नाट्यशास्त्रम् (प्रथम भाग - अभिनवभारती एवं हिन्दी टीका सहित)

-II. 100 ] DESCRIPTION OF THE PLAYHOUSE 31

pillars³ capable of supporting the roof. Outside the pillars, seats should be constructed in the form of a staircase by means of bricks and wood, for the accommodation of the spectators. Successive rows of seats should be made one cubit higher than those preceding them, and the lowest row of seats being one cubit higher than the floor. And all these seats should overlook the stage.

92-95. In the interior of the playhouse six more strong pillars capable of supporting the roof should be raised in suitable positions and with [proper] ceremonies (i.e. with those mentioned before). And in addition to these, eight more pillars should be raised by their side. Then after raising [for the stage or rangapīṭha] a plinth eight cubit [square, more] pillars should be raised to support the roof of the playhouse. These [pillars] should be fixed to the roof by proper fasteners, and be decorated with figurines of 'woman-with-a-tree' (śālastrī = śālabhañjikā).

95-100. After all these have been made, one should carefully construct the tiring room (nepathya). It should have one door leading to the stage through which persons should enter with their face towards [the spectators]. There should also be a second door facing the auditorium (raṅga). The stage [of the square playhouse] should be eight cubits in length and in breadth. It should be furnished with an elevated plinth with plain surface, and its Mattavāraṇī should be made according to the measurement prescribed before (i.e. in case of the oblong type of

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³ The position of these ten pillars and others mentioned afterwards is not clear from the text. Whatever is written on this point in Ag's commentary is equally difficult to understand. Those who are interested in the alleged view of Ag. may be referred to articles of D. R. Mankad and V. Raghavan (loc. cit.).

92-95 (B.99b-102a, G.96-98). ¹ śālastrī = śāla-bhañjikā (see A. K. Coomaraswamy, 'The Women and tree or śālabhañjikā in Indian literature in Acta Orientalia, vol. VII. also cf. this author's Yakṣas, Part II. p. 11.)

95-100 (B.102b-107 G.99-104). ¹ Both the sides are meant. There should be two mattavāraṇīs as in the case of an oblong medium, (vikṛṣṭa-madhya) playhouse described before (17, 32-35).