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 109 of: Bhasa (critical and historical study)
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89
According to Dr. Sarup, the story of the Avim膩raka
is probably the poet's own creation." Prof. Dhruva
assigns it
it
to folklore. Dr. Weller's theory about
Avim膩raka being the spirit of monsoon who destroys the
demon of drought has already been discredited by Dr.
Barnett as "highly speculative and supported by no
evidence whatever". Dr. Keith states that Bh膩sa derived
his story from the Kath膩 literature.' Dr. A. Venkatasubbiah
compares the stories as given in the KSS, Jayamangal膩峁玨膩
on V膩tsy膩yana's Kamasutra, J膩taka and the N膩峁璦ka.
It appears from that comparison that Jayamangala follows
the N膩峁璦ka in giving the same etymology as given in the
Nataka, in saving the life of the princess, in making
Avim膩raka the son of Agni, etc. The story of E岣穉ka
M膩raka as given in the J膩takas must have been current
among the people, and probably Bh膩sa also knew it. So,
it seems that the story is not invented by the poet. In
the light of the data supplied by the Mrcch, it seems to be
a plausible inference that Bh膩sa extracted the main story
from folklore, and added the supernatural element of the
ring incident to cater for public taste.
3. GENERAL OBSERVATIONS ON THE
i.
PLAYS.
CHARACTERIZATION. Bh膩sa being a
realist portrays men and women of this world. His
characters do not wear the aspect of fairyland. He does
not invest the characters with superhuman, imaginary or
inconceivable qualities, and hence the spectators-and
also readers for the matter of that-find themselves quite
in tune with their psychology and can easily follow and
sympathize with them in their ups and downs. The
divinities such as R膩ma, Lak峁a峁嘺, S墨t膩 etc., as also the
R膩k峁sas and Vanaras such as R膩va峁嘺, V膩l墨, Sugr墨va etc.,
are placed before us with human sentiments and
characteristics.
are
Most of the characters in these plays.
psychological studies, and "in psychological subtlety Bh膩sa
is almost "e
The intricate workings of human
emotions are shown by a flash, and no energy is spent
unnecessarily for expressing that struggle in the mind of
1 HR, 50, p. 118. 2 Madhyama, second edition, p.5. 3 Weller,
Avim盲raka, Schauspiel von Bh膩sa, Intr.; Barnett, BSOS, 3, p. 591. 4 SD, p.
101. 5 IA, 1931, pp. 113-115. 6 Meerwarth, JASB, 1917, p. 278.
