Hanuman Nataka (critical study)
by Nurima Yeasmin | 2015 | 41,386 words
This page relates ‘The character of Vasishtha’ of the English study on the Hanuman-nataka written by Shri Damodara Mishra in the 11th century. The Hanumannataka is a Mahanataka—a fourteen-act Sanskrit drama dealing with the story of Rama and Hanumat (Hanuman) and presents the events in the lifes of Rama, Sita, Ravana and Hanuman (the son of Anjana and Vayu—the God of the Winds) based on the Ramayana story.
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9.19. The character of Vasiṣṭha
Vasiṣṭha is the name of a celebrated sage. He was the family priest of the solar race of kings. He is said to be the seer of several Vedic hymns, particularly of the seventh Maṇḍala of the Ṛgveda. He was the typical representative of true Brahmanic dignity and power and the efforts of Viśvāmitra to rise to his level of a brahmarṣi. He plays asmall but significant role in the Hanumannāṭaka[1]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
teṣāmīśvaratāguṇaiśca januṣā jyāyānabhūdrāghavo
rāmaḥ so’pyatha kauśikena muninā rakṣobhayādyācitaḥ/
rājānaṃ sayaśodhano narapatiḥprādātsutaṃ duḥkhita
stasmai so’pi tamanvagādanugataḥsaumitriṇoccairmudā// Hanumannāṭaka, I.6