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संग्रह पर लौटें

नाट्यशास्त्रम् (प्रथम भाग - अभिनवभारती एवं हिन्दी टीका सहित)

Natyashastra of Bharata Muni with Hindi Commentary (Vol 1)

भरत मुनि / आचार्य अभिनवगुप्त द्वारा

DevanagariSanskritpublished654 पृष्ठ

-XX. 54 ] TEN KINDS OF PLAY 363

49. When a playwright constructs a play with an original (lit. invented) Germ and a plot which is not connected with Ṛṣis' works¹ and which that play has gathered from some other works and has some marvellous qualities in it, the same is also called the Prakaraṇa.

50. The plot and its elaboration as the basis of the Sentiments,¹ which have been prescribed in case of the Nāṭaka are also to be applied with [the the detail of] their characteristics to the Prakaraṇa in all its Junctures (sandhi)².

51. The varied exploits¹ of Brahmins, merchants, ministers, priests, officers [of the king] and leaders of the army [when presented in a play] are to be known as the Prakaraṇa².

52. The Prakaraṇa should be known as not made up with an exalted Hero. And it does not contain the character of any god, has no story of king's enjoyment, and it is connected with the men outside [the royal palace].

53. The play of the Prakaraṇa type should include [in some cases] servants, parasites (viṭa) and heads of the merchants' guild, [as characters and should contain incidents arising from] the conduct of courtezans as well as exploits of depraved women of good family.

54. [In an Act of the Prakaraṇa] where a minister, head of the merchants' guild, Brahmin, priest, minister and leader of the


playwright worked up materials from the source of the plot, such as Mbh. Rām. and Bṛhatkathā. See above 10-11 note 1.

49 (C.50; B.XVIII.46). ¹ Rām and Mbh. are examples of such works.

50 (C.51; B.XVIII.47). ¹ C. rasāśrayopetaṁ for ca vṛttibhedāś ca.
² C. kevalaṁ utpādyavastu syāt for salakṣaṇaṁ sarva-sandhiṣu tu.

51 (C.51; B.XVIII.48). ¹ From this "varied exploits" one is to understand that Prakaraṇa was not concerned exclusively with love-themes.
² The types of characters mentioned in the rule are mostly absent in the scanty number of extant plays of this type. The Pratijñā. is an example of a Prak. having ministers as its Hero.

52 (C.53; B.XVIII.49). 53 (C.54; B.XVIII.50).
54 (C.55; B.XVIII.51).

364 THE NATYASASTRA [ XX. 55-

caravan stay in their family circle, no courtezan should be brought in there¹.

55. [In the Prakaraṇa] when a person is in the company of a courtezan there should not be [at the same time] his meeting with any respectable woman (lit. woman of good family), and while he is with a person of high family no courtezan should meet him then.

56. If out of necessity (lit. reason) there occurs a meeting¹ of courtezans and respectable ladies in [any scene of] a Prakaraṇa their language and manners should be kept undistorted.

57. In the Nāṭaka and the Prakaraṇa the playwrights should have the number of Acts as not less than five and not more than ten¹; and this should be furnished with the various Sentiments and the States².

58. After considering the need and action of the plot one should place between two Acts the Introductory Scenes which are to compress the events in the Junctures (sandhi)¹.

The Nāṭikā

59. In a play of the Nāṭikā (Nāṭī) class producers are to recognise a more or less well-known variety of these two (the Nāṭaka and the Prakaraṇa)¹.


¹ See 56 below.
55 (C.56; B.XVIII.52).
56 (C.57; B.XVIII.53). ¹ The nature of the necessity, and the language which the author of the NŚ. had in view in formulating this rule, has probably been indicated in the following couplet. शिल्पादिव्यपदेशेन भवेद्वेश्यासमागमः। भाषेत प्राकृतं वेश्या संस्कृतं कुलनायिका. Bh. P.p. 242
57 (C.58; B.XVIII.29). ¹ Read daśa parā for daśaparā.
² B. reads the second hemistich as अङ्गान्तरसन्धिषु च प्रवेशकास्तेषु तावन्तः.
59 (C.59; B.XVIII.56). ¹ Read this couplet as follows: अङ्कान्तरालविहितः प्रवेशकोऽर्थक्रियां समभिवीक्ष्य। संक्षेपार्थं सन्धिबन्धानां संविधातव्यः. Cf. DR. I.118 (ed. Haas, pp. 34-35) and SD. 302. The Introductory Scene cannot be placed in the beginning of a play and it must be in Pkt.
59 (C.60a-61b; B.XVIII.57). ¹ Read nāṭīsañjñāśrite kāvye for nāṭakayoge prakaraṇe. See Avaloka on DR. (ed. Nirnayasagar) III.43. Description of the Nāṭikā given here (59-63) has been rightly suspected as an interpolation, though Keith is for rejecting this suspicion. See Skt. Dr. p. 349.

