Ashta Nayikas and Dance Forms (study)
by V. Dwaritha | 2013 | 71,711 words
This page relates ‘Uttama, Madhyama and Adhama of Abhisarika’ of the study dealing with the Ashta-Nayikas—a classification of eight kinds of “Heroines” representing the eight emotional states (avastha) employed in the classical Indian dance and performing arts (otherwise known as Natya Shastra). These Ashtanayikas reflect the eight types of romantic relationships and have hence formed the expressive subject of many classical painting, poems and dramatic plays.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
Part 15 - Uttamā, Madhyamā and Adhamā of Abhisārikā
Examples of the Uttamā, Madhyamā and Adhamā of the Abhisārikā character of woman heroine:
अभिसारिकायां कथमिति चेत् देहं विस्मृत्य साहसैकसहाया याभिसरति सोत्तमा । इयमेव कामाभिसारिका । सहायेन याभिसरति सा मध्यमा । समयं निरीक्ष्य याभिसरति सा अधमा ।
abhisārikāyāṃ kathamiti cet dehaṃ vismṛtya sāhasaikasahāyā yābhisarati sottamā | iyameva kāmābhisārikā | sahāyena yābhisarati sā madhyamā | samayaṃ nirīkṣya yābhisarati sā adhamā |[1]
Uttamā is one who forgets her body and goes forth with bravery as her only escort; this is the type known as Kāmābhisārikā. Madhyamā is the one who goes to the tryst along with an escort. Adhamā is the one who waits for the convenient time and then goes to her lover.
Here, the base of classification is not same. If going alone seems to be Uttamā, then going with a sakhi is Madhyamā then logically going as group should have been the Adhamā while the sudden use of time quotient is found. Also mentioning that only a kāmābhisārikā is an Uttamā is not the correct methodology of classification, as this presupposes that all other divisions are not Uttamā.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Ibid., 40.