Bharata Muni explained the relationship between performers and audience in his book Natya Shastra. He prescribes a number of details concerning emotion and feeling to be expressed by the actors. He methodically describes the art of such expressions in stylized tones and gestures suiting the status of the character.
1. Sthayi bhavas (basic mental states)
Includes the modified forms of basic drives or instincts as a result of centuries of an evolutionary process of humanization and social living. Sthayi bhavas are Rati (erotic love), Shoka (grief), Krodha (wrath), Utsaha (energy), Bhaya (fear), Hasya (humour), Jugupsa (disgust). These are heightened to Rasadasha (a relish able state) by the poet so that we have one Rasa (aesthetic sentiment) corresponding to each of them. The corresponding Rasas (aesthetic sentiments) of the Sthayi bhavas (basic sentiments) are Shrangar (erotic), Karuna (pathetic), Raudra (anger), Vira (heroic), Bhayanaka (fear), Hasya (laughter), Bibhatsa (disgust), Adbhuta (wonder). The poet succeeds in doing this by resorting to the devices of concretization.
2. Vibhavas (causes and determinants of the rise of an emotion)
“Vibhavanubhavavyabhicharisamyogata rasanishapattih” (the savoring of the emotion is possible through the combination or integration of these elements: Vibhava (causes and determinants of the rise of an emotion), Anubhava (gestures expressive of what is going on in the heart or the mind of main characters, like casting a terrified glance, heaving a sigh or involuntarily shedding a tear), and Vyabhicharibhavas (transitory emotions which go along with and consequently reinforce prevailing mood or emotional disposition).
The Vibhavas (causes and determinants of the rise of emotion) are of two kinds: Alamban and Uddipan (features or circumstances that accentuate the feelings of Alamban (hero or heroine)).
The Alamban (supporting causes, usually the hero or the heroine or such objects) are again of two types—Vishaylamban (person or object of the rise of an emotion or the person or object for whom the emotion is awakened) and Ashramban (person in whom the emotion is awakened).
3. Anubhavas (voluntary gestures)
These include the physical changes due to the rise of emotion, and they are called so because:
i) they communicate the basic emotion to the characters, present on stage
ii) they make known the nature of emotion in the hero
iii) they make the spectator experience an identical emotion.
4. Sattvikas
Takes place involuntarily when a concerned emotion is present in the heart. They are eight in number: ‘Sveda’ or perspiration; ‘Stambha’ or stupefaction; ‘Kumpa’ or tremor; ‘Ashru’ or tears; ‘Romancha’ or horripilation; ‘Pralaya’ or swoon; ‘Vaivanya’ or pallor; ‘Svarabhanga’ or change of voice.
5. Vyabhicharibhavas (transient emotions)
The mental state which pervades the mind of the spectator is of two types: Vyabhicharibhavas (transient emotions) and Sthayibhavas (basic mental states).
There are thirty-three Vyabhicharibhavas: - ‘Nirveda’ or discouragement indicated by tears, sighs, pensiveness, etc.; - ‘Glani’ or internal weakness by weak voice, lusterless eyes, sleeplessness, gait; - ‘Shanka’ or apprehension by unsteady looks, hesitating movements; - ‘Asuya’ or jealousy by decrying others’ merits; - ‘Mada’ or intoxication by laughing, singing, sneezing, hiccough; - ‘Srama’ or exhaustion by heavy breaths, twisting of limbs; - ‘Alasya’ or sloth by moroseness, sleeplessness, disinterest in work; - ‘Dianya’ depression by dullness, absentmindedness, negligence of cleanliness; - ‘Chinta’ or anxiety by deep breathing, meditation, sighing, agony; - ‘Moha’ or distraction by reeling sensations and staggering looks; - ‘Smrti’ or remembrance by knitting of eyebrows, nodding of the head; - ‘Dhrti’ or composure by general indifference to grief or passion, etc.; - ‘Vridness’ of a or bashfulness by the dullness of eyes, scratching of nails; - ‘Chapalata’ or inconstancy by harsh words, rebuke; - ‘Harsha’ or joy by the brightness of looks; - ‘Avega’ or agitation by distress in limbs, tightening of clothes; - ‘Jadata’ or stupor by loss of movement and energy, blank gazes; - ‘Garva or pride by irresponsiveness, haughty manners, sarcastic smiles; - ‘Vishada’ or dismay by deep breathing, loss of energy; - ‘Autsukya’ or eagerness by sighs, drowsiness, thinking; - ‘Nirada’ or sleep by obvious gestures - ‘Apasamara’ or catalepsy by throbbing, tremor, perspiration; - ‘Supta’ or dreaming by obvious ensuing; - ‘Vibodha’ or wakefulness by yawning; - ‘Amarsha’ or anger by evident gestures; - ‘Avahittaha’ or dissimulation by a break in speech, feigned patience; - ‘Ugrata’ or vehemence by acrimony, scolding, threatening; - ‘Mati’ or rationality by the coolness of behaviour, ascertaining meaning; - ‘Vyadhi’ or sickness by evident symptoms; - ‘Unmada’ or insanity by evident behaviour; - ‘Marana’ death by evident symptoms; - ‘Trasa’ or terror by evident symptoms; - ‘Vitarka’ or reasoning by evident symptoms.
According to the ancient theorists, each of us is fitted with a built-in structure of ‘Sthayi bhavas’ or basic mental states which are the modified forms of basic drives or instincts as a result of centuries of the evolutionary process of humanization and social living. It is the Sthayi bhava which is the basis of rasa. Vibhava, Anubhava and Vyabhicharibhava awaken this innate emotion bringing it into a relishable flavour called rasa.
Bharata mentions eight rasas to which three more rasas have been added by Udabhta and Abhinavagupta as given below:
Sringara || Rati || Romance
Hasya || Hasa || Humour
Karuna || Shoka || Compassion
Roudra || Krodha || Anger
Veera || Utsaha || Valour
Bhayanaka || Bhaya || Fear
Bibhatsa || Jugupsa || Disgust
Adbhuta || Vismaya || Marvel
The added ones by Udabhata & Abhinavagupta include:
Bhagavadarati || bhakti || Love towards God;
Apatyarati || Vatsalya || Love towards children acaryas;
Sama || Shanta || Mental tranquility.
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