Essay name: Bhasa (critical and historical study)
Author: A. D. Pusalker
This book studies Bhasa, the author of thirteen plays ascribed found in the Trivandrum Sanskrit Series. These works largely adhere to the rules of traditional Indian theatrics known as Natya-Shastra.
Page 188 of: Bhasa (critical and historical study)
188 (of 564)
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168
the Mrcch there is a reference to music and singing.
It is significant to note in this connection that BhÄsa
uses no musical term, while Śūdraka employs the terms
'mürcchana' (III. 5), and 'kakali' (Mṛcch p. 53), which
shows that the latter "improved upon BhÄsa, the
improvement consisting in the insertion of the musical
terminology to make them [i. e. the statements of his
predecessor] more effective".¹
3. The elaborate and exhaustive description
of the various courts of VasantasenÄ as given in the
Mrcch (Act IV, p. 78-86) corresponds closely with the
Brhatkatha Slokasamgraha thus indicating a late date
for the Mrcch, while the Car has only a few sentences for
the same ( p. 97 अहà¥� गणिआवाडसà¥à¤¸ ससà¥à¤¸à¤¿à¤°à¥€à¤…दà¤� à¥� णाणापटà¥à¤Ÿà¤£à¤¸ मागदेहà¤�
आआमिà¤à¤¹à¤� पà¥à¤¤à¥à¤¤à¤† वाईअनà¥à¤¤à¤¿ à¥� संपà¥à¤°à¥‹à¤œà¤…नà¥à¤¤à¤¿ à¤� आहारपà¥à¤ªà¤¾à¤°à¤¾à¤£à¤¿ à¥� वीणा वादी-
अनà¥à¤¤à¤� à¥� सà¥à¤µà¤£à¥à¤£à¤†à¤°à¤� अलङà¥à¤•ारपà¥à¤ªà¤†à¤°à¤¾à¤£à¤� आदरेà¤� जोजननà¥à¤¤à¤¿ ) [aho gaṇiÄvÄá¸assa sassirÄ«adÄ | ṇÄṇÄpaá¹á¹aṇasa mÄgadehi
ÄÄmiehi puttaÄ vÄÄ«anti | saṃprojaanti ca ÄhÄrappÄrÄṇi | vīṇÄ� vÄdÄ«-
anti | suvaṇṇaÄrÄ alaá¹…kÄrappaÄrÄṇi Ädareṇa jojananti )] ; but we would
not thereby place Sūdraka to a period later than
Bá¹›hathatha Slokasamgraha, as is suggested by Dr. Keith,
especially on account of the probability of Sūdraka's
having access to the original of the Brhatkatha.
4. The Mrcch betrays full
astrology in the sixth act edge of planetary
act (vv 9, 10). There is no
corresponding portion of the Cär available for comparison
with the former, but in general it may be stated, having
regard to the scanty knowledge which BhÄsa possesses
about astrology (i. e., naká¹£atras and not rÄśīs) it seems
safe to presume that the later acts of the Car also did
not have references to such developed stage of astrology.
On this ground, Mr. Sankar fixes the lower limit of
Śūdraka as 505 A. D., but this is doubtful. This much,
however, is certain that the Car is considerably earlier.
5. Opinion is unanimous that the Mrcch shows
a deeper sympathy towards Buddhism. The author of
the Car is a champion of orthodox Brahmanism and, in
the other plays of the group, tries to ridicule the Buddhist
monk wherever he finds an opportunity. Cf. CÄr, p. 74.
कतà¥à¤¤à¤µà¥à¤¯à¤•रतà¥à¤¥à¥€à¤•िदसङà¥à¤•दà¥� विशà¥à¤� सचिवसमणओ à¥� [kattavyakaratthÄ«kidasaá¹…kado viÅ›ra sacivasamaṇao | ] SamvÄhaka leaves
VasantasenÄ to turn a ParivrÄt in the Car, while in the
Mrcch he becomes a Sakyasramaṇaka. This has led
Mr. Sankar to say that the Car represents a later stage
1 Bhide, Svapna, Intr. p. 26. 2 HSL, p. 271. 3 AMV, 2. p. 64.
