The Sanskrit drama : $b in its origin, development, theory and practiceKeith, Arthur Berriedale
History
The Sanskrit drama : $b in its origin, development, theory and practice
Keith, Arthur Berriedale
Sanskrit drama -- History and criticism
The Īhāmṛga, [735] of which no old example is known, owes its name,
according to the Daçarūpāvaloka to the fact that in it a maiden as hard
to attain as a gazelle (mṛga) is sought after (īhā). The subject is one
partly derived from legend and partly the poet’s imagination; in
special, if the legend relates the death of a great man, this result
must be avoided. The essence of the drama is that some one seeks to
deprive the hero, who on one view may be divine or human, on another
divine only, of a heavenly maiden; the result is a conflict of wills,
but actual fighting is to be avoided by artifice. The hero and his
rival must both be of the noble and haughty type; the latter must do
wrong in error. Only the first two and the last junctures are allowed,
and the graceful style is excluded. There are four acts, but Viçvanātha
mentions a view which allows one act only and makes the hero a god, or
six rivals for a divine maiden’s hand.
The Ḍima [736] is also little known, though the Nāṭyaçāstra cites a
Tripuradāha as a specimen. Its subject is to be legendary; there is to
be no pause juncture. The heroes are sixteen gods, demi-gods, and
demons, all of the haughty type; magic, sorcery, combats, eclipses of
the sun and moon are in place. The erotic and comic sentiments are
excluded, that of fury is predominant. There are four acts without
introductory scenes of any kind, but the late Manmathonmathana of Rāma
has them. The graceful manner is forbidden. It is clear that the type
is described on the basis of inadequate material; it may represent a
popular form of entertainment which did not attain full recognition.
The origin of the name is unknown, for no root ḍim, to wound, is found
in the language, though Dhanika asserts its existence.
The Vyāyoga [737] is, as its name suggests, a military spectacle. Its
subject must be legendary, its hero a god or royal sage, but Dhanaṁjaya
allows a man. It is in one act, the action not extending over a day,
and it is filled with strife and battle, the intervention of women as
the cause of battle being excluded. The first two and last junctures
alone are permitted, the erotic and comic sentiments are barred, and
the graceful manner. The type is old, for it is found in Bhāsa and
revives later.
The Act or Isolated Act (An̄ka, Utsṛṣṭikān̄ka) [738] is a single-act
piece, whose longer style serves to discriminate it from an act of a
normal drama. Its subject is taken from legend, but may be developed by
the poet; the first and last junctures alone are permitted. The hero
should be human, of the common folk, according to the later theory. The
sentiment should be the pathetic, and the style the verbal. The laments
of women should accompany the description of battles and fights, but
these should not take place on the stage. Viçvanātha gives the
Çarmiṣṭhāyayāti as an example, but the type is not represented by any
early play.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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