महावीरचरितम् (महाकवि भवभूति - वीररस-प्रधान रामकथा नाटक सम्पूर्ण ७ अङ्क सटीक)

SYNOPTIC ANALYSIS OF THE PLAY PROLOGUE: i. 1—i. 7² TRANSLATION, PAGES 15–17. Scene* 1 (i. 1—i. 2). Ujjain (?): a booth at the fair of Kālapriyanātha. The Director recites the customary Invocation (i. 1); he withdraws upon the entrance of the Stage-manager (i. 1¹), who announces the title of the play, with a few words about its author (i. 1³—i. 2). Scene 2 (i. 2¹—i. 7²). Ayodhyā: a large square near Rāma's palace. The Stage-manager, now representing one of the many bards assembled for the coronation of Rāma after his victory at Laṅkā, inquires (i. 2³) why the festal music in the squares has ceased. Enters an actor and replies that it is because the coronation is over and the guests are gone. He adds that the Queen-mothers and other persons of age and authority have left Ayodhyā¹ to attend the twelve-year² sacrifice (i. 3) at the hermitage of Ṛiṣhyaśṛiṅga, the husband of Rāma's sister Śāntā, and that they did so reluctantly, as it involved their leaving behind them Sītā, now far gone with child. The actor also alludes incidentally to a false rumour about Sītā (i. 6), and expresses assurance (i. 6²) that sages and deities will intervene³ in order that no evil may come out of it. Upon inquiry they learn that Rāma is just returning home to comfort the disconsolate Sītā (i. 7), and so the Stage-manager and his companion go about their duties (i. 7¹, i. 4³). * In this synopsis the play has been divided into scenes, irrespective of the canons of Hindu dramaturgy, which do not recognize such a division. The entrances and exits and the place of action have served as the guiding principle. ¹ This statement makes it clear that, in the absence of persons to whose authority Rāma owed deference (his gurus), he is acting of his own accord when he aban- dons his wife. Compare ii. 6¹⁰, iv. 10⁵. ² This period represents the interval between the first Act and the rest of the action of the play. It is alluded to more than once later; compare ii. 6¹², iii. 34, vii. 15, &c. ³ And this in fact they do, thus bringing about a non-tragic ending to the play. Cp. iii. 3, vii. 17, vii. 18⁶ff.