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of virtues only. The Madhyama type possesses many good qualities with a few defects. But the Adhama type is all defects. The servants of the Hero such as Vița, Ceti, Vidūşaka etc. are of the Adhama type.
The Hero (Nayaka), belonging to the Uttama or Madhyama type, is defined (VI. 1) as one who is possessed of all the good qualities or virtues and who pervades the entire composition. The word Nayaka is explained as the chief person or principal character around whom all the events in a composition revolve and who enjoys the fruit or the consumation of the poem. 1 9 3 Thus the Hero enjoys the most exalted position in a drama or a poem and his personality towers over the personalities of the other dramatis persone. The following observations of Dr. N. S. Shastri admirably sum up the importance of the Hero in a Kāvy - be it a play or a poem :
"..... Whatever the sentiment or the motive of the play be, there is always a principal action or the de'nouement therein. Whosoever is to enjoy the benefit of all efforts or in whose interest are all movements directed is the person who reaps the real harvest. The motif or the resultant benefit is called the fruit (Phala) and the enjoyment of the Phala is called the Adhikāra. 194 One who has the Adhikāra is, no doubt, the Adhikärin and it is he who becomes virtually the principal character in a drama. He is called the Netā, Nāyaka or the hero, because the entire dramatic action culminates ultimately into his benefit. He, in fact, becomes the substratum of all actions and is the basic or the pendent factor (Alambana) of the principal sentiment in a show; and thus ranks foremost for consideration. 195
Hemachandra defines the personal traits, qualities and merits of the Nayaka or Netā in terms of two couplets quoted from the Dasarūpaka (2. 1-2) which state that “the Hero should be well-bred, charming, liberal, clever, affable, popular, upright, eloquent, of exalted lineage, resolute and young; endowed with intelligence, energy, memory, wisdom, (skill in
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| SR No. | 001713 |
| Book Title | Kavyanushasana Critical Study |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | A N Upadhye |
| Publisher | A N Upadhye |
| Publication Year | 1987 |
| Total Pages | 558 |
| Language | English |
| Classification | Book_English, Literature, & Kavya |
| File Size | 10 MB |