Mudrarakshasa (literary study)
by Antara Chakravarty | 2015 | 58,556 words
This page relates ‘Satvati-vritti’ 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.
4.2. Sātvatī-vṛtti
[Full title: The entity of Vṛtti and its use in Mudrārākṣasa (2): Sātvatīvṛtti]
The vṛtti almost devoid of śṛṅgāra and śoka, predominantly abound with vigour, strength, charity and simplicity having astonishing characteristics, is called Sātvatī.
It has four types, namely—
Where one character instigates another character for a war or battle then there is Utthāpaka variety of Sātvatī-vṛtti.[2] This division of Sātvatī-vṛtti is also absent in
Mudrārākṣasa. This is so because in this drama the rival has been vanquished through political maneuverings rather than a direct confrontation or war between the rivals thus negating the employment of Utthāpaka form of Sātvatī-vṛtti.
Wherein one finds the serious dialogue mixed with various bhāvas and rasas therein lay the Saṃlāpa.[3] In this drama of Mudrārākṣasa the dramatist has once again refrained from the presentation of this variety too.
In this drama, in the seventh Act the dramatist has employed the Parivartaka through the act of Rākṣasa who has relinquished the path of war and accepted the ministry in the empire of Candragupta to save the life of his dearest friend Candanadāsa. This is because this very behaviour of giving up of one task for another is called the Parivartaka varity of Sātvatī-vṛtti.[4]
Wherein there is the attempt for breaking up of a league through the application of diplomacy, bribe or luck and the like etc. therein the presence of Sāṅghātya variety of Sātvatī vṛtti can be found.[5] In Mudrārākṣasa this can be found in application. Cāṇakya through the application of diplomacy (mantraśakti) has created difference amongst the followers and associates of Rākṣasa. Cāṇakya through his political intrigues has turned the once associate of Rākṣasa, Malayaketu and others into his (Rākṣasa) foes and succeeds in his ambition of compelling Rākṣasa into taking up the ministry in the kingdom of Candragupta.
Dhanika, the commentator of Daśarūpaka has used this very example to elaborate the use of Sāṅghātya limb of Sātvatī vṛtti from the drama of Mudrārākṣasa. Cf.—
mantraśakatyā yathā mudrārākṣase rākṣasasahāyādīnāṃ cāṇakyana svabuddhyā vedanam/[6]
In Mudrārākṣasa the example of using wealth (arthaśakti) to infuse mutual differences amongst the rivals can also be found. Cāṇakya has succeeded in infusing differences between his rivals Rākṣasa and his associate Malayaketu and others by maneuvering the course that led the ornaments of the Parvataka into the hands of Rākṣasa.
Clarifying this incident Dhanika has written—
arthaśaktyā tattraiva yathā parvatakābharaṇasya rākṣasahastagamanena malayaketusahotthāyivedanaṃ/[7]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
sātvatī bahulā satvaśauryatyāgadayārjavaiḥ|saharṣā kṣudraśṛṅgārā viśokā sādbhutā tathā/ utthāpako’tha sāṅghātyaḥ saṃlāpaḥ parivartakaḥ/ viśeṣā iti catvāraḥ sātvatyāḥ parikīrtitāḥ/ Sāhityadarpaṇa, VI.128-129
[2]:
uttejanakarī śatrorvāgutthāpaka ucyate//Sāhityadarpaṇa, VI.130
[5]:
mantrārthadaivaśaktyādeḥ sāṅghātyaḥ saṅghabhedanaṃ/ Ibid., VI.131
[6]:
Daśarūpaka, vṛtti under II.55
[7]:
Ibid.