rasasutra, is, although comparatively well preserved, undoubtedly a very difficult text. The credit for a scholarly and lucid exposition of this section of the A.Bh. goes to Professor R. Gnoli. His work, The Aesthetic Experience According to Abhinavagupta, presents a critical edition of this portion of the A.Bh. with a richly annotated translation. It is prefaced with a valuable Intro duction dealing with the commentators on the rasasutra and the theory of rasa. It also provides a translation of two important passages in Appendices I and II. The first deals with the 'other-worldly' (alaukikatva) nature of drama (A.Bh. on NS I. 107) and the other, with the nature of rasa (Dh.A. 1.18). This critical edition by Prof. Gnoli presents the theory