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SAHRDAYĀLOKA Rāghavavijaya, or Mārīca-vadha or whatever else - is called 'rāga-kāvya' only because the presentation is carried out in this or that special rāga alone and therefore all other features such as acting (nātya) and description (kathā), though present, are rendered subordinate to the principal feature which is 'song and music' alone.
Abhinavagupta explains further that 'rāga' is that which has singing as its soul and this kāvya as it depends on rāga, is therefore (rāga) kävya. He observes : (pp. 182, ibid) - "rāgo gīty ātmakaḥ. svarasya tad ādhārabhūtam kāvyam iti."
He further adds : "evam idam ca nrttam sapta-krti-prakārair bhagavata eva prasștam. tathā hi-śuddham eva nșttam recakángahārā"tmakam. (= śuddha form of nrtta is of the form of recaka and angahāra) - tato gitakādy abhinayónmukham. (= the next type is furnished with abhinaya that goes with gītaka-music dominating). - tato gāna-kriyāmātránusāri vādya-tālánusāri ca - (i.e. the next variety of 'nrtta' is one which follows only vocal music accompanied by beats of intruments). This is seen as in • “bāhu-prenkhanoraḥ kampa-pārsvanamanónnamana-carana-sarana-sphurita-kampita-bhrūtārā-parispanda-katicchedangavalana-mātra-rūpam." yac coktam -
tandunā’pi tataḥ samyag. . gāna-bhāņda-samanvitaḥ
nștta-prayogaḥ...” ityādi. (N.S. IV. 260) Then Abhinavagupta adds - gītir gānam iti hy atra vyutpattir uktā. tatópy uddhatasukumāra-miśrā”tmaka-bheda-cațuştaya-bhinna-kavyárthánusāritayā caturvidham. - i.e. it becomes fourfold due to the type being either high-pitched (uddhata), or soft (sukamāra) or miśra (i.e. mixed, of two types in which either of the first two is in greater degree). etc.
The rāga-kävya is an art-form dominated by song and music and dance and also acting to some extent. That the element of abhinaya is of course there, is underlined by Abhinavagupta when he observes (pp. 198, ibid) :
yat tu rāghava-vijayā”dau sītāmūrcchā'di-vyāvarnanántam tāndavam. na ca tatra tādrse tat-sukumärắngahārāotmaka-netta-yojana. api tu gitakārtha-bhāvananyāyena, "raudrasyaiva ca yat karma sa karuņa" iti prasaktyā tatra tathāvidhäbhinayayoga, ity alam bahunā.
Dr. Raghavan (pp. 550) also explains the same as - “The Abhinavabhāratī gives a better and clearer idea of kāvya which it
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