NOTE: This is our current revision of  our paper for the Gaudiya Mission symposium 5-7th March, 2010, in honor of the 500th anniversary of the Sannyasa of Lord Caitanya.




Srila Rupa Goswami's, Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu
Informing Modern Cinema.
Hanumatpresaka Swami
(Professor Huber Hutchin Robinson)

(rev.100203) 
We had the good fortune to obtain some humble associate with the renown Hindi scholar,
Sripad Kunvar Candra Prakash Singh. He was in his eighties at that time, having being a growing youth during the British occupation. We asked him how life had been in the villages near Naimisaranya, where he had grown up. He told us many interesting things, but one of the things that he mentioned was Yatra partys. These traveling theater groups would come by ox-cart, on foot, and then stay for a few days performing different dramas based on the classical Vedic literatures. In this way the common, and even aristocratic people, were informed about their cultural values, cosmology, religion.
In the modern world broadcast television, DVDs, cinema halls fulfill the same function.
We propose that modern cinema can be excellently informed from the classical dramatics of Srila Rupa Goswami, from his 16th century work, Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu. To consider this let us look at the theater traditions before and after Bhakti-rasa-amrta-sindhu, as well as the content of the book itself.

ANTECEDENTS TO BHAKTI-RASA-AMRTA-SINDHU
In the Introduction to his annotated translation of the Bhakti-rasa-amrta-sindhu, Professor David L. Haberman, professor of Religious Studies, University of Indiana, comments, "... the concept of 'rasa' inherited by Rupa came out of the specific context of aesthetics, particularly out of reflections on the nature of dramatic experience.... The West has  generally followed Aristotle's notion that plot is the central organizing feature of drama.  Bharata, however, articulated a theory wherein the evocation of Rasa was to assume that position. The central challenge for the dramatist, therefore, was to determine how this "aesthetic enjoyment" could be evoked in the audience" (Haberman, xxxvi).
He then goes on to summarize the legendary sage Bharata's foundational text, Natyasastra, which he dates at 4th century C.E.  Bharata analyzed Rasa, or emotion, in great categorical detail including Sthaya-bhava (Foundational Emotions) and Vibhava, Anubhava and Vyabhicari-bhava, which stimulate Rasa. Bharata's basic idea was that the proper theatrical environment (vibhava) and the representation of emotions by the actors (anubhava and vyabhicari bhava) could inspire Rasa in a sympathetic and sensitive audience.
After Bharata, Professor then passes to the tenth-century Kashmiri writer, Abhinavagupta and his predecessor, Bhatta Nayaka. Abhinavagupta's rasa theory was and remains widely know and influential. However, several writers up to the time of Srila Rupa Goswami have had fundamental disagreement with some of Abinavagupta's ideas.
In summary, Abhinavagupta and Bhatta Nyaka glorify theater as an opportunity for the 
 sensitive audience to transcend ordinary mundane selfish emotions, rasas, and come to a 
 higher plane of Santa Rasa, or impersonal tranquility. Although this theater experience 
 indicates the way to the spiritual realization of the impersonal Brahman of the religious 
 ascetics, it is still colored by the personal, mundane emotional history of the audience and  thus cannot be a fully religious experience. Although the <audience> can be raised above all the other mundane emotions mentioned by Bharata, the <actors> cannot experience this, as  they are too involved in their work. Furthermore, the experience of the impersonal, tranquil, Santa Rasa is only possible in the theater and not in ordinary life.
Although many modern scholars place Abhinavagupta as the accepted authority for all subsequent Rasa theory, Prof. Haberman points out that there were other radically different and prominent schools before and after Abhinava, and that these seem to have had more influence on Srila Rupa Goswami's writings than Abhinava.
Besides Bharata Muni, practically all we know of writers before Abhinava come from his own work, the Abhinavabharati. From this Prof. Haberman cites the 7th cenury south Indian writer, Dandin, and 9th century Bhatta Lollata. Abhinava himself declares that the position of these earlier writers was that of the "ancients". They present that Rasa is the result of the Sthaya-bhava being stimulated to full intensity by the Vibhava etc. Abhinava of course greatly disagreed with this, holding that the goal was a neutral stage of release.
 Next Prof. Haberman discusses the influential 11th century Malwa King, Bhoja. Bhoja also held that rasa is the intensification of Sthaya-bhava by contact with Vibhava, Anubhava and Vyabhicari bhava; respectively, environmental conditions, external responses and accompanying emotions. He says that this can be experienced by actor or audience, but only if they have some empathetic ability which is the result of previous pious, religious works. Bhoja also insists that the other Sthaya-bhavas listed by Bharata, such as humor, sorrow, anger are really only different forms of the Sthaya-bhava of love (rati). In turn the Srngara-rasa of  amorous love is the primary form of all love.
 Prof. Haberman comments, "Significantly, this is precisely the position expressed in the 
 Agni Purana, a text that most likely achieved its final form in Bengal in the 12th 
 century..." (pg. xivi).
 Professor's comment indicates a perspective in contrast with ourselves, being followers of Vedic culture, as students of Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, Prabhupada. We might accept that the form of the Agni-purana which we now have may have been extant since 12th century Bengal, but the Puranas themselves we understand as transcendental and eternal, made manifest at the same time as the four Vedas. This being done by Srila Vyasadeva himself about 5,000 years ago. Furthermore, our position seems distinct from Professor Haberman's that rather than Srila Rupa Goswami being the product of the historical evolution of ideas of theater and Rasa, Srila Rupa was fully cognizant of the transcendental, eternal form of these from his own esoteric nature which was specifically animated by the instructions he received from Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu at Varanasi.
There is suggestion, however, that Prof. Haberman himself is more than a speculative 
 outsider, but rather he has taken shelter in the Nimbarka Vaisnava tradition. However, to 
 maintain his respect amongst the intensely rational empiricism which controls the politics of modern universities he has not manifest this position.
 This in consideration we find Professor Haberman finishing his super-excellent discussion of the history of Rasa by passing from theater to the history of Bhakti, devotion, as a Rasa. He introduces the ideas of Mammata, Vopadeva, Hemadri and Laksmidhara respectively dated as 11th, 13th, 13th, and 13th (or 14th) centuries. Although Mammata insists that love (rati) for a god is only a Bhava, not a Rasa, other authors state that emotions directed toward Visnu, God, are the way of obtaining Him. Although there was a Bhakti-rasa tradition before Srila Rupa Goswami it could safely be said that he was the first to analyze it in a detailed and systematic manner.


