CHAPTER TWENTYONE

THE LIMBS OF THE JUNCTURES

The five Junctures of the Plot

1. The Plot (itivṛtta) has been called the body of the drama (lit. poem). It is known to be divided into five Junctures (sandhi).

The two kinds of Plot

2. The Plot is of two kinds : Principal (ādhikārika) and Subsidiary (prāsaṅgika).

Their definition

3. The [assemblage of] acts which are fabricated with a view to (lit, by reason of) the attainment of [some particular] result, is to be known as the Principal Plot. [Acts] other than these constitute the Subsidiary Plot.

4-5. The attainment of the result and its exaltation which the ingenuity of the playwright (lit. poet) plans by means of the associated characters (lit. Heroes) acting in a regular manner (lit. resorting to rules), constitute the Principal Plot on account of an attainment of the result. And any incident (lit. anything) mentioned for helping any other [incident] in it, is called the Subsidiary Plot.

The five stages of the Action

6. The exertion of the Hero (lit. one who strives) towards the result to be attained, is known to have five stages occurring in due order.

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1 (C.1 ; K. XIX. 1). ¹ Also called vastu. Cf. DR. I. 11, SD. 294-295.
² See DR. I. 22-23, SD. 330 and NL. 458 read vibhāgaḥ samprakalpitaḥ for vibhāgaḥ etc. See NL. 216-217.

2 (C.2 ; K. XIX. 2). ¹ See DR. I. 11, SD. 295 and NL. 218 219.

3 (C.3 ; K. XIX. 3). ¹ Cf. DR. I. 12-13, SD. 296-297; NL. 223-224.
² See above note 1.

4-5 (C.4-5 ; K. XIX. 4-5). ¹ See above 3 note 1 and NL. 228-229.
² See above note 1.

6 (C.7). ¹ C. reads one additional couplet (C. 6) before this. Cf. NL. 55-56.