Aesthetic Experience and Universal Consciousness: Parallels between Nietzschean Tragedy and Abhinavagupta’s Natya

Nietzsche argues that tragedy a synthesis of the Apollonian and Dionysian artistic principles uncovers the universal essence of human existencesufferingoffering metaphysical solace to its spectators that helps them bear this reality and affirm life amidst the terrors and horrors of existence Apollo and Dionysus represent individuality and universality in tragedy The Apollonian aspectsplot stage and charactershighlight individual distinctions whereas the Dionysian element musicthe chorusembodies the universalised consciousness of human fragility This Dionysian effect infused through music fosters a state of selfforgetfulness in the spectators dissolving their individuality Abhinavagupta believes that drama nya which is the object of aesthetic experience presents the generalised emotions through sdhrakaraa in which the empathetic spectator sahdaya identifies oneself with that of the character and its situations This transforms the aesthetic spectacle into a collective consciousness ekaghanat in which all the spectators are decontextualised from their spatiotemporal boundaries and experience the aesthetic taste ie rasa Abhinavagupta also argues that such aesthetic experience rassvda is akin to spiritual experience brahmsvda aligning his aesthetic theory with the philosophy of Kashmir aivism The paper aims to identify and analyse the universal elements inherent in the aesthetic experience of tragedy and nya aiming to extrapolate the concept of universalised consciousness through these art forms