Basic features of Nāṭaka

All the dramas are the imitations of mental states of the people. Hence it is said (Daśarūpaka, I.7a): āvasthanukṛtiḥ nāṭa(m (nāṭakam).

What differentiates them are the Vastu (plot), Netā (lead and other principal characters) and Rasa (Sentiment) (D.R. I.11a):

vastu netā rasaḥ teṣāṃ bhedakaḥ ||

Bharata defines Nāṭaka as—a play having well-known plot; the Nāyaka being a celebrated person of exalted nature (udātta), or royal lineage and should have divine protection; also, the Nāyaka should be portrayed as having divine powers and successful in all his endeavours; the play should have suitable number of acts and scenes (N.Ś. XVIII.10-11):

prakhyātavastuviṣayaṃ prakhyātodāttanāyakaṃ caiva |
rājarṣivaṃśyacaritaṃ tathaiva divyāśrayopetam ||
nānā vibhūtibhiryutamṛddhivilāsādibhirguṇaiścaiva |
āṅkapraveśakāḍhyaṃ bhavati hi tannāṭakaṃ nāma ||

Again, the Nāṭaka, as it depicts the Nāyaka’s joy and sorrows, should be replete with various rasas and bhāvas that bring out the pyschological undercurrents of the plot (N.Ś. XVIII.12):

nṛpatīnāṃ yaccaritaṃ nānārasabhāvaceṣṭitaṃ bahudhā |
sukhaduḥkhotpattikṛtaṃ bhavati hi tannāṭakaṃ nāma ||

In addition, a Nāṭaka should come to a close with scenes involving adbhuta rasa (N.Ś. XVIII.43cd):

nirvahaṇe kartavyo nityaṃ hi raso'dbhutastajjṣaiḥ ||

Hence, the Nāṭaka should be structured with all the four vṛttis (Kaiśikī, Sāttvatī, Ārabhaṭī and Bhāratī), suitable to the varieties of situation delinated in it (N.Ś. XVIII.7):

jṣeyaṃ prakaraṇaṃ caiva tathā nāṭakameva ca |
sarvavṛttiviniṣpannaṃ nānābandhasamāśrayam ||

From the above definitions it can be understood that–

(i) the vastu of a Nāṭaka should be well-known;
(ii) the Nāyaka should be a udāttanāyaka with divine pretection and success in his endeavours; and
(iii) the Nāṭaka shall be constructed with all rasas and bhāvas and hence all vṛttis get employed.

Further, the Vastu of a play is developed on the one side in relation to theme and on the other side in relation to action–

(i) The five Arthaprakṛtis^[1] that help in the fulfillment of the theme of a drama are–Bīja (the seed of the plot), Bindu (part of the story that recalls the main plot), Patākā (as incident, that helps the principal plot), Prakarī (an independent, episode, that serves the purpose of the principal plot) and Kārya (final achievement of the goal of the principal plot)

(ii) The actions of a drama in achieving the final results by five stages called Avasthās^[2] are–

1. Prārambha [prārambhaḥ] (beginning of the drama that sets the action of the plot moving); Prayatnaḥ (the activities developed for the attainment of the plot);
2. Prāpti [prāptiḥ] (possibility of final goal being achieved);
3. Niyatāpti [niyatāptiḥ] (achievment of the goal being a certainty) and
4. Phalaprāpti [phalaprāptiḥ] (the intended goal is entirely and actually achieved).

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

N.Ś. XIX. 21: bīja binduḥ patākā ca prakarī kāryameva ca | ārthaprakṛtayaḥ paṣca jṣātvā yojyā yathāvidhi ||

[2]:

N.Ś. XIX. 7cd-8:
tasyānupūrcyā vijṣeyāḥ paṣcāvasthaḥ prayoktṛbhiḥ ||
prārambhaśca prayatnaśca tathā prāpteśca saṃbhavaḥ |
niyatā ca phalaprāptiḥ phalayogaśva paṣcamaḥ ||