नाट्यशास्त्रम् (प्रथम भाग - अभिनवभारती एवं हिन्दी टीका सहित)

CHAPTER NINETEEN

MODES OF ADDRESS AND INTONATION

Different modes of address

1-2. These are, O the best of Brahmins, the rules on the use of languages [in a drama]. Now listen about the rules of popular modes of address¹ or the manner in which persons of equal, superior or inferior status in a play are to be addressed by those of the superior, the medium or the inferior class.²

Modes of addressing males : addressing great sages

3. As the great sages are adorable (lit. god) even to the gods they are to be addressed as “holy one” (bhagavan)¹ and their wives are also to be similarly addressed.²

Addressing gods, sectarian teachers and learned men

4. Gods,¹ persons wearing sectarian teacher's dress² and persons observing varied vows³ are to be addressed as “holy one” (bhagavan)³ by men as well as women.

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1-2 (C.1-2, B.XVII.65-66). ¹ This manner of addressing different persons includes referring to them before their ownselves or before others e.g.. In Śak. (I), Duṣyanta is referred to by his charioteer as āyuṣman and then he is addressed in the same term (Yathājñāpayati āyuṣman. āyuṣman paśya paśya).

² Rules given hereafter do not cover all the numerous and different cases occurring in the extant dramatic literature in Skt. and Pkt.

3 (C.3; B.XVII.67). ¹ Ex. Kāśyapa (Kaṇva) addressed by his disciple (Śak. IV.) Mārīca by Duṣyanta (ibid. VII.) and Rāvaṇa in ascetic's disguise by Rāma (Pratimā. V).

² No ex. of this seems to be available in any extant drama.

4 (C.4; BXVII.68). ¹ Ex. : Agni (Abhi. VI). & Varuṇa (ibid. IV).

² Ex. (Rāvaṇa disguised as an ascetic addressed by Rāma (Pratimā. V.). The Jester in Pratijñā (III) addressing the Jain monk (śramaṇaka) as bhaavam (bhagavan) to create laughter ; bhadanta would have been the proper term in this case. See below 15.

³ Read here nānāvratadhara (bha in B) for nānāśrutadhara (B) and nānāśrutidhara (C). Ascetics belonging to minor heterodox sects