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 72 of: Bhasa (critical and historical study)
72 (of 564)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
Download the PDF file of the original publication
52
amongst them to be fathered upon S奴draka or anybody
else.
iii. KERALA INFLUENCE.
It has been contended that these plays show a
Kerala influence as is evident from "Some Prakrit
Three words from the Car have been picked
passages.
up by Dr. Raja as showing a Kerala origin, of which
anthi has been shown by Dr. Thomas to be of Sanskrit
paternity, and the other two also, are shown not to be due
to any Kerala influence by Harihar Sastri.*
Prof. Kuppuswami Sastri finds in the use of the
word 'Sambandha,' a reference to the Sambandha marriages
prevalent in Malabar. The learned scholar further finds
in Mahasena's queen an elderly Malayalam lady and a
Malayali in Yaugandhar膩ya峁嘺. We fail to see any special
Malayali characteristic in them. As to Sambandha
marriages, "Sambandha is neither more nor less than civil
marriage with right of divorce. The presentation of a
cloth by the vara to the vadhu with a social dinner
constitutes the entire ritual. No Sanskrit mantras are
recited... The wife does not share the religious life of her
husband and the husband does not interdine with his wife
Applying these tests to the marriages of
Vasavadatta and Kurangi, which are alleged to be
Sambandha marriages, we find that neither of these can
be styled as such on any account. Mr. R. Kavi, another
anti-Bh膩saite, asserts on the contrary that these dramas
show no Malayalam influence. Prof. K. Rama Pisharoti
has tried to show, time and again, basing his conclusion
on small details that can very well be found anywhere in
India and not confined to Kerala alone, that these dramas
proceed from Kerala ; such, e. g., are: (i) The queen's
sympathy towards a low-born person has been taken to
imply that she was a s奴dra woman in accordance with the
practice of the Kerala kings. Obviously a far-fetched
interpretation! The fact that the queen's brother was a
king of Sauviras speaks against any such assumption.
(ii) The form of address 'M膩tula' ('Uncle') to old persons
1 JOR, 1, pp. 217-225.
2 Thomas, JRAS, 1928, p. 890; Harihar
Sastri, JOR, 2, pp. 210-213. 3 Ascarya, Intr., pp. 26-27. 4 K. G. Sankar,
letter dated 14-8-32. 5 JAHRS, 2, p. 143. 6 Avi, Shama'a, Madras, 4, pp. 287,
289, 290 etc; 5, pp. 279, 283 etc.; Abh, JAU, 4, p. 141; 5, pp. 125, 248; Bal, QJMS,
1935-36, reprint, pp. 1, 12, 17, 21, 39 etc.; Pratima, QJMS, 12, pp. 394-396; 14,
pp. 47-48. Ct. for the latter statement, Shama'a, 5, p. 122 n. 1.