-XX. 64 ] TEN KINDS OF PLAY 365

  1. Different in origin from the [two types of plays] the Nāṭaka and the Prakaraṇa, its plot should be invented, the Hero should be a king and it should be based on [an incident relating to music or affairs of the harem¹.

  2. And it contains an abundance of female characters, has four Acts, graceful gestures as its soul ; well-arranged constituents, many dances, songs and recitations, and love’s enjoyment are its chief features¹.

  3. The Nāṭikā should be known also to contain [a display of] royal manners¹, [fit of] anger², its pacification, and [acts of] deceit (dambha), and to have the Hero³, his queen, the female Messenger and the attendants [as its dramatis personae].

  4. ¹The characteristics of the Nāṭaka and the Prakaraṇa² have been briefly described by me. I shall now speak about the characteristics of the Samavakāra.

The Samavakāra

64-65. It¹ should have the [exploits of] gods as its subject matter (bīja) and an Asura as a well-known and exalted character


60 (C.60b-61a; B.XVIII.58). ¹ Keith seems to be in error about the nature of the subject matter (plot) of the Prak. See Skt. Dr. p. 349. Justification for calling the Pratijñā. a Nāṭikā may be found in the fact that its plot is based on musical lessons given by Udayana to Vāsavadattā and it has four Acts. But according to its Prologue it is a Prakaraṇa. See Pusalker, Bhāsa, pp. 271-272.

61 (C.62; B.XVIII.59). ¹ But for this feature of having four Acts only, the Mālavī. may be considered a Nāṭikā. See Keith. Skt. Dr. p. 350. Ratnā. is a well-known example of the four Act Nāṭikā.

62 (C.63; B.XVIII.60). ¹ C. kāmopacāra for rājopacāra. ² B. krodhadambhsaṃyukta for krodhasaṃyuta cāpi. ³ C. reads 62b as नायकदूतो चापि देवीसम्बन्धा नायिका ज्ञेया.

63 (C.65; B.XVIII.62). ¹ B.C. read one additional couplet (C.64; B.XVIII.61) on the basis of two mss. It does not give any new information. ² C. Prakaraṇanāṭaka-nāṭī-lakṣaṇam uktam for °nāṭaka-lakṣaṇa-nam uktam vipra. Evidently the interpolator who is responsible for the description of the Nāṭī (Nāṭikā) inserted nāṭī in the reading of C. See above 59 note.

64-65 (C.66-67; B.XVIII.63-64). ¹ No old specimen of this type

366 THE NATYASASTRA [ XX. 66-

as its Hero, and it is to consist of three Acts [presenting] the three kinds of deception, the three kinds of excitements or the three kinds of love². [Besides this] it should have as many as twelve dramatis personae and a duration (lit. length) of eighteen Nāḍikās³. I shall now speak about the rule regarding the number of Nāḍikās to be alloted to the different Acts.

  1. A Nāḍikā¹ should be known as the half of the Muhūrta² which is a [well-known] measure of time. The Acts in a Samavakāra should be measured according to the directions given in terms of this Nāḍikā.

The first act of the Samavakāra

  1. The first Act [of the Samavakāra] should have a duration of twelve Nāḍikās¹ and it is to contain laughter, excitement, deception or a Vīthi.

The second and the third acts of the Samavakāra

  1. The second Act also should be similar [except that] it is to have a duration of four Nāḍikās¹. And the third Act. which will bring the plot to a close will have a duration of two Nāḍikās² only.

of drama is available. Samudramanthana by Vatsarāja (12th century) is a very late work. See Keith, Skt. Dr. p. 267. Bhāsa's Pañca. is not a Samav. Cf. Mankad, Types of Skt. Dr. p. 58; Pusalker, Bhāsa, pp. 202-210.

² It does not seem likely that any one play of this type will include all three objects (deception, excitement and love) in their three varieties.

³ As the topics (and hence the Acts) in the Samavakāra are to be loosely related (see 69 below); this limitation has been placed on the time lest it should be made too long.

66 (C.72a, 68b, BXVIII.67). ¹ nāḍikā=24 minutes. See below 67 note. ² muhūrta=a period of 48 minutes. See below 66 note 1. Curiously enough Śāradātanaya thinks that nāḍikā is one fourth of a muhūrta. See BhP. p. 249.

67 (C.70; B.XVIII.65). ¹ 12 nāḍikās (nāḍīs)=4 hours and 48 minutes.

