The sect of Bhattlollat on Rasa is called as:

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 1: Utpattiwad.

The concept of *Rasa* (Aesthetic Experience) is central to Indian dramaturgy and aesthetics, stemming from Bharata Muni's *Natyashastra* and the famous *Rasa Sutra*. Bhaṭṭa Lollaṭa was the first major commentator on this sutra, and his interpretation is known as *Utpattiwad* (The Theory of Production) or *Aaropawad* (The Theory of Superimposition). Lollaṭa argued that the *Rasa* is physically produced (*Utpatti*) in the original character (*Anukārya*) being portrayed (like Rama or a deity). The actor simply imitates this state, and the spectator experiences *Rasa* through an illusion or a superimposed, false perception (*Aaropa*) of the original character's feelings onto the performer. Thus, the aesthetic delight is secondary, depending on the reality of the primary character's emotion.

The incorrect option is 2: Anumitiwad.
This theory belongs to Śrī Śaṅkuka, and his view is termed *Anumitiwad*, or The Theory of Inference. Śaṅkuka rejected Lollaṭa’s view, arguing that the spectator does not perceive the *Rasa* directly or falsely, but rather *infers* it (*Anumiti*) from the skillfully portrayed emotions by the actor. For Śaṅkuka, the actor's performance is a kind of skillful illusion that leads the spectator to draw a conclusion, much like inferring the presence of fire from smoke. The aesthetic experience is therefore a cognitive and inferential process, where the spectator knows the emotion is not real in the actor, but still draws a conclusion about it.

The incorrect option is 3: Bhuktiwad.
This perspective was put forward by Bhaṭṭa Nāyaka, and it is known as *Bhuktiwad*, The Theory of Enjoyment. Nāyaka criticised both *Utpattiwad* and *Anumitiwad* for failing to explain why the spectator experiences a non-personal, universal delight. He introduced the unique concept of *Sādhāraṇīkaraṇa* (universalization), where the dramatic presentation cleanses the emotion of all personal attachment. Once universalized, the *Rasa* is then enjoyed or 'consumed' (*Bhukti*) by the spectator through a special faculty called *Bhojakatva*, resulting in a blissful, spiritual contemplation, distinct from ordinary worldly experience.

The incorrect option is 4: Abhivyaktiwad.
This is the final and most authoritative interpretation, belonging to Abhinavagupta, a master Kashmir Shaivite philosopher, and it is called *Abhivyaktiwad*, The Theory of Manifestation. Abhinavagupta contended that the *Rasa* is not produced, inferred, or enjoyed for the first time, but rather *manifested* (*Abhivyakti*) from a pre-existing, latent state. He believed that the *Sthāyi Bhāva* (Permanent Moods) exist as potential impressions (*Vāsanā*) within every spectator's mind. The performance acts as a catalyst, dissolving the barriers of personal identification and causing the latent *Rasa* to spontaneously manifest as aesthetic bliss.