CC-13: Indian Cassical LIterature

Background Readings

" The Indian Epic Tradition: Themes and Recensions

" Classicul Indiun Drama: Theory und Practiee [Read from Bharata: Natyashastra]
" Alankaru and Rasa
" Dharnma and the Heroic

. The Indian Epic Tradition: Themes and Recensions

To define "epic" M. H. Abrams writes, "In its strict sense the term epic or heroic poem is
applied to a work that meets at least the following criteria: it is a long verse narrative on a
serious subjcct, told in u fomal and clevatcd style, and centered on a heroic or quasi-divinc
ligure on whose actions depcnds the fulc of a tribc, a nation, or the humun race." Generally.
cpic is classificd into two broad types: (1) ClassicalTruditional Primary Epic. (2) Lilerary/
Secondary Epic.
Classical traditional epics are few, but well-known for centuries such as The Ramavana, The
Mahabharala, The liad, The Odyssey etc. The literary epics are written comparatively in
modem times under the direct influence of the features of the classical epics, such as,
Milton's The Paradise Lost, Madhusudan's Meghnad Badh Kavya.
The Ramayana

The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of ancient India, the other being The
Mahabharala. It is originally written in Sanskrit poctic style (sloka-by-sloka). The authorship
is aseribed to Mahurshi Valmiki. In its extant form. Valnniki's Ramayana is dividcd into seven
kndas (books):

Blaknda,
Ayodhyaknda,
AranyakFda,
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Ki_kindakãnda,
Sundarknda,
Yuddhaknda.

Uttaraknda.
The Mahabharata

The Muhubharata is regarded as the greatest and longest epic of ancient India. Originally, it
s written in Sanskrit language. The style is poctic and conversational. The authorship is
generally aseribed to sage Vyasdev. The whole cpic is divided into 18 Parvas (books) which
are

1. Adi Parva (The Book of the Beginning)

2. Sabha Parva (The Book of the Assembly Hall)
3. Vana Parva or Aranya-parva (The Book of the Forest)
4Virata Parva (The Book of Virata)
6. Udyoga Parva (The Book of the Effort)
6. Bhishma Parva (The Book of Bhishma)
7. Drona Parva (The Book of Drona)
8. Karna Parva (The Book of Karna)
9. Shalya Parva (Thbe Book of Shalva)

10. Sauptiku Purva (The Book of the Slceping Warriors)

1|Stree Parva (The Book of the Women)
12. Shanti Parva (The Book of Peace)

13. Anushasana Parva (The Book of the Instructions)

14. Ashvumedhika Parva (The Book of the Horsc Sacrifice)
15. Ashrumuvasika Parva (The Book of the Hemitagc)
16. Mausala Parva (The Book of the Clubs)

17. Mahaprasthanika Parva (The Book of the Great Journey)

18. Svargarohana Parva (The Book of the Ascent to Heaven)

The world-famous The Bhagavada-Gita has its source from the Bhisma Parva.
2,Alankara Theory
"A song without any alankara,
would be like a night without a moon,
ariver devoid of water.
avinc without any flower.
and a woman without any omament". Nava Shastra, Bharata Muni

Alunkara and Rasa thcory are the primc concerms of Indian Acsthetic Thcorv. Gencrally,
Alankara is a concept in Indian classical music and literally mcans "ornament, decoration".
An alankara is any pattern of musical decoration a musician or vocalist creates within or
across tones, based on ancient musical theories or driven by personal ereative choices, in a
progression of svaras.
Bharat Muni presented 33 alankaras while other scholars designated different numbers. The
Indian music tradition classifics alankara as rational or irational, whercin
irational alankara being those that cannot be rcduccd to a fixcd scale degrce paltern. Tb:
Indian theory of ganaka covers the group of irational alankara. The concept
of alankara applies to both vocal and musical instrument performance.