68 (C.71; B.XVIII.66). ¹ 4 nāḍikās=1 hour 36 minutes.
² 2 nāḍikās=48 minutes.

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368 THE NATYASASTRA [ XX. 74-

Love together with material gain

  1. Love in which attainment of material gain occurs in various ways¹ is called Love in relation to material gain (artha-śṛṅgāra) or it may be that love in which the enjoyment of pleasure with women is for the purpose of some material gain.

Love due to passion

  1. Love actuated by passion (kāma-śṛṅgāra) includes the seduction of a maiden and it causes, and also secret or excited intercourse¹ of a man with a woman.

Metres not allowed in the Samavakāra

  1. ¹In the Samavakāra the playwright should make proper use metres other than Uṣṇik and Gāyatrī etc. which are of complex construction².

  2. In this manner an expert should compose a Samavakāra which will be the source of various Sentiments¹. I shall hereafter speak about the characteristics of the Īhāmṛga.

The Īhāmṛga

  1. It (Īhāmṛga) has as its dramatis personae divine males who are implicated in fights about divine females. It should be constructed with a well-arranged plot and should be convincing¹.

74 (C.78; B.XVIII.74). ¹ Read 74a as अर्थख्याति र्विविधैकथा भवति सोऽर्थशृङ्गारः : (ms. cha B.).

75 (C.79; B.XVIII.75). ¹ Read 76a as कन्याविलोभनं वै प्राप्य स्त्रीपुंसयोस्तु रम्यं वा निभृतं सावेगं वा विज्ञेयः काम शृङ्गारः. (mss. ya, na, pha, bhi in B.).

76 (C.80; B.XVIII.76). ¹ Read this couplet as follows :—उष्णिग् गायत्र्याद्यान्यानि। बन्धानि बन्धकुटिलानि तान्यत्र समवकारे कविभिः सम्यक् प्रयोज्यानि. The reading accepted by Ag. seems to be corrupt. For Uṣṇik and Gāyatrī type of metres cannot by any means be considered as being of complex construction (bandhakuṭila). Our emendation has the support of mss. cha. in B. Udbhaṭa (the noted commentator of the NŚ.) too thinks that the rule prescribes complex metres such as Sragdharā for the Samav. See Ag. ² Lengthy, sami-even and uneven types of metres.

77 (C.81; B.XVIII.77). ¹ C. sukhaduḥkhasamāśrayaḥ for nānārasasamāśrayaḥ.

78 (C.82; B.XVIII.78). ¹ C. Viprātyaya for vipratyaya. No old specimen of this type of drama is available. Rukmiṇīharaṇa by Vatsarāja is an artificial production of a very late period (12th century).

-XX. 85 ] TEN KINDS OF PLAY 369

79. It is to abound in vehement (uddhata) Heroes and to have its construction dependent on feminine anger which is to give rise to commotion (saṃkṣobha), excitement (vidrava) and angry conflict (saṃpheṭa).

80. The Īhāmṛga should be a play with well-ordered construction in which the plot of love is to be based on causing discord among females, carrying them off and oppressing [the enemies].

81. All that are to be made [available] in the Vyāyoga—its male characters, Styles and Sentiments—should be brought in the Īhāmṛga also, except that the latter is to include (lit. have connexion with) the goddesses (lit. divine females) only¹ as its female characters.

82. [In the Īhāmṛga] when persons intent on killing¹ is on the point of killing, [the impending] battle should be avoided by some artifice.

83. O Brahmins, the characteristics of the Īhāmṛga have been briefly mentioned by me. I shall speak hereafter on the characteristics of the Ḍima.

The Ḍima

84. The Ḍima should be constructed with a well-known plot, and its Hero should be wellknown and of the exalted (udātta) type. It is to contain the six Sentiments and to consist of four Acts only¹.

85-86. It should contain all the Sentiments except the Erotic and the Comic, a plot (kāvyayoni) with exciting Sentiments and various States, and it is [also] to include incidents such as an


(See Keith, Skt. Dr. p. 266). Two other late specimens of this kind are Kṛṣṇamiśra’s Vīra-vijaya and Kṛṣṇa Avadhūta’s Sarva-vinoda-nāṭaka. (See Sten Know, ID. p. 114).
79 (C.83; B.XVIII.79).
80 (C.84a, 85a; B.XVIII.80).
81 (C.85b-86a; B.XVIII.81)- ¹ See below 90-93.
82 (C.84b, 86b; B.XVIII.82). ¹ C. vadho’pyudaśrayo for vadho’pyudagro.
83 (C.87; B.XVIII.83).
84 (C.88; B.XVIII.84). ¹ No old example of this type of drama is available.
85-86 (C.89-90; B.XVIII.85-86).
47

370 THE NATYASASTRA [ XX, 87-

earthquake¹, fall of meteors, an eclipse of the sun or the moon, battle², personal combat, challange, and angry conflict.

