नाट्यशास्त्रम् (प्रथम भाग - अभिनवभारती एवं हिन्दी टीका सहित)

-II, 68] DESCRIPTION OF THE PLAYHOUSE 27

and its plinth should be a cubit and a half high². And the plinth of the auditorium (raṅgamaṇḍala)³ should be equal in height to that of the two [Mattavāraṇīs].

65-67. At the time of building them (the two Mattavāraṇīs) garlands, incense, sweet scent, cloths of different colours as well as offerings agreeable to [Bhūtas] should be offered [to them].

And to ensure the good condition of the pillars, one should put a piece of iron below them, and Brahmins should be given food including Kṛsarā. The Mattavāraṇīs should be built up after observing all these rules.

The stage

68. Then one should construct the stage (raṅgapīṭha)¹

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mattavāraṇaḥ (see Oka's ed. p. 50). This is however not clear. Matta-vāraṇayor varaṇḍaka mentioned in Subandhu's Vāsavadattā (ed. Jivananda, p. 33) is probably connected with this word. Śivarāma Tripāṭhī explains these words as follows : मत्तवारणौ मत्तगजौ तयोर्वरण्डकेण। भित्तेरुभयपार्श्वे द्वौ स्थापयित्वा मत्तगजौ। योधयन्तीति प्रसिद्धं भित्ति सा तु वरण्डकम्॥ This also does not give any clear idea about mattavāraṇa or mattavāraṇayor varaṇḍaka. But the word mattavāraṇī may be tentatively taken in the sense of 'a side-room.' Ag. seems to have no clear idea about it. On this he (I. pp. 64-65) says : मत्तवारणी बहिर्निर्गमनप्रमाणेन सर्वतो द्वितीय-भित्तिनिर्देशम् देव प्रासादाद्वारिका ( ०दाहालिका ? ) प्रदर्शणीसदृशी द्वितीयभूमिरित्यन्ये. A Dictionary of Hindu Architecture, by (P. K. Acharya Allahabad, 1927) does not give us any light on this term.

² According to a view expressed in the Ag. (I. p. 62) the plinth of the mattavāraṇī is a cubit and a half higher than that of the stage—इसमानोऽथ यथा रङ्गपीठापेक्षया सार्धहस्तपरिमाण उच्छ्रायः कार्यो मत्तवारण्याः. The plinth of the auditorium is also to be of the same height as that of the mattavāraṇī. But nothing has been said about the height of the plinth of the tiring room. From the use of terms like raṅgāvataraṇa (descending into the stage) it would appear that the plinth of the tiring room too, was higher than the stage. Weber however considered that the stage was higher. Indische Studien XIV. p. 225 Keith, Skt. Drama, p. 360. cf. Lévi, Théâtre indien, i. 374, ii. 62.

³ B. reads raṅgamaṇḍapam instead of raṅgamaṇḍalam (G) which is the correct reading. 65-67 (B.71b-73, 69-71a)

68 (B.74, G.71b-72a). ¹ Some scholars following Ag, are in favour of taking and raṅgapīṭha raṅgaśīrṣa as two different parts of the play-house (see D.R. Mankad, "Hindu Theatre" in IHQ. VIII. 1932, pp. 480 ff.