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31HET-84 • 84
Mitrāņanda, the hero and heroine of the main plot are somewhat impressive but Sumitrā and Makaranda, the hero and heroine of the by plot are not effectively depicted. Kaumudi and Mitranāņda, with rich treasure, flee to Lankā. They go through several ordeals but are ultimately united as husband and wife.
Rāmacandra's Style : Rāmacandra is at his best in sperinkling his dramatic poem with witty and wise sayings-throwing light on the human nature. Excepting some long descriptive stanzas which are rather tough and difficult he may be said to be fond of Vaidarbhi style. His dialogues are, as a rule, lovely, brisk and crisp. His prose is lucid and easy to understand. It must, however, be admitted that a large number of words he, possibly, deliberately uses that are obscure or rarely used. By way of example a few of them are listed in the foor-note. Both of his claims that his play is ‘Kutūhala-sahasra-pradhāna' and 'niśśesarasa-bhāva-pradhana' are well qualified-with one single exception. He fails to create hāsya-rasa (sentiment of laughter, or humour). It is very likely that Rāmacandra by his very nature and temperament was serious and therefore did not see observe the lighter side of human life. We add at the end a number of his Subhāṣitas and Sudhā-syandi sūktas to give readers an idea of his observations of human nature, especially men, women, robbers, etc.
Modern scholars like Keith, De, Raghavan judge the play by applying modern western, norms and standards and describe it as 'wholly undramatic.'
To judge by Indian standards and criteria, we should first keep in mind, it is unfair and unjust to compare this late playwright of the 12th century with master poets like the unimitable Sūdraka or the great Bhavabhūti. His drama does not certainly come up to the normal standard but at the same time does not fall far below the Indian standard. Following Bharata and Abhinavagupta, Rāmacandra clearly says “Nāțyaprāņāḥ rasāḥ”. He has portrayed all the rasas excepting the hāsya rasa. But he failed to make either vira or śrngara as the dominent (pradhāna, angi rasa and other rasas supportive to it. Even then we feel that it would be fair to rank Rāmacandra as a second rate poet. ·
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