Hanuman Nataka (critical study)
by Nurima Yeasmin | 2015 | 41,386 words
This page relates ‘Use of Prakrita’ 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.
11. Use of Prākṛta
One of the common characteristics of Sanskrit drama is the use of Prākṛta. As Prākṛta is a communicative language, so the Sanskrit dramatists used Prākṛta along with Sanskrit, for giving a realistic touch to the works.
In the Sāhityadarpana of Viśvanatha Kavirāja it is mentioned that the male character of high caste should speak in Sanskrit.[1] Women who are of high class and educated, generally use the Sauraseni Prākṛta. But when they sing some songs or use verses, they use only Mahārāstrī Prākṛta.[2] The people who work in the inner apartment of a royal palace, use Māgadhī and the merchants, servants princes speak in Ardha-māgadhī. The Vidūṣaka uses Prācyā, the soldiers, citizens who are engaged in gambling use Vaidarbhī, Śakas and other speak in Savarī, people of Northern India say in Vāhlikī and of Southern India use the Drāviḍī, the cowherds speak Ābhirī and the Chāṇḍālas use Chāndalī.[3] The workmen who work in the wood and leaves or charcoal makers use the Ābhirī and Savarī. The Piśācas and female attendants use the Paiśācī.[4]
In the Hanumannāṭaka, the author Śri Dāmodara Miśra does not follow these rules in toto. He applies the rule in the case of the male characters only. But in respect of all other characters, he uses only Sanskrit instead of Prākṛta of various classes.
In the Hanumannāṭaka, the female characters like Sītā[5], Sumitrā[6], Kaikeyī[7], Mandodarī[8], etc. do not use Saurasenī, they speak Sanskrit only. So it is found that in respect of use of language, the dramatist is not abiding by the prescriptions of dramaturgy.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
puruṣāṇāmanīcānāṃ saṅskṛtaṃ syātkṛtātmanām/ Sāhityadarpaṇa, VI. 158
[2]:
saurasenī prayoktavyā tādṛsīnāṃ ca yoṣitām/
āsāmeva tu gāthāsu mahārāstrīm prayojayet// ibid., VI.159
[3]:
atroktā māgadhī bhāṣā rājāntaḥpuracāriṇām/
ceṭānāṃ rājaputrāṇāṃ śreṣṭhānāṃ cārdhamāgadhī//
prācyāṃ vidūsakādīṇāṃ, dhūrtānāṃ syādavantijā/
yodhanāgarikādīnāṃ dākṣiṇātyā hi divyatām//
śabarāṇāṃ śakādīnāṃ śābarīṃ saṃprayojayet/
bāhlīkabhāṣodīcyānāṃ drāviḍī drāviḍādiṣu//
ābhīreṣu tathābhīrī cāṇḍālī pukkasādiṣu/ ibid., VI. 160-163
[4]:
ābhīrī śābarī cāpi kaṣṭhapātropajīviṣu//
tathaivāṅgārakārādau paiśācī syātpiśācavāk/ ibid., 163, 164
[5]:
[6]:
[7]: