नाट्यशास्त्रम् (प्रथम भाग - अभिनवभारती एवं हिन्दी टीका सहित)

.XXVII. 97 ] SUCCESS IN DRAMATIC PRODUCTION 525

Suitable times for dramatic performance

88. Producers [of plays] should know the time (kāla) for a performance (vāra), which depends on various considerations to be [generally] day and night¹. Listen now when a performance may take place during these two periods.

89. The performance in the evening, the midnight and the dawn belongs to the night².

90. The performance in the forenoon and the afternoon belongs to the day.

Time of performance according the subject and the Sentiment

91. I shall now speak how these times are suited to [different] Sentiments after mentioning the time (kāla) to which a performance belongs.

92. [The performance] which is pleasant to the ear and is based on a tale of virtue (dharma), whether it is pure (śuddha) or mixed (vikṛta), should be held in the forenoon.

93. That which is rich in instrumental music, includes the story of strength and energy, and carries [a chance of] abundant success should be performed in the afternoon.

94. That which relates to the Graceful Style, the Erotic Sentiment and is full of vocal and instrumental music¹ should be performed in the evening.

95. The drama which relates to the magnanimity [of the Hero], and contains mostly the Pathetic Sentiment should be performed in the morning and it will scare away sleep.

96. The drama should not be performed in the midnight or at noon or at the time of the Sandhyā prayer or of taking meals.

97. Thus after looking into the time, place and the basis (plot) of a play one should bring about its production according to the States and the Sentiments it contains.

---

88 (C.85; K.76) ¹ Read 88b as दिवसश्चैव रात्रिश्च तयोर्वारं निबोधत.
89 (C.87; K.77). ¹ reads 89a as पूर्वाह्ने अथ मध्याह्ने चापराह्ने तथैव च and 89b correspondingly. 90 (C.86; K.78). 91 (C 88; K.79). 92 (C.89; K.80).
93 (C 90; K.21). 94 (C.91; K.82). ¹ gītavāditrabhūyiṣṭham C. nṛtyavāditragītāḍhyam. K. 95 (C.92; K.83) 96 (C.93; K.84).
97 (C.94; K.85). ¹ prasamīkṣya sasaṁśrayam, C. but parṣadam ca samīkṣya tu, K. parṣadam in K. may be a wrong reading for pārṣadam (assembly).