Essay name: Bhasa (critical and historical study)
Author: A. D. Pusalker
This book studies Bhasa, the author of thirteen plays ascribed found in the Trivandrum Sanskrit Series. These works largely adhere to the rules of traditional Indian theatrics known as Natya-Shastra.
Page 247 of: Bhasa (critical and historical study)
247 (of 564)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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227
is the play of every other sentiment in this play. The
well-known simile about darkness, viz.,
啶侧た啶啶い啷�啶� 啶むぎ啷嬥そ啶權啶椸ぞ啶ㄠた 啶掂ぐ啷嵿し啶む啶掂ぞ啶ㄠ啶溹え啶� 啶ㄠき啶� 啷�
啶呧じ啶む啶啶班啶粪じ啷囙さ啷囙さ 啶︵啶粪啶熰た啶班啶ㄠた啶粪啶げ啶むぞ啶� [limpat墨va tamo'峁単膩ni var峁t墨v膩njana峁� nabha岣� |
asatpuru峁seveva d峁涐梗峁璱rni峁halat膩峁� ] JTAT ||
is originally from this play (I. 15). The language is
most simple. According to Dr. Winternitz, "the Sanskrit
is so plain and clear that it might be recommended as a
first reading to the beginners in Sanskrit.""
The verse
is also simple and there are no elaborate figures of speech
in this play.
Critical remarks. The Bal has, like the Pa帽c,
song and dance introduced in it for the sake of popular
appeal and we get a glimpse into the life of the cowherds.
Some general festivities such as the Indramaha and
Dhanurmaha are referred to in the play. The spirited
heroes, Damodara and Sankar峁峁嘺, remind
one of
Abhimanyu in the Pa帽c. The appearance of the weapons
is met with in the Dv, and N膩rada in the Avi. The low
caste women. Curse etc. in the second act of the B膩l
remind one of the similar scene in the Macbeth (Act I.
scene 3). The whole pastoral atmosphere in the cottages
of the cowherds with all their songs and dance in the third
act of the Bal is similar to that painted in the second and
third scenes in the fourth Act of the Winter's Tale. When
Kamsa is nearing his doom, his R膩ja艣r墨 leaves him (B膩l,
Act II. pp. 24-25); similarly lady Lank膩 leaves R膩vana
in the Abh (Act V. 4, 5, p. 60). A curious blend of
ferocity and mildness, as noticed by Dr. Woolner, is to be
met with in this play. Thus, e. g. a dead child left on
the ground revives (Act I. p. 20); it is crushed against
stone but it rises up before our eyes (Act II. p. 31);
Aristar峁bha though slain on the stage and K膩liya though
hauled out of his pool, feel themselves honoured in that
the Lord K峁涐梗峁嘺 Himself was dealing with them (Act III.
p. 46; Act IV. pp. 53-54). The excitement consequent
on the slaughter of Kamsa is soon quietened (Act V.
pp. 64, 66). Somewhat analogous to this is the device,
already noted in the Uru, of raising the passions to the
highest pitch, to the breaking point so to speak, and then
to find some outward diversion to bring down the tension.
1 BRRI, 5, p. 10. 2 Thirteen Trivandrum Plays, Volume 2, p. 111.
