Hanuman Nataka (critical study)
by Nurima Yeasmin | 2015 | 41,386 words
This page relates ‘Guna (quality) in the Haumannataka’ of the English study on the Hanuman-nataka written by Shri Damodara Mishra in the 11th century. The Hanumannataka is a Mahanataka—a fourteen-act Sanskrit drama dealing with the story of Rama and Hanumat (Hanuman) and presents the events in the lifes of Rama, Sita, Ravana and Hanuman (the son of Anjana and Vayu—the God of the Winds) based on the Ramayana story.
2. Guṇa (quality) in the Haumannāṭaka
The Guṇa (quality or merit) is an important feature of the poetry. There are ten types of Guṇa according to the Kāvyādarśa of Daṇḍin.[1] Bharata[2] and Vāmana[3] also mentions ten Guṇas. Śrīsiṅgabhūpāla in his Rasārnavasudhākara opines that all these ten Guṇas are the life of the rīti called Vaidarbhī.[4]
In the Kāvyālaṃkārasāṃgraha (Kāvyālaṃkārasārasaṃgraḥ of Udbhaṭa), Udbhata accepts only three Guṇas, viz. mādhurya, ojaḥ and prasāda.[5] Viśvanatha opines that the cause of the excellence of the Rasa is Guṇa.[6] He again says that the Guṇas are the part of sentiment like śauryya etc.[7] According to him, Guṇas are of three varieties, viz. Mādhurya, ojaḥ and
Mādhurya
The long accumulated ecstasy in the melting of the heart is called Mādhurya.[9] It is also said that the speech which gives the happiness to the mind is called Mādhurya. It is mentioned by Śrīsiṅgabhūpāla that the words and meanings where rasa emerges is named as Mādhurya.[10] According to Bharatamuni, the speech which has been heard for many times but there is no feeling from that is called Mādhurya.[11] Udbhaṭa also says that the speech which gives happiness is Mādhurya.[12] According to Vāmana, separated or independent words are the quality of Mādhurya.[13]
The Mādhurya is used in very specific contexts. Viśvanātha says that this quality is mostly used in sambhoga, vipralambha, karuṇa and in the śānta.[14] According to Rasārṇavasudhākara of Śrī Siṅgabhūpāla of Śrīsiṅgabhūpāla, Mādhurya is used in delineating the erotic sentiment.[15] That Guṇa is called Mādhurya, wherein is expressed the charming feeling attached to the erotic sentiment.[16]
In the Hanumannāṭaka of Śri Dāmodara Miśra also there is noticed the use of this Mādhurya in various places. As for example the verses sītāṃ manoharatāṃ……….[17], tadanu janaka… pañcabāṇaḥ[18], nidrālustrī… śrayante[19] etc. may be referred to.
In the Hanumannāṭaka, Śri Dāmodara Miśra used Mādhurya very beautifully and clearly.
Ojaḥ
The Ojaḥ (Energy) is an expansion of mind; or which expresses the power of heart is called Ojaḥ.[20] Ojaḥ is more effective in the sentiments like heroic, disgustful and in furious. Where both the words and meanings are present that type of guṇa is called Ojaḥ.[21] According to Śrīsiṅgabhūpāla, Ojaḥ can be found in the compounded form of writing.[22] Vāmana says that in Ojaḥ there can be found a piece of tough or harsh writing.[23] Udbhaṭa also supports Vāmana’s view.[24]
In delineating the heroic sentiment, the Ojaḥ is used in writing.[25] Again Mammata says that the Ojaḥ can be used mostly in the case of bībhatsa and raudra sentiment.[26] Viśvanatha also accepts Mammata’s views.[27] The 1st and 3rd letters joined with the 2nd and 4th of any series, that is to say, with any of the aspirates, such letters as are combined with preceding or following or both, the cerebrals (ṭ, ṭha, ḍa and ḍha) even though uncombined with another consonant and the ṣa and śa also can be used here.[28] The expression is elaborated by the compounded words. The narrative portion is harsh.[29]
In the Hanumannāṭaka, the author uses the Ojaḥ in some words where the heroic sentiment is suggested. The speech of Aṅgada[30] is cited as an example.
Prasāda
Bharata opines that the words which indicate the pleasant or charming effect is called the Prasāda.[31] But Vāmana uses the word śithila in case of Prasāda. Easiness is the characteristics of Prasāda.[32] According to Mammaṭa, one which appears immediately like the fire kindled with dried up fuel and the clear water, it is termed as Prasāda.[33] The words which expresses all the feelings immediately is named as Prasāda.[34]
In the Kāvyādarśa, Daṇḍin opines that Prasāda is very famous like the light of the moon.[35] The Prasāda emerges from the famous or familiar word.[36] It is also accepted by Śrīsiṅgabhūpāla.