87-88. The Ḍima should abound in deceit and jugglary and should have the energetic activity of many persons, and dissention (bheda)¹ among themselves, and it is to include sixteen characters which may be gods, Nāgas, Rākṣasas, Yakṣas and Piśācas, and [besides this] the play is to be carefully made in the Grand and the Energetic Styles and is to have many States to support it².

  1. The Ḍima has been described by me in all its characteristics. I shall speak now about the characteristics of the Vyāyoga.

The Vyāyoga

  1. The Vyāyoga should be constructed by experts with one well-known Hero as its basis, and it should include a small number of female characters and [the events related in it] will be of one day's duration only¹.

  2. Many males are to take part in it as in the Samavakāra, but it is not to have the latter's length, for it is to have only one Act (aṅka).

92-93. It should have a royal sage as its Hero and not a divine personage, and it should include battle, personal combat, challange and angry conflict. Thus the Vyāyoga should be made with exciting Sentiments as its basis. I shall now speak of the characteristics of the Utsṛṣṭikāṅka (Aṅka).


¹ C. reads 86a as निर्घातचन्द्रसूर्योपराग सोल्कावपातसंयुक्तः. ² C. °yuddha-praharaṇa for yuddh-ūdharṣaṇa. 87-88 (.91-92); B. XVIII..87-88). ¹ B. bahu-pustotthānayoga for bahupuruṣotthāna-bheda. ² C. tajjñair-nānāśraya-viśeṣeṇa for nānāśraya-bhāvasampanna. 89 (C.93; B.XVIII.89). 90 (C.94; B.XVIII.90). ¹ Bhāsa's Madhyama. is its solitary old specimen. Prahlādanadeva's Pārtha-parākrama (12th cent.), Vatsarāja's Kirātārjunīya (12th cent.) and Viśvanātha's Saugandhikā-haraṇa etc. are very late specimens of this type. See Keith Skt. Dr. p. 265. Pusalker, Bhāsa. p. 203. Dūtavā. Dūtagha. Pañca. and Ūru. cannot be called Vyāyogas. Cf. Pusalker, Bhāsa, pp. 186, 187, 190, 209. Mankad, Types of Skt. Dr. p. 59-61. 91 (C.95; B.XVIII.91). 92-93 (C.96-97; B.XVIII.92-93).

•XX. 99 ] TEN KINDS OF PLAY 371

The Utsṛṣṭikâṅka

  1. The Plot in it is [usually to be] well-known, but it may sometimes be otherwise, and it is to be furnished with male characters other than those who are divine¹.

95-96. The Utsṛṣṭikâṅka should abound in the Pathetic Sentiment ; it will treat women's lamentations and despondent utter-ances at a time when battle and violent fighting has ceased ; it should include bewildered movements [of mourners] and it must be devoid of the Grand, the Energetic and the Graceful Styles and its Plot should relate to one's fall (lit. end of the rise)¹.

Scenes with celestial Heroes

  1. [Scenes of] all the plays which have celestial Heroes, and which [treat] a battle, capture and killing [of enemies], should be laid in Bhārata-varṣa¹.

  2. Of all the Varṣas (sub-continents) prescribed for the gods why¹ is Bhārata-varṣa chosen [in this connexion] ? Because the entire land here is charming, sweet-smelling and of golden colour.

99-100. [But scenes of their] garden party (lit. going to a garden), sport, pastime and enjoying the company of females, are always to be laid in the other Varṣas ; for there is neither any sorrow nor any grief there. Their enjoyments should take place in the mountains which are connected with those Varṣas in the Purāṇic accounts, but their [other] deeds should begin here (i. e. in Bhārata-varṣa).


94 (C.91: B. XVIII.94). ¹ Bhāsa's Ūru. is a solitary example this type of drama. See Pusalker, Bhāsa, pp. 199, 200. Keith seems to be in error when he says that a play within a play is often called an Aṅka. See Skt. Dr. p. 268.

95-96 (C.99-100 ; B. XVIII.95-96). ¹ C. kartṛvyo abhyudayāntas tajñaiḥ for kāryaḥ kāvyavidhijñaiḥ .

97 (C.101; B.XVIII.97). ¹ This and three following couplets (97-100) seem to be more relevant after NŚ. XIV. 26 which treats similar topics.

