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 454 of: Bhasa (critical and historical study)
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434
etc. which occurs in the G墨t膩dhy膩na, which has
been subsequently added by its composer, has been taken
with slight differences from Bh膩sa (Urubhanga, stanza 1).
It may also be noted that the first foot of a stanza from
the Balacarita (II. 24) used in connection with a weapon
of K膩rty膩yani, occurs in the famous R膩marak峁Ｄ乻totra in
praise of Hanumat. We do not find the mention of any
other literary work in our plays.
Astronomy and Astrology. The first elementary
knowledge of the astronomical science is to be met with in
the Rgveda itself. The year was divided into twelve lunar
months and a thirteenth or intercalary month was added
to adjust the lunar with the solar year. Some nak峁tras
are named in the Rgveda and the position of the moon
with regard to the nak峁tras is alluded to. The lunar
zodiac was finally settled in the epic period. Some tithis
and nak峁tras only are mentioned by our poet; there is
no reference to the names of the days of the week, which
appear to have been known to Indians in the epic period.
The rasis entered the Indian astrology after Hellenic
intercourse and hence naturally they are not mentioned
in our plays as also in the Artha艣膩stra. The moon was
known to be the cause of the tides. If the reading
proposed by Prof. Bhide be accepted, it would seem that
there was an observatory at Ujjayini and the time of sun
rise was known by observations and calculations.鲁
2 It appears that there was some belief in astrology in
the period. The astrologers of those days based their
forecasts and proclaimed auspicious and inauspicious
moments on their knowledge of the nak峁tras. Rohini
was thought auspicious for the entry of a prince into the
city while k峁泃tika was not suited for the purpose.
Marriages were also celebrated on auspicious nak峁tras."
In the J膩takas, however, we find that the science of
astrology was ridiculed and no stars or horoscopes were
consulted before settling marriages. No marriage
engagement could be broken in the Buddhist age simply
1 Datta, Early Hindu Civilization, pp. 173-174. 2 Abh, VI. 2-3
啶掂た啶ぞ啶むた 啶啶︵啶оき啷傕ぎ啷� 啶班啷佮さ啶班啶ㄠ啶︵啶班ざ啶班ぞ啶傕ざ啷佮さ啷冟う啷嵿ぇ啶掂啶椸ぞ 啷� [vibh膩ti yuddhabh奴m墨 raghuvaracandra艣ar膩峁兣泆v峁沝dhaveg膩 | ] 3 P. 81, Bhide's Edition. Svapna, p. 102-
'啶夃う啶呧す啶距ぃ啶距ぃ啶� [耻诲补补丑腻峁嚹佱箛颈 ] Sarup rejects this reading (Vision, notes, p. 134) and Dhruva proposes
to drop the whole sentence (Svapnani Sundari, p. 67). 4 Prat, p. 58.
5 Of.
Svapna, p. 49; Avi, pp. 90-91.