The Hanumannāṭaka of Śri Dāmodara Miśra displays the use of Prasāda to a great extent. The verses rāmaṃ daśarathaṃ[37] …, dviḥ śaraṃ[38] … and ayaṃ kaṇṭhaḥ[39] … and gaganaṃ gaganākāraṃ[40] …etc. are cited as examples of this guṇa, available in the play.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
śleṣa prasāda samatā mādhuryaṃ sukumāratā arthavyakti rudāratvamojah kāntisamadhayaḥ/ Kāvyādarśa,I.41
[2]:
[3]:
ojaḥprasādaśleṣa samatā samādhi mādhurya saukumāryjodāratārthavyaktikāntayo bandhaguṇāḥ Kāvyālaṃkārasūtravṛttī, III. 1.4
[4]:
[6]:
utkarṣahetavaḥ proktā guṇālaṃkārarītayaḥ/ Sāhityadarpaṇa, I.3
[9]:
cittadravibhāvamayo’hlādo mādhuryamucyate ibid., VIII.2
[11]:
[12]:
tatra mādhuryamāhlādakatvaṃ/ Kāvyālaṃkārasārasaṃgraḥ of Udbhaṭa, VI, p.81
[13]:
pṛthakpadatvaṃ mādhurjyaṃ Kāvyālaṃkārasūtravṛttī, III. 1.20
[14]:
sambhoge karuṇe vipralambhe śānte’dhikaṃ kramāt… Sāhityadarpaṇa, VIII.2
[15]:
śṛṅgārarasaparivāhitvena mādhuryaṃ/ Rasārṇavasudhākara of Śrī Siṅgabhūpāla, I, p.66
[16]:
madhuraṃ rasavadvāci vastunyapi rasasthitiḥ yena mādyanti dhīmanto madhuneva madhuvratāḥ Kāvyādarśa, I. 51
[17]:
sītāṃ manoharatāṃ giramudgirantī māliṅgya tatra bubhuje paripūrṇakāmaḥ/
rāmastathā tribhuvane’pi yathā na ko’pi rāmāṃ bhunakti bubhuje na ca bhokṣyatīśaḥ// Hanumannāṭaka,II. 28
[18]:
[19]:
nidrālustrīnitambāmbaraharaṇaraṇanmekhalārāvadhavat kaṅdarpārabdhabāṇavyatikarataralāḥ kāmino yāminīṣu/
tāṭaṅkopāntakāntagrathitamaṇigaṇodgacchadcchaprabhābhi-rvyaktāṅgāstuṅgakampā jaghanagiridarīmāśrayante śrayante// ibid., III. 19
[20]:
ojaścittasya vistārarūpaṃ dīptatvamucyate … Sāhityadarpaṇa, VIII. 4
[21]:
avagīto’pi hino’pi syādudāttāvābhāvokaḥ yatra śabdārtha sampattistadojaḥ parikīrtitaṃ/ Nāṭyśāstra,XVII. 101
[22]:
samāsabahulatvaṅg yat tadoja iti gīyate Rasārṇavasudhākara of Śrī Siṅgabhūpāla,I. p.,237
[23]:
gāḍabandhatvamojaḥ/ Kāvyālaṃkārasūtravṛttī, III. 1.5
[24]:
ojo gāḍatā Kāvyālaṃkārasārasaṃgraḥ of Udbhaṭa, VI., p. 81
[26]:
bībhatsaraudrarasayos tasyāādhikyang krameṇa ca ibid., VII. 69
[27]:
vīrabībhatsaraudreṣu krameṇadhikyamasya tu Sāhityadarpaṇa, VIII.5
[28]:
uparyodho dvayorvā sarephau ṭaṭhaḍaḍaiḥ saha śakārasca ṣakārasca tasya vyaṅjakatāng gatāḥ/ ibid., VIII. 6
[29]:
tatha samāso bahulo ghatanaudhatya śalinī ibid., VIII. 7
[30]:
[31]:
apyanukto vudhairyatra śabdobā pratiyate sukha śabdārtha sambodhanāt prasāda parikirtyate/ Nāṭyśāstra, XVII, 97, p. 151
[32]:
saithilyaṃ prasādaḥ Kāvyālaṃkārasūtravṛttī,III. 1.6
[33]:
śuṣkendhanāgnivat svacchajalavat sahasaiva yaḥ vyāpnotyanyat prasādo’sau sarvatra vihitasthitiḥ/ Kāvya Prakāśa, VII. 69, 70, p. 349
[34]:
arthavyakteḥ prasādākhyaguṇenaiva parigraḥ … Sāhityadarpaṇa, VIII.11
[35]:
[36]:
prasidhārthapadatvaṅg yat sa prasādo nigadyate … Rasārṇavasudhākara of Śrī Siṅgabhūpāla, I. 233
[37]:
[38]:
dviḥ śaraṃ nābhisaṅdhatte dviḥ sthapayoti nāśitān/
[39]: