4.4. Bhāratī-vṛtti

[Full title: The entity of Vṛtti and its use in Mudrārākṣasa (4): Bhāratīvṛtti]

Often in Sanskrit language the oral style adopted by the actors of the play is called the Bhāratī-vṛtti—

bhāratī saṃskṛtaprāya vāgvyāpāra naṭāśraya|^[1]

It is clear from this definition that oral style of the actresses i.e. women characters are not included in the Bhāratī-vṛtti because in the Sanskrit dramas the most of the women characters uses Prākṛta language rather than the Sanskrit. The physical and mental styles are also not a part of this vṛtti. This is applicable to cultured male characters only and here oral style is prominent. Viśvanātha states that the sthāpaka after having pleased the audience with sweet verses relating to the subject matter of the play should announce the name of the play together with the name, the family name etc. of the dramatist and should describe very often a particular season with the help of the Bhāratī-vṛtti.^[2]

Bhāratī-vṛtti is of four types:

1. Prarocanā,
2. Vīthī,
3. Prahasana and
4. Āmukha.^[3]

In Mudrārākṣasa the use of Bhāratī-vṛtti has been made through the Prarocnā and Āmukha.

A Prarocanā is the inviting attention of the audience to the play by way of praising the plot and other connected parts of the play.^[4]

Here, in this play, in this part the Prarocanā aṅga of the Bhāratī-vṛtti has been presented.—

adya tvayā sāmantavaṭeśvaradattapautrasya mahārājapadabhākpṛthasunoḥ kaverviśākhādattasya kṛtirbhinavaṃ mudrārākṣasaṃ nāma nāṭakaṃ nāṭayitavyamiti,^[5]

The actor has praised the dramatist as sāmantavaṭeśvaradattapautrasya and mahārājapadabhākpṛthasunoḥ signifying the origin of the dramatist of a high class. Again through the words kāvyaviśeṣavedinyāṃ^[6] and satkṣetrpatitā^[7] the kāvya and the audience have been praised. By denigrating own self as bāliśasyāpi, the naṭa has demonstrated his humility. Therefore, through this we can say that this part of the drama is a perfect example of Prarocanā.

Āmukha or Prastāvanā (prologue) is that in which the naṭī (the main actress consort of the Sūtradhāra) or Viduṣaka or an attendant holds a conversation with the Sūtradhāra with interesting words which arise out of their own function and the points to the subjects matter which is to come next.

Viśvanātha in the line of Bharata clearly states that Prastāvanā is called Āmukha. Cf.—

naṭī vidūṣako vāpi pāripārśvika eva vā/
sutradhāreṇa sahitaḥ saṃlāpaṃ yatra kuryate//
citrairvākyaiḥ svakāryotthaiḥ prastutākṣepībhirmithaḥ//
āmukhaṃ tattu vijñeyaṃ nāmnā prastāvanāpi sā//^[8]

In Mudrārākṣasa at the beginning of the first act tadyāvadidānīṃ gṛhaṃ gatvā gṛhinīmāhūya gṛhajanena saha saṅgitakamanutiṣṭhāmi etc. are examples of Āmukha. In this drama the Sūtradhāra while conversing with his actress wife depicts the real subject of the drama.

In this way it is seen that the dramatist has used almost all the vṛttis in his Mudrārākṣasa. This is a Vīra - rasa dominant drama, therefore, the Sātvatī has found more application whereas the usage of Śṛṅgāra-rasa and Kaiśikī-vṛtti have been next to nil. Bhāratī is the function of the speech therefore its application is obvious. Again Ārbhatī has also found its place in the play Mudrārākṣasa, as they are connected with Raudra and Vībhatsa-rasa .

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Sāhityadarpaṇa, VI.19 and Daśarūpaka, III.5

[2]:

Sāhityadarpaṇa, VI.29

[3]:

Ibid., VI.30

[4]:

aṅgānyatronmukhīkāraḥ praśaṃsātaḥ prarocanā/ Ibid

[5]:

Mudrārākṣasa, p. 10

[6]:

Ibid

[7]:

Ibid., p.11

[8]:

Sāhityadarpaṇa, VI.31-32