19. 22 CHAPTER I

22 CHAPTER I

changes, both involuntary and voluntary (iii) transient emotions and (iv) persisting or basic emotion. The question, therefore, that naturally arises is "Is the æsthetic object a mere juxtaposition of constituents : is it a mere jumble : or, are the constituents connected with one another in any systematic manner ?" We hinted at Bharata's answer to this question, when we said that Rasa, accor- ding to him, is an organic unity. The precise nature of relation of the constituents is attempted to be brought out by him by means of analogy of what he calls Sandava Rasa. It may be described as follows :-

The ingredients of Sandava Rasa are (i) condiments, such as black pepper, cardamom, curd and sour gruel (Kāñjī) etc. (ii) herbs (Oșadhi) such as tamarind, crushed wheat, turmeric (Haridra) and saffron etc. (iii) substances (Dravya) such as Guda and salt etc. and (iv) rice. We know that each of them has a distinct taste. They are severally sweet, bitter, astringent, sour and saltish. When they are put together in due proportion and cooked properly by an expert cook, a new flavour, which is more relishable than that of any one of them1 separately, arises. This new flavour and the juice, which has it, both are called Şandava Rasa. The relation of situation and mimetic changes etc., as presented in Drama, is similar to that of various ingredients of the juice, which gives the peculiar flavour, Sandava Rasa. Just as Sandava Rasa can rise only when various ingredients are so blended together through cooking by an expert that they give rise to a flavour, which is distinct from that of any one of them in itself, so Rasa, as presented in drama, can rise only when situation, mimetic changes, transient emotion and persisting emotion are so harmoniously 1. A. Bh., Vol. 1. 289.