Anumitivada was propounded by Sri Sankula, a logician. "Anumitivada"
or the theory of inference in the context of Rasa, adds an interesting
dimension to the understanding of aesthetic experience in Indian aesthetics,
particularly in the context of classical Sanskrit drama.
Sankula's argument challenges the traditional
cause-and-effect model, which posits a direct relationship between the hero's
emotions and the audience's experience of rasa. Instead, Sankula suggests that
rasa is not produced by the hero but is inferred by the spectator. This shift
in perspective raises thought-provoking questions about the nature of the
dramatic experience.
One key aspect is the temporal gap between the hero's
actions and the audience's experience of rasa. Sankula points out the apparent
inconsistency in the cause-and-effect model when considering how the hero's
emotions, depicted in a drama, can have an impact on the audience, even if
thousands of years have passed since the events portrayed. This challenges the
linear understanding of time in the context of aesthetic experience.
Moreover, Sankula introduces the role of the spectator into
the equation. He questions the relevance of the drama for the spectator if they
are not direct beneficiaries in rasa realization. This consideration adds a
layer of complexity to the relationship between the dramatic performance and
the audience's engagement with it.
The idea that rasa is not produced but inferred by the
spectator introduces a logical process of inference. This process involves the
spectator recognizing a permanent mood in the actor, which is inferred to exist
in the hero. This logical chain of inference ultimately leads to the
realization of rasa. The analogy of the "portrait of a horse"
highlights the conceptual nature of this inference — the actor is like the
portrait, embodying the essence of the hero, but not being the hero in reality.
In summary, Sankula's Anumitivada challenges conventional
notions of causality in the aesthetic experience of rasa by emphasizing the
role of inference and introducing the spectator as an active participant in the
process of realizing rasa. This perspective adds depth and nuance to the
understanding of classical Sanskrit drama and the emotional resonance it seeks
to evoke in its audience.