Here are some common tynes of alankara used in classical music are

mecud, a technique of singing notes ina fluid manner with one note merging into
the next there are many different kinds of meend
kan-swar. grace notes - the use of grace-notes depends on the rag being
performed.
undolun, a gentle swing on specific notes, used sclectively.
gumaku, a heavy to-and-fro oscillation involving two or three distinct notes.
khatka/gitkari, a rapid rendition of a cluster of notes distinctly yet lightly
ucki, an cven lighter and more subile rendition of a cluster of notes
 3. Rasa Theory:
Rasu theory is primarily originaled from NanvaShastra. Laler. it was devcloped by unother
ancient scholar AbhinvaGupla.
The conccpt of Rasa is the corner stonc of Indian Acsthetics and performative art. Aceording
to Natya Shastra, Rasa refers to the reader's'audicnce' acsthctic cxpcrience of a work of aurt.
Rasa transports the readers'audience toa transpersonal level and renders them receptive
to Nirvana, the experience ofa higher realm of aesthetic pleasure.

Rasa springs up from the infusion of ibhava, Anubhava and I'yahhichari bhava.

Vibhava: Vibhava refers to the objectivemalerial conditions required for the generation of un
emotion, Bhava. Two types: Alumbanu Bhava, dheepana

Alambana Bhava: the characters

Uddeepana Bhava: the special material circumstance in the character's life that arouse the
emotion.

Anubhava: It refers to the psychological and physical manifestations of the Vibhava

(cmotion and physical as well as emotive manifestation)

Vyabhikari Bhava: refers to 33 flecting emotional expressions that further aid the generation
of Rasa.

Rasa is produced in the audience's mind when the above three components are fused
perfectly togcther. As identificd by BharatMuni, there are mainly 8 (cight) Rasas in Indian
acsthetics bascd on 8 Sthyavibhavas:

Sthayi Bhava Rasa

1 Rati (Sexual urge love) Shringara Rasa (amourous)

Bhaya (fcar) Bhayanaka rasa (fcarful)

3 Krodha (fury) Rudra rasa (anger)

 Jagupsa
Bibhatsa asa (repulsion)
(disgust'repungence)

Hasyaa (mirth) Hasya Rasa (humour)

6 Utsaho (enthusiasm) Veera rasa (heroism)

7 Vismaya (astonishment) Adbutha rasa (wonder)

Shoka (sad) Kuruna Rasu (pathetic)

Shanta (ocaceullness) shanta

Bharata has classified Rasas into eight: - 1. Srinagaara-amorous, 2.Haasya- humorous, 3.

Karunapathetic, 4. Raudra-furious 5.Viira-valorous, 6. Bhayaanaka-horifi, 7. Biibhatsa
repugnant, and 8. Adbhuta- wondrous. The cight static emotions that are responsible for
these eight rasas, in order are-I. Love, 2. Mirth, 3. Grief.4.Anger, 5. Enthusiasm, 6.Fear, 7.
Disgust and 8.Surprise.

4. Dharma and the Heroie

The grcat cpic The Mahabharata not only represents hervism, but it dclincates the subtle ways
of"dharma" or religion. The concept of Religion in Indian context is far different from the
Western mcaning of it. It is better to be apprehended in its original term "Dharma" not in
translation.

The concept of dharma is central to the epic the Mahabharata. The text undernins the
idea of*Yatho dharma: tatho jayah" (Where Dharma is, there is victory- 1 , T ).
However, dharma stands invertcd in many a casc in the text. The law is often subvertcd, and
dharma involves an arduous struggle as it extracts its price from those who follow it. The
presence of dharma and its reiteration in the text is often accompanied by its negation. And
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yct the tem dharma is important for thc concept of cxistence in the Mahabharata. It gives
meaning to the notion of existence as well as direction to the characters.

