Essay name: Discovery of Sanskrit Treasures (seven volumes)
Author:
Satya Vrat Shastri
Affiliation: Karnatak University / Department of Sanskrit
The series called "Discovery of Sanskrit Treasures" represents a comprehensive seven-volume compendium of Dr. Satya Vrat Shastri's research on Sanskrit and Indology. They feature a wide range of studies across major disciplines in these fields, showcasing Shastri's pioneering work. They include detailed analyses like the linguistic appraisal of Yogavasishtha, etymological studies in the Mahabharata and the Devibhagavata-purana, as well as explorations of human values as defined in ancient texts.
Volume 3 - Classical Sanskrit Literature
14 (of 328)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
Download the PDF file of the original publication
CC-0. Prof. Satya Vrat Shastri Collection, New Delhi. Digitized by S3 Foundation USA.
II
Karuna Rasa in Sanskrit Literature
The entire creation is made up of opposites: dvandv膩tmik膩 s峁涐梗峁璱岣�.
One of these opposites is happiness and sorrow. Both are inter-
related. There can be no happiness without sorrow. The happiness
presupposes the existence of sorrow. If it were not so, the very
realization of happiness would not be possible.
It is the peculiarity of poetry that whatever produces
unhappiness in real life comes to produce in poetry happiness or
joy. Poetry imparts the character of alaukikatva to the day to day
experiences of life. Their description at the hands of the poet
elevates them to a state where they cease to be the ordinary day
to day experiences. In poetry they assume a peculiar form which
enables them to provide joy to readers or listeners. That is the
spirit of Rasa that had been grasped by the thinkers and critics
centuries past. Among human beings there are certain permanent
emotions which are given the name of Sthayibh膩vas. It is these
when bestirred by certain phenomena turn into Rasas and come
to be relished or enjoyed. Of all the Rasas, Karuna or Pathos
touches the heart quick, pierces the vitals, gives out a jolt. In
Erotic
there is a kind of serenity. In Heroic the enthusiasm
dominates
. In Fierce and Terrible it is the fear which grips but it
is
in Pathos, Karuna that heart melts: praya岣� sarvo bhavati
karu峁嚹乿峁泃tir 膩rdr膩ntar膩tm膩', The mind is shattered: bhavati
manobhanga岣�. The limbs sink: s墨danti g膩tr膩峁噄. Interestingly, the
literal
meaning of the word vis膩da is sinking. It is natural for
human beings
to avoid such situations, to get over them. This is
what
explains the absence of tragedy in Sanskrit. With all bad
CC-0. Prof. Satya Vrat Shastri Collection, New Delhi. Digitized by S3 Foundation USA
