Nava means 'Nine' and Rasa signifies 'mood,' 'emotion,' 'expression' or 'sentiment.' The Navarasa, in the scriptures refer to the nine expressions that humans often show. These are shringara (love), hasya (laughter ), karuna(kind-heartedness or compassion), roudra (anger), veera (courage), bhayanaka(fear ), bheebhatsya (disgust), wonder or adbhutha (surprise) and shantha (peace or tranquility).
According to Sage Bharata who wrote the Natya Shastra, there are 8 rasas and this was accepted till, Uddhata ,the first commentator on the Natya Shastra, claimed that Rasas were nine in number.
