Part 7 - Application of the Junctures (sandhi) in a Samavakāra

According to the rules of the Nāṭyaśāstra and the Daśarūpaka, Samavakāra should have four Junctures, i.e.

1. Opening (mukha),
2. Progression (pratimukha),
3. Development (garbha) and
4. Conclusion (nirvahaṇa).

The Juncture of Pause (vimarśa) is not necessary for the Samavakāra, as it contains many heroes and the story is a scattered one. It must be observed here that the seed (bīja) cannot be reflected by the causes like grief, passion and anger. There should be three acts in the Samavakāra and the first one should be the biggest one, which contains two Junctures called Opening (mukha) and Progression (pratimukha).

Opening Juncture (Mukhasandhi) –

The Opening Juncture is created by the combination of germ (bīja) and beginning (ārambha). The germ is the source of many purposes and sentiments. Since the Samavakāra consists of many heroes, effects shall be many and different. In the Samudramanthana, though it consists of many heroes and different effects, the main effect is the marriage of Lakṣmī and Kṛṣṇa.

The churning of the ocean constituting the germ leads to various things along with Lakṣmī [as indicated by Padmaka]:

surāsurā’pi vividhalābhasamutsukā madhumathanapramathanāthabramhabhiḥ saha mantrayitvā mandaramanthānena jaladhimathanakṛtaniścayāḥ samvṛttāḥ, tattatra phaliṣyati lakṣmyā madhumathane premakalpalatā
  –Samudramanthana, C. Dalal, p.150.

The Opening Juncture continues up to the reaching of gods and demons to churn the ocean. This portion has various purposes. In the prologue, Sūtradhāra indicates that there are twelve heroes in the play, though his eleven brothers wanted to be prosperous all at once. His co-actor Sthāpaka suggests that the eleven brothers should take the help of the king Paramardideva, as he is like Samudra or the ocean. Meanwhile, Sūtradhāra remembers that there is a play of Vatsarāja called Samudramanthana, which is going to be performed by the order of Paramardideva. In the beginning of the drama, Padmaka, the attendant of Lakṣmī, enters the stage to present a portrait of Kṛṣṇa to Lakṣmī, given by Gaṅgā. The purpose of presenting the portrait of Kṛṣṇa to Lakṣmī is dharmaśṛṅgāra. The dharmaśṛṅgāra is sensual desire, though it is not shown directly. This śṛṅgāra is also called prahasana, because it creates laughter through the conversation of Dhṛti and Lajjā, whereas the conversation between Padmaka and Niṣṭhuraka is the main laughter scene. The purpose of the conversation is the removal of fever from the wife of Padmaka through the incantation of Niṣṭhuraka.

The Progression Juncture (Pratimukhasandhi) –

According to the Daśarūpaka, Samavakāra does not contain expansion (bindu), so this Juncture runs only with the action (avasthā), i.e. effort (prayatna).

The Juncture develops with the word of Brahmā that:

“udyamam kuru govinda, purṇakāmo bhavācirāt”
  –(I.30).

And it ends when the ambition is fulfilled. It continues up to the end of the first act. The first act itself contains two Junctures, viz. the opening (mukha) and the progression (pratimukha). The gods and the demons churn the ocean; things come out one by one, which was their effort.

They got Lakṣmī, Candra, medicines, Vedas, jewels, poisonand ambrosia:

“sukhayati mantharavātpayaścaro’yam”
  –(I.39).

The Development Juncture (Garbhasandhi) –

This is created by the combination of prospect of success (prāptyāśā) and episode (patākā). Here the germ is the source of success, which is occasionally lost. The Juncture develops in the second act, where the episode of Kṛṣṇa, Vainateya and Bali, a separate story, is described very nicely.

It shows the prospect of success, where Kṛṣṇa has been successful in getting ambrosia pot from Bali:

“pīyūṣametaddayite, gṛhāṇa tvameva pīyūṣamidam vṛthā me”
  –(II.12).

However, the success seems to be lost when Śukrācārya recognizes Mohanikā, who is none other than Kṛṣṇa,

“dhigdhig sudhām ……… vaikuṇṭha, yattvam mahilīkṛto’si”
  –(II.17).

Therefore, the fear of loss is also seen here. It continues up to the end of the second act.

The Conclusion Juncture (Nirvahaṇasandhi) –

This Juncture is created by the combination of the attainment of the result (phalāgama) and the denouement (kārya). The germ is the source of success. It covers the total third act. At the beginning, the fear of loss has been depicted when Śukrācārya comes in the form of Śiva, to get back ambrosia. However, Kṛṣṇa recognizes him through the meditation and tells him to go back; as otherwise, he has to face the anger of Śaṅkara. Then he leaves the place immediately. Meanwhile, Varuṇa and Samudra reached and Samudra distributed things obtained from manthana to appropriate gods. For instance, Lakṣmī to Kṛṣṇa, Candra to Śiva, Vāruṇī to Varuṇa, Daṇḍa to Yama, both Airāvata and Uccaiśravas to Indra. At the end, Samudra requests all gods to have ambrosia, which would make them immortal and youthful.

This is the attainment of the result by the gods—

“adya tvayā pramathanātha, kṛtaḥ kṛtārtho………yaddātṛtāmupagato’smi kimanyadīhe”
–(III.13).