The Aesthetic Experience According to Abhinavagupta: Chowkhamba Sanskrit Studies Vol. LXII

Language: English
Pages: 177


From the Jacket:

Bharata in his famous aphorism 'Vibhavanubhava-vyabhicarisamyogad rasanispattih' explains the way in which the Aesthetic experience originates and the Commentary thereupon by Abhinavagupta constitutes the most important text in the whole of Indian aesthetic thought. This important portion of the Commentary has very ably been edited, translated, commented upon and elucidated by Dr. Raniero Gnoli of Rome. The learned introduction contains all possible informations regarding various Indian and Western theories on aesthetic experience and in the copious notes the readers will find authentic materials quoted from numerous allied texts in justification of the interpretation of the difficult passages.

 

Preface

This book was first printed in 1956. Since then I have never relinquished my researches in the fields of Indian Rhetoric and Aesthetics. Some misinterpretations and mis- takes occurring in the first edition have already been corrected by myself in 1957, in the paper Further Observations On the Abhinavabbarati, East and west, year VIII, N. 1.-April, 1957 pp. 100-103. This new edition represents, I trust, a great im- provement in regard to the first one. The Introduction, the critical apparatus, the translation and the notes have been completely revised. The basic text of Abhinavagupta, i.e, the commentary to the famous sutra by Bharata, VI, after st. 31, vibhavanubhavavyabhicarisamyogad rasanispattib, has been supple; mented by three new texts, viz. the Commentaries on Natyasastra, I, st. 107, on Dhvanyaloka, I, st. 18, and II, st. 4. As to the text I have directly compared the MS of .Abbina- vabharati preserved in the library of Madras (M). References to the Kavi's edition of the .Abhinavabharati are to the second edi- tion of it. The letters He and M. C refer to the viveka of Hemacand