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Dasarupaka (critical study)

by Anuru Ranjan Mishra | 2015 | 106,293 words

This page relates ‘Technical Aspects of a Prakarana� 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 - Technical Aspects of a Prakaraṇa

Yaśaścandra has applied very few technical things in the Mudritakumudacandra, such as:

  1. Benediction (Ի徱),
  2. Prologue (),
  3. Intimation scene (nepathya),
  4. Interlude scene (ṣk󲹰첹),
  5. Monologue (śṣiٲ),
  6. Aside (svagata or ٳٲ),
  7. Aloud (ś) and
  8. Personal address (ᲹԳپ첹).

Benediction (Իī) �

The Benedictory prayer comes at the beginning of the drama and is known as Իī. It is the part of preliminaries (ūṅg) performed before the enactment of the drama.

The ūṅg consists of nineteen items.

Out of nineteen, [the following nine items are performed behind the curtain]:

  1. ٲ,
  2. ٲṇa,
  3. ,
  4. ś屹ṇ�,
  5. ٰṇi,
  6. 貹ṭṭ,
  7. ṃgṭa,
  8. ٲ and
  9. ٲ.

[...] and another [following nine items, are presented on the stage, for the spectators]:

  1. ܳٳٳ貹Բ,
  2. parivartana,
  3. Իī,
  4. śṣk屹ṛṣṭ�,
  5. ṅg屹,
  6. ,
  7. mahā,
  8. trigata and
  9. dz;
  10. and prologue (), the 19th item.

Nāndī is the third part of the presented items of the ūṅg, which is the statement of blessings for the success of dramatic performance. Furthermore, in the performance, the actors and spectators should not face any type of obstacles, which could be troublesome for both the actors and audiences. Nāndī is recited either by the ūٰ or by any Brahmin, on the stage.

In the Mudritakumudacandra, the author prays the god to fulfill the wishes of the people of the three worlds:

śⲹ� ḍmṃs峾…Ħmܰ峾ṇiśṇaⲹ��.

Prologue ()

The Prologue comes after the recitation of the benedictory verses. It starts with the sentence, i.e.

ԻⲹԳٱ ٲٲ� śپ ūٰ�.�

ūٰ conducts the Prologue with his wife (Բṭ�) or establisher (ٳ貹첹 or ś첹) or Jester (ūṣa첹). However, sometimes ūٰ alone conducts the Prologue. He informs the audience about the history of the author, name of the play and about the play by means of the humorous conversation with his companion. At the end, the actor enters the stage. In the Mudritakumudacandra, the author has applied and used ūٰ, Pāripārśvika and Naṭ� in the Prologue. ūٰ and Pāripārśvika discuss the author and the history. However, ūٰ and Naṭ� discuss the theme of the play indirectly. Then ūٰ describes the spring season and afterwards all of them exit from the stage and the two characters, i.e. Pārśvadeva and ŚDz󲹲Բ enter the stage.

Intimation scene (nepathya) �

The Intimation scene is also called ū, which is the part of the intermediate scenes (ٳDZ貹ṣe貹첹), i.e. interlude scene (ṣk󲹰첹), introductory scene (ś첹), intimation scene (ū), anticipatory scene (ṅkⲹ) and continuation scene (ṅk屹). The actors from behind the curtain present the intimation scene, as it is void. The intimation scenes are employed in the beginning or in the middle and sometimes before the end of an act. In the Mudritakumudacandra, the scenes are employed very little. It has used intimation scene only five times in the drama.

Interlude Scene (ṣk󲹰첹) �

The interlude scene is also the part of the intermediate scene (ٳDZ貹ṣe貹첹), such as ś첹 and ū, as mentioned before. The interlude scene discusses the future incidents, related to the plot, which would happen in the next act. It is of two kinds, i.e. pure interlude scene (śܻ ṣk󲹰첹) and mixed interlude scene (ś ṣk󲹰첹). In the pure type of interlude scene, two middle type of characters describe the incident in Sanskrit. However, the mixed type of interlude scene consists of middle and low types of two characters who speak in Sanskrit and Prakrit respectively to describe the incident. The interlude scene always comes at the beginning of the act. In the Mudritakumudacandra, all the acts consist of pure type of interlude scene, where the characters speak in Sanskrit.

Monologue (śṣiٲ) �

When a character on the stage speaks looking up to the sky, addressing someone, it is called monologue. Usually, such a monologue is employed in the ṇa and īٳī types of dramas. However, in some cases, other types of dramas also employ monologue. In the Mudritakumudacandra, the author has employed such monologues twice, in the first and the fourth acts through the characters, Իī and Śī respectively.

Aside (svagata or ٳٲ) �

The speech, inaudible to others, spoken by a character is aside. It is his own feelings, does not want to share the matter with anyone. This technical aspect is commonly employed in every drama. In the Mudritakumudacandra, the author has employed in various places.

Aloud (ś) �

The matter, which is audible to the audience, is called aloud. This technical aspect is also applied frequently in every drama. In the Mudritakumudacandra, the author has applied this aloud in some places, though not frequently.

Personal Address (ᲹԳپ첹) �

The speech is made audible to the the particular person to whom it is addressed is called ᲹԳپ첹. However, it is indicated with a special handgesture, which is called �ٰ貹�. Janāntika is applied but not frequently in every drama. In the Mudritakumudacandra, it is applied once in the fifth act for the judge Śilāṅka, by the king ⲹṃh.

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