रसे सारश्चमत्कारः सर्वत्राप्यनुभूयते ।
तच्चमत्कारसारत्वे सर्वत्राप्यद्भुतो रसः ॥
rase sāraś camatkāraḥ sarvatrāpy anubhūyate |
tac camatkāra-sāratve sarvatrāpy adbhuto rasaḥ ||
(Sāhitya-darpaṇa 3.3; cited in Prīti Sandarbha: 110)
“In rasa, astonishment is perceived to be the essence indeed in all cases. Therefore, because of the essence being astonishment, rasa is adbhuta [i.e., wonder] indeed in all cases.”
Commentary
On the basis of this verse, Śrī Kavi Karṇapura composes the following:
rase sāraś camatkāro yaṁ vinā na raso rasaḥ |
tac camatkāra-sāratve sarvatraivādbhuto rasaḥ ||
(Alaṅkāra-kaustubha: 5.15)
“In rasa, astonishment is the essence, without which rasa is not rasa. Therefore, because of the essence being astonishment, rasa is adbhuta [i.e., wonder] in all cases.”