नाट्यशास्त्रम् (प्रथम भाग - अभिनवभारती एवं हिन्दी टीका सहित)

-V. 59 ] THE PRELIMINARIES OF A PLAY 83

songs (gītaka) are sung the gods enjoy them, and Rudra with his followers is pleased by the performance of the Vardhamāna. Similarly in the performance of the Walking-round (parivartana) Lokapālas (the guardians of the worlds) are delighted, and the Moon-god is pleased with the Benediction. During the singing of the Avakṛṣṭā (Dhruvā) Nāgas are pleased, while Śuṣkāvakṛṣṭā (Dhruvā) pleases the host of Pitṛs (ancestors). In the Raṅgadvāra Viṣṇu is pleased, while the Jarjara, ceremony pleases the leaders of Vighnas. On the Cārī being performed Umā takes pleasure while on the performance of Mahācārī the Bhūtas are delighted.

55. So much about worshipping the deities in different parts of the Preliminaries (pūrvaraṅga) beginning with the Pratyāhāra and ending in the [Mahā] cārī.

56. O the best of Brahmins, in course of describing the different parts of the Preliminaries I have named the gods pleased by them and mentioned [the individual] parts of it in which they take delight.

57-58. The performance of the Preliminaries which means worshipping the gods, is praised by them (i.e. gods) and is conducive to duty (dharma), fame and long life. And this performance whether with or without songs, is meant for pleasing the Daityas and the Dānavas as well as the gods (lit. denizens of the celestial region).

59. I shall now tell you [afterwards] while discussing the rules of Dhruvās¹ the characteristics and function of performances with or without songs (sagīta and nirgīta) as well as of the Vardhamāna.²

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55 (B.56, G.54). 56 (B.57, G.55).
57-58 (B.58-59, G.56-57).
59 (B.61, G.59). ¹ See NŚ. (C.) XXXII.
² Before this couplet (59) B. reads one additional śloka (B. 60).