183. ABHINAVAGUPTA'S THEORY OF ÆSTHETICS 205

ABHINAVAGUPTA'S THEORY OF ÆSTHETICS 205

Vira, as leading to the attainment of one of the objects of human life, has necessarily to be presented along with it. The æsthetic experience of Srngara etc. therefore, depends upon that of the Santa. Even in the case of Prahasana, wherein Hasya is primarily presented, the experience of Hasya depends upon that Rasa which is presented along with it.

Thus the existence of Santa Rasa is established in every way.

MANUSCRIPT AUTHORITY.

The view that Santa is the ninth Rasa is supported by old manuscripts wherein after "Sthāyibhāvān rasatvamupa- nesyamah" Sānta Rasa is found defined as "Santo nāma Śamasthāyibhāvātmakaḥ" etc. Every Rasa-experience is very much like that of Santa. For, it is nothing but the experience of self, free from all limitations. And Sānta is nothing more or less than that. The empirical objects are never the contents of æsthetic experience, because it consists in the predominance of Self-consciousness, free from all limiting conditions. This freedom comes from freedom from objective affections. The difference between Santa and other æsthetic experiences at the Kathartic level is only this that in the latter case the Self is affected by the innate tendencies such as love etc. It is just because Santa is in- volved in all Rasas that it is mentioned by the sage first of all.

THE NATURE OF ÆSTHETIC EXPERIENCE OF SANTA.

Just1 as the white string, whereon gems of different kinds are loosely and thinly strung, shines in and through them, so does the pure Self through the basic mental states

1. A. Bh., Vol. I. 341.