Mudrarakshasa (literary study)
by Antara Chakravarty | 2015 | 58,556 words
This page relates ‘Use of Shantarasa’ of the English study on the Mudrarakshasa: an ancient Sanskrit dramatic play (Nataka) authored by Vishakhadatta which deals with the life of king Chandragupta. This study investigates the Mudra Rakshasa from a literary perspective, such as metrics, themes, rhetorics and other poetical elements. Chandragupta ruled the Mauryan Empire during the 4th century BCE, hence this text can also be studied as a historical textbook of ancient India.
3.8. Use of Śāntarasa
In the very drama, dramatist Viśākhadatta didn’t even forget to describe Śāntarasa. Though it is a political drama and there is less chance to describe Śāntarasa, yet, the dramatist very aptly delineates this rasa through Kañcukī in the very beginning of the third act.
Cf.
rūpādīnviṣayānnirūpya karaṇairyairātmalābhastvayā labdhasteṣvapi cakṣurādiṣu hatāḥ svārthāvabodhakriyāḥ/
aṅgāni prasavaṃ tyajanti paṭutāmājñā vidheyāni te nyastaṃ mūrdhni padaṃ tavaiva jarayā tṛṣṇe mudhā tāmyasi//[1]
Here, Kañcukī is the basis of Nirveda, the sthāyibhāva of Śāntarasa. The old age and losing the energy of the action organs are the symptoms of the same.
In this way, it is seen that only the Hāsyarasa is absent in the drama. As this is a purely political drama, therefore, there is no room for comedy in the hands of the dramatist.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
III. 1