Amarakoshodghatana of Kshirasvamin (study)
by A. Yamuna Devi | 2012 | 77,297 words | ISBN-13: 9788193658048
This page relates ‘Drama and the Elements of a Dramatic play� of the study on the Amarakoshodghatana of Kshirasvamin (in English) which represents a commentary on the Amarakosha of Amarasimha. These ancient texts belong the Kosha or “lexicography� category of Sanskrit literature which deals with the analysis and meaning of technical words from a variety of subjects, such as cosmology, anatomy, medicine, hygiene. The Amarakosa itself is one of the earliest of such text, dating from the 6th century A.D., while the Amarakoshodghatana is the earliest known commentary on that work.
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Drama and the Elements of a Dramatic play
ś after enumerating the words relating to music proceeds to list the words relating to drama such as the various characters in play, sentiments and those related to emotions.
(a) Characters in play:
ś lists a large number of characters to be played like:
Some of these as analysed by ṣīr峾 are presented below: Ҳṇi (I. 6. 12; p. 50)–A courtesan: Ҳṇi and ܰ are two words for a courtesan.
ṣīr峾 explains the term ṇi as the one who always contemplates on God and that she is also called ܰ�
ṇaⲹīśś īś ṇa� peṭako'styasyā vā ṇi ܰ |
ājjukā āsatprakṛtipratyayavibhāgā deśīyapadaprāyā |
ٱī (I. 6. 14; p. 51)�Queen: ś mentions that a crowned queen is addressed as ī, while an un-crowned queen or the other queens of the king are addressed as ṭṭī. ṣīr峾 cites 岹ٳ and ʲ峾屹ī as examples for each respectively.
These famous characters from ’s play Բ岹ٳٲ make it easy to understand the terms better�
śī𱹲� vāsavadattādau | ākṛtābhiṣekarājñīmadhyādekaikā ṭṭī padmāvatyadi� |
ٳپ (I. 6. 15; p. 51)�
[Elder sister:]
ś gives the word ٳپ for eldest sister and ṣīr峾 says that the eldest sister is like a mother�āttā mātevāttikā |
(b) ṣṭ (I. 6. 16; p. 51)�
[Denoucement:]
Of the 貹ñԻ, ś gives only the final sandhi, and mentions Ծṣṭ and Ծṇa as its synonyms.
ṣīr峾 explains it as conclusion and mentions it as one of the components of the five sandhis viz., mukha, pratimukha, garbha, ś and Ծṇa in drama�
Ծⲹٲ� ٳԲ� Ծṣṭ | niḥśeṣeṇa Բ� samāptirԾṇam | mukhapratimukhagarbhāvamarśanirvahaṇāravyā hi pañcasandhaya� |
(c) Rasa (I. 6. 18; p. 51)�
[Sentiment:]
ś enumerates the eight rasas[1] and ṣīr峾 explains the term rasa as the combination of 屹, Գܲ屹 and ⲹ屹 and enumerates the ٳī屹. ṣīr峾 explains rasa or the sentiment as the experience of the onlooker who sees and relishes the emotions which are kindled by the depictions of the actors.
ṣīr峾 makes a note that ٲⲹ, the affection towards children is only an aspect of rati; hence it is not read as a rasa.
Also, ṣīr峾 further remarks that śԳٲ, the ninth rasa is not listed by ś for it is extraordinary or alaukika.
ratyadayo 屹 ānukriyamāṇāḥ sāmājikai� | rasyanta iti � | yadāhuḥ�
屹irԳܲ屹iśca yukto'tha vyabhicāribhi� |[2]
ⲹٱٱԲٱٲٳ𱹲 tu rasībhavet |
śԳٲstvalaukikatvānnokta� ca śabdātsaṃgṛhīto vā |
ٲ� ٰܳ徱Աٳ ratibheda eva |
Śṛṅ (I. 6. 18; p. 51)�
[Love:]
This rasa alone is given some importance by ṣīr峾.