98 (C.102; B.XVIII.98). ¹ C. tasmāt for kasmāt.

99-100 (C.103-104; B.XVIII.90-100).

372 THE NĀṬYAŚĀSTRA [ XX. 101-

  1. The characteristics of an Utsṛṣṭikâṅka (Aṅka) have been exaustively explained by me. I shall now speak of the Prahasana with its characteristics.

The Prahasana

102 The Prahasana should be known to be of two kinds : pure and mixed. I shall separately treat their characteristics¹.

The pure Prahasana

103-104, The Prahasana is known as pure (śuddha)¹ when it contains comic disputations by Śaiva gurus (bhagavat)² and Brahmins, abounds in jocular remarks by persons of ill repute, and gives uniformly to the Plot a realistic picture of the language and the conduct of all these in passages describing their special States.³

The mixed Prahasana

  1. That Prahasana is called mixed¹ in which courtezans, servants, eunuchs, parasites (viṭa) rogues and unchaste women appear with their immodest appearance, dress and movements.

101 (C.105; B.XVIII.101).
102 (C.106; B XVIII.102). ¹ Śaṅkhadhara's Laṭaka-mela (12th century), Jyotirīśvara's Dhūrta-samāgama (15th century) and Jagadīśvara's Hāsyārṇava (date uncertain), etc. are very late works (See Keith Skt. Dr. pp. 261-262). The Matta-vilāsa of Mahendra-vikrama-varman (620 A.C.) and the Bhagavad-ajjukīya ascribed to Bodhāyana Kavi, are fairly old specimens of the Prahasana, See Keith Skt. Dr. pp. 182. Bhagavad-ajjukīya ed. P. Anujan Achan, Cochin, 1925.
103-104 (C.107-108; B.XVIII.103-104). ¹ The word bhagavat relates primarily to a Śaiva saint. It is in this sense that the word has been used in the Prahasana named Bhagavad-ajjukīya and this speaks for the antiquity of this work (See above 102 note). A Śaiva saint appears in the Matta-vilāsa, the Dhūrta-nartaka and the Hāsya-cūḍāmaṇi. Both these Prahasanas one are however late. See Keith, Skt. Dr. pp. 182, 262, 265. For some aspects of the Śaiva tenets see Karpūramañjarī, ed M. Ghosh, pp. LXIII-LXIV.
² C. reads 103a as सं भगवत्तपसविप्रशुचिश्रोत्रियविप्रातिहास्यसंयुक्तम्.
³ Prahasanas named in note 1 above may be taken as specimens of the pure variety.
105 (C.109; B.XVIII.105). ¹ Prahasanas like the Dhūrta-samāgama and the Hāsyārṇava may be taken as specimens of the mixed variety. See Keith, Skt. Dr. pp. 260-262.

-XX. 112 ] TEN KINDS OF PLAY 378

106-107. Some popular topic [of scandal] or incident of hypocrisy should be introduced in the Prahasana through the disputations of pretenders. The Prahasana should include [any of] the types of the Vīthi it may properly require¹.

The Bhāṇa

107-108. I shall now speak of the characteristics of the Bhāṇa. The Bhāṇa is to be acted by a single character, and it is of two¹ kinds : that [with one's] recounting of one's own experience and that [with one's] describing someone else's acts².

  1. [The Bhāṇa which is to include] somebody else's words addressed to oneself, should be acted by means of replies in course of Conversations with Imaginary Persons (ākāśa-bhāṣita) in accompaniment of [suitable] movement of the limbs.

  2. The Bhāṇa should include characters of rogues and parasites (viṭa) and treat their different conditions, and it is always to consist of one Act and should include many movements which are to be acted by a rogue (dhūrta) or a parasite.

  3. All the characteristics of the Bhāṇa have been described by me according to the tradition (āgama). I shall [now] speak of the characteristics of the Vīthi in due order.

The Vīthī

112-113. The Vīthī is to be acted by two persons or one. And it is to include characters of the superior, the middling or the


106-107 (C.110-111a; B.XVIII.106-107a). ¹ C. reads 107a as उद्घात्यकादिभिरिदं वीथ्यङ्गे मिश्रितं भवेन्नित्यम्. ² See below 112-129.

107-108 (C.111b-112; B.XVIII. 107b-108). ¹ Emend vividha into dvividha (ms. cha in B.).

² The four Bhāṇas (Ubhayābhisārikā, Padma-prābhṛtaka, Dhūrta-viṭa-saṃvāda and Pāda-tāḍitaka) published under the title Caturbhāṇī placed by F. W. Thomas between the 6th and the 7th century are the oldest available specimens of this type (F. W. Thomas, J R A S. 1922, pp. 262ff. F.W. Thomas, Centenary Supplement J R A S. 1924 pp. 129-136; S.K.De, in J R A S. 1926, pp. 63-90, Hist of Skt. Lit. pp. 241ff. For later Bhāṇas see Keith, Skt. Dr. pp. 263-264.

