Bhāva (Sanskrit: भाव) is a complex and multi-layered term in Hinduism, derived from the verbal root bhū ("to become" or "to exist"). Its primary meaning is an emotional frame, state of mind, feeling, sentiment, or disposition. The term appears across numerous domains of Hindu thought, including aesthetics, philosophy, devotional practice, astrology, and grammar.
Etymology
The word bhāva comes from the Sanskrit root bhū, meaning "to exist" or "to pervade." It thus conveys a state of being or a pervasive emotional condition. In most Indian languages, bhāva is translated as emotion or feeling.
In Aesthetics and Dramaturgy (Nāṭyaśāstra)
In the Nāṭyaśāstra of Bharata Muni, bhāva refers to the psychological states that infuse a dramatic performance with meaning. Bharata describes two main types:
- Sthāyibhāva (stable or durable emotions): The basic, permanent emotions that form the foundation of aesthetic experience. There are eight sthāyibhāvas, corresponding to the eight rasas (aesthetic sentiments).
- Vyabhicāribhāva (transitory emotions): Shifting, complementary emotions that arise and subside, supporting the dominant mood. There are thirty-three such states.
- Sāttvikabhāva (involuntary states): Physical manifestations of emotion, such as tears, trembling, or horripilation, that arise from genuine feeling.
The bhāvas are said to bhāvayanti ("infuse" or "pervade") the meaning of the play into the hearts of the spectators, thereby giving rise to rasa (aesthetic relish).
In Sāṃkhya Philosophy
In the Sāṃkhya school, eight bhāvas are enumerated as psychological predispositions inherent to human nature:
- Dharma (virtue)
- Adharma (vice)
- Jñāna (knowledge)
- Ajñāna (ignorance)
- Vairāgya (non-attachment)
- Rāga (attachment)
- Aiśvarya (power)
- Anaiśvarya (impotence)
In Yoga
The Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali refer to bhāva in the context of mental modifications (vṛtti). Yoga is defined as the cessation of the modifications of the mind (yogaś citta-vṛtti-nirodhaḥ). The practitioner's bhāva—their emotional or mental state—is central to the practice of abhyāsa (steady effort) and vairāgya (detachment).
In Bhakti Traditions
In devotional (bhakti) traditions, bhāva denotes the emotional attitude or mood of the devotee toward the divine. The Ramakrishna Mission, following Swami Nikhilananda, classifies bhāva into several types:
- Śāntabhāva: The calm, peaceful, saintly attitude
- Dāsyabhāva: The attitude of a servant toward the Lord
- Sakhyabhāva: The attitude of friendship
- Vātsalyabhāva: The attitude of a mother toward her child
- Madhurabhāva (or kāntabhāva): The attitude of a lover toward the beloved
- Tanmayabhāva: The attitude that the Lord is present everywhere
In Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavism, Rūpa Gosvāmī organized bhāvas into a hierarchy of five common modes of devotional worship: awe and insignificance (śānta), servitude (dāsya), familial affection (vātsalya), friendly affection (sākhya), and intimate, erotic love (mādhurya). The term bhāva also refers to the preliminary stage of perfection in devotion (bhāva-bhakti), considered a ray of the sun of prema (divine love).
In Hindu Astrology (Jyotiṣa)
In Vedic astrology, bhāva refers to the twelve houses of the horoscope, each representing a distinct sphere of life. The Bhāva Cakra (wheel of houses) divides the 360° circle into twelve 30° segments, personalizing the influences of the zodiacal signs (rāśis) to the individual.
In Grammar (Vyākaraṇa)
In Sanskrit grammar, bhāva denotes the fundamental notion of the verb—the abstract sense of "becoming" or "action" as such, without reference to agent or object. It is also used to form abstract nouns, equivalent to the English suffixes "-ness," "-hood," or "-ship."
As a Name of Śiva
The word Bhava (with short first vowel) is an epithet of Śiva, appearing in the Vedas as a name of Agni and later as a form of Rudra/Śiva. It is often paired with Śarva and is one of the eleven names of Rudra.
In Sāttvic, Rājasic, and Tamasic Classification
According to Swami Shivananda, there are three kinds of bhāva—sāttvic (pure, divine), rājasic (passionate, active), and tamasic (dark, inert)—which predominate in a person depending on their nature.
