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Ashta Nayikas and Dance Forms (study)

by V. Dwaritha | 2013 | 71,711 words

This page relates ‘Activities of Svadhinapatika� of the study dealing with the Ashta-Nayikas—a classification of eight kinds of “Heroines� representing the eight emotional states (avastha) employed in the classical Indian dance and performing arts (otherwise known as Natya Shastra). These Ashtanayikas reflect the eight types of romantic relationships and have hence formed the expressive subject of many classical painting, poems and dramatic plays.

Go directly to: Footnotes.

Part 14 - Activities of Svādhīnapatikā

Examples of the activities of the Svādhīna-patikā character of woman heroine: 

1 Բ-īḍ�—Playing in the garden[1]

पतितैः शिरीषरजसां निकरैः कलुषीकृतं नयननीररुहम् �
हरिण� हिरण्यरमणीयतनोर्मुखमारुतैः किमप� शीतलितम् �

patitai� śirīṣarajasā� nikarai� kaluṣīkṛta� nayananīraruham |
hariṇ� hiraṇyaramaṇīyatanormukhamārutai� kimapi śītalitam ||
[2]

The dust of the Śīṣa flower fell into the eyes of the golden bodied 鲹’s eyes thus making it red. Then, Hari with the wind from his mouth blew into her eyes to cool her eyes.

2 ղԲ—Roaming in the forest[3]

Roaming in the forest was considered a favourite pastime for women. It was an apt place to play with friends. The forest was also considered a favorite spot for the beloveds to meet. ṛṣṇa and are said to have had their first union in the forest according to īٲDZԻ岹. Other than these, jobs like looking after the cattle and collecting fire wood required the women to be in the forest. 

Apart from these it was believed that even the non flowering tree when touched by a young girl would flower and also bear fruits. Example:

नवकिसलयरागेणाग्रपादे� बाला स्फु रितनखरुच� द्वौ हन्तुमर्हत्यने� �
अकुसुमितमशोक� दो� दापेक्षय� वा प्रणमितशिरसं वा कान्तमार्द्रापराधम� �

navakisalayarāgeṇāgrapādena bālā sphu ritanakharucā dvau hantumarhatyanena |
akusumitamaśoka� doha dāpekṣayā vā praṇamitaśirasa� vā kāntamārdrāparādham ||
[4]

“With the toe of her foot tinged with juice resembling the fresh sprout and with the radiant nails, the youthful damsel deserves to touch two things, the Ashoka tree waiting for dohada to put forth blossoms and the bowed head of the lover fresh from armorous offense.�

3 ܲܳ貹ⲹ-—Plucking Flowers.[5]

Flowers were used on a daily basis to worship God, to make a ball of flower to play with, to decorate the house and so on. Thus plucking of flowers could be associated as an everyday ritual. Other than this, adorning of flowers was an integral part of make up. That is probably one reason why the use of flowers during the period of mourning is not allowed. The fragrance of the flowers stimulated sensual thoughts, thus the widows are not allowed its usage. Flowers are also an indication of happiness

Here the beautiful bodied surrenders herself unto the hands of her lover with a smiling face in the bowers of the forest on the pretext of plucking flowers.

पुष्पापचयव्याजान्नीताद्� निकुञ्जवनमध्यम� �

puṣpāpacayavyājānnītādya nikuñjavanamadhyam |
sakhyā vihasanmukhyā priyasya pāṇau samarpitā sutanu� ||[6]

4 īḍ�—Playing in the water.[7]

ललितमुरस� तरन्ती तरलतरङ्गौघचालितनितम्बा �
विपरीतरक्ता सक्त� � दृश्यत� सरसि सा सख्य� �

lalitamurasā tarantī taralataraṅgaughacālitanitambā |
貹īٲraktā sakte va dṛśyate sarasi sā sakhyā ||
[8]

The heroine who is swimming sways her hips and this is compared to 貹īٲ rati.

5 Ѳ岹Դdzٲ—Festival of Love[9]

Բṅgdzٲ is festival of love. This indicates union, the Sambhoga Śṛṅgāra.

प्रियकृतपटस्तेयक्रीडाविडम्बनविह्वला� किमप� करुणालापां तन्वीमुदीक्ष्� ससंभ्रमम� �
अप� विगलित� स्कन्धावार� गत� सुरताहवे त्रिभुवनमहाधन्वी स्थन� न्यवर्तत मन्मथः �

priyakṛtapaṭasteyakrīḍāviḍambanavihvalā� kimapi karuṇālāpā� tanvīmudīkṣya sasaṃbhramam |
api vigalite skandhāvāre gate suratāhave tribhuvanamahādhanvī sthane nyavartata manmatha� ||
[10]

Even after the war of love making was over and the camp was broken, all the soldiers (objects of pleasure) had retired; the greatest archer of the three worlds, Lord Manmatha returned to the fore seeing the heroine distressed and begging, on the account of delay caused by the playful stealth of her garment by the lover.