Explaining the words śṛṅ, śܳ and ujjvala, ṣīr峾 particularly mentions that śܳ and ujjvala are not synonyms of śṛṅ but its characteristic features[3] �
śṛṅ� śܳrujjvala� lakṣaṇametanna tvetau śṛṅparyāyau |
(d) ٳ⾱屹 (I. 6. 19; p. 52):
ś lists the ٳ⾱屹 and the 屹. In this context ṣīr峾 adds his comment that ٳ⾱屹 project as rasa.
Interestingly he further quotes the ṭyśٰ (VI. 17), with some changes and cites Bharata as his source.
The point of interest here to be noted is that he not only includes ś as the ٳ⾱屹 of śԳٲ rasa but also remarks that ٳ⾱屹 evoke the relishable rasas�
sthayyeva tu rasībhavediti bhāvarasayo� paryāyatvena dhvanati |
te ca�
ratirhāsaśca śokaśca krodhotsāhau ⲹ� tathā |
jugupsāvismayaśamā� sthayī屹 rasodbhavā� ||
ś mentions that these words denoting the moods are used in all three genders[4]. ṣīr峾 makes it clear that the words from adbhuta to ugra numbering 14 are generally used in masculine gender to denote the sentiment and in other cases they take all three genders with reference to the context.
ṣīr峾 also gives the opinion of ⲹṇa according to whom the words denoting rasas are always in neuter gender�
ܻ徱첹� tu rase napuṃsakamiti ⲹṇa� |ādbhutādyā ugrāntā raseṣu pulliṅgā� | tadvati triliṅgā� |
(e) 屹 (I. 6. 22; p. 53):
屹 is explained by ṣīr峾 as the variant moods or psychological states of the mind (ٲ�) and also it brings about the rasa and ṣīr峾 supplements this by citing ṭyśٰ (VII. 3):
ٲ 屹ⲹٱ ܰ徱� svakāraṇādbhavati vā cittavṛttiviśeṣo 屹� |
屹ⲹپ karoti rasānvā |
ⲹٲḥ�
nānābhinayasaṃbaddhānbhāvayanti rasānimān |
ⲹٳٲ岹ī 屹 vijñeyā nāṭyoktṛbhi� |
(f) Գܲ屹 (I. 6. 22; p. 53)
Գܲ屹 is explained by ṣīr峾 as that which is expressed through words and gestures�
ānu屹tu ābhinaya� paścādarthaprakāśanam |
(g) Vyabhicāri屹:
ś describes the ⲹ屹s and some noteworthy remarks of ṣīr峾 are as follows:
ѲԻṣa (I. 6. 24; p. 53)�
[Bashfulness:]
ś gives five words to denote bashfulness of which Իṣa and īḍ� are specially commented upon by ṣīr峾.
He cites an example wherein the word Իṣa is used as Իⲹ�
īḍāvanamravaktrenduriti svotthalajjāvaśādvivakṣuravanamati mukhamiti Իⲹmityeke |
The word īḍ�, ṣīr峾 opines is also used in masculine gender as in the example�
īḍādamu� devamudīkṣyeti puṃsyapi |
[5] (I. 6. 25; p. 53)�
[Coveting another's property:]
ś gives the word in the sense of coveting anothers property.
ṣīr峾 explains it as coveting another's property employing magical spells or in harmful manner. He also gives the view of ٲⲹ according to whom it is seeking some favours from others�
ābhicāreṇa Բm parasvaviṣayaspṛhetyeke doṣacintāū� parasve lipsetyartha�, yat ٲⲹ��viṣayaprārthanābhidhyā |
ṣānپ� (I. 6. 25; p. 53)�
[Detraction:]
ś gives the word ṣānپ� and īṣy as synonyms to detraction.
