Dasarupaka (critical study)
by Anuru Ranjan Mishra | 2015 | 106,293 words
This page relates ‘Other features of the Dutavakya’ of the English study of the Dasarupaka of Dhananjaya: an important work on Hindu dramaturgy (Natya-shastra) from the tenth century dealing with the ten divisions of Sanskrit drama (nata), describing their technical aspects and essential dramaturgical principals. These ten types of drama are categorised based on the plot (vastu), hero (neta) and sentiment (rasa)
Part 14 - Other features of the Dūtavākya
There is no use of Prakrit language in the drama; this is probably because female characters are absent in the drama.
The knowledge of politics of Bhāsa is known from the stanza like:
“rājyam nāma nṛpātmajaiḥ………śāntamatibhirjuṣṭam śamāyāśramam”
–(verse.24).
Further, the epilogue (bharatavākya) of Bhāsa is very different from others:
(imām sāgaraparyantām………rājasiṃhaḥ praśāstu naḥ).
His works are very different from others. Bhāsa is not a poet of imagination person like Kālidāsa or Bāṇa. Therefore, the characters are not imaginary and romantic; they are very real and natural. It should be noted that scholar like Dr. G. Shastri (Dūtavākya, p.31) claims that the Dūtavākya is either a Vyāyoga or a Vīthī, because it does not conform to the definition of Vyāyoga or Vīthī. However, the Dūtavākya is an excellent instance of Vyāyoga as it has a well-known plot and real characters. Suppose, it was a Vīthī, then it should have had imaginary plot and characters.