6 Vasantotsava—HDZ[11]

सुललितवनित� वसन्तकेलावभिलषितेन मनोरमा प्रिये� �
वरतनुरचिरादयोज� सख्य� घनपटवासकृतान्धकारमध्ये �

sulalitavanitā vasantakelāvabhilaṣitena manoramā priyeṇa |
varatanuracirādayoji sakhyā ghanapaṭavāsakṛtāndhakāramadhye ||
[12]

The graceful girl who wishs to play holi with her lover; quickly arranges with her friends in the midst of woods.

7 ṅk[13] on having captivated the ⲹ첹

屹ḷi[14]
Language—Tܲ
—KԾ;
ḷaū貹첹

Composer‱ṭṭ󾱰峾ⲹ
The impressed by her lover’s activities during love play, says thus to her friends:
Pallavi Entaṭi kulukē intirō kāntunikipu (dentaṭi kulukē) O friends! Right now, how charming the lord is!
Anupallavi
Pantamugala parāmbhōja mukhi
benaginanduku
When the stubborn lotus faced girl (I) was indifferent, the hero was pleasing!
䲹ṇa 1
Hoyalumīri vīdhilōna bayaludēri nannujūci ǀ
Bhayamulēka pāṭapāḍi kannusaiga jēyunē idi ǀǀ
He started walking on the street, he saw me fearlessly, he started making songs and signals with his eyes.
䲹ṇa 2
Marapulēka ninnarēyi dharapurīśuḍaina ǀ
Marunikēḷilōna nātō
ṭaḍaḍēmṭi徱
Thoughtfully last night the lord Dharmapurisha, during dalliance, did not speak a word to me. How pleasing that was!


8 ѲԴǰٳ-پ—Fulfilling her desires[15]

Padam[16]
LanguageTamil
ḷa—ād

 

dzDz�Madurakavi
Pallavi
Yārukkāgilum bhayamā summā DZṭṭܳ
Adileṉṉa ragasiya mā
Is there anything to be afraid of anyone, Let them tell what the secret in it is?
ṉu貹
Pōrukku� vijaya� im mōḍiliṅga durai
Bōga� kiḍaittadeṉṟa�

Yōgam allavō peṇṇē (yāru)
Is it not my good fortune that I got the pleasure of the lord, the victor in the war?
䲹ṇam Naṉpiḍitta(du) eṉṉa muruṅgaikkombup piḍiyā
Naḍattai terindavaruk(ku) oruttar ṉṉ貹ḍi
Māṉpōl viḻiyārkkellām idudā� oru Դḍi
Vañciyē idaṟkunā� añciṉa kuḍiyā (yāru)
Is my grip fragile like the tip of drum stick, is it like some one telling a person who knows how to conduct himself. Is it the time for doe eyed people? Should I be be scared of this moment?


9 Mada—IԳٴdz澱پDz[17] and Բ—amusements of drinks[18]

मद्याद्युपयोगजन्मा उल्लासाख्य� शयनहसितादिहेतुश्चित्तवृत्तिविशेष� मद� �

madyādyupayogajanmā ullāsākhya� śayanahasitādihetuścittavṛttiviśeṣo mada� ||

The mental state causing sleep, laughter and others; born from drinking of wine and the like, also called ܱ is intoxication or Mada.

यदाहुः—“संमोहानन्दसंभेद� मद� मद्योपयोगजः� � इत� �
तत्रोत्तमे पुरुषे स्वापोऽनुभाव� � मध्यमे हसितगाने � नीचे तु रोदनपुरुषोक्त्यादि �

yadāhuḥ—“saṃmohānandasaṃbhedo mado madyopayogajaḥ� | iti |
tatrottame puruṣe svāpo'nubhāva� | madhyame hasitagāne | nīce tu rodanapuruṣoktyādi |

As it is told: -That intoxication generated by drinking of wine, is mixture of pleasure with perplexity. Sleeping, in the case of noble persons; laughter and singing, in the case of middling personalities; crying and speaking of harsh words, in the case of lowest persons are its consequences.

अय� � मदस्त्रिविधः � तरुणमध्यमाधमभेदात् � अव्यक्ता संगत वाक्यै� सुकुमारस्खलद्गत्� � योऽभिनीयेते � आद्य� � भुजाक्षेपस्खलितघूर्णितादिभिर्मध्यम� � गतिभङ्गस्मृतिनाशहिक्काछ्र्द्यादिभिरधमः �

aya� ca madastrividha� | taruṇamadhyamādhamabhedāt | avyaktā saṃgata vākyai� sukumāraskhaladgatya ca yo'bhinīyete sa ādya� | bhujākṣepaskhalitaghūrṇitādibhirmadhyama� | gatibhaṅgasmṛtināśahikkāchrdyādibhiradhama� |[19]

This intoxication is of three types namely ղṇa, Madhyama and Adhama, the one which is acted with indistinct and improper sentences and slipping action is called ղṇa. Indicating with hands, by falling here and there, moving around and so on is called Madhyama. The Adhama is depicted with breaking the motion, loss of memory, hiccups and vomiting.

