Description of Nāṭaka

Among the ten primary forms, the Nātaka^[1] occupies the first and foremost place in Sanskrit dramaturgy.

Nāṭaka or Drama is the depiction of some event or events in the life of a distinguished prince of saintly character (Prakhyāta Rājarṣi)^[2]. The person choosen as the hero of a Nāṭaka may be deemed distinguished if he is wellknown in history. According to the Abhinava Bhāratī the distinction may be a quality either of the hero or of the action or of the place of action.^[3]

However, there is, a divergent view taken by a school of thought presented by Viśvanātha, Śiṅga Bhūpāla and Śrī Kṛṣṇa Kavi, author of the Mandāra Maranda who believe that a Nāṭaka can have only a Dhīrodātta hero, and may not have a hero of any other class, namely, the Lalita, Uddhata or Śānta. Such a limitation imposed by this school is untenable, for this view contradicts an explicit statement of Bharata that the dominant quality of a hero of a Nāṭaka may be, either Udatta, Udhata, Lalita or Śānta^[4]. Nor is this view supported by the practice of the Playwrights. For example, the Nātakas like Svapnavāsvadattam, Ratnāvalī, Tāpasavatsarāja, Pratijñyā-yaugandharāyaṇa have dīra-lalita heroes, and Veṇīsaṃhāra has a dhirodhatta hero in Bhīma-sena.

On the other hand, there is a second school of thought which opines that the hero could belong only to the dhīra-lalita class. Sāgaranandin, of this school enjoins that dhīroddhata hero should represent a god or a superhuman being, a dhīra-lalita is a king, a dhīrodatta is a minister or a commander of forces, and Dhīraśānta are Brāhmanas and Vaiśyas.^[5] This view which holds that a hero of a Nāṭaka should be dhīrodatta only. Here it differs from the Bharata’s construction of a Nāṭaka who opines that the gods should be dhīrodhatta, the kings should be dhīralalita and so on^[6]. This is a general instruction which applies to all charaters. The former instruction of Bharata is a special one in as much as it refers to the heroes only. Correctly following this view Gunachandra makes a modification and says that kings are of fourfold nature^[7].

Apart from the avove, the hero of a Nāṭaka should be a saintly prince (rājarṣi). It implies that he should be possessed of balance of mind and other sage-like virtues worthy of imitation. Viśvanātha, on the otherhand says that the hero of a Nāṭaka may be a mortal, a divine or a pseudo-divine person^[8]. Here he points out the mortal one in Duṣyanta, who can, of course, be identified as the hero of Śakuntalā.

Next to the above, Bharata directs that a Nāṭaka should end with the achievement of such objects as pertaining to peity (dharma),, sensual enjoyment (Kāma) or wealth (Artha) by the hero^[9]. And together with the above three there should be the Puruṣārtha^[10] i.e., to get liberation. Viśvanātha^[11] also adopts that the four Vibhūtis as cited by Bharata Muni should be present in case of a hero.

According to the law of dramaturgy, the other element of a Nāṭaka is sentiment or the Rasa. As Bharata^[12] says that Śṛṅgāra Rasa would be present in the Nāṭaka which is very shining one. Āchārya Ānandavardan^[13] says that the presence of Śṛṅgāra would be must in any Nāṭaka. According to him–“In the endless world of poetry, the poet only is the creator. This world changes according to his wishes. If the poet is a lover of the world (śṛṅgārin), the world of poesy is also permeated with Rasa; on the other hand, if he is an ascetic, everything is tasteless.”

Regarding Nāṭaka, Viśvanāthas” 18 opines that the theme of the drama would be famous and include five Saṅdhi s where there would be a number of qualities. The sentiment of the Nāṭaka would either be Śṛṅgāra or Vīra^[14]. For accomplishment of other deeds, there would be the presence of four or five important persons.

In the view of Abhinava, gods are not fit to be the hero of a Nātaka. While, in the opinion^[15] of Dhanañjaya and Dhanika, the principal plot of the Nāṭaka which is well-known, the hero may be a great king born in a renowned family or may be a god. The hero of a Nāṭaka is endowed with charming qualities, is exalted (Dhīrodhātta), glorious, eager for fame, a preserver of the three Vedas. The sentiment would either be Heroic or Erotic. Thus it is found that Bharata and Dhanañjaya and their commentators become almost agree on the point of selecting a hero, sentiment, etc. and so on in composing a Nātaka.

