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 490 of: Bhasa (critical and historical study)
490 (of 564)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
Download the PDF file of the original publication
470
does not, however, appear to be merely local, or pertaining
only to herdsmen, as it is said to be the way of the world."
The reference in the Balacarita (p. 65) to the throwing
out of the corpses (f) of Kamsa, Ca峁嚺玶a
and Mustika need not necessarily be taken as referring to
the general custom, because the three persons were treated as
the enemies of Vis峁噓; and further we do not know whether
the corpses were merely to be abandoned or were to be
cremated according to the usual custom.
WRITING.
No one now seriously controverts the proposition
that writing has been in
use in India since very ancient
times. There is a difference of opinion as to the
prevalence of writing in the age of the Rgveda, some
scholars holding that it was known in that age.
age.
Whatever
be the legends on the pictographs on the Indus seals, that
they represent the art of writing in its infancy is
indisputed. So there should be no difficulty in accepting
that writing prevailed to a great extent in the Buddhist
age, and the period represented by the Artha艣膩stra and
our plays. The Artha艣盲stra mentions T膩l墨, T膩la and
Bhurja as yielding leaves which were used as writing
material. Rajasekhara has referred to T膩l墨patra as
being current in the North, whereas T膩lapatra was used
in the South. Bh膩sa's use of the word Talipatta in the
C膩rudatta has been taken as referring to the same as a
writing material, and on R膩jasekhara's testimony, Bh膩sa
has been taken to be a northerner. But Bh膩sa has employed
the term Talipatta as meaning an ornament for the ear.
Possibly, the preference shown to the word T膩l墨patta may
show Bhasa to have hailed from the North, especially as
there is nothing in his plays to contradict the assumption
of his being a northerner.
2 8
PURIFICATION.
Sufficient reference has already been made to the
use of water for removing various sorts of physical
impurities, such as tears etc. as also for the purposes of
purification or sanctifying a vow, etc. No one entered the
house without washing feet. Among the numerous
1 Bal, p. 12 啶曕ぞ啶粪啶犩き啷傕い啶� 啶曕げ啷囙さ啶班 啶む啶啷嵿く啶むぞ啶 啷� 啶堗う啷冟ざ啷� 啶侧啶曕ぇ啶班啶 啷� 啶む啶啷嵿く啶むぞ啶 啷� [k膩峁ａ弓habh奴ta峁� kalevara峁� tyajyat膩m | 墨d峁浥沷 lokadharma岣� | tyajyat膩m | ] 2
Arthas盲stra, II. 17, p. 100. 3 Car, p. 82; Svapnan墨 Sundari, p. 14. 4 Cf. Car,
p. 68.
