Indological Studies

SR No.: 022756
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: H C Bhayani
Publisher: Parshva Prakashan
Publication Year: 1993
Total Pages: 376
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 25 MB

Page 90

9. THE CHARACTER OF AKSIPTIKĀ
1. In the beginning of the Praveśaka of the fourth Act of Kalidasa's Vikramorvasiya before the actual entrance of Sahajanya and Citralekhā on the stage, there is a verse (1937-Af&-fa377an etc.) which heralds the entrance of the characters and which is to be sung backstage. Technically this verse is Prāvesiki Dhruvā.1 The stage directions following this verse are as follows :
सहजन्या-चित्रलेखयो: प्रावेशिकी आक्षिप्तिका । ततः प्रविशति सहजन्या चित्रलेखा च ।
Similarly after the Praveśaka and before the entrance of Purūravas, we have the Prāvesiki Dhruvā of Purūravas (TIE etc.) followed by the following stage directions ;
पुरूरवसः प्रावेशिकी आक्षिप्तिका । ततः प्रविशत्याकाश बद्ध-लक्ष्यसोन्मादो राजा ।
The problem is why these Prāvesiki Dhruvās are called Aksiptikā ? What is the meaning of that term ?
2. Koņeśvara in his commentary on the Vikramorvasiya explains Aksiptikā as follows :
सहजन्या चित्रलेखयोः प्रावेशिकीमाक्षिपतीत्यर्थः । तथा च एवमाकारेण ते प्रवेश करिष्यत इति सूचितम् ।
Similarly later : gelaa: gastatai Efe*uferhiferadicet: i gat Hal grafateht I (p. 284).
From these explanations we gather that the entrance Dhruvās in the above two cases are called Akşiptikā because they indicate (ākṣip) the appearance, manner etc. of the character just to enter.
3. Ranganātha, in his commentary on the Vikramoryasiva characterizes Aksiptikā as a kind of song (giti) and cites its definition from Bharata as follows? :