“The success of an artistic performance is measured not by the reviews, awards or recognition the production receives, but only when it is performed with skilled precision, devoted faith and pure concentration such that the artist gets the audience emotionally absorbed into the art and immerses the spectator with pure joy of rasa experience.”

Abhinavagupta

The concept of Rasa was widely discussed in the Sanskrit text about performing arts, Natya Shastra written between 200 BC and 200 AD. Rasa literally means “juice, essence, taste”. It refers to the aesthetic flavour or delight of any visual, literary or musical work that evokes an emotion or feeling in the ‘sensitive spectator’ or sahridaya, literally one who “has heart”.

The philosopher and mystic of the Kashimir Shaivism spiritual tradition Abhinavagupta, wrote a famous comentary of the Natya Shastra, called  Abhinavabharati. In this text he states that the role of art is to awaken within the consciousness of the human being a certain ineffable savor, a sublime feeling, “rasa”. He believed that art is capable of expressing greatness as well as eternal truths and is, through itself, a path of spiritual liberation.

Abhinavagupta defines rasa as a supra-individual experience, which has a universal character. In every intense experience, the personality of the human being, his ego, is surpassed. The energy of that feeling floods the human being and offers a transpersonal, transcendental experience.

There are eight Rasas presented in Natya Shastra:

• Sringara: Romance, Love, attractiveness.
• Hasya: Laughter, mirth, comedy.
• Rudra: Fury.
• Karunya: Compassion, mercy.
• Bibhatsam: Disgust, aversion.
• Bhayanaka Horror, terror.
• Vira: Heroism.
• Adbhuta: Wonder, amazement.

A ninth rasa was added by later authors. Shanta Rasa, the rasa of peace or tranquility. This rasa offers the clearest form of aesthetic bliss. Abhinavagupta likens it to the string of a jeweled necklace; a string on which stay the jewels of the other eight rasas, in order to be relished.

In art, the whole objective world is first essentialized and then purified and transfigured, presented in a pure form, without any limited individual contingencies. Authentic art almost instantly transposes us into a divine realm, producing in our consciousness a state of universalization and unification.