नाट्यशास्त्रम् (प्रथम भाग - अभिनवभारती एवं हिन्दी टीका सहित)

558 THE NĀṬYAŚĀSTRA [ XXXV. 44

by Brahman [himself], and teach it to your disciples and others through its application.

44. Do not destroy this drama which has been devised with great difficulty and which includes great things, brings great merit and has its origin in the Aṅgas and the Upāṅgas of the Vedas¹.

45. After holding the dramatic performance according to the rules which I heard from the Apsarasas, you all are to undergo a purificatory ceremony (prāyaścitta)¹.

Nahuṣa invites divine artistes to the earth.

46. In course of time a king named Nahuṣa¹ attained the kingdom of Heaven through his polity, intelligence and prowess².

47. He then governed the kingdom and felt a divine desire. And on seeing the musical performance (gāndharva) and the drama [of the gods] he became anxious [about these].

48. He thought¹ within himself how the dramatic performance by the gods² should take place in his house³ [on the earth].

49. Then for such a performance the king said to the gods with folded palms : 'Let the drama [produced] by the Apsarasas be performed in our house (i. e. on the earth).'

Gods rejected the request

50. But in reply, the gods with Bṛhaspati as their leader said to him : The meeting of divine damsels and mortals has not been prescribed [anywhere].

51. As you are the lord of Heaven you should be given an advice which is both good and pleasant. Let the master [of the dramatic art] go there (i.e. at your place) and please you.'

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44 (C.46; K.44). ¹ Cf. above 20 notes.
45 (C.47; K.45). ¹ Emend 45a as follows: अप्सरोभ्य इदं चैव यथातत्त्वं मया श्रुतम्.
46 (C.48; K.XXXVII.1b-2a). ¹ Nahuṣa mentioned in the Ṛgveda, Rām., Mbh. and several Purāṇas, was possibly an historical person. See J.K. sub voce.
² K. reads one fragmentary hemistich before this.
47 (C.49; K.XXXVII.2b-3a).
48 (C.50; K.XXXVII.3b-4a). ¹ Read so'cintayat tu for sa cintayitvā, C. iṣṭacintāsu, K.
² Read bhaved devagaṇaiḥ kṛtaḥ for bhaved iti sasambhramaḥ, C. bhaved divi devara eva san. K.
³ gṛhe mama, K. ('gre unmanāḥ, C.)
49 (C.51; K.XXXVII.4b-5a).
50 (C.52; K.XXXVII.5b-6a).
51 (C.53; K.XXXVII.6b-7a).