Dasarupaka (critical study)
by Anuru Ranjan Mishra | 2015 | 106,293 words
This page relates 鈥榯echnical aspects of a Prahasana鈥� of the English study of the Dasarupaka of Dhananjaya: an important work on Hindu dramaturgy (Natya-shastra) from the tenth century dealing with the ten divisions of Sanskrit drama (nata), describing their technical aspects and essential dramaturgical principals. These ten types of drama are categorised based on the plot (vastu), hero (neta) and sentiment (rasa)
Part 11 - The technical aspects of a Prahasana
The Mattavil膩sa has applied the technical aspects like:
- intimation scene (肠奴濒颈办腻 or nepathya),
- prologue (辫谤补蝉迟腻惫补苍腻),
- aside (svagata or 腻迟尘补驳补迟补),
- aloud (辫谤补办腻艣补) and
- epilogue (产丑补谤补迟补惫腻办测补).
There is no use of explanatory scene (惫颈峁补尘产丑补办补) and also there is no benedictory verse (苍腻苍诲墨), before prologue (辫谤补蝉迟腻惫补苍腻) but the stage manager recites the benedictory verse, at the begging of the prologue.
Prologue (辫谤补蝉迟腻惫补苍腻) 鈥�
Generally the prologue comes after the benedictory verse, which is conducted by the stage-manager (蝉奴迟谤补诲丑腻谤补) and actor (苍补峁�) or establisher (蝉迟丑腻辫补办补) or jester (惫颈诲耻峁办补). It gives information about the play, author etc. in an amazing way. In the Mattavil膩sa, 辫谤补蝉迟腻惫补苍腻 is said as 蝉迟丑腻辫补苍腻. Here S奴tradh膩ra and Na峁� have conducted the 蝉迟丑腻辫补苍腻. Before the introduction of the play and the author, S奴tradh膩ra recites the benedictory verse (产丑腻峁Ｄ乿别峁惫补辫耻岣モ赌︹赌︹赌�办补辫腻濒墨 测补艣补岣� - verse.1), which should occur before the prologue.
Aside (svagata or 腻迟尘补驳补迟补) and Aloud (辫谤补办腻艣补) 鈥�
When the actor utters the dialogue for both audiences as well as for co-actors and the same is audible, it is called aloud, but when the actor utters the dialogue and the same cannot be audible, it is called aside. These two terms are applied in the Mattavil膩sa somewhere though not frequently.
Intimation Scene (肠奴濒颈办腻 or nepathya) 鈥�
Intimation scene is of the five types (补谤迟丑辞辫补办峁辫补办补) and is also called 肠奴濒颈办腻. It is used frequently as nepathya, as the Intermediate speech comes from behind the curtain, which explains some important matters by any character. Generally, this technical item is used frequently in all type of dramas. This term is also used in the Mattavil膩sa in some places.
Epilogue (产丑补谤补迟补惫腻办测补) 鈥�
At the end of the drama there should be an auspicious verse called 鈥淏haratav膩kya鈥�, which is the final benediction or praise (辫谤补艣补蝉迟颈) coming at the end. One of the actors, in chorus with other actors, sings it to mark the end of the dramatic enactment. In the Mattavil膩sa, the epilogue has the significant role in the drama, which is prayed to fire, Brahmin, cows and the king who protect the people performing their duty (艣a艣vad bh奴tyai praj膩n膩m鈥︹�︹�ε沘trumallena 濒辞办补岣�).