Theory of the Aesthetic and Alaukik Rasa
Theory of the Aesthetic and Alaukik Rasa
Life is filled with beauty and joy. Various philosophers are contemplating the theory of the Rasa. Basically, Rasa is the branch of Indian philosophy where the Indian philosophers are exploring various types of experience on joy and happiness through art and aesthetic. Art may be in the form of poem, music, drama, painting, sculpture, etc. Art has an essence and is filled with feeling, experience and meaning. By exposing the self to any of the art, there used to be two kinds of experience, the external and the internal. The external experience in the form of sensations through the physical organs – eyes, ears, nose, skin and tongue, but the intangible experience, such experiences in the form of Sringar (decoration and beauty), Hasya (Laughter), Adhvud (Marvellous), Raudra (Valour), Veer (Courage), Santa (Peace) and Bhismaya (Wonder). The physical sensations and the material sensations give various form of joy, delighted and self-forgetfulness. Within such experience, a person forgets many things of his life and circumstances to submerge in the world Rasa.
Beyond all these material pleasure, there use to be an Alaukik Rasa. The pleasure and feelings beyond this marsupial or the material world to enjoy the everlasting joy, happiness, peace and bliss. The Veda depicts as the Paramshanti, Paramanand and a sense of liberations from the world. Liberations from the bondages and limitations. To achieve that state as per the Puranas and Vedas, one has to get merged with the Paramdham, the abode of peace and purity. But as per the Brahma Kumaris, God is the Brahmalok Niwasi means He resides in the Paramdham. So to have supersensous joy, one has to forget the world to get merged within the Supreme Soul, the point of light. Be in the state of soul consciousness and forget the body and its connected world to merge with that Divine Light. That is the Alaukik Rasa.