नाट्यशास्त्रम् (प्रथम भाग - अभिनवभारती एवं हिन्दी टीका सहित)

-XXXV. 30 ] DISTRIBUTION OF ROLES 541

master) should, according to his discretion, have the masks (lit. them) made by means of clay, wood lac and leather.

The first entry of a character

24. After concealing his identity (lit. his own form) by means of painting and make-up one should enter the stage in his natural State (bhāva)¹.

The result of proper impersonation

25-26. If in the production of a play a person is to be assigned¹ a role which fits in with his nature and physical form, then he [very naturally] represents it (lit. renders his States). [He will be] like a man who renounces his own nature together with the body, and assumes another's nature by entering into the latter's body.

The psychological preparation for impersonation

27. Thus after thinking within himself that "I am he" a wise actor should represent the States of another person by speech, gait, movements and gestures¹.

Three kinds of impersonation

28. Human characters according as they are represented on the stage [by actors] fall into three classes : natural (anurūpā), unnatural (virūpā) and imitative (rūpānusāriṇī).

The natural impersonation

29. When women impersonate female characters and men male characters, and their ages are similar to that of the characters represented, the impersonation is called "natural" (anurūpā)¹.

The unnatural impersonation

30. When a boy impersonates the role of an old man, or an old man that of a boy, and betrays his own nature in acting, the representation is called "unnatural" (virūpā).

---

¹ The implication of this is not clear.

25-26 (C.12-13; K.XXVI.16b-18a). ¹ prayojyam, K. prayuktam, C. Cf. NŚ. XXIII. 79.

27 (C.14; K.XXVI.18b 19a). ¹ A very practical instruction.

28 (C.15; K.XXVI.1).

29 (C.17; K.XXVI.2). ¹ C. reads 38 before this with a slight variation.

30 (C.18; K.XXVI.3).