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
‘Blessed those that are drunk with drink, blessed those that are soaked
with drink; blessed those that are washed with drink, blessed those
that are choked with drink.’ Amusing also is the figure of
Yaugandharāyaṇa as an Unmattaka, devoted to eating and dancing, and of
Rumaṇvant in his guise of a Çramaṇaka. There is genuine humour in the
scene in the Pratijñāyaugandharāyaṇa [197] between the Gātrasevaka and
the servant, when the former makes ready the elephant Bhadravatī, which
is to be the means of carrying off the king and Vāsavadattā beyond the
reach of all pursuit, without raising any suspicion on the part of the
entourage of Mahāsena. Quiet humour is shown in the episode of the
bringing of Bhīma by Ghaṭotkaca to his mother Hiḍimbā; Ghaṭotkaca has
difficulty in describing his victim, and is much amazed to find his
mother, whose curiosity is aroused by his lack of precision, finding
him to be his deity and hers in his capacity as husband and father.
[198] In the same vein is the compliment paid by Rāma to Sītā, when the
latter accurately predicts the action he would take when his father
offered him the throne: ‘Thou hast guessed well; few pairs are there of
like character in the world (suṣṭhu tarkitam alpaṁ tulyaçīlāni
dvandvāni sṛjyante)’. [199] Quite distinctly amusing is the scene at
the close of the Avimāraka, [200] where the facts of the relationships
are being disclosed to the king Kuntibhoja. That sovereign may be
justly excused his difficulty in apprehending the situation; he is
reduced to such confusion that he is dubious about his own capital
Vairantya, but finally, when assured that the hero is the son-in-law of
Kuntibhoja, asks who that worthy may be, to be reminded politely that
he himself is Kuntibhoja, father of Kuran̄gī, son of Duryodhana, and
lord of Vairantya. This power explains the description of Bhāsa as the
laughter (hāsa) of poetry given to him by Jayadeva in the
Prasannarāghava, a title which is also merited by such verses as one
cited in the anthologies, [201] though not found in the extant dramas:
kapāle mārjāraḥ paya iti karāṅl leḍhi çaçinas
tarucchidraprotān bisam iti karī saṁkalayati
ratānte talpasthān harati vanitāpy aṅçukam iti
prabhāmattaç candro jagad idam aho viplavayati.
‘When its rays fall on its cheeks the cat licks them, thinking them
milk; when they are caught in the cleft of a tree the elephant deems
them a lotus; when they rest on the couch of lovers the maiden seizes
them, saying, “’Tis my robe”; the moon in truth, proud of its
brilliance, doth lead astray all this world.’
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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