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Dasarupaka (critical study)

by Anuru Ranjan Mishra | 2015 | 106,293 words

This page relates ‘Application of the Junctures (sandhi) in a Samavakara� of the English study of the Dasarupaka of Dhananjaya: an important work on Hindu dramaturgy (Natya-shastra) from the tenth century dealing with the ten divisions of Sanskrit drama (nata), describing their technical aspects and essential dramaturgical principals. These ten types of drama are categorised based on the plot (vastu), hero (neta) and sentiment (rasa)

Part 7 - Application of the Junctures (sandhi) in a

According to the rules of the ṭyśٰ and the Daśarūpaka, should have four Junctures, i.e.

  1. Opening (mukha),
  2. Progression (pratimukha),
  3. Development (garbha) and
  4. Conclusion (Ծṇa).

The Juncture of Pause (ś) is not necessary for the , as it contains many heroes and the story is a scattered one. It must be observed here that the seed (īᲹ) cannot be reflected by the causes like grief, passion and anger. There should be three acts in the and the first one should be the biggest one, which contains two Junctures called Opening (mukha) and Progression (pratimukha).

Opening Juncture (Mukhasandhi) �

The Opening Juncture is created by the combination of germ (īᲹ) and beginning (). The germ is the source of many purposes and sentiments. Since the consists of many heroes, effects shall be many and different. In the Samudramanthana, though it consists of many heroes and different effects, the main effect is the marriage of ṣmī and ṛṣṇa.

The churning of the ocean constituting the germ leads to various things along with ṣmī [as indicated by Padmaka]:

ܰܰ’p vividhalābhasamutsukā madhumathanapramathanāthabramhabhi� saha mantrayitvā mandaramanthānena jaladhimathanakṛtaniścayā� samvṛttā�, tattatra phaliṣyati lakṣmyā madhumathane premakalpalatā
  �
Samudramanthana, C. Dalal, p.150.

The Opening Juncture continues up to the reaching of gods and demons to churn the ocean. This portion has various purposes. In the prologue, ūٰ indicates that there are twelve heroes in the play, though his eleven brothers wanted to be prosperous all at once. His co-actor ٳ貹첹 suggests that the eleven brothers should take the help of the king Paramardideva, as he is like Samudra or the ocean. Meanwhile, ūٰ remembers that there is a play of ղٲᲹ called Samudramanthana, which is going to be performed by the order of Paramardideva. In the beginning of the drama, Padmaka, the attendant of ṣmī, enters the stage to present a portrait of ṛṣṇa to ṣmī, given by Ҳṅg. The purpose of presenting the portrait of ṛṣṇa to ṣmī is 󲹰śṛṅ. The 󲹰śṛṅ is sensual desire, though it is not shown directly. This śṛṅ is also called prahasana, because it creates laughter through the conversation of ٳṛt and , whereas the conversation between Padmaka and ṣṭܰ첹 is the main laughter scene. The purpose of the conversation is the removal of fever from the wife of Padmaka through the incantation of ṣṭܰ첹.

The Progression Juncture (Pratimukhasandhi) �

According to the Daśarūpaka, does not contain expansion (bindu), so this Juncture runs only with the action (ٳ), i.e. effort (prayatna).

The Juncture develops with the word of that:

udyamam kuru govinda, purṇakāmo bhavācirāt
  �(I.30).

And it ends when the ambition is fulfilled. It continues up to the end of the first act. The first act itself contains two Junctures, viz. the opening (mukha) and the progression (pratimukha). The gods and the demons churn the ocean; things come out one by one, which was their effort.

They got ṣmī, Candra, medicines, Vedas, jewels, poisonand ambrosia:

sukhayati Գٳ󲹰ٱ貹ⲹś’y
  �(I.39).

The Development Juncture (Garbhasandhi) �

This is created by the combination of prospect of success (ٲś) and episode (). Here the germ is the source of success, which is occasionally lost. The Juncture develops in the second act, where the episode of ṛṣṇa, Vainateya and Bali, a separate story, is described very nicely.

It shows the prospect of success, where ṛṣṇa has been successful in getting ambrosia pot from Bali:

pīyūṣametaddayite, gṛhāṇa tvameva pīyūṣamidam ṛt me
  �(II.12).

However, the success seems to be lost when Śܰ峦ⲹ recognizes Mohanikā, who is none other than ṛṣṇa,

dhigdhig sudhām ……� ṇṭ, yattvam mahilīkṛto’si
  �(II.17).

Therefore, the fear of loss is also seen here. It continues up to the end of the second act.

The Conclusion Juncture (Nirvahaṇasandhi) �

This Juncture is created by the combination of the attainment of the result (󲹱岵) and the denouement (). The germ is the source of success. It covers the total third act. At the beginning, the fear of loss has been depicted when Śܰ峦ⲹ comes in the form of Ś, to get back ambrosia. However, ṛṣṇa recognizes him through the meditation and tells him to go back; as otherwise, he has to face the anger of Śṅk. Then he leaves the place immediately. Meanwhile, ղṇa and Samudra reached and Samudra distributed things obtained from manthana to appropriate gods. For instance, ṣmī to ṛṣṇa, Candra to Ś, ṇ� to ղṇa, ٲṇḍ to Yama, both 屹ٲ and ś to Indra. At the end, Samudra requests all gods to have ambrosia, which would make them immortal and youthful.

This is the attainment of the result by the gods�

adya tvayā pramathanātha, ṛt� kṛtārtho………yaddātṛtāmupagato’smi kimanyadīhe
�(.13).

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