Art in Vedic Culture

Aesthetics

Aesthetics examines how a person perceives beauty and what creates the feeling of aesthetic satisfaction. There is no doubt that beauty is important to all of us. The eternal pursuit of beauty is one of the signs that we come from a perfect world. It is said that the material world is only a distorted reflection of the spiritual world, so if we encounter beauty in this world, we must realize that its origins are in the spiritual kingdom. Throughout life, a person is led by the pursuit of harmony and beauty. Therefore, in various cultures, intelligent people have tried to understand the essence of beauty. In this respect, India also has much to boast of.

Purpose of Art

People think that art is meant to satisfy the senses. However, since the only enjoyer is Krishna, ultimately all art is meant to satisfy Him.

When Krishna was on earth, He Himself studied in a gurukula and very quickly learned all arts, sciences, and spiritual practice. In this way, He showed that education is an important thing.

Art is also not something that comes naturally on its own. One must learn art. All the gopis of Vrindavana, intimate friends of Krishna, were also very skilled in arts. The Brahma Samhita states that Radharani was also well versed in arts.

Art in India

Art is usually divided into 'high' art and popular. In Indian culture, such a distinction is visible since ancient times. 'High' art is called ‘marga’, and folk art – ‘deshi’. It is said that Shiva and Brahma 'handed down' (druhinena), and sage Bharata practiced (prayuktam) this high art, which grants liberation (vimukti-dam). However, art that serves mundane entertainment (lokānurañjakam) according to local customs (deshasthaya-rtya) is called local or folk art (deshi). This distinction also appears in dance types. For example, nritya – dance that reveals the meanings of words through gestures and conveys rasa, bhāva, and vyañjana; and nritta – purely decorative dance that does not convey any rasa.

One of the greatest theorists of rasa was Srila Rupa Goswami, who in his time was recognized as an expert in Natya Shastra. Even today, scholars and art critics quote his writings on moods and relationships. Srila Rupa Goswami systematized Natya Shastra and showed that it primarily describes spiritual emotions and experiences. Therefore, the order of various rasas in terms of intensity has changed. While Bharata Muni treats the rasa of love or eroticism as the lowest emotional experience, Srila Rupa Goswami states that in a spiritual sense, conjugal love for God is the most perfect emotion and the most perfect relationship a living entity can experience. Peace, which materialists so seek, according to Srila Rupa Goswami, is the very beginning of spiritual experiences. Impersonalists, seeking liberation from all feelings, do not understand that spiritual emotions are the basis of life in the liberated state. Specifically, by experiencing spiritual emotions, the living entity can reach a state of bliss. Therefore, the Goswamis of Vrindavana wrote many books, dramas, and poems. They evoke aesthetic experiences and thus bring a person closer to the perfect personality Sri Krishna, who is the source of all relationships and experiences.

Rasavada – Indian Aesthetic Theory

Natya Shastra – the Vedic theory of aesthetics or beauty surpasses everything that has ever been created in this field. It is said that the author of Natya Shastra is Bharata Muni, who lived in the 3rd century BC. He was given inspiration and revelation by Lord Shiva himself, who is called Nataraja – the King of Dance. The word ‘natya’ means dance. Natya Shastra mostly speaks about drama and dance, in other words, movement. Indeed, dance is one of the most important means of human self-expression. It is said that dance is a natural expression of joy. In the "Brahma Samhita", it is stated that in the spiritual world, every movement is a dance, and every word is a song.

The Vedas state that there are three elements of life that generate feeling: karana, karya, and sahakarin. When transferred to art, these three elements of life manifest as vibhāva, anubhāva, and vyabhichāribhāva.

The Natya Shastra states that during a drama, various situations are created, which are called vibhāva – defining and describing the drama, during which the actor must use specific dramatic means (anubhāva) to create dominant emotional states (sthayibhāva).

These dominant states (sthayibhāva) combine with transitory states (vyabhichāribhāva) and temperamental states (sattvikabhāva).

Vyabhichāribhāva manifests in 33 symptoms, such as disappointment, weakness, understanding, envy, dizziness.

Sattvikabhāva manifests in 8 symptoms: paralysis, sweating, horripilation, voice change, trembling, paleness, weeping, fainting.

The combination of dominant, transitory, and temperamental states creates the main sensation of the drama – rasa. ‘Rasa’ is translated as aesthetic experience, taste, mood, flavor.

All these 8 rasas are directly related to the 8 dominant states (sthayibhava).

Natya Shastra, after describing how various states create the main sentiment (rasa) in appropriate circumstances (vibhāva), further describes what dramatic means (anubhāva) evoke those emotions. Separate chapters describe movements of various body parts, hand gestures, various steps, and various parts of the stage that have a specific load. It also describes various aspects of diction and metrics, moods of address, and intonation.

A spectator who encounters drama and experiences the corresponding rasa during it receives great benefit. It teaches duty to those bound by duty; it teaches love to those who seek love; it punishes the rude and uncultured; it teaches self-restraint to those seeking self-control; it teaches courage to the cowardly; it teaches nobility to the brave; it gives knowledge to the ignorant; it gives wisdom to the learned; it is relaxation for a king; it gives strength of mind to the disappointed. Thus, art or drama is specifically related to long life, intelligence, prosperity, and the education of people.

A spectator who enters such a theater permeated with rasa experiences aesthetic satisfaction and bliss, even though the main sentiment (rasa) may be anger or disgust.

