86. SAIVA BASIS OF ABHINAVA'S ÆSTHETICS 95

SAIVA BASIS OF ABHINAVA'S ÆSTHETICS 95

ness; i. e. consciousness of the Self, free from all limita- tions; it is nothing but "Vimarsa" in its universal impli- cation, which is the most essential aspect of "Prakasa" and which distinguishes it from self-luminous substances like gem. As such it is also called Ānanda.

The point may be elaborated as follows :- A person, who identifies his whole being with his body and, therefore, is a limited subject, has empty stomach, is extremely hungry and is completely overwhelmed by intense desire for some eatable, which is not yet within his reach. The mental energy, the thought-power, of such a person naturally runs to eatables and cannot be centred on his personality. He is, therefore, without "Ananda". But as soon as his belly is full, his mental energy turns back to himself and he experiences freedom from want and desire. Such a person, in ordinary language, is said to be full of "Ananda", happiness, But human nature is such that its thought can never rest on itself. It always has some unfulfllled desire and runs after its object in order to secure it. For instance, the person, whose belly is full, will naturally think of a beautiful woman to embrace. Thus the attainment of the worldly objects of desire never brings peace, happiness, rest on one's own self or "Ananda". For, the attainment of object of one desire either leads to a desire for another, or anxiety for its preser- vation, or fear of its loss. Hence the so-called "Ananda" that a person gets on acquisition of a worldly object of desire is imperfect, because it immediately leads to other states of mind, such as that of anxiety for its preservation or desire for something else. An iota of bliss, however, which is experienced in the attainment of an object of desire, is due only to consciousness of Self for a moment, e. g. a man of fine sense of taste, when he relishes a deli-