114. 130 CHAPTER II

130 CHAPTER II

subject and object disappears through intense introversion and utter disregard of the basic mental state. At this level, the basic mental state sinks back into the subconscious. Thus, the final stage in æsthetic experience, according to Abhinava- gupta, is that in which there is the experience of Paramananda and even the basic mental state, awakened by dramatic presentation, sinks into the sub.conscious. Æsthetic experience, therefore, according to Abhinavagupta, in its final stage, 6 belongs to the level of Vyatireka Turīyatīta, in which all objectivity merges in the sub-conscious and the Subject, the Self, shines in its Ananda aspect. MEANING OF RASA. In the course of his treatment of the problem of æsthe- tics, he chiefly centres his attention on the first of the two levels, which we have just mentioned. The second he discusses only occasionally and so briefly that, unless the reader be very careful, it is likely to escape his notice. The following points have to be carefully noted in this connection :- 1. He uses the word "Rasa" in both the cases, but with a different meaning. In the case of the first level, in which the universalised basic mental state is realised objec- tively as it were by the universalised subject, Rasa means "The object of relish (Rasyate iti Rasah) : because it is the basic mental state that is relished and, therefore, it is Rasa. In the case of the second level, in which the basic mental state sinks into the sub conscious, and there is the experience of the Ananda aspect of the Self consisting in its introversion and, therefore, rest within itself, (Niravacchinna svatma parāmarśa ; Svātma viśränti) Rasa means the act of relishing (Rasanam Rasah). 2. Although the basic mental state is predominantly experienced at the first level, yet he holds that it is a mistake