In this context the rhetoricians are divided into 4 groups. The first group opines that the real heroes and heroines of an event are the ones who mainly relish the ras. The actors who represent them (in a drama) get the taste of ras little bit. If they do a lot of rehearsal and their hearts are clear, they may relish ras.
The second group says – the real life characters are limited. They face troubles and tribulations in life – so how can they relish any ras? Rather the actors who play their parts relish the ras.
The third group states – the real characters do not relish ras at all, and neither do the actors representing them. The actors are but imitators. They only practice and become experts at displaying emotions (which are not real). So they do not enjoy ras. Then who gets the pleasure of ras? The rasik audience. After all, the public sees and hears with absorption.
The fourth group says that if the actors have a clear heart, they will feel the emotions of the real characters and hence they too will relish ras, and of course, the public too will certainly enjoy ras.
Most of the rhetoricians agree on the point that the audience relishes ras.
However one point is clear from the above discussion that in transcendental ras – all can relish ras – the real characters, the actors playing their role as well as the audience. The real characters (e.g. the Divine Couple) do not suffer from the problems faced by the original characters of material literature – that is – they are not mortals, are not limited and do not endure troubles and tribulations. Therefore Their associates too relish ras. Divine passion is naturally immortal and unlimited. The main subject of transcendental ras (Sri Krishna) is the Supreme Brahman Himself and all His activities too are divine. Sri Hari’s excellences are innumerable, His beauty is immeasurable and He is the unlimited turbulent ocean of Leelâ-ras! Also, Sri Bhagavân’s names, beauty, qualities and pastimes are not mere agglomeration of words. They are non-different from each other.
“Sri Krishna’s names, Sri Krishna’s excellences, Sri Krishna’s divine pastimes are all equal to His swarup and hence they are eternal and blissful.” – (C.C.)
Therefore nothing can stop or diminish the ras-relish of Sri Krishna’s names, excellences, pastimes etc. We can realize transcendental ras even when confronted with anarthas such as fear (e.g. Prahlâd Mahârâj) and intermission caused due to rebirth (Jada-Bharat). Not even Brahman-realization can obstruct one from relishing divine ras! Shukadev is a brilliant evidence for this. Hence we’d better accept that ras exists only in divine passion.
(to be continued)