स्वप्नवासवदत्तम् (महाकवि भास - संस्कृत मूल एवं हिन्दी अनुवाद)

ii INTRODUCTION. It is usual in Nâtakas to begin with Nândi and then to state 'नान्द्यन्ते सूत्रधारः'. But the Nâtakas in this collection, as a rule, [The conduct of the plays.] begin with the stage direction, 'नान्द्यन्ते ततः प्रविशति सूत्रधारः' and then the "mangala sloka" is introduced. Again instead of the word Prastâvanâ, these Nâtakas use the word "Sthâpanâ." Thirdly in the Nâtakas of Sûdraka, Kâlidâsa and others, in the Prastâvanâ, mention is made of the name of the author and of the works and in some instances in terms of praise. But in the plays before us, in the Sthâpanâ, not even the name is brought in either of the work or of the author. In the "Bharata Vâkya" or the closing sentence of every one of these plays, invariably occurs the prayer :—"may our greatest of kings or may our king rule the land". In all these plays there is at the close a sentence announcing such and such a Nâtaka is finished and here the name of the works is given. All these characteristic features can be made out from the following quo- tations which form the initial and closing portions of Svapnanâtaka and other plays. The beginning of Svapnanâtaka is as follows:— "(नान्द्यन्ते ततः प्रविशति सूत्रधारः) सूत्रधारः— उदयनवेन्दुसवर्णौवासवदत्ताबलौ बलस्य त्वाम् । पद्मावतीर्णपूर्णौ वसन्तकम्प्रौ भुजौ पाताम् ॥ एवमार्यमिश्रान् विज्ञापयामि । अये किन्नुखलु मयि विज्ञापनव्यग्रे शब्द इव श्रूयते । अङ्ग ! पश्यामि । (नेपथ्ये) उस्सरह उस्सरह अय्या ! उस्सरह । सूत्रधारः—भवतु विज्ञातम् । भृत्यैर्मगधराजस्य स्निग्धैः कन्यानुगामिभिः । धृष्टमुत्सार्यते सर्वस्तपोवनगतो जनः ॥ (निष्क्रान्तः) स्थापना ।"