In Indian art, great attention is paid to the audience. The spectator must be a ‘rasika’, that is, a person who knows how to appreciate art well, and also ‘sahridaya’, that is, one who has come with a desire to evaluate favorably, to learn, and to enjoy the richness of art.

This theory of rasa or aesthetic experience was developed and expanded over many centuries, just as individual forms of Indian art were developed. It should be mentioned that until recent times, Indian art was inseparable from religious culture. Painting, drama, music, literature, architecture, etc., all were directed not at the life of ordinary people, but at the pastimes of Krishna or His incarnations. The help of art is primarily sought to strengthen a person's spiritual experiences, and this serves their spiritual advancement. In these days, when art is highly secularized, it has lost its purpose as a factor that perfects a human being.

Dance

Dance in a general sense is a human reaction to rhythm. Indian classical dance involves the body and mind. It is a form of meditation and worship. To this day in Jagannatha Puri, young girls are specially trained to dance for Lord Jagannatha.

Before starting the dance, Mother Bhumi (Earth) is greeted, as she tolerates the stomping of feet, and also the Guru and all participants who are in the dancer's heart are honored: "O Mother Earth, sustainer of living entities, honored by all demigods, worshipped by the enlightened, giving protection to those who seek your shelter, I come to you with a humble prayer: O Mother, please tolerate the stomping of my feet."

According to Abhinaya Darpanam, Sangitaratnakara, and other ancient works, dance is divided into three different categories: natya, nritya, and nritta.

Main Classical Dance Forms

All these dance schools started from Natya Shastra, later they were described in more detail in books such as "Abhinaya Darpana", "Sangita Ratnakara", and "Hastalakshana Dipika". Another way to transmit the art of dance was guru-shishya parampara, when a student learned all the principles of dance from their teacher.

Nayaka and Nayika – Hero and Heroine

Nayika (heroine) is the main character portrayed in Indian dance. Various shades of love for her Lord (Nayaka) classify her into various nayika types. Similarly, there exist various nayaka – hero types.

Nayika actually means a loving woman. Nayika is usually a devotee who is separated from her Lord, Nayaka (God or Deity) and yearns to meet Him again. The devotee is the eternal nayika and God is the eternal nayaka. The dancer expresses every mood of a woman longing for her beloved. Depending on the mood or state she is in relation to her beloved, nayikas are divided into 8 types (ashtanayika):

Nayika Classifications

Nayaka bhedam – different Nayaka (Hero) types

Abhinaya

Rasa and Bhava

Aesthetics is the philosophy of art. It speaks of beauty in art, its understanding or enjoyment, and also of the perception of joy that accompanies the experience of beauty. To evoke Rasa within the spectator was the sole goal of all art forms: dance, drama, music, sculpture, painting, etc.

Rasa

To create Rasa means to give aesthetic satisfaction or to give an experience of bliss and joy. The word Rasa has no equivalent in Western languages. However, it can be translated as taste, enjoyment, feeling (sentiment).

Rasa is a mood or emotion that the dancer creates among the spectators, using Angika movements.

Importance of Rasa

Any art without Rasa is incomplete. Dance without Rasa will be only mechanical exercises or physical body movements. Only when dance succeeds in evoking Rasa does it rise above the level of mere physical effort and become a meaningful and creative activity.

Bharata's "Natya Shastra" gives the following Rasa Sutra:

“Vibhāvanubhāvyabhichārisanyogādrasaniṣpattiḥ ll”

The combination of Vibhavas (Determinants), Anubhavas (Consequents) and Vyabhicharibhavas (Transitory States) leads to Rasa.

Bhava

Literally Bhava means to become or that which becomes (bhu, bhava i.e. to become). In dance, it means the emotional states of the portrayed character. When bhavas are perceived, Rasa is born.

Navarasa – Nine Rasas

According to Bharata there are 8 rasas, but later a 9th (Shanta) was acknowledged.

Among the eight Rasas, four Rasas are the source of the other four rasas: Shringara arises from Hasya, Karuna arises from Raudra, Adbhuta arises from Vira, and Bhayanaka arises from Bibhatsa.

All rasas provide a broad framework for representation, but Shringara Rasa in its manifestation provides the most opportunities for creating dance. In Indian art, "Antar bhakti – bahir shringara" (internal devotion – external expression of love) depicts love not as an earthly physical emotion, but as the highest longing of the soul to meet its Lord.

Margi and Deshi

Natya Shastra divides dances into two categories: Margi (classical dance) and Deshi (Folk or regional dance).

Tandava and Lasya

These are two terms describing the energy of dance. Tandava is associated with Lord Shiva, and Lasya – with Goddess Parvati.

Classical Music

The principles of Indian music were presented in the verses of Sama Veda. The three components of music are rhythm (tala), harmony (drona), and the type of melody (raga). These principles are interpreted uniformly throughout classical music.

Main classical music traditions:
Hindustani school (North India) and Karnataka school (South India, characterized by very strict traditions).

Vedic Arts (64 Arts)

Literature

• P. A. Grintser, Basic Aesthetic Principles of Classical Indian Poetics (1987) [in Russian].
• Ananda K. Coomaraswamy, The Transformation of Nature in Art (1934) [in English].
• Antanas Andrijauskas, Beauty and Art (1996), Vilnius Academy of Arts Press [in Lithuanian].
• Abhinavagupta – prominent representative of Indian art theory.