BHAKTI RASA AMRTA SINDHU
With this background in mind let us advance to the content of Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu itself.  After that we can look at how these might inform modern theater. We will give a very brief extract of the BHAKTI-RASA-AMRTA-SINDHU, but those who wish to read more, can investigate the very authoritative summary study, "Nectar of Devotion" (NOD), by own preceptor, Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, Prabhupada. Then there is Professor Haberman's annotated translation, an excellent illumination of Srila Prabhupada's NOD by his disciple Dhanurdara Swami, Waves of Devotion, and a fully annotated translation by another very erudite disciple, Bhanu Swami.
BHAKTI-RASA-AMRTA-SINDHU explains that the ultimate goal of life is to re-awaken our dormant "prema", love for Krsna, God. “Nitya siddha krsna prema...” Prema is the aggregate of the "rasas", and Rasa is the mature product of Sthayi-bhava having been stimulated by Vibhava etc. Rupa Goswami presents a more detailed description of Bhakti-yoga than we have heard from the previous authors.
He defines the goal, pure Bhakti, very carefully. He then presents Sadhana-bhakti, activities that can be performed with the senses, even in our current dull condition. Then 
 he takes us to profound details of Bhava-bhakti where the direct process of stimulating the intimate emotions to the level of Prema is described. Finally he describes the Prema-rasas as they are manifest in a fully self-realized soul.
We consider his Upadesamrta, complete in eleven texts, as a summary of his science of 
 Bhakti-yoga. Then BHAKTI-RASA-AMRTA-SINDHU as the complete science, and his two dramas, Vidagdha-madhava and Lalita-madhava, as perfect demonstration of the science. He wrote an enormous quantity of other excellent books, poems.
Often, Lord Nityananda and Lord Caitanya, as described in Caitanya-bhagavata and Caitanya-caritamrta would perform dramas, both improvisational and planned. Both the 
 actors and audience would experience advancement in their realization of love of God. As described by Bharata, previous acts of Bhakti, even if performed unknowingly (ajñata sukrti) make the individual qualified to taste the sentiments and participate in their development. A Santa-rasa experience is certainly possible but more intense Prema-rasas are achievable as servant, friend, parent and conjugal lover.


