Ashta Nayikas and Dance Forms (study)

by V. Dwaritha | 2013 | 71,711 words

This page relates ‘Activities 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.

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Part 16 - Activities of Abhisārikā

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Examples of the Activities of the Abhisārikā character of woman heroine:

1 Cinta^[1] —Anxiety

Jāvaḷi^[2] Language—Telugu Composer—Vadivelu Rāga—Nāṭakuriñji; Tāḷa—rūpaka	Here, the nāyikā has arrived at the hero’s place expecting dalliance only to find him indifferent to her. She is anxious and tries to pacify him.
Pallavi Calamēlara nāpai jalajanētruḍa pilacina palukavu ǀǀ	O lotus eyed lord! Why this indifference with me? You do not respond, when I call you!
Anupallavi Kalakālamu nī cēya nē Talaci valaci vacci yuṇḍaga ǀǀ	I have always wanted to be friends with you, thinking thus when I come here; (why this indifference?)
Caraṇa 1 Nī sarasamula nīṭulu nī sogasu nī caturata Nī hoyalu nī guṇamulu nī sarisama rasikulanē Narisijūḍa dorakalēka marulumiñci moraliḍa	There is no man to equal your taste, your loving elegance, your beauty, your cleverness, your grace, your virtues; thinking thus when I come pleading to you with excessive love; (why this indifference?)
Caraṇa 2 Sārasaripuni kōru cakōraka gati ninu nammucu Sāreku nī maruguna cēradalaci celulatō mana Sāra vicāra mella ceviyāra delpiyu brōvaga	When I, to my friends, have made known my feelings for you just like the cakora bird desires the moon and continuously wish to reach your shelter; (why this indifference?)

2 Bhītisambramādiyuktā^[3] —Filled with fear and excitement

Jāvaḷi^[4] Language—Telugu Rāga—Bilahari	Composer—Paṭṭābhirāmayya Tāla—Rūpaka
Pallavi Pāripōvalerā nīrajākṣuḍu veḍalarā	The lotus eyed lord has departed, I should run away
Anupallavi Nārīmaṇulu dārini gana dūrenu ganuka	The ladies will gossip if they see me on the way.
Caraṇa 1 Dūripōyina krūruḍau magaḍūru cēri ēmāraḍiñcenē Ārītula vicāriñcu korakērā nēnipuḍu	After scolding and causing too much pain my cruel husband left. I think he has come back to town and I must run home now itself.
Caraṇa 2 Bhāvamā guṇa bhāvamul telisē vidhamunē pāliḍiñcunu Kēḷitō nīkē daya nuñcukōrā, nēnipuḍu	Please be kind and keep the thoughts and behavior to yourself as they are not right. I have to run away now

3 Samayānurūpaveṣbhūṣaṇa^[5], Kālollasadbhūṣā^[6]

[i.e., Dresses up according to the time of her journey]

मेचकांवर कृतावगुण्ठना कापि नीलमणिदामधारिणी ।
यामिनी कवलिताकृति प्रियं बालिकाचपललोचना ययौ ॥

mecakāṃvara kṛtāvaguṇṭhanā kāpi nīlamaṇidāmadhāriṇī |
yāminī kavalitākṛti priyaṃ bālikācapalalocanā yayau ||

Some young girl with tremulous eyes, wearing waist band with blue sapphire and covering herself with dark blue veil, thus she was swallowed up by the night, went to meet her lover.^[7]

4-5 Santāpa^[8] —Sorrow and Śaṅka^[9] —Doubt

अनिष्टाभ्यागमोत्प्रेक्षा शङ्कालज्जादिसंभवा ।

aniṣṭābhyāgamotprekṣā śaṅkālajjādisaṃbhavā |^[10]

Doubt or shame is born when signs of calamity is observed.

