Jivanandana of Anandaraya Makhin (Study)
by G. D. Jayalakshmi | 2019 | 58,344 words
This page relates ‘Analysis of Prastavana’ of the study on the Jivanandana (in English) which is a dramatic play written by Anadaraya Makhin in the 18th century. The Jivanandana praises the excellence of Advaita Vedanta, Ayurveda (medical science) and Dramatic literature as the triple agency for obtaining everlasting bliss.
Analysis of Prastāvanā
The prologue to the play where the Sūtradhāra and his associates converse and introduce the subject, is called Āmukha or Prastāvanā (Sāhityadarpaṇa, VI.31,32cd):
naṭī vidūṣako vāpi pāripārśvaka eva vā |
sūtradhāreṇa sahitāḥ saṃlāpaṃ yatra kurvate ||
... āmukhaṃtattuvijṣeyaṃnāmnā prastāvanāpi sā ||
The prologue portion of the first Act closes with the declaration on the part of the Sūtradhāra that his co-actor in the role of Pratināyaka (Yakṣmā) can not act better than himself (Sūtradhāra) who would act as Nāyaka (Jīva).
On uttering this, a voice behind the curtain is heard repeating the last phrase of the stage manager's speech (abhibhavitum jīvamiva yakṣmā). Here, the final aim of this play, namely, the defeat of Yakṣmā and the victory of the hero, Jīva, is referred to and hence it is the nātakāṅga, by name Viddhaka[1].
The idea continues further when Vijñāna, the minister declares that when he is alive, the wretched and wicked Yakṣmā, cannot win over king Jīva[2].
By this statement, the playwright brings in another element of drama called Pravartaka[3] also known as Kathodghāta.[4]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
[2]: