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 320 of: Bhasa (critical and historical study)
320 (of 564)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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N 300 Vita and Sak膩ra are to be met with. The Bhavaprak膩艣ana
enjoins that the kulaj膩 heroine should employ Sanskrit,
but the Vadh奴岣� in the Car speaks in Prakrit.' The
number of acts is required to be from five to ten, but the
existence of the lesser number (viz., only 4) in the Car is
to be justified on the ground that the Car, as we have it,
is a fragment and that its sequel contained at least three
more acts.2
by the poverty of the b
Sentiments etc. Love, of course, is the main
sentiment, the love-affair between Sajjalaka and Madanik膩
serving as an Upakath膩naka; but other sentiments also
occasionally occur. Thus, for instance, pathos is furnished
hero, the condition of Vasantasen膩
at the hands of the villain, and her love-lorn state in
separation from Carudatta. The scene of house-breaking
at night is an instance of wonder. But the peculiarity of
the Car lies in its humour which is supplied by Bh膩sa's
masterpiece, 艢ak膩ra. The major part of the praise
showered on S奴draka for the creation of Sak膩ra now justly
belongs to Bh膩sa. From farce to tragedy, from satire
to pathos", says Dr. Ryder, runs the story, with a
breath truly Shakespearean ". As regards humour,
Dr. Ryder says: S奴draka's humour is the third
of his vitally distinguishing qualities. This humour
has an American flavour in its
in its
puns
puns
and in its
situations"
66 66
The phenomenon of moon-rise flooding the dark
streets with light showing the rays as streams of milk from
the heavens is beautifully expressed by the fusion of
Upama and Rupaka (I. 29):
啶夃う啶い啶� 啶灌た 啶多ざ啶距啷嵿啶� 啶曕た啶ㄠ啶ㄠ啶班啶溹啶� 啶ぞ啶｀啶∴-
啶啶掂い啶苦啶ㄠじ啶灌ぞ啶 啶班ぞ啶溹ぎ啶距ぐ啷嵿啶啶班う啷�啶 啷�
啶むた啶た啶班え啶苦啶ぎ啶о啶 啶班ざ啷嵿ぎ啶 啶じ啷嵿く 啶椸啶班ぞ
啶灌啶む啶� 啶囙さ 啶い啷� 啶曕啶粪啶班ぇ啶距ぐ啶距 啶い啶ㄠ啶むた 啷�
[udayati hi 艣a艣膩峁卥a岣� kinnakharj奴ra p膩峁囜笉u-
yuvatijanasah膩yo r膩jam膩rgaprad墨pa岣� |
timiranicayamadhye ra艣mayo yasya gaur膩
h峁泃ajala iva pate k峁Ｄ玶adh膩r膩岣� patanti ||
] Similarly the setting of the moon is effectively
described later on (III. 3) by another Upam膩 comparing
1 Bh膩vaprakasana, GOS, No. 40, pp. 241-242 (especially p. 242 line 10);
also Dasarupa, III. 39-42; Natyasastra, XVIII, 93-105; Natyadarpana, GOS,
48, pp. 117-120, 175; Mankad, Types of Sanskrit Drama, pp. 51-55. 2 Of.
Supra pp. 151-154 and the references stated there; also Woolner and Sarup, Thirteen
Trivandrum Plays, Vol. I, p. 72. 3 The Little Clay Cart, HOS, Vol. 9, Intr.,
pp. XVIII, XXII. The statements relate to S奴draka but apply to Bh膩sa.