6 Pragyā^[11] —Intelligence

Common example for Santāpa, Śaṅkā, Pragyā

Jāvaḷi Language—Kannada Rāga—Kamalamanohari; Tāla—Khaṇḍa Cāpu	Coposer–Smt. Dwaraki Krishnaswamy Inspired by Kṣētrajña
Pallavi Kāṇa pōgguvenē sakhī malla yenna nallana	I am going to see my brave lover
Anupallavi Aduritē adhara saḍalitē naḍuvina oḍyāṇa Adyāva mōḍiyō adyāva mantravō Bedarihe ā madanage śaraṇenutā	My lips quivered, my girdle loosened, What mesmericing act is this? What secret is this? I am scared of these. I surrender to Manmatha and go to meet my lover.
Caraṇa Andu varipenendu enage āṇe iḍeyava enna Tande taḍeyiḍē nondu toredanē enna Canda giḷiyondu indu tandide sandēśa Nambisi naṭipe abbeyoḷ piḍidu pūgūḍeyā Sambhramisi pōpe avana sēre tvaritadi	That day, he promised to marry me. my father forebade; distressed, he left me. A beautiful Parrot has brought a message today. Holding a flower basket I acted and made my mother believe. Happily and quickly I am going to him for union.

7 Naipuṇya^747—Skillful

Tamiḻ Poem used from Kuṟuṉtogai^[12] Poet: Kapilar	Translated by: A.K.Ramanujan
Iraṇḍu aṟi kaḷvi nam kādalōḷē: Muraṇ koḷ tuppiṉ sevvēl malaiyaṉ Muḷḷūrk kāṉam nāṟa vandu, Naḷḷeṉ kaṅgul nam ōraṉṉaḷ; Kūndal vēynda viravumalar udirttu, Sāndu uḷar naṟuṅ kaduppu eṇṇaiy nēvi, Amarā mugattaḷ āgit Tamar ōraṉṉaḷ, vaikaṟaiyāṉē.	My love is a two faced thief. In the dead of night she comes like the fragrance of the Red-Speared chieftain’s forest hills, to be one with me. And then, she sheds the petals of night’s several flowers, and does her hair again, with new perfumes and oils, to be one with her family at dawn with a stranger’s different face.

8 Kapaṭa^[13] —Cunning

Jāvaḷi Language—Telugu Rāga—Kamas; Tāḷa—Ādi	Composer-Paṭṭabhiramayya The nāyikā cunningly deceits everybody and goes to meet him and denies it when spoken about too.
Pallavi^[14] Apadūruku lōnaitinē capala cittamu cētanē	Because of my fickle mind, I am subjected to scandal
Anupallavi Ē pāpi nāpai dūrenōgā ē pāpamu lēka	Without any sin of mine, which sinner has spread rumours on me?
Caraṇa 1 Vēḍukalu jūḍa nē īḍu celula tōḍanē Kūḍi atani mēḍakēgitē vāḍu nācelikāḍanē	When I went to his palace, along with my same age group friends, to see the entertainment, I was subjected to rumours, that he is my boyfriend.
Caraṇa 2 Sāreku nāsāmini dārini kani navvitē Jāriṇiyani ūrivārulu vēre pēriḍi nannu pilcuṭa	When I see my lord on the way often, I smile at him. People of the town call me as ‘a loose character.’
Caraṇa 3 Cirutanāṭi nuṇḍina gurutucē guṇavantuḍau Varada tāḷavanēśuni tōḍu sarasamāḍucu kūditinani	They spread rumours, recollecting the childhood incidents, that I was pleasingly united with the virtuous lord Tāḷavanēśa, one who bestows boons.

9 Sāhasa^[15] —Courageous

क्व प्रस्थितोऽसि करभोरू घने निशीथे प्राणाधिपो वसति यत्र मनः प्रियो मे ।
एकाकिनी वद कथं न विभेषि बाले नन्वस्ति पुंखितशरो मदनो सहायः ॥

kva prasthito'si karabhorū ghane niśīthe prāṇādhipo vasati yatra manaḥ priyo me |
ekākinī vada kathaṃ na vibheṣi bāle nanvasti puṃkhitaśaro madano sahāyaḥ ||^[16]

Where are you heading to in this dark night, O lady with beautiful thighs? ‘Where the master of my life, whom I love is (waiting for me).’ How come, you are not afraid going alone, please tell me. Why, the cupid with his feathered arrows (accompanying me) is my helper.