Dasarupaka (critical study)
by Anuru Ranjan Mishra | 2015 | 106,293 words
This page relates 鈥楽entiments (rasa) used in a Prahasana鈥� 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 9 - Sentiments (rasa) used in a Prahasana
Laughter (丑腻蝉测补) is the main sentiment in the Prahasana. According to Bharata, laughter (丑腻蝉测补) is the very essence of its permanent state, laugh (丑腻蝉补), (丑腻蝉测辞 苍腻尘补 丑腻蝉补sth膩yibh膩v膩tmaka岣� -狈腻峁瓂补艣腻蝉迟谤补.VI, Kedarnath, p.97). Bharata further states that the laughter is of two types; i.e. selfcentered (腻迟尘补蝉迟丑补) and centered in others (parastha), (狈腻峁瓂补艣腻蝉迟谤补.VI. Kedarnath, p.97).
Again, Bharata states that the laughter sentiment is of six kinds (cf. 狈腻峁瓂补艣腻蝉迟谤补.VI.53)., i.e.
- gentle smile (smita),
- smile (hasita),
- gentle laughter (vihasita),
- deriding laughter (uphasita),
- indecent laughter (aphasita) and
- reeling laughter (atihasita).
顿丑补苍补帽箩补测补 states that all these six types of laughter are employed in the Prahsana,
鈥�rasastu bh奴yas膩 办腻谤测补岣� 峁岣峷idho 丑腻蝉测补 eva tu (顿补艣补谤奴辫补办补.滨滨滨.56)鈥�.
Mahendravarman鈥檚 Mattavil膩sa Prahasana has applied some gentle laughter (vihasitam) through the characters like 碍腻辫腻濒颈办补, Devasom膩, Buddhist monk and Unmattaka or mad man.
For instance, when intoxicated, Devasom膩 begs support of K膩pal墨ka; but when he tries to support her, he himself falls down and says:
priye devasome! kim tvam kupit膩si, yadavalamitumupasarpato me d奴r墨bhavasi
鈥揗attavil膩sa, Unni, p.39.鈥淒ear Devasom膩! Why are you angry with me? You distance yourself when I try to support you鈥�.
The conversations of 碍腻辫腻濒颈办补 and Devasom膩 are funny and create laughter in so many cases, even when they lose their begging bowl. The 艢腻办测补产丑颈办峁鈥檚 hatred for his religion also creates very good laughter (产丑辞岣� 辫补谤补尘补办腻谤耻峁噄办别苍补鈥︹赌︹赌� vidh膩nam ca na d峁涐梗峁璦m -Mattavil膩sa, Unni, p.44). Further the fighting between K膩palika and 艢腻办测补产丑颈办峁 is also very funny.
For instance, when K膩palika asks for the bowl, 艢腻办测补产丑颈办峁 says:
苍补尘补岣� kharapa峁亂eti vaktavyam鈥︹赌︹赌�buddha 别惫腻诲丑颈办补岣�
鈥揗attavil膩sa, Unni, p.47.鈥�苍补尘补岣� 叠耻诲诲丑腻测补鈥漚nd then K膩palika replies that admire 办丑补谤补辫补峁璦, who promulgated the science of theft or the Buddha, who is very superior to 办丑补谤补辫补峁璦 in this field鈥�
Further, the incoherent talk of the mad man creates very good laughter, when he says that:
gr膩mas奴karamaruhya gaganamutpatitena s膩gare峁嘺 prabh帽jya r膩va峁嘺m bal膩dg峁沨墨ta岣� 艣akrasutastimi峁単ila岣�
鈥揗attavil膩sa, Unni, p.55.鈥淭he ocean having reached up to the sky on the back of a domestic pig, smashed 搁腻惫补峁嘺 and seized the sea-monster, the son of 艢耻办谤补!鈥�
Thus, in this way, the Mattavil膩sa Prahasana is full of very good laughter and makes every situation very interesting.
Another sentiment, that is prevalent in the Prahasana, is marvelous (adbhuta), which is compulsory for every drama at the conclusion or N墨rvaha峁嘺 Sandhi (苍颈谤惫补丑补峁噀 kartavyo nityam hi raso鈥檇bhutastaj帽ai岣� -狈腻峁瓂补艣腻蝉迟谤补.XIII.94). Here in the Mattavil膩sa Prahasana, the act of getting the bowl through the mad man provides for the marvellous sentiment.