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Shishupala-vadha (Study)

by Shila Chakraborty | 2018 | 112,267 words

This page relates ‘Knowledge of Natyashastra in the Shishupalavadha� of the study on the Shishupala-vadha (in English) in the light of Manusamhita (law and religious duties) and Arthashastra (science of politics and warfare). The Shishupalavadha is an epic poem (Mahakavya) written by Magha in the 7th century AD. It consists of 1800 Sanskrit verses spread over twenty chapters and narrates the details of the king of the Chedis.

Go directly to: Footnotes.

Knowledge of ṭyśٰ in the Śśܱ

is well versed in ṭyśٰ. In Sanskrit literature ṭy is the mimicry of actions of gods, sages, kings and house holders.

This is called ǰ첹ṛtٲ. In this context Macdonel said�

“The words for actor (nata) and play (ٲ첹) are derived from the verb nat, the prakrit or vernacular form of the Sanskrit nṛt�, “to dance�. The name is familiar to English ears in the form of nautch. The Indian dancing the present day. The latter indeed probably represent the beginnings of the Indian drama�.[1]

It is said in the first chapter of ٲⲹśٰ about the origin of drama�

“jagrāha pāṭyamṛgvedāt sāmabhyogītameva ca |
yajurvedādabhinayān rasamātharvaṇādapi� || 1.17 ||[2]

In the Vājasaneyī saṃhitā and the ղٳپīⲹ 󳾲ṇa śūṣa is used as a technical term in the ٲⲹśٰ. In the ṣṭī of Pānini ś and ṛśāśv are mentioned (ʲṇiԾ, 4/3/110-111) Following dramaturgy (ٲⲹśٰ) poet 岵 composed his epic.

He described the five sandhis of drama in the fortyforth verse of twentieth canto.

“daghatastanimānamānupūrcyā vabhurakṣiśravasomukhe ś� |
bharatajñākavipraṇīta kāvyagrathitāṅkā iva nāṭakaprapañcā� ||� 20.44 ||[3]

In the ٲśū貹첹 (3/30) it is said about the characteristics of ṅk.

‼ٲⲹṣaṇeṛcٴ vindu پ puraskṛta� |
aṅko namānāprakārārtha sāṃvidhānarasāśraya� ||� 3.30-31 ||[4]

In this book (1/24) characteristics of sandhis are related:

ܰ� pratimukhe sāvamarśopasaṃhṛti� | 1.23 |[5]

In the above mentioned verse of the Śśܱ (20/44)

Mukhasandhi and other sandhis are discussed.

In the context of comparison between drama and sacrificial ceremony, the poet discussed about various aspects of the ٲⲹśٰ in his epic. (14.50).

“svādayan rasamanekasaṃskṛta prākṛtairakṛtapatrasṅkrai� |
bhavaśuddhi sahitairmuda� jano nāṭakairiva vabhāra bhojanai� ||�

To discuss various aspects of drama, poet 岵 said that Sanskrit and ʰṛt language would be used by actors and actress.

Use of four types of language are seen in ٲⲹśٰ; (ٲⲹśٰ, 17/25-26).

  1. پṣ�,
  2. Āⲹṣ�,
  3. پṣ�,
  4. ٲⲹԳٲīṣ�.

By the word (mood) Ѳٳ meant permanent (mood). He quoted a verse about its characteristics.

“sajātīyairvijātīyairatiraskṛtamūrtimān |
屹� ٲԲ� sthayī屹 ܻṛt� ||� (commemtary of the Śśܱ 14/50)[6]

岵 has used the word ܰṅg

“bhavadgirāmavasarapradānāya vacāṃsi na� |
ūṅgprasaṅgāya nāṭakīyasya vastunaḥ� || 2.8 ||[7]

ūṅg is called . It is said about ūṅg in the 󾱳ٲⲹ岹貹ṇa (sāhityadarpaṇa) |

“tٰ ū� ūṅg� ٲٲ� param |
첹ٳ󲹲Բ� kavisaṃjñādernāṭakasyāpyathāmukham ||� 6.21 ||[8]

Poet 岵 mentioned the actor and actress of drama as śūṣa.

This is found in the sixtyninth verse of the first canto.

“athopapatti� chalanāparo'parāmavāpya śūṣa ivaiṣa bhūmikāma |
tirohitakātmā śiśupālasaṃjhayā pratīyate samprati 'ⲹ� 貹� ||� 1.69 ||[9]

Footnotes and references:

[back to top]

[1]:

A. A, Macdonel: A History of Sanskrit literature, p. 292.

[2]:

Suresh Chandra Bandyopadhaya: ٲⲹśٰ, p. 3.

[3]:

Haridasa Siddhantavagisha: Op.cit., p. 853.

[4]:

Sitanath Acharya & Debkumar Das: ٲśū貹첹, p. 282.

[5]:

ibid., p.37.

[6]:

Haridasa Siddhantavagisha: Op.cit., p. 575.

[7]:

ibid., p.49.

[8]:

Bimalakanta Mukhopadhaya: Op.cit., p. 336.

[9]:

Haridasa Siddhantavagisha: Op.cit., p.40.

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