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Classification of Poetry
Again it is either in suraseni or mahārāstrī, and is illustrated by Rajasekharas Karpūramañjarī which is in prakṛta. But this apart, its structure is not made up of acts but is cut into four by yavanikā. This means it is a spectacle of continuous show wherein parts are concealed and revealed when required by curtainsyavanikä-held by artists. Thus, perhaps, it has more of dance and spectacle then of drama. Śāradātanaya is not clear about the use of language also as he records different views. According to him some hold that the king, who is the hero, should not speak prākṛta as it may not be possible for him to cover (chadana) what he wants to cover from some other, or he may falter (skhalana) in Präkṛta (perhaps he being accustomed to talk in Samskṛta ?), or perhaps he may create bhrānti-or deception in the minds of others (? again through inapt use of prākṛta ?) or for fear of not concealing (nihnava) his intention. Some believe that the king should speak in magadhi or saurasenī, as Sāradātanaya himself has said earlier. Still others hold that as this art-form is a sub-variety or is something closer to nātikā, the king has to speak prākṛta and this seems to be acceptable to Śāradātanaya also as Karpūramañjarī is said to be an illustration of saṭṭaka. Dr. Raghavan also seems to accept this when he observes: (pp. 542, ibid): "The final view recorded by him is that the saṭṭaka is, again and again, mentioned as a replica of the nāṭikā, its differentia as a separate rūpaka is to be fixed somewhere, and this difference is none else than the prakṛta language that it adopts, as for instance in the Karpūramañjarī of Rajasekhara."
Dr. Raghavan observes that Sagaranandin adopts this last mentioned view. He quotes from N.L.R.K. (nāṭaka-lakṣaṇa-ratna-kosa) (p. 133, lines 320) - 4, where the text is currupt according to Dr. Raghavan. He also quotes NLRK p. 90 lines 21567. Dr. Raghavan quotes as follows:
"saṭṭake stri-pradhānatvāt
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rupakasya'nurodhataḥ, nṛpaḥ strīvat pathed esa pāṭhasya niyato vidhiḥ."
This means that saṭṭaka is an art-form having many female characters (as in nātikā). The king also speaks like a female character i.e. he should use prākṛta. This rule is formed regarding speech (in saṭṭaka).
Dr. Raghavan observes that the other quotation is currupt. But we place it as is read in chawkhamba skt. samsthan Edn. Varanasi, '72, Babulal Shastri, as follows: (pp. 304, ibid)
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