1.2. Characteristic Features of Sanskrit Drama

Vishnudharmottara Purana (Art and Architecture)

by Bhagyashree Sarma | 2021 | 59,457 words

This page relates 鈥楥haracteristic Features of Sanskrit Drama鈥� of the study on the elements of Art and Architecture according to the Vishnudharmottara Purana: an ancient text whose third book deals with various artisan themes such as Architecture, Painting, Dance, Grammar, etc. Many chapters are devoted to Hindu Temple architecture and the iconography of Deities and their installation rites and ceremonies.

Go directly to: Footnotes.

1.2. Characteristic Features of Sanskrit Drama

< Previous

Next >

Sanskrit dramas are distinguished from other drama in some prominent directions. These are noted in different books of Rhetorics. In this context the third part of the 痴颈峁ａ箛耻诲丑补谤尘辞迟迟补谤补辫耻谤腻峁嘺 gives a brief but effective discussion. The characteristic features of Sanskrit drama as revealed in the third part of the 痴颈峁ａ箛耻诲丑补谤尘辞迟迟补谤补辫耻谤腻峁嘺 are taken up here for discussion.

According to the 痴颈峁ａ箛耻诲丑补谤尘辞迟迟补谤补辫耻谤腻峁嘺, in Sanskrit drama, the main plot is based on the review of 笔耻谤腻峁嘺蝉 in the light of history or the accounts of gods.^[1] Dramas are associated with 惫峁泃迟颈蝉 i.e., actions and rasas i.e., sentiments. Moreover, sometimes in Sanskrit dramas, 办腻濒补蝉 i.e., period of time indicates the era of the particular king of the concerned period.^[2] According to this source, Sanskrit drama consists of more than five acts but it should not cross ten acts.^[3] The 厂腻丑颈迟测补诲补谤辫补峁嘺 also admits it.^[4]

The 痴颈峁ａ箛耻诲丑补谤尘辞迟迟补谤补辫耻谤腻峁嘺 says that at the very beginning of the Sanskrit drama, 辫谤补惫别艣补办补 i.e., the introducer^[5] should introduce the plot of the drama that has been continuing for many days and this narration must be very brief.^[6] In the 厂腻丑颈迟测补诲补谤辫补峁嘺 also, the description of those incidents which have already been happened are suggested in the very beginning of the Drama and the technical term of this part of a Drama is known as mukha or 腻尘耻办丑补.^[7]

Accordig to the 痴颈峁ａ箛耻诲丑补谤尘辞迟迟补谤补辫耻谤腻峁嘺, disturbing incidents like death, dethronement, siege, fight etc. are totally abandoned in Sanskrit dramas.^[8] The 厂腻丑颈迟测补诲补谤辫补峁嘺 also agrees on it.^[9] Drama should be performed under a 尘补峁囜笉补辫补 i.e., pavilion^[10].^[11]

According to the 痴颈峁ａ箛耻诲丑补谤尘辞迟迟补谤补辫耻谤腻峁嘺, the pavilion should be oblong or square. The square one should be thirty two hands and the oblong one should be double of it in size.^[12] In the beginning of the Drama the 诲别惫补迟腻辫奴箩补苍补峁� should be done.^[13] A 苍腻苍诲墨艣濒辞办补 i.e., a benedictory verse^[14] must be recited at the very beginning of a Drama for a successful ending.^[15] 痴颈艣惫补苍腻迟丑补碍补惫颈谤腻箩补 also says that-to remove all kinds of obstacles and inauspiciousness, the recitation of 苍腻苍诲墨艣濒辞办补 is very important.^[16] The 苍腻苍诲墨艣濒辞办补 is recited by the 蝉奴迟谤补诲丑腻谤补.^[17] This rule seems to be followed by each and every dramatist of the Sanskrit literature.

The 痴颈峁ａ箛耻诲丑补谤尘辞迟迟补谤补辫耻谤腻峁嘺 says that at the end of the Drama, 惫腻蝉迟耻辫奴箩补苍补 i.e., the worship of 惫腻蝉迟耻辫耻谤耻峁 should be made by offering flowers.^[18] In the very beginning of the Drama each and every character should be introduced and that is why the presence of every character is made mandatory just after the unveiling of the curtain.^[19] This is to be noted here that in most of the dramas of 叠丑腻蝉补, the names of the main characters are introduced through the very first verse of the drama and this is generally called the 尘耻诲谤腻濒补峁僰腻谤补. Thus the 厂惫补辫苍补惫腻蝉补惫补诲补迟迟补 of 叠丑腻蝉补 opens with the verse where the characters Udayana, 痴腻蝉补惫补诲补迟迟腻, 笔补诲尘腻惫补迟墨, Vasantaka are introduced before the audience.^[20]