12.3. Arthaprakṛti (causes of dramatic action) in the Hanumannāṭaka

According to Viśvanātha, there are five Arthaprakṛti in dramas viz.,

1. Bija,
2. Vindu,
3. Patākā,
4. Prakarī and
5. Kārya.^[1]

Dhanañjaya opines that Arthaprakṛtis are of five types.^[2] These five Arthaprakṛtis are accepted as the causes of main dramatic actions in Nāṭyadarpaṇa^[3] Viśvanātha Kavirāja also supported this.^[4]

Bīja

The first arthaprakṛti is Bīja. According to Viśvanātha the main cause of the main dramatic end is called the Bīja. The Bīja is hinted in a very brief manner in the first part of the drama and comes to be developed subsequently.^[5] Dhanañjaya said that in the beginning of the drama, the cause of the main utility is indicated very briefly and it goes increasing, and it is named as Bīja.^[6] Bharatamuni also discussed about the Bīja in the same way.^[7] According to Rāmacandra and Guṇacandra, Bīja is the main cause of utility used in the beginning of the drama.^[8] In the Hanumannāṭaka, Śri Dāmodara Miśra uses appliesthe first arthaprakṛti in the speech of Rāvaṇa-Purohita. In the 1^st Act, Rāvana-Purohita said to Janaka to get Sītā married with the powerful Rāvaṇa otherwise it would cause trouble in the future.^[9] This is actually the point from which the main event of the drama starts.

Vindu

Vindu is a special cause of utility used as the cause of union. Bharatamuni opines that the cause, which helps to unite the differentiated components of the story is called Vindu.^[10] Viśvanātha Kavirāja accepts this view of Bharatamuni.^[11] Dhanañjaya discusses that the cause which unites for the breaking of the story is termed Vindu.^[12]

The Nāṭyadarpaṇa also discusses about Vindu.^[13]

Arthaprakṛti is presented skillfully in the Hanumannāṭaka Here he mentions about Hanuman, who is the main cause of reunion of the hero and the heroine.^[14]

Kārya

Bharatamuni mentions that whenever the purpose of the theme leads to completion perfectly, it is called Kārya.^[15] Viśvanātha says that the main aim from which the drama begins and finally ends with the scene of union is named as Kārya.^[16] Mainly, this type of arthaprkṛti helps the hero in the bīja, as mentioned in the Nāṭyadarpaṇa^[17]

According to Dhanañjaya, Kārya is divided into five categories viz. ārambha, prayatna, pratyāsā, niyatāpti and phalāgama.^[18]

In the Hanumannāṭaka, it is found in the 1^st Act, Rāma gets married to Sītā and in the 3^rd Act, they become separated and in the last Act they come to be united. The fifth arthaprkṛti comes to be in application by the dramatist, in this way.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

bījabinduḥ paṭākā ca prakarī kāryameva ca/
arthaprakṛtayaḥ pañca jñātva yojyā yathāvidhiḥ/ Sāhityadarpaṇa, VI. 64.65

[2]:

bijabindupaṭākhyaprakarīkārya lakṣanā/
arthaprakṛtayaḥ pañca tā etāḥ parikīrtitāḥ// Daśarūpaka, I.18

[3]:

bījaṃ paṭākā prakarī bindu kārya yathā ruci/
phalasya hetavaḥ pañca cetanācetanātmakaḥ// Nāṭyadarpaṇa, I.28

[4]:

arthaprakṛtayaḥ prayojanasidhihetavaḥ// Sāhityadarpaṇa, VI. p.398

[5]:

alpamātraṃ samuddiṣṭam bahudhā yadvisarpati /
phalasya prathamo heturvījaṃ tadabhidhīyate // Sāhityadarpaṇa, VI. 65, 66

[6]:

svalpoddistastu tadheturbījam vistāryanekadhā/ Daśarūpaka, I. 17

[7]:

svalpamātraṃ samudṛstaṃ bahudhā yadvisarpati phalāvasānaṃ yaccaiva bījam tatparikirtitaṃ/ Nāṭyśāstra, Vol. XIX. 22

[8]:

stokoddiṣṭah phalaprāntaḥ heturbījaṃ prarohanāt/ Nāṭyadarpaṇa, I., p. 37

[9]:

dātavyeyamavaśyameva duhitā kasmaicidenāmasau doḥkrīḍāmaśakīkṛtatribhuvano laṅkāpatiryācate/
tatkiṃ mūḍavadīkṣase nanu kathāgoṣṭhiṣu naḥ śāsate tadvṛttāni parorajāṃsi munayaḥ prācyā marīcyādayaḥ // Hanumannāṭaka, I.12

[10]:

prayojanānāng vicchede yadviccedakāraṇaṃ
yabatsmāptirbandhasya sa binduḥ parikirtitaḥ/ Nāṭyśāstra, XIX.23

[11]:

abāntarārtha vicchede binduracche dakāranaṃ/ Sāhityadarpaṇa, VI. 66

[12]:

vabsantararthavicchede binduracchedakāranaṃ/ Daśarūpaka, I. 17

[13]:

hetośchede’nusandhānam bahudhā bindurāphalat/ Nāṭyadarpaṇa, I.32

[14]:

kiṣkinddhādrau raudrarudrāvatāraṃ dṛṣṭvā rāmo mārūti vācamūce/
sītā nītā kanacitkvāpi dṛṣṭā dṛṣṭaḥ kaṣṭaṃ saṃharanprāha vīraḥ// Hanumannāṭaka, V. 33

[15]:

yadāādhikārikaṃ vastu samyak prāgnaiḥ prayojyate/
yadartha yaḥ samārambhastat kāryam parikīrtitaṃ// Nāṭyśāstra, III. XIX.26

[16]:

apekṣetaṅg tu yatsādhyamārabho yannibandhanḥ samāpanaṃ tu yatsiddhayai tatkāryamiti saṃmatam/ Sāhityadarpaṇa, VI.69.70

[17]:

sādhye bījasahakarī, kāryam kāryaistu mukhyatā/ Nāṭyadarpaṇa,I, p.42

[18]:

avasthāḥ pañca kāryasya prārabdhasya phalārthibhiḥ/
ārambha yatnaprāptyaśaniyatāptiphalāgamaḥ// Daśarūpaka,I.19