Part 14 - Conclusion

Mahendravarman, the author of the Mattavilāsa Prahasana, is a wellknown king of the seventh century A.D., belonging to the Pallava dynasty, ruling in Kāñci. He was a powerful king and a poet. The Mattavilāsa is a well-composed Prahasana type of drama. The Mattavilāsa has a very small plot, appropriate for a short Prahasana. However, the author has made it very humorous. The language used in the drama is quite hilarious without being offensive. The story is about a quarrel, between two Śaivite ascetics with another Buddhist ascetic for a begging bowl, lost by the Śaivite ascetics. Since it is a one-act play, it lasts only for a short duration of time.

The Mattavilāsa belongs to pure or modified type of Prahasana, though Bharata and Dhanañjaya differ from each other regarding the nature of a Prahasana. The Mattavilāsa Prahasana is based on worldly affairs like quarrel. It should be noted here that Mahendravarman has applied some ancillaries of vīthī, such as prapañca, asatpralāpa and others mentioned in the drama, proposed by Bharata to use in any type of Prahasana. Here it should also be noted that Mahendravarman a predecessor of Dhanañjaya, has accepted only the rules of Bharata. According to Dhanañjaya, the ancillaries of vīthī should be applied in the saṃkīrṇa type of Prahasana. However, Dhanañjaya also suggests that in saṃkīrṇa type of Prahasana, one should use courtesan (gaṇikā) and harlots (veśyā), rogues (dhūrta), parasites (viṭa); but Mahendravarman’s Prahasana does not contain such characters. Thus it can be classified as a pure (śuddha) or modified (vikṛta) type of Prahasana, depending upon whether we follow Bharata’s or Dhanañjaya’s rules.

Mahendravarman’s Prahasana contains the characters, such as mendicants or ascetics from different sects and a madmanand the drama contains very few of characters; and therefore, it qualifies to be a pure type of Prahasana. Through just five characters, Mahendravarman has created very good humour.

According to Bharata, Prahasana should apply verbal style, because the drama is based on humour; and the verbal (bhāratī) style, consisting of laughter and costume can create humour. Verbal style (bhāratīvṛtti) has two parts, which are based on comic, i.e. farce and ancillaries of vīthī. These two also create humour in the drama. Thus, Mahendravarman, accepts this and has applied the verbal style (bhāratīvṛtti) in the Mattavilāsa Prahasana.

Laughter is the main sentiment in any Prahasana. Bharata does not mention anything about the laughter (hāsya) sentiment; however, Dhanañjaya states that Prahasana should apply six types of laughter, such as slight smile (smita), smile (hasita), gentle laughter (vihasita), laughter of ridicule (upahasita), vulgar laughter (apahasita) and excessive laughter (atihasita). Mahendravarman’s Mattavilāsa Prahasana is full of humours but it has applied only one type of laughter out of six types, i.e. gentle laughter (vihasita).

According to the rules of Bharata and Dhanañjaya, a Prahasana should have two junctures, i.e. opening juncture (mukhasandhi) and concluding juncture (nirvahaṇasandhi). Both junctures are the essential characteristics of Prahasana, which are well reflected in the Mattavilāsa of Mahendravarman.

Mahendravarman has applied few technical aspects. He has not applied even benedictory verse before the prologue. Sūtradhāra recites the benedictory (nāndī) verse. There is no use of interlude scene (viṣkambhaka) after the prologue. Immediately he starts the drama. Perhaps it is so because the Mattavilāsa is a short drama.

The drama Mattavilāsa Prahasana of Mahendravarman reflects about the high cultured society of that period. Though the plot of drama is small, he has managed to mention so many things about people, society, religion and administration. Many types of religious people such as Buddhists, Hindus and Jains are depicted to be living in the society. Mahendravarman was ruling the state with the advice of learned men and his court was adorned with highly experienced ministers, priests and poets for good governance. People also used to enjoy their lives happily.

In the period of Mahendravaman, women were quite free to undertake any professional work. They were free to accept any religion. They were allowed to become ascetics and to move freely with male ascetics. They were even allowed to dance and drink wine. There was no restriction on them from the law. However, women in general were dedicated to their husbands. People were marring many women.

Now it could be concluded that the Mattavilāsa does not fully satisfy the characteristics of Prahasana recommended either by Bharata or by Dhananjaya. However, it is a very good humorous drama by Mahendravarman.

[Table of Comparison]