Dasarupaka (critical study)
by Anuru Ranjan Mishra | 2015 | 106,293 words
This page relates ‘Technical Aspects of a Nataka� 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 13 - Technical Aspects of a ṭa첹
The ṭa첹 should include other technical aspects such as:
- the benedictory verse (Իī),
- the prologue (屹),
- the intermediate scenes (ٳDZ貹ṣe貹첹, i.e. ś첹, ṣk첹, ū, ṅk屹 and ṅkⲹ),
- aside (ٳٲ or svagata),
- aloud (ś),
- personal address (ᲹԳپ첹),
- intimation scene (nepathya or ū),
- confidential (貹ٲ),
- conversation with imaginary persons (śṣiٲ),
- epilogue (ٲⲹ) and others.
The ѳܻṣa covered the technical aspects like:
- the benedictory verse (Իī),
- the prologue (屹),
- introductory scene (ś첹),
- intimation scene (ū or nepathya),
- continuation scene (ṅk屹),
- aside (svagata or ٳٲ),
- aloud (ś),
- conversation with imaginary person (śṣiٲ) and
- epilogue (ٲⲹ).
Nāndī (Benedictory) �
The benedictory verse comes at the beginning of the drama. A Brahmin recites the verse for the welfare of the audienceand the same forms Իī. It is a part of the preliminaries. It is said that the auspicious verse should occur at the beginning, at the middle and at the end as well (maṅgalādīni maṅgalamadhyāni maṅgalāntāni śāstrāṇi prathante vīrapuruṣakāṇi bhavanti āyuṣmatpuruṣakāṇi ca). In the ѳܻṣa, at the beginning, the verse �Բ keyam ٳ�.� praises the lord Ś; at the middle, the verse �ākāśam kāśapuṣpacchavimabhibhavatā�. (III. 20)� praises the lord Ś again through the description of autumn season and at the end it comes as the epilogue (ٲⲹ).
Prastāvanā (Prologue) �
The prologue is an important feature, employed at the beginning, after the benedictory. The stage-manager (ūٰ) generally conducts it either with the companion of the establisher (ٳ貹첹), the jester (ṣa첹) or the actress (Բṭ�). They discuss about the matter of the plot and about the author. In the ѳܻṣa, Sūtradhāra and Naṭ� represent the prologue. They discuss about the plot and the author in a humorous way.
Scene from behind the curtain (Nepathya) �
The scene is the part of five types of intermediate scenes (ś첹, ṣk첹, ū, ṅk屹 and ṅkⲹ), which is also called ū (intimation scene). It presents off stage events through the characters available behind the curtain. All types of dramas use the scene often because sometimes it is not possible to present the things needed by the situation on the stage. In the ѳܻṣa, it is applied at many places as per the necessity.
Introductory scene (Praveśaka) �
The introductory scene or Praveśaka is a part of the five types of intermediate scenes (ٳDZ貹ṣe貹첹 - ś첹, ṣk첹, ū, ṅk屹 and ṅkⲹ). In a drama, it comes at the beginning of the act, except in the first act, which introduces about the past things of the plot before the audiences. Two low characters, who speak in the Prākrit, usually conduct Praveśaka. In the ѳܻṣa, it is applied in the fifth act, by the two characters, i.e. ṣa貹ṇa첹 and ٳ첹, who wanted to bring about conflict by the order of ṇaⲹ, between Malayaketu and ṣa, by showing the letter and the ornaments sealed by ṣa. ٳ첹 tells Malayaketu that ṣa has sent him to Candragupta to give him the ornaments and the letter, which were handed over to him. Then in the sixth act, Sidhārthaka and Samiddhārthaka conduct the scene. They discuss how Malayaketu becomes the enemy of ṣa and how he kills five of the principal kings.
Continuation scene (Aṅkāvatāra) �
Aṅkāvatāra is the part of five types of intermediate scenes (ٳDZ貹ṣe貹첹 - ś첹, ṣk첹, ū, ṅk屹 and ṅkⲹ), which comes at the end of an act. It is conducted by an actor available on the stage, who discusses about what is going to happen in the next act. In the sixth act of the ѳܻṣa, one of the spies of ṇaⲹ told ṣa that Candanadas has been taken to the place of execution by the order of ṇaⲹ. The same thing is shown in the seventh act, where two men of ṇaⲹ take Candanadāsa to the place of execution. Thus, it forms continuation scene (ṅk屹).
Aside (Svagata) and Aloud (Ātmagata) �
The aside and aloud are applied frequently in every drama. The dialogues, which are heard by the audience and co-actors is called aloudand the dialogues, which are not heard by the co-actors but indirectly heard by the audiences, is called aside. The aloud and aside are also applied frequently in the ѳܻṣa in various scenes.
Conversation with imaginary person (Ākāśabhāṣita) �
If an actor watching towards the sky, talks with an imaginary person when he is alone on the stage, the conversation is called �śṣiٲ�. The actor usually asks questions like �kim bravisi�, �kim bhaṇasi� or �kim brute� (what do you say?). It is as if a person is hearing and someone is speaking with him from somewhere. In the ѳܻṣa, it is applied almost in every act, once or twice.
Epilogue (Bharatavākya) �
The epilogue is the concluding prayer in general, performed at the end of the drama, by an actor or more than one actor, to finish the dramatic enactment. In the ѳܻṣa, it makes prayer to վṣṇ, for Candragupta to make him prosperous and protect the earth without any obstacles (īٳDzԱ�…Ħ�ٳśԻܱٲ�).