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Classification of Poetry
819
It may be noted that out of the 24 types of sravya i.e. 'an-abhineya' - or that which is not to be presented on the stage 13 types viz. upākhyāna, nidarśana,
vahlikā, manvullika, manikulvā, upakathā, brhatkathā, parvabandha, kandabandha, āśvāsaka-bandha, sandhi-bandha, samhitā and sāhitya-prakāśa - are newly enumerated. The others are known to us through earlier sources. So, we will try to get an idea of these new types of śravya-literature.
'Upākhyāna' is small narrative episode sandwiched between two bigger episodes : This is promoted to illustrate an idea and thereby to instruct somebody. The upākhyānas, sixteen in number as read in the Mahābhārata, narrating the account of Nala, Savitrī, etc. are the illustrations in point. Bhoja observes (pp. 469, Śr. Pra. Vol. II. ibid) -
nala-sāvitrī-sodaśarājópākhyānavat prabandhāntaḥ, anya-prabodhanártham
yad upākhyāti tad-upākhyānam. With reference to the upākhyāna itself, Bhoja describes ākhyāna' and observes that when an artist presents a theme along with acting, recitation and singing, it is said to be ākhyāna or ākhyānaka - (pp. 469, ibid)
“ākhyānaka-samjñām tallabhate yady abhinayan pathan gāyan, granthikaḥ ekaḥ kathayati
govinda-vad avahite sadasi.” The artist is called 'granthika'. This is illustrated by "govindā”khyāna”. In Gujarat the ākhyānas by Kavi Premananda are very famous. Such artists as Shri. Dharmikalāla (the Māna-bharta) keep this tradition alive even to-day. We will go to observe that Hemacandra also draws upon Bhoja in this respect and feeds us information about these rare types. Bhoja mentions as examples of mixed compositions in prose and verse the ākhyānas of Māra (= cupid), Sāmba (= Krsna's son), and Govinda. Dr. Raghavan observes : (pp. 620, ibid) : “Bhoja's description of this type makes this composition a variety of the Drśya class, involving as it does song and gesture. This is really a form of the Indian theatre. The granthika here is a narrator of the story and an actor and a musician. This is more or less a monologue and survives in the Kathaka dance of the North, in the kathā-kälaksepa of the south and in the Prabandha-Kutta of the Cäkyāras of Kerala.
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