Sambodhi 1996 Vol 20

Author(s): Jitendra B Shah, N M Kansara
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 11

Vol. XX, 1996
NATYAŚĀSTRA, SANSKRIT DRAMA...
attractive.) Kālidas has realised this very concept, i.e. the liero treading on the prohibited track in search for something unique and unattainable. He has, however, brought his heroes in two of his (later ?) plays, out of the narrow circle of the royal harem. But then, this also falls in line with the dicta of the Nś. Apart from this application of various concepts of the Nś Kālidās has, in fact assimilated and practised the most essential fundamentals of Bharata's aesthetic and dramatic principles. Sativa (concentration of the actor within his own psyche to enter the texture of the character to be represented) is the basic of Bharata's philosophy of abhinaya. Kalidas was aware of it. Ganadāsa reminds Mālavikā in the II act of Māl. before her performance of chalita nātya :
वत्से, मुक्तसाध्वसा सत्त्वस्था भव । While sādlivasa (nervousness before the entry on the stage) is a disqualification for a performing artist, being free from it is a quality called pragalbhata : प्रयोगनिस्साध्वसता प्रागल्भ्यं समुदाहृतम् ।
(NŚ - XXII. 31) Kālidās was aware of both the concepts of sattva and sādhvasa. He has very beautifully summed up the principles of theatrical representation in his description of Malavikā's chalita. Retaining the technical terms, he lias expressed the essence of Bharata's theory of abhinaya :
अङ्गैरन्तर्निहितवचनैः सूचितः सम्यगर्थः पादन्यासो लयमनुगतस्तन्मयत्वं रसेषु ॥ शाखायोनिर्मूदुरभिनयस्तद्विकल्पानुवृत्तो भावो भावं नुदति विषयाद् रागबन्धः स एव ॥
(Māl. II. 8) In the XXII chap. of the Nś, Sārīra abhinaya (physical gesticulation) is said to be of six types : vākya, sücā, ankura, śāklıā, nātyāyita and nivittyankura. In VIII chap. Bharata defines three subjects of angika abhinaya : sāklā, nytta and ankura. Kalidās has grasped the meaning of these concepts and terms and has presented them in the above verse. Sausthava (beauty of physical posture resulting out of balance of each and every part of the body) - is a desideratum for physical gesticulation (angika abhinaya) according to the Nś. Parivrājikā in Māl, rightly lays emphasis on the sausthava of the danseuses :