Part 15 - Conclusion

The author, Vatsarāja, was a minister and court poet under the kings of Candel dynasty, such as Paramardideva and Trailokyavarman, were ruling in the Kāliñjar. He is the only author, in Sanskrit dramatic literature, who has written some rare types of dramas.

The Samudramanthana has a well-known plot, taken from the Purāṇas. The story involves the churning of the Milky-Ocean by the gods and demons. However, all the valuable things that came out of the ocean were taken away by the gods cleverly. The plot of Samudramanthana is ideal for Samavakāra type of drama. The term Samavakāra is also suggested by Bharata and Dhanañjaya, for the same type of drama, in the Nāṭyaśāstra and the Daśarūpaka.

Vatsarāja in his Samudramanthana, has followed almost all the rules prescribed by Bharata and Dhanañjaya. He has applied six ancillaries of vīthī out of thirteen, like continuance (avalagita), compliment (prapañca), triple explanation (trigata)and deception (chala), out vying (adhivala) and repartee (vākkeli) in the drama Samudramanthana. Again, he has applied three types of deceptions (kapaṭas), three types of flights (vidravas) and three types of erotic (śṛṅgāras) in various acts of drama. However, Vatsarāja has not used the metres like uṣṇik and gāyatrī prescribed by Bharata, but he has applied other meters such as triṣṭup, anuṣṭup and viṣama etc. in his drama. It should be noted that both Bharata and Dhanañjaya do agree on the issue of duration of the first actand hold that it should be completed within the duration of twelve stalks (nāḍikas). According to Bharata, the duration of the first act in Samavakāra, is fixed as twelve stalks (nāḍikas), as the same is required for the erotic scenes involving female characters. Vatsarāja has followed this rule of Bharata in his drama of Samudramanthana. Again, Samavakāra demands the avoidance of mutual link between the stories of different acts. Bharata recognizes this fact, but Dhanañjaya does not. However, Vatsarāja seems to have regarded this view, as we do not find sometimes, any mutual link between the stories of the act of the drama. Again, Dhanañjaya recommends preface (āmukha) in the Samavakāra, like in the Nāṭaka. However, Bharata does not say anything on this point of issue. The Samudramanthana employs preface (āmukha) but not like in the Nāṭaka. Further, the Samudramanthana involves the absence of both expansion (bindu) and introductory scene (praveśaka) as Samavakāra does not require the same expansion (bindu) and introductory scene (praveśaka).

It should be noted that Vatsarāja has used more than twenty characters in the Samudramanthana. However, out of them, some characters like Viṣṇu, Maheśa, Bali, Śukrācārya and Lakṣmī are more important than others. Samudra is the self-less character. He distributes everything he has with him. However, the Samudramanthana has focused on Viṣṇu and Lakṣmīand their marriage.

The play Samudramanthana of Vatsarāja has employed all types of styles (vṛttis), ignoring Bharata’s rule that the gay style (kaiśikīvṛtti) should not be applied in the Samavakāra type of drama. However, Dhanañjaya, as an exception, states that one could use low gay style (kaiśikīvṛtti) in the Samavakāra type of drama. Perhaps Dhanañjaya suggests so, because, Samavakāra allows the use of erotic (śṛṅgāra) sentiment in the drama, which involves gay style (kaiśikīvṛtti). However, there is no problem for the use of other styles, because the plot of Samavakāra needs these styles (vṛttis), i.e. verbal (bhāratī), grand (sāttvatī) and violent (ārabhaṭī); and they are used in the Samudramanthana successfully.

According to Dhanañjaya, the heroic sentiment is primary in Samavakāraand the rest are secondary. However, Bharata is flexible on this matter. According to him, Samavakāra is full of violence; altercations, war and fightingand therefore, one can employ any variety of sentiment in this type of drama. In the Samudramanthana, heroic (vīra) is the main sentiment and other sentiments like pathetic (karuṇa), laughter (hāsya), terrible (bhayānaka), erotic (śṛṅgāra) and marvelous (adbhuta) are subordinate sentiments. Vatsarāja has tried to employ all the sentiments perfectly. The Samudramanthana is humorous through the application of the ancillaries of vīthī. The flights and deceptions create panic in the drama, so they are the causes of terrible (bhayānaka) and pathetic (karuṇa) sentiments. The fighting, altercations and war between gods and demons produce energy and therefore, the heroic sentiment is well established.

Vatsarāja has employed all the four Junctures in the Samudramanthana Samavakāra, which has three acts. The first act is with twelve stalks (nāḍikās)and two junctures, called opening (mukha) and progression (pratimukha). The second act is the smaller oneand has development Juncture with four stalks (nāḍikās). Then the third act is the smallest oneand has concluding Juncture with two stalks (nāḍikās). However, Bharata and Dhanañjaya differ with each other with regard to the measurement of nāḍikā. Bharata states that nāḍikā is equivalent to half a muhūrta, where as Dhanañjaya states that nāḍikā is equivalent to two ghaṭikās. One muhūrta is equal to 48 minutes (Monier Williams)and so half a muhūrta is 24 minutes. However, one ghaṭikā is equal to 24 minutes (Monier Williams)and so two ghaṭikās are equal to 48 minutes. Thus, according to Bharata, the first act itself should last for (six muhūrtas) 4.8 hours and according to Dhanañjaya it should last for (twenty four ghaṭikās) 9.6 hours; and in the same way, the measurement of the other acts should be calculated. Thus, there is huge difference between Bharata and Dhanañjaya regarding the measurement of nāḍikā.

Vatsarāja’s technical knowledge and command over dramaturgy were superb. He has made use of the technical aspects of the drama as per necessity of Samudramanthana. He has not used any introductory scene in the Samavakāra though the conversation of Padmaka and Niṣṭhuraka could be considered as an interlude scene. However, Vatsarāja has followed Dhanañjaya’s rule who states that if the first act begins with sentiments, it does not require any interlude scene (viṣkambhaka). Therefore, Vatsarāja has not used the interlude scene after the prologue.

The dramas of Vatsarāja reflect the status of the society. The Samudramanthana reflects the struggling of the society at the hands of the foreign invaders. The Samudramanthana also tries to unite the people and the kings to fight against the invaders, who are like demons. Vatsarāja’s words are very energetic. He strongly opposed foreign invasion, which troubles the people. Though the people were living peacefully under the king Paramardideva, the reign was disturbed by the foreigners.

Vatsarāja’s Samudramanthana also reflects the status of woman at that time. The women had equal status and were respected in the society.

From the above, it can be concluded that Samudramanthana has followed almost all the principles of Samavakāra recommended by both Bharata and Dhanañjayaand thus constitutes an ideal Samavakāra.

[Table of Comparison]