अत्रानेतुमशक्य� तवापराधे� कोपितस्वान्त� �
सुभग मय� नीतेयं मदिराक्षी मधुमदोन्मत्त� �

atrānetumaśakyā tavāparādhena kopitasvāntā |
subhaga mayā nīteya� madirākṣ� madhumadonmattā ||
189

10 Ś—Prayers to Indra[20] and ū-dzٲ�Prayers to Manmathā[21]

The Indra ūᲹ, Բṅg or Manmatha ūᲹ are prayers performed to Indra and Manmatha respectively for a better sensual life, to have control on the partner and to have his undivided attention.

11 Գ-–Roaming along with the lover in the forest[22]  

The following song is a common example for Գ, Ś, ū峾dzٲ and Mada.

屹ḷi Բܲ�ԲԲḍa
Բḍa;
ḷa
Ѿś
Composer—Dwaraki Krishnaswami[23]
Inspired by ṣētñ.
Pallavi
Nannavane
iniya mōhanakānta ǀ

Anyara kaṇṇetti kāṇanē dhīmanta ǀǀ
My lover is charming. The good-natured man does not lift his eyes to even see another.
Anupallavi
Nānavanedaya jēnante avanusirāmallige nānante ǀ
Nānire avanediru saggake
걹ԱԲŧǀǀ
I am honey to his heart I am jasmine to his breath He says, he sees heaven if I am in front of him.
Carana
Madana dēvēndranō� ǀ
vratagaidu nā
Madupānaka nivēdisi ǀ paḍeda satpatiyāǀ

Mudadi avanoḍagūḍi ǀ  banagiri viharisi ǀǀ
Madhukusuma bhṛṅgadado� kusumise ǀ madhura caṇagaḷu ǀǀ
I did ūᲹ and vrata to Indra and Madana. I offered sweet juices and got a good husband. Happily I unite with him and roam about forests and hills. Like the bees which enter the flowers, the time spent with him are sweet moments.

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

屹śԲ, IV. clxiii. 140.

[2]:

Rasakalpadruma, xciii. 185.

[3]:

鲹ñᲹī, 163; Rūpagosvāmin, ᱹī峾ṇi (www.granthamandira.com, 2004), V. xci, http://www.granthamandira.com/index.php?show=entry&e_no=575.

[4]:

Kalidasa, “Mālavikāgnimitram,� in Kāḷidāsasarvasvam-The complete works of Kalidasa, trans. N. P Unni, vol. 2 (Delhi: New Bharatiya Book Corp., 2009), III. xii. 72.

[5]:

屹śԲ, IV. clxiii. 140; 鲹ṇaܻ첹, I. cl. 35; ᱹī峾ṇi, V. xci.

[6]:

ŚṛṅñᲹī, ccxlviii. 45.

[7]:

屹śԲ, IV. clxiii. 140; 鲹ṇaܻ첹, I. cl. 35.

[8]:

śٲ첹, clxi. 159.

[9]:

鲹첹īԲ, xcii. 15; 屹śԲ, IV. clxiii. 140; 鲹ñᲹī, 163.

[10]:

śٲ첹, cxv. 138.

[11]:

屹śԲ, IV. clxiii. 140.

[12]:

ŚṛṅñᲹī, ccxlix. 45.

[13]:

鲹ñᲹī, 163; 鲹첹īԲ, xcii. 15.

[14]:

T.N Padma, ed., 屹ḷigaḷu (Bangalore: Ananya, 2002), 17.

[15]:

鲹ñᲹī, 163; 鲹첹īԲ, xciii. 15.

[16]:

Krishangini, ed., Thamizhil Bharathanatiya Paadalkal (Chennai: Sadhuram Pathippakam, 2007), 139.

[17]:

鲹ñᲹī, 163.

[18]:

鲹ṇaܻ첹, I. cl. 35.

[19]:

Jagannatha, Rasagangadhara, trans. Dhananjaya Bhanja (Delhi: Bharatiya Kala Prakashana, 2004), c. 184�85.

[20]:

屹śԲ, IV. clxiii. 140.

[21]:

鲹ṇaܻ첹, I. cl. 35.

[22]:

鲹첹īԲ, xcii. 15.

[23]:

This is an unpublished work of Smt. Dwaraki Krishnaswamy, a flutist and lyricist who lives in Bangalore. She has been conferred the title �Karnataka Kalashree� by the Karnataka Sangeeta and Nritya Academy. The ⲹԲ samāj recognized her as the artist of the year 2001. ‘ṛtⲹkke ԲԲḍa Kṛtigaḷu� and ‘ԲԲḍa ṛtⲹ Nāṭakagaḷu� are books credited to her. ‘ṛtⲹkke ԲԲḍa Kṛtigaḷu� has already seen the 3rd edition. She lives in 385/3303, 1st Floor, 17th Main, 4th ‘T� Block, Jayanagar, Bangalore�560 041 and can be reached through the phone number 080-26633835.

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