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Dasarupaka (critical study)

by Anuru Ranjan Mishra | 2015 | 106,293 words

This page relates ‘Summary of the drama (Tripuradaha)� 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 2 - Summary of the drama (Tripuradāha)

First Act �

As had observed, the demons had become haughty having been blessed by . They started troubling the gods. Thus, 岹 decided to instigate gods against the demons. He reached the hermitage of Ѳś and saw that gods were already worshipping Ѳś. When Ѳś opened his eyes, he saw gods were looking dejected. 岹 told him that the gods were in trouble, because, the demons had already started war and he was living here as an ascetic. Thereafter, Indra asked Ѳś, as to what should be done. Ѳś replied to him that the obedient gods could defeat the Demons any time.

After getting inspiration from Ѳś, Yama, , Indra, etc. decided to destroy demons. When 岹 asked about Tripurāsura, ṛh貹پ replied that Tripurāsura is like a comet in the three worlds that moves in the sky, makes the space weak, terrifies the earth and breaks the serpent Śṣa, the hero of the hell. ṛt󾱱ī and Śṣa cried in front of Ѳś describing their conditions. In the mean time, swallowed the sun. Ѳś became extremely angry and asked Իī to bring his bow, as he would like to make the solar world free from . However, Իī convinced Ѳś not to kill , because it is very small thing for him to kill that bodiless . He further advised Ѳś to first burn Tripuras, by which the root could be destroyed and the heaven, space and earth could be freed.

When asked as to who shall be the chief of Commander in the war, پⲹ demanded the position of Commander. However, Ѳś decided to seek advice of and ṛṣṇa and sent 岹 to call them.

Second Act�

On the other side, Tripurāsua started making plans for the war with gods, getting news from the spy. He appointed Āǰ첹 and վ貹īٲ to deceive and Ѳś by the illusion. When 岹 was informing վṣṇ about the invitation of Ѳś, Իī reached there and accused 岹 of creating quarrel between վṣṇ and Ѳś. 岹 became surprised listening to this from Իī and asked as to when he did it. Իī replied that he had come to Ѳś and told him that վṣṇ alone could destroy the demons and he is not a stone to obey his order. 岹 disagreed and told that he has not said this; and even he has not gone to Ѳś. Consequently, վṣṇ came to know by the meditation that it was the work of demonsand they did it through the deceit. վṣṇ sent Իī immediately to tell Ѳś that 岹 had never come to him and also that he would be reaching him with . In the mean time, reached there with artificial 岹. He was scolding artificial 岹 saying that he was not his son, because he would listen to վṣṇ, who blamed him. He would not fight with վṣṇ but would kill him by the curse. However, when they reached the place of վṣṇ, the real 岹 was present there and was hearing their conversation. The real 岹 asked his father () as to what was wrong with him, as վṣṇ was greeting him. In the meanwhile, artificial 岹 vanished from the place. Thus, came to know that he was miss-led by the artificial 岹. Then Իī told Ѳś the fact. Further, Ѳś reached the place of վṣṇ. and Ѳś told as to how the artificial 岹 cheated them. 岹 got angry by knowing that blessed Tripurāsua. realized his mistake and told that they could destroy Tripuras by a single arrow. 岹 retorted that since the Tripuras were flying hundred miles away, how they could be destroyed by a single arrow.

Then the demons started occupying the heavenand վṣṇ hence, created the darkness everywhere. Thus, the demons started killing each other in the dark without knowing as to who they were killing.

Third Act�

When the demons came to know that the gods created the darkness artificially, they removed it by the illusion called �ܻܳī�. Then the gods started attacking Tripurāsura. The armies of demons also started fighting with the gods. Viśadāśaya, the priest of Sarvatāpa did so many things for the prosperity of Sarvatāpa, the lord of demon. Further, Sūryatāpapur started burning by the sun with the help of fire. Thus, Sarvatāpa decided to efface the sun. The iron city of the demons started melting and demons fell in it. Sarvatāpa got angry, when he came to know that the iron city of his brother Sūryatāpa has meltedand he could not help him because he was afraid of his death. There, Sūryatāpa entered desperately into the comet, to save himself.

Seeing the condition of his brother Sūryatāpa, Sarvatāpa became worried about the other brother Candratāpa. Meanwhile ᾱⲹ and 䲹Ի attacked Candratāpapura. They started raining snows heavily on Candratāpapura. Sarvatāpa used his firearms to save Candratāpapura but all efforts went in vain, as it started melting by the touch of firearms. Therefore, Sarvatāpa stopped firing and ordered Candratāpa to come out and fight with gods.

Around the same time, Nandi and پⲹ attacked Sarvatāpa and his army. The demons were being killed but they were regaining their life, because they were thrown into the pond of ambrosia. When came, he saw that پⲹ is fighting with Sarvatāpa, who (پⲹ) is his own brother. Then Sarvatāpa embraced پⲹ and also was blessed by to be immortal. In the meanwhile, 岹 reached there by the order of Ѳś and said that Sarvatāpa and ܳ should not fight with each other because it would shame him. Thus, 岹 went to ܳ and said that Ѳś accepts as his son and Sarvatāpa is accepted by . Therefore, ܳ should not fight with Sarvatāpa.

Fourth Act:

The gods readied themselves to destroy Tripuras. became the charioteer, Ś became the warrior, ṛt󾱱ī became the chariot, ᾱⲹ became the bow, Śṣa became the string and վṣṇ became the arrow. Then the chariot started moving and Ѳś saw all the Tripuras, i.e. Svarṇapura, Rājatapura and Lauhapura standing together in front of him, which could be destroyed by a single arrow. However, վṣṇ said that these were not the real Tripuras. These Tripuras are artificially made by . Even Sarvatāpa did not know about these artificial Tripuras, which were created to cheat the gods and to protect the real Tripuras. When Sarvatāpa came to know about it from the spy, he felt offended.

Then Ѳś saw the real Tripuras, but he was confused, as to which Tripuras be attacked. In the meanwhile, Sarvatāpa ordered his brothers to destroy the artificial Tripuras, thinking that they are made by gods. However, then Ś saw the real Tripuras, who were running for their life and started raining the firearms. After destroying the Tripuras, Ś stopped the chariot on the Mountain and acknowledged all the gods that it was not his victory, but it was the victory of all of the gods.

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