Dasarupaka (critical study)
by Anuru Ranjan Mishra | 2015 | 106,293 words
This page relates ‘Yashashcandra—Author of the drama (Mudritakumudacandra)’ 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 1 - Yaśaścandra—Author of the drama (Mudritakumudacandra)
The Author Yaśaścandra has given very little information about himself. Even history does not say anything about him. Whatever information we get is only from the drama. In the prologue of the Mudritakumudacandra the author states that he was the grandson of the royal moneylender Dhanadeva, who was a favourite of the king Śākambharī of the Sapādalakṣa. His father was Padmacandra. Yaśaścandra was the author of many works; this fact is mentioned by himself in the prologue of the drama (Mudritakumudacandra, I.7).
It should be noted, however, that besides Mudritakumudacandra Prakaraṇa, he has written another Nāṭaka type of drama, which is called “Rājīmatīprabodha”, which is available. Except this, however, there is no other information about him available. He might have flourished at the time of Devasūri and was present in the court, at the time of debate. He must have been contemporary to the poet like Śrīpāla and Hemacandra. Thus, his date is first quarter of tenth century A.D.