The Nava Rasa in Indian Music

Man has an inner life and an outer life as well. These two lives are interactive. Our surrounding is very much influenced by the state of our mind and vice versa. Through the gateways of our five senses our outer world gets into our blood stream and then carried to the seat of comprehension. Then a kind of secretion takes place. This particular secretion is known as “Rasa” in Indian philosophy. Albeit this principal is theoretically endorsed by our anatomists too.

Senses are active in other animals too but they do not carry the outer world to the shrine of intellect. Their role ends only in corporal receptivity.

Indian thinkers have conceived nine “Rasas” and logically related them to the theory of evolution:

1 Shringar(Love): It is a passion shared by all creatures from the meanest to the noblest. It is a key to the secret of procreation. Existence of this crowning “Rasa” between “Purush” (human) and “Prakriti” (Nature) led to the creation of this world. That is what claims our mythology.

2 Veer(Heroism): Next in importance is the Veer Rasa. It is shared by higher species besides man. The tiger, lion, elephant, bull etc can be enlisted in this category. Mythologies scintillate with heroic stories.

3 Karun (Tenderness): it is an expression of a delicate and soft feeling mainly inspiring a sense of sympathy towards the distressed or destitute.
A subcategory of Karun Rasa is “Vatsalya Rasa” which emanates from a mother child relationship. Besides human being this can be found in other mammals too.

4 Raudra(Anger): Some higher animals like lion, Tiger, elephant, Bull, etc share this faculty with the human being. Violence and conflict are the natural outcome of this. “Red rag to bull” is an apt expression to confirm the existence of this Rasa is a bull and human being under the influence of this starts breathing fire and brimstone.

5 Haasya(Mirth): Haasya Rasa can be relished only by human, prerogative. This Rasa secretes only when the senses allow outer world enter the seat of intelligence. This Rasa has its salutary effect on the body and the mind of a person and the society as a whole. It lightens a swollen heart and makes life a happy experience.

6 Bhayanak(Terror): Bhayanak Rasa creates a state of mind in which a person finds himself in a fit of shock and puzzle. Anything formidable or gruesome either in material world or nature can cause this Rasa to ooze out. Besides human beings many other creatures of all hierarchy share this capability.

7 Vibhatsa(Disgust): Anything ugly, horrifying or loathsome not belonging to one’s day to day life may cause the secretion of this Rasa. To possess a relevant state of mind a sharp faculty of cognition is required which only a human mind can claim.

8 Adbhut(surprise): Just in contrast to Vibhatsa is Adbhut Rasa. Anything that falls beyond one’s day to day experience either in material or spiritual world can squeeze out this Rasa. Secretion of this Rasa brings about a blissful state of mind in which a person feels himself absolutely transported. A well developed cognitive power is essential to relish the taste of this Rasa. This faculty was acquired by human beings quite late in his race for civilization.

9 Shaant(tranquility): It is a state of mind achieved by our saints and sages. A certain amount of stoicism in character is required in character is required to attain this mental condition. This does not mean that in normal life one cannot experience the blessedness of Shaant Rasa. Our sincere efforts to steer away from all detrimental passions like jealousy, avarice, lust and revenge would definitely pave our way towards the shrine of Shaant Rasa, and peace and tranquility would prevail over an agitated and restless mind.

Coming to the next phase of our consideration an attempt would be made through these pages to rivet music and Nava Rasa together. Our deliberation would certainly be concentrated to discover the amount of efficacy that music has over human mind in relation to Rasa.

At the very outset it is undertaken that these speculation would remain confined within the periphery of North Indian Music System or “Hindustani Sangeet Padyati”. Indian classical music has two systems. First one is popular amongst North Indians i.e. Uttar Bhartiya Sangeet Padyati and second one – Carnatic Sangeet, which is popular in Southern India. Maintaining the same ethos, these two systems differ only in style and technicalities.

Indian classical music has conceived the idea of “naad” which results in the combination of air and fire. “Na” stands for air (life) and “Da” stands for fire. When these two unite, “Naad” is created. This Naad (Sound) is further divided into two – “Ahat Naad” and “Anahat Naad”. “Ahat Naad” results from friction but “Anahat Naad” does not require any such friction. Music is related to “Ahat Naad”. Hence a musical sound is that which is produced by friction of two objects. Music is combination of Song (vocal), Instrumental and Dance.
“Geetam Vadyam tatha Nrityam, Trayang Sangeetam Uchhate”
-Sangeet Ratnakar

To conclude this part of the Epic long probable description of the evolution of Indian Music and the Nava Rasa or the 9 expressions, it will be righteous to say here that Indian music holds the capacity to express and explain each and every movement of living creatures on this earth. The effects of these Rasas will be discussed in articles to follow.

Linus Orakles
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