A Nāṭaka includes the five Sandhis, Avasthās, Arthaprakṛtis, Episodes, Episodical incidents, Episodical conditions, which are appropriate to the plot. It also consists of subdivisions of Saṅdhis and many other embellishments. Its heroes are generally exalted but there may be the other kinds of heroes also. It deals with the character of kings, their bravery, good qualities and lineage. It is also divided into atleast five Acts in number, conforming to five Saṅdhis. It also covers almost all other elements of a drama.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Nāṭyaśāstra XIX-24; Sāhityadarpaṇa VI-66; Mālatī-Mādhava p. 61, L1. 4-5; Nāṭya-Darpaṇa p. 32; P. R. p. 106, 6; Daśarūpaka I-17b; Nāṭaka-lakṣaṇa-Ratnakośa 164-5; N.R. p. 103, 15; Bhāva Prakaśa p. 204.

[2]:

The text of the Daśarūpaka is “avantarartha-vicchede bindur accheda-karanam”, which is translated by Dr. Haas as “when the secondary matter is interrupted, the cause of it sbeing resumed is the Expansion (bindu)”-(Haas Translation of Daśarūpaka (Col. U. P.)–p. 8 bottom). Here it may be submitted that the translation of the term “vicche” as “interrupted” and the solution of the compound “avantarartha-vicchde” has presented a misgiving of facts. For it is not the resumption of the secondary matter which is done by Bindu, but it is the resumption of the germ or the original principal matter (bīja), which got, as a matter of fact, disturbed by the introduction of a secondary matter in the drama; e. g., the appearance of Gautami in the first act and then the proposal of the General for going ahunting dislocated the theme of Sakuntala and the King’s attraction for her in the Abhijnyana Sakuntala. After such dislocation or interruption due to the introduction of the secondary matter, when there is once again the resumption of the pursuit of Sakuntala, there comes in the drop, Bindu or the Expansio. Therefore, if the term “viccheda” in the phrase, then “avantarartha-vicchee” is to mean interruption, as is intended by Sagaranandin and Abhinava Kālidāsa and done by Dr. Haas, the compound will be instrumental, meaning “interruption by the secondary matter” and not of the secondary matter”. Or if the expression “viccheda” is to mean “end or close” as is interpreted by some commentaries, then it will be a genitive (shashthi) compound conveying thereby the sense that at the close of the sendary matter when the principal matter is resumed by the sudden drop of the action proper, it becomes Bindu. Hence the proper translation would be, “at the end of the secondary matter, the cause fo resuming the principal one is the Expansion, which is in keeping with Dhanika’s lines would be, that “the Bindu is that prominent element which is the cause of rejuvenating the germ at the end of some subsidiary action which served the main theme from further progression”, and it may be illustrated from the Ratanvali where after the completion of the adoration of Aphrodite which set the main theme aside, the reference to Udayana resumes it and expands it for further development in subsequent stages of action.

[3]:

Avaloka p. 5, Line 15.

[4]:

Nāṭya-Darpaṇa p. 46, Line 20.

[5]:

Rasārṇava-sudhākara III-12.

[6]:

Kohala as cited by Bhāva Prakaśa p. 204, LI. 13-14.

[7]:

Nāṭaka-lakṣaṇa-Ratnakośa LI. 173–178.

[8]:

Ref. Veṇīsaṃhāra as a specimen of retributive impulse.

[9]:

Nāṭaka-lakṣaṇa-Ratnakośa 183.

[10]:

Bhāva Prakaśa p. 204, LI. 15-20.

[11]:

Gloss on A. R. p. 13 last line and top of p. 14. It may be added here that Rucipati also quotes the definition of Bindu from Nāṭyaśāstra of Bharata with a quaint reading “phala-viccheda-karanam”, which is incongruous unless “phala-viccheda” is to mean “culmination”.

[12]:

Vide Pp. 50-52 supra.

[13]:

Bhāva Prakaśa p. 205-5.

[14]:

N. XIX–27; Sāhityadarpaṇa VI-69; Daśarūpaka I-16b; P. R. p. 107-2; Nāṭya-Darpaṇa V. 33; Rasārṇava-sudhākara III-17b-18a.

[15]:

Mālatī-Mādhava p. 61, LI. 8-9.