87. 96 CHAPTER II

96 CHAPTER II

cious dish, and does not simply devour it, but rests on the pure subjective aspect of himself as affected by particular flavour ; i. e. primarily experiences the subjective aspect, is happy, has "Ananda" for a moment. A person in such a state of rest on his subjective aspect is technically called "Bhunjana". Similarly a man of fine æsthetic susceptibility, attains to the state of rest on Self, when he sees a good drama presented on the stage. The distinction of the state of rest on Self in æsthetic experience from a similar state in the experience of flavour by a man of fine sense of taste, lies in the following facts :- 1. In the experience of taste the objectivity of flavour persists. 2. The object of taste is related to the individual subject as identified with sensitive aspect. 3. But in the case of æsthetic experience at the highest level, the objectivity is totally absent. The basic mental state (Sthayin), which is only in the sub-conscious, has no objectivity. It is not related to the hero of drama. It is simply a revived "Vasana" which has sunk back into the sub-conscious. It is free from all relations, which involve duality. 4. The experiencing subject a lso in æsthetic experience is free from all limitations of individuality. He is univer- salised. His experience is free from all impediments (Vighna) which are discussed by Abhinavagupta in the course of his presentation of his æsthetic theory in his Abhinava Bharatī and which we shall present in the next chapter. 5. Æsthetic experience involves complete elimination of objective consciousness and is characterised by predomi-