MODERN THEATER
How might this inform modern theater and cinema? What is modern theater? 
In our own education we studied at the University of California in the late 1960s and thenin graduate school at Northwestern University, Chicago. There we were introduced to Constantin Stanislavski (1863-1938) as the most influential character in the formation of modern 
 theater during the first half of the 20th century. Then Viola Spolin (1906-1994) as one of the most 
 influential during the later half. We don't have time to touch on both, but if you have 
 interest, Stanislavskii's autobiography, "My Life in Art", is easy to read, technically 
 informative, and a doorway to his other works.
Looking in more detail, Viola Spolin was a renown director and professor at Northwestern University. Her son, Paul Sills, is also one of the great pioneers in modern theater. Her principle literary work is, "Improvisation for the Theater", now in it's third edition. In the first 50 pages Professor Spolin presents, 'The Creative Experience and Workshop Procedures'. In the subsequent 350 pages we are introduced to over 200 games, exercises, problems, that progressively take one from a timid novice to an expert actor. In the first section we see a very intriguing philosophy of theater and life that in the future may exercise us to write more to practically adjudicate it to the tradition of Srila Rupa Goswami, but in the short space remaining let us just extract a few ideas that will make her position a little clear in terms of the earlier dramatists discussed.

Professor Spolin begins by declaring that we learn from experiencing, that no one teaches anyone anything. If the individual permits it, the environment will teach us everything it  has to teach. "Talent" or "lack of talent" have little to do with it. From this point of view, it is by increasing the individual's capacity for experiencing that the untold  potentiality of a personality can be evoked.

1) This reminds us of Socrate's idea that education means to inspire the individual to 
 remember what he already knows. The teacher is the mid-wife of the mind.
2) As we now see it, Professor Spolin, has a view of the "environment" that would be 
 compatible with the higher pantheistic, "virata-rupa", idea of Srila Rupa Goswami and the Bhagavata tradition. Actually we shall see that Professor never mentions the word God, or the idea of a divine deity, at any point in her preface, yet the Environment seems to satisfy this function as divine educator, awakening us to realization of higher faculties.
 
Experiencing is penetration into the Environment, total organic involvement with it, This means involvement on all levels: intellectual, physical and intuitive. Of the three, the 
 intuitive, most vital to the learning situation, is neglected.

Here we would say her logic takes us from Pantheism to Mysticism, and thus approaching Paramatma or the Holy Spirit aspect of mono-theistic schools such as Bhakti-rasa-amrta-sindhu.
 

A WAY IS NEEDED to get to intuitive knowledge. It requires 1) an environment in which experiencing can take place, 2) a person free to experience, 3) and an activity that brings  about spontaneity.... The full text (of her book) is a charted course of such activity.>  So far we seem to be headed to a wonderful process that will allow us to realize the Sat and  Cit features of Krsna, Bhagavan, God ie. full-cognizance free from mundane time, but without a realization of Rasa, maybe what could be styled as a Santa-rasa. Ahead!  <The GAME is a natural group form providing the involvement and personal freedom necessary for experiencing.... Any game worth playing is highly social and has a problem that needs solving within it.... The objective upon which the player must constantly focus... provokes spontaneity. In this spontaneity, personal freedom is released, and the total person, physical, intellectual and intuitive, is awakened. This causes enough excitation for the student to transcend himself or herself, to go out into the Environment, to explore, adventure, and face all the dangers unafraid.

