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 44 of: Bhasa (critical and historical study)
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24
datta as the title of the work and thus Dr. Sastri's conjecture
was supported from a different source." Under these
circumstances, it is rather remarkable that as late as in
1925, Prof .K. R. Pisharoti should say-" Local MSS never
read Svapnav膩savadatta".
A further confirmation for holding the works
designated by different titles as Svapna N膩峁璦ka,
Svapnavasavadatta or Svapnavasavadatta are identica
is furnished by Sakuntalavy膩khy膩, an
in the Govt. Oriental MSS Library, Madras; many
herein
MS
quotations from a Svapnav膩savadatta are found, which are
seen without any change in the Trivandrum play." Hence
the name Svapnav膩savadatta given to that play is
indisputable, and the Bh膩sa theory cannot be assailed
simply on account of difference in the title.
In dramatic literature at least two works bearing
identical titles are not found. Dramatists treating the
same subject, e.g. R膩ma dramas, Udayana dramas, etc.
select distinct titles, and the Car and the M峁沜ch prove
the same thing. One of the Kalyanasaugandhikas
mentioned by Dr. Barnett is not a dramatic work' and
there is nothing to support the existence of another
Balacarita. We have shown elsewhere in this work that
the quotation in the Sahityadarpa峁嘺 may well be from the
Bal as published in the T. S. S. Thus, there being no
evidence in support of two dramas bearing the same name,
it may safely be assumed that there is only one Svapna
in Sanskrit drama.
Authorship of one of the plays will establish the
authorship of the group. We find in the works on rhetori
many references to a Svapnavasavadatta and a couple of
references mention the work as well as its author.
We shall first consider direct references to a
Svapnav膩savadatta in their chronological order and see
whether the Svapnav膩savadattas referred to therein are
one or many, and whether they are identical with our
work. The direct references are:-
Vision, preface, p. II. At the colophon, however, evidently through
oversight, the name Svapna has been printed instead of Svapnavasavadatta (Vision,
p. 62). 2 BSOS, 3, p. 640. 3 Abhiseka, Lahore, Intr, p. VIII; Venkatarama
Sastri, IHQ, 5, p. 724. 4 Barnett, BSOS, 3, pp. 33N; 521; JRAS, 1925, p. 656;
Thomas, JRAS, 1925, p. 107. 5 G. Sastri, Critical Study, p. 21; Khuperkar,
Lokasik峁峁嘺, 5, p. 326; H. Sastri, MASI, 28, p. 10.