109 (C.113; B.XVIII.109).

110 (C.114; B.XVIII.110).

111 (C.115; B.XVIII.111).

112-113 (C.116-117; B.XVIII.112b-113a, 112a and its f. n. 2).

374THE NATYASASTRA[ XX. 114

inferior type, and it may contain [any of] the Sentiments, and it may include [any of] the thirteen types. I shall now speak of the characteristics of all these.

Thirteen types of the Vīthi

114-115. The thirteen types ¹ of the Vīthi are : Accidental Interpretation (udghātyaka), Transference (avalagita), Ominous Significance (avaspandita), Incoherent Chatter (asatpralāpa), Compliment (prapañca), Enigma (nālī = nālikā) Repartee (vākkeli), Outvying (adhivala), Deception (chala), Declaration (vyāhāra), Crushing (mṛdava), Three Men's Talk (trigata), and Undue Combination of Words (gaṇḍa)

  1. [Any of these] thirteen types is always to be attached to the Vīthi. I shall now speak of their characteristics in due order.

Accidental Interpretation

  1. If, in order to explain them men connect words of obscure meaning with words other than [those intended by the speaker] it becomes Accidental Interpretation (udghātyaka)¹.

Transference

  1. When [anything] occurring in [relation to] something, will be made to accomplish something else, it becomes [an instance of] Transference (avalagita)¹.

Ominous significance

  1. That one attaches (lit. creates) out of misunderstanding an auspicious or inauspicious meaning (lit. auspicious or inauspicious rise) to the words (lit. meaning) mentioned, is [an instance of] Ominous Significance (avaspandita)¹.

114-115 (C.118-119, Cf. B.XVIII.113b-114). ¹ Aṅga in this connexion has been translated as 'division' (Haas, DR. p. 84). But 'types' seems to be a more suitable word. 116 (C.120; B.XVIII.115a).

117 (C.121, B XVIII 115b-116a). ¹ Haas translates the word as 'Abrupt Dialogue' (DR. p.81). For an example see SD. 228; cf. Ag. DR. (III. 13-14) seems to define it differently.

118 (C.132; B.XVIII.116b-117a). ¹ Haas translates it as 'Continuance' (See p. 85). For an ex. See SD. 292; Ag. Cf. DR.III. 14b-15a.

119 (C.123; B.XVIII.817b-118a). ¹ The spelling avasyandita though accepted by SD. and DR. seems to be wrong (See Ag.). Haas

-XX. 125 ] TEN KINDS OF PLAY 375

Incoherent Chatter

  1. When an irrelevant question (lit. sentence) is followed by [an equally] irrelevant answer, it is [an instance of] Incoherent Chatter (asat-pralāpa)¹.

  2. When to a foolish person a learned man speaks the right words, but his words are not listened to, it is [an instance of] Incoherent Chatter¹.

Compliment

  1. When comic and untrue words purporting to be mutual praise of two persons, are uttered in the interest of one [of them] it is [an instance of] Compliment (prapañca)¹.

Enigma and Repartee

  1. An enigmatical remark that gives rise to laughter (lit. followed by laughter) is called an Enigma (nālikā¹). Repartee vākkeli = vākkelikā) arises from a single or twofold reply.²

Outvying

  1. When somebody else's words and those of one's ownself, in course of a dialogue, lead to their mutual modification, it is [an instance of] Outvying (adhivala)¹.

Deception

  1. When after alluring one by replies, something opposite is done (lit. takes place) through those very replies being considered meaningless, it is [an instance of] Deception (chala)¹.

translates the word as 'Re-interpretation' (pp. 84, 87) probably under the influence of the SD. (528). DR. (III. 19a) has a different definition. For an example see Ag.

120 (C.124). ¹ We accept the reading of mss. ḍa and da in B. (under 119) which has the support of DR. III. 20 and SD. 530. Ag. differs and accepts the reading of 121 below. See Haas, p. 87.

121 (C.125; B.XVIII.119). ¹ See 120 note and Ag.

122 (C.126; B.XVIII.123b-121a). ¹ See Haas, p. 85; SD. 522. DR III. 15b.

123 (C.127; B.XVIII.118a, 120a). ¹ See Haas, pp. 87 ; SD. 529. ² See Haas, p.86, SD. 525.

124 (C.128; B.XVIII.122b-123a). ¹ See Haas, p. 86; SD. 526.