Dharma is translated by J A B van Buitenen in the text as the Law', This may
facilitale the English reader lo some extent, however, to the Indian reader the tern is
incomplete and needs to be understood in relation to the ideas of truth".'justice'. 'morality',
'righteousness', 'code of conduct', 'obligation' as also duty". Dharma denotes all these.
Dharma is defined by a person's position in society and the role one plays. There is the
King's law (dharma) which defines what the King ought to do and his acts are buscd on an
ethical awareness of his duties. He is meant to follow the principle of justice above all. There
sthe dharma of a son, a daughter, a brother, a sister, a father, a mother, a husband, and a
wife, cach of which determine human rclalionships. The rolcs come with pre-determincd laws
that the characters ure supposcd to live up to. It is this dharma that Draupadi calls out to in the
Dicing sequence and it is dharma alone which keeps the Pandava brothers quiet when
Yudhisthira loses them in a game of dice. The question of dhama haunts the Pandavas even
after the fateful wur has been won by them war fought for lund. The Pandavas perforn the
horse sacrifice to establish their sovereignty. Sheldon Pollock has suggested, "If the
Pandavas' political power has now been confined, both the war and the Kali Age it has
inaugurated have sapped their strength and will: Cursed be the law of power", they declare,
'that has left us dead in life'. they eventually renounce sovereignty and begin the
mahaprasthana, the Great Departure" towards Mount Himavan. Thus. the Law of power
destroys them as it did their counterparts in war. Both sides stand to lose. Though the
Mahabharata is an ancient text, it has been serialised twice on television by two different
production houses, and is also available in comic form prited by Amar Chitra Katha. Even
today. thc text is rcud aloud in many houscholds. Having said that, wc can assume that thc
text is somehow still relevant in some way even today. Where there is conflict hetween
good and evil, there remains a ground for the power-play of Dharma.

Books:

1.A Rasa Reader: Classical IndianAesthetics Translated and Editcd By Sheldon Pollock.
[Columbia University Press, Ncw York.]
2. The Difticulty of Being Gooxd: On the Subtle Art of Dharma. By Gurcharan Das. [Oxford
University Press, India. 2010]
NATYASHASTRA CHP.2

The Natyashastra documents the history behind the

development of the arts in India; it is a theater and dance
treatise of national importance. The Natyashastra describes
how the Natyaveda (fifth Veda) was created by the deity
Brahma and eventually taught to a mystic scholar named
Bharata.

The Ntya Shastra (Ntya[stra DD DOD0O)of

Bharata is the principal work of dramatic theory,
encompassing dance and music, in classical India. It is
attributed to the muni (sage) Bharata and is believed to have
been written during the period between 200 B.C.E. and
200 C.E. The Natya Shastra is the outcome of several
centuries of theatrical practice by hereditary actors, who
passed their tradition orally from generation to generation. t
is in the form of a loose dialog between Bharata and a
number of munis who approach him, asking
about ntyaveda (lit. nya= drama, performance; veda=
knowledge).
The "Natya Shastra'" discusses a wide range of topics, from
issues of literary construction, to the structure of the stage
or mandapa, to a detailed analysis of musical scales and
movements (murchhanas), to an analysis of dance forms that
considers several categories of body movements and their
effect on the viewer. The "Natya Shastra'" posits that drama
originated because of the conflicts that arose in society when
the world declined from the Golden Age (Kfta Yuga) of
harmony, and therefore a drama always represents a conflict
and its resolution. Bharata's theory of drama refers
to bhavas, the imitations of emotions that the actors
perform, and the rasas (emotional responses) that they
inspire in the audience. The eight basic bhavas (emotions)
are: love, humor, energy, anger, fear, grief, disgust and
astonishment. In observing and imagining these emotions,
the audience experiences eight principal responses,
or rasas: love, pity, anger, disgust, heroism, awe, terror and
comedy. The text contains a set of precepts on the writing
and performance of dance, music and theater, and while it
primarily deals with stagecraft, it has influenced
Indian music, dance, sculpture, painting and literature as
well. Thus, the Natya Shastra is considered the foundation of
the fine arts in India.