Rasābhāsa, or incompatible mixtures of mellows, may be classified as uparasa (false expression), anurasa (imitation) and aparasa (perverted or misrepresented mellows).
Anurasa, or imitation mellows
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta
CC Antya-lila
Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura quotes the following definition of rasābhāsa from the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (Uttara-vibhāga, Ninth Wave, 1–3, 33, 38 and 41):
- pūrvam evānuśiṣṭena vikalā rasa-lakṣaṇā
- rasā eva rasābhāsā rasajñair anukīrtitāḥ
- syus tridhoparasāś cānurasāś cāparasāś ca te
- uttamā madhyamāḥ proktāḥ kaniṣṭhāś cety amī kramāt
- prāptaiḥ sthāyi-vibhāvānubhāvādyais tu virūpatām
- śāntādayo rasā eva dvādaśoparasā matāḥ
- bhaktādibhir vibhāvādyaiḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandha-varjitaiḥ
- rasā hāsyādayaḥ sapta śāntaś cānurasā matāḥ
- kṛṣṇa-tat-pratipakṣaś ced viṣayāśrayatāṁ gatāḥ
- hāsādīnāṁ tadā te ‘tra prājñair aparasā matāḥ
- bhāvāḥ sarve tadābhāsā rasābhāsāś ca kecana
- amī prokta-rasābhijñaiḥ sarve ‘pi rasanād rasāḥ
"A mellow temporarily appearing transcendental but contradicting mellows previously stated and lacking some of a mellow's necessities is called rasābhāsa, an overlapping mellow, by advanced devotees who know how to taste transcendental mellows. Such mellows are called uparasa (submellows), anurasa (imitation transcendental mellows) and aparasa (opposing transcendental mellows). Thus the overlapping of transcendental mellows is described as being first grade, second grade or third grade. When the twelve mellows—such as neutrality, servitorship and friendship—are characterized by adverse sthāyi-bhāva, vibhāva and anubhāva ecstasies, they are known as uparasa, submellows. When the seven indirect transcendental mellows and the dried-up mellow of neutrality are produced by devotees and moods not directly related to Kṛṣṇa and devotional service in ecstatic love, they are described as anurasa, imitation mellows. If Kṛṣṇa and the enemies who harbor feelings of opposition toward Him are respectively the object and abodes of the mellow of laughter, the resulting feelings are called aparasa, opposing mellows. Experts in distinguishing one mellow from another sometimes accept some overlapping transcendental mellows (rasābhāsa) as rasas due to their being pleasurable and tasteful." Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura says, paraspara-vairayor yadi yogas tadā rasābhāsaḥ: "When two opposing transcendental mellows overlap, they produce rasābhāsa, or an overlapping of transcendental mellows."
Other Books by Srila Prabhupada
Nectar of Devotion
When Nārada Muni was passing through Vṛndāvana, he came to the Bhāṇḍīravana forest and saw in one of the trees the famous parrot couple that always accompanies Lord Kṛṣṇa. The couple was imitating some discussion they had heard upon the Vedānta philosophy, and thus were seemingly arguing upon various philosophical points. Upon seeing this, Nārada Muni was struck with wonder, and he began to stare without moving his eyelids. This is an example of anurasa, or imitation.
Page Title: | Anurasa, or imitation mellows |
Compiler: | Labangalatika |
Created: | 11 of May, 2011 |
Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=1, OB=2, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=0 |
No. of Quotes: | 3 |