125 (C.129; B.XVII. 123b) ¹ See DR. 17a; Haas, p. 96 ; SD. gives two def. of this including the present one; see 524-525.

376 THE NATYASASTRA [ XX. 126-

Declaration

  1. If anything [liable to occur] is described vividly in the presence of the Hero and is similarly made to happen [there] without any fear, it is [an instance of] Declaration (vyāhāra)¹.

Crushing

  1. That due to an altercation one represents [another's] merits as demerits by [showing] cause [for it] and vice versa, is called Crushing (mṛdava)¹.

Three Men's Talk

  1. When exalted words with the Comic Sentiment are shared by three [characters] it should be known as Three Men's Talk (trigata)¹.

Undue Combination of Words

  1. Undue combination of words (gaṇḍa) according to the wise, occurs due to excitement, confusion, quarrel, reviling and many people's abusive words¹.

130-131 If in a play any of these thirteen types¹ with clear meanings, occur and they possess all the characters Sentiments and States prescribed for them by the Śāstra it is called the Vīthī. It may be acted by one or two persons².


126 (C.130; B.XVIII. foot notes to 125a). ¹ B.s reading seems to agree with the def. given in DR. III. 20b and SD. 531. Haas translates the term as 'Humourous Speech'. See p. 88.

127 (C.131; B.XVIII.121b-122a). ¹ DR. III. 21a; SD. 532. Haas translates the term as 'Mildness'; see p. 88.

128 (C.132; B.XVIII. foot note to 124). ¹ DR III. 16 and SD. 523 define this differently and they agree with the reading of B. Our reading is supported by the pa ms. in B. Haas translates the term as 'Triple Explanation'. See p. 84.

129 (C.133; B.XVIII.125b-126a). ¹ C. sarambha for saṃrambha ² C. bandhavivādam for vivādayuktam. ³ DR. III. 18b and SD. 527 seem to def. it differently. Haas translates the term as 'Abrupt Remark' see p. 87.

130-131 (C.134-135). ¹ Ag. reads Lāsyāṅgas in the next chapter (his XIX). It is possible that these were introduced later in the NŚ. For the ms. bha of B. and some commentators using it ignore them altogether. Śāradātanaya and others reads lāsyāṅgas differently. See Kavi's Intr. to B. pp. XI-XII. foot note.

-XX. 136 ] TEN KINDS OF PLAY 377

The Lāsya

  1. [Similar] other limbs are attached to the Nāṭaka in connexion with the performance of the Lāsya, and they owe their origin to this (i. e. Nāṭaka), and are to be acted like the Bhāṇa by a single person.

  2. The Lāsya has a form similar that of the Bhāṇa and it is to be acted by one person¹. Its theme is to be inferred like that of the Prakaraṇa and should relate to [loving] intimacy [with any one].

The twelve types of the Lāsya

134-135. The [twelve] types of the Lāsya are : Geyapada Sthitapāṭhya, Āsina, Puṣpagaṇḍikā, Pracchedaka, Trimūḍha, Saindhava, Dvimūḍhaka, Uttamottamaka, Vicitrapada, Ukta-pratyukta and Bhāvita (Bhāva)¹.

Geyapada

  1. When [the Heroine] is seated¹ on her seat surrounded with stringed instruments and drums near her, and singers are singing [before her] without any accompaniment of these, it is called the Geyapada (simple song).

132 (C.136 K.XVIII. 169). ¹ Lāsyāṅga is an one act play which requires lāsya or a gentle form of dance for its representation; for this term may be interpreted as lāsyam aṅgam yasyāḥ saḥ (that which has lāsya as its principal element). The ten lāsyāṅgas seem to be only so many varieties of the Lāsya. These are not its 'elements' as some scholars are apt to consider.

² The word vīthyaṅga also may be similarly interpreted. Vīthi seems to be nothing but a particular kind of one act play (defined in 112 boave) and vīthyaṅga may therefore be translated as 'a play of the Vīthi type'.

133 (C.137 ; K. XVII. 182). ¹ See above 132 note ; lāsya used in this passage means merely lāsyāṅga.

134-135 (C.138-139 ; K. XVIII. 170-171). ¹ SD. (504) gives only ten and BhP. (p. 245-246) eleven lāsyāṅgas, but DR. (III. 52-53) gives their number as ten but does not define them.

136 (C.140 ; K. XVIII. 172). ¹ See SD. 505. The seating posture included in this and some of the other varieties of the lāsya need not appear to be puzzling. For the Gentle Dance in this connexion did not imply the movement of the entire body. See Gilbert Murray, Euripides and His Age, London, 1946, p. 150.