ṣīr峾 explains the term b etter with a contextual example. He says that īṣy is one’s intolerence of his wife being seen by others. He also gives another view where it is taken to be one’s jealousy or intolerence at the growth or prosperity of others:
� 貹岹śԱ ūḍh'kṣāntirīṣy, āya� tu parotkarṣāsahana� mātsaryamīṣy manyate ya īrṣyu� paravitteṣvitivat |
Manyu (I. 6. 26; pp. 53-4)�
[Grief:]
ś gives manyu as ‘grief� or ‘sorrow�. Substantiating this ṣīr峾 quotes Śśٲ (376) who mentions that it also has the meaning of ‘rage�.
The word manyu is in neuter gender; and the same word in masculine gender denotes both ‘grief� and ‘sacrifice’�
manyate manyurdainyamiha, yacchāśvata� nigadanti krudha� Բ� manyuradhvaradainyayo� |
Manyu is very popularly employed in the sense of �anger� and hence ṣīr峾 justifies this usage of ś
Գ岹 (I. 6. 27; p. 54)�
[Madness:]
In explaining the word ܲԳ岹 ṣīr峾 says it is the abnormality of mind caused by the possession of evil spirits�
cittānavasthitirbhūtādyāveśāt |
Dohada (I. 6. 28; p. 54)�
[Desire:]
ṣīr峾 adds ԴDzī for desire in addition to ś's 11 words for the same.
ĀԲ (I.6.30; p.54)�
[Recollection:]
In the context of explaining the word āԲ ṣīr峾 quotes ś and says that it is missing something and remembering it with sorrow or longing�
yatkāśikā -āԲmutkaṇṭhāpūrva-kasmaraṇam ||
Hāva, līlā, �
Explaining these terms relating to sports or amusements which are reflections of the śṛṅ rasa, ṣīr峾 quotes extensively from ṭyśٰ (XXIV. 4, 7, 11-13) which explains how these are various stages of the sentiment of love.
ṭyśٰ (XXIV. 7) succintly defines them as physical graces that arise from one another and are different aspects of sattva:
bhāvo hāvaśca ca parasparasamutthitā� |
satvabhedā bhavantyete śarīre prakṛtistathā ||
ղᲹ (I. 6. 34; p. 55)�
[Pretense:]
Explaining the term Ჹ as concealing one' s real form, ṣīr峾 illustrates the same with an example from 岵ԲԻ岹 (1-1) which is the benedictory verse addressed to lord Ś in deep contemplation whom پ criticises indirectly of thinking of the Ganges�
vyajyata iti vyājo'tra svarūpācchādana� yathā�Բ—Ჹmupetya cintayasi kām |
Pralaya[6] (I. 6. 34; p. 56):
ś mentions that pralaya signifies ‘loss of consciousness�.
ṣīr峾 explains it as the end of all activities, state of unconciousness or fainting and quotes from an unknown source that the unconcious state is denoted as stambha and pralaya is death where the body falls on the ground with all the five elements failing�
īⲹٱ ٰ ⲹ� sāttviko 屹� mūrcchetyartha� yadāhuḥ�
stambhe vicetanatva� pralaye gatacetanatvamata eva |
sahasaiva Ծ貹ٲԲ� bhuvi mahābhūtaśaithilyāt ||
(h) Nānārtha varga on some concepts of drama:
ṣīr峾 mentions that the beauty of drama is enhanced by music. The rituals performed before the presentation of the drama is called ūṅg; the introduction of the theme of the play is 屹 or mukha:
prayogārtha� saṅgītaka� guṇikā | prā� ṭy ūṅg� syāt | nāṭyārthopakṣepa� ū� 屹 ܰ� ca syāt |
ṛtپ� (III. 3. 73; pp. 286-87)�
[Style of composition:]
ś mentions that 첹śī and others are the ṛtپ. ṣīr峾 lists all the four as 첹śī, ī, sātvatī and ṭ��
첹śī—īsātvatyarabhaṭya� |
Footnotes and references:
[2]:
Cf. ṭyśٰ (VI. 7)�
vi屹nubhāvavyabhicārī屹aṃyogāt rasaniṣpatti� |
[3]:
[6]:
pralayo naṣṭaceṣṭatā |