Here we seem to becoming to a consideration of Rasa, peace, fearlessness, adventure.


The Audience: 
The audience is the most revered member of the theater. Without an audience there is no 
 theater. Every technique learned by the actor, every curtain on the stage... is for the 
 enjoyment of the audience. They are our guests, our FELLOW PLAYERS... They make the performance meaningful.... Each member of the audience must have a personal experience, not artificial stimulation, while viewing the play.
The problems of present-day theater are only now being formulated into questions. When our theater training enables playwrites, actors... to think through the role of the audience as individuals and as part of the process called theater, each one with a right to a personal 
 experience, is it not possible that a whole new form of theater presentation will emerge?

Final bits:
... The intuition gained remains with the player in everyday life, for whenever a circuit 
 is opened for anyone, so to speak, it is usable everywhere.
... By helping to free the student-actor for the learning process and by inspiring 
 communication in the theater with dedication and passion, it will be found that the average person will not fail to respond to the art form.
... Self-discovery is the foundation of this way of working.
... Sentiment, tear-jerking, etc. are cultural weapons. On our stages, let us cry and laugh 
 not from old frames of reference but from the sheer joy of watching human beings explore a GREATER BEYOND.
... A moment of grandeur comes to everyone when they act our of their humanness without need for acceptance, exhibitionism, or applause. An audience knows this and responds accordingly.
... An audience is neither refreshed nor entertained when not included as part of the 
 playing.
... Individual freedom (expressing self) while respecting community responsibility (group 
 agreement) is our goal.
... Acting is doing.
... Let the objects put us in motion.

CONCLUSION
Of course our space has been very limited, but I think the reader can appreciate the 
 historical, Srila Rupa Goswami's and the modern theater perspectives.
At this point in our own "Life in Art", introducing these ideas in the modern West, we have seen that the greatest gift of Rupa Goswami is a clear cosmology and highly elucidated technique centering on a Supreme Person, Sri Krsna, who is transcendent to the world of mundane competition, fear and violence. He is all powerful, but essentially likes to reciprocate Rasa, sentiments, and service with the living entities.
Modern theater, cinema, can then be informed that the actors and audience are both assembled to participate in developing their ability to interchange loving sentiments with Govinda.  Srila Rupa Goswami's techniques of music, dancing and theater are completely compatible with the techniques of mystical introspection and practical external expression of the modern theater training of Viola Spolin. The result is definitely there from both.
In our own personal life as a practitioner of Rupa Goswami's technique we are continuously enhanced by our training in modern theater. Furthermore, we have successfully presented these ideas in the classrooms of Western universities in such curriculum as World Classical Drama. We were associate directors of the Manipuri Ranganiketana Cultural Arts Troupe which toured in Europe, South America and USA presenting Rasa-lila dances etc. General audiences of all ages, Prima Balerinas, art critics from the Los Angeles Times, all appreciated and lauded the performances at some of the biggest venues in the Western world. We have been able to produce two movies from Peru introducing these ideas, again with grand appreciation.
Our conclusion is that we encourage any member of our audience to investigate these 
 connections. This can supply the much needed satisfaction of the soul that is lacking in the West, and thus eliminate the need for expression though lust, anger and greed.

A lady purchased tickets for one of our Manipuri shows at one venue in the USA from some of our friends who had a store in the town. She came back on Monday and commented that she had been very doubtful about taking her husband and son to see a classical Indian dance show, but she was quite surprised at what had happened.
She said that she had been married for 18 years and had not seen her husband cry one time, but during the last dance-drama (an extract of Vasant Rasa-lila) she had seen him wiping away tears.

Nobel Laureate Henri Bergson, "The Mechanism Requires a Mysticism".

Thank you.
 
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