48

378 THE NATYASASTRA [ XX. 137-

137. If a woman sings in a standing¹ posture a song dealing with the praise of her beloved and delineates the same with the gestures of her different limbs, it is called the Geyapada.

Sthitapāṭhya

138. If a separated woman burning with the fire of love, recites anything in Prakrit while seated on her seat¹, it is [an instance of] the Sthita-pāṭhya.

Āsīna

139. When one sits¹ without making any toilet² and is overcome with anxiety and sorrow, and looks with oblique glances it is [an instance of] the Āsīna.

Puṣpagaṇḍikā

140. When a woman in the guise of a man recites something sweetly in Sanskrit for the pleasure of her female friends, it is [an instance of] the Puṣpagaṇḍikā¹

Pracchedaka

141. When a [separated] woman pained by the moon-light prepares to go to her beloved even if he has done her wrong, it is [an instance of] the Pracchedaka¹.

Trimūḍhaka

142. A play adorned with even metres and abounding in manly States and composed of words which are neither harsh nor large, is called the Trimūḍhaka.

Saindhavaka

143. When [one represents] a lover who has failed to keep his tryst and is using Prakrit [to express his grief] through well-performed Karaṇas, it is [an instance of] the Saindhavaka.


137 (C.141). ¹ See above 136 note 1.
138 (C.142 ; K. XVIII. 173 f.n.). ¹ See SD. 506 ; also note 1 above of 136. Cf. K. XVIII. 173. BhP. p. 245, l. 17-18.
139 (C.143 ; K. XVIII. 174). ¹ SD. 507 ; see above 136 note 1. The Gentle Dance (lāsya) in this connexion will consist of slowly moving glances only. Cf. BhP. p. 245, l.19-20. ² Read aprasādhita gātra.
140 (C.144). ¹ Cf. SD. 507 ; see above 136 note 1. Cf. K. XVIII. 175, BhP. p. 245, l. 21-22.
141 (C.145 ; K. XVII. 176). ¹ The def. given in SD. (507) is different. SD. reads the term as Triguṇḍhaka. Cf. BhP. p. 246 l. 1-2.
142 (C. 146 ; K. XVIII. 177). ¹ See BhP. p. 246, l. 3-4.
143 (C.147). ¹ Cf. SD. 508. Cf. K. XVIII. 178, BhP. p. 246. l 5-6.

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Chapter 21: Limbs of the Segments / Sandhis (सन्ध्यङ्गविकल्पन)

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.


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.

-XXI. 14 ] THE LIMBS OF THE JUNCTURES 381

7. These five stages of the Action are known to arise in the Nāṭaka and the Prakaraṇa. [Their] Fruition (phala-yoga) relates to duty (dharma), enjoyment of pleasure (kāma) and wealth (artha).¹

8. They are : Beginning (prārambha), Effort (prayatna), Possibility of Attainment (prāpti-sambhava), Certainty of Attainment (niyatā phala-prāpti) and Attainment of the Result (phala-prāpti).

Beginning

9. That part of the play (lit. composition) which merely records eagerness about the final attainment of the result with reference to the Germ (bīja), is called the Beginning (ārambha).

Effort

10. [Hero's] striving towards an attainment of the Result when the same is not in view, and showing further eagerness [about it], is called the Efforts (prayatna).

Possibility of Attainment

11. When the attainment of the object is slightly suggested by an idea, it is to be known as the Possibility of Attainment (prāpti-sambhava).

Certainty of Attainment

12. When one visualises in idea a sure attainment of the result, it is called Certainty of Attainment (niyatā phala-prāpti).

Attainment of the Result

13. When the intended result appears in full at the end of events [of a play] and corresponds to them, it is called Attainment of the Result (phala-yoga).

14. These are the five successive stages of every action begun by persons looking for results.


7 (C.8) ¹ K. omits this.
8 (C.10 ; K. XIX.7). ¹ Cf. DR. I. 19; SD. 324; NL. 57-58.
9 (C.11 ; K. XIX. 8). ¹ Cf. DR. 20; SD. 325; NL. 59-60.
10 (C.12 ; K. XIX. 9). ¹ Cf. DR. I. 20; SD. 326; NL. 66.
11 (C.13 ; K. XIX. 10). ¹ Cf. DR. I. 21; SD. 327; NL. 69-70.
12 (C.14 ; K. XIX. 11). ¹ Cf. DR I. 21; SD. 328; NL. 77.
13 (C.14 ; K. XIX. 12). ¹ Cf. DR. I. 22; SD. 329; NL. 89.
14 (C.15 ; K. XIX. 13).

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