________________
Sanskrit Sähit yaśāstra
107
of Bharata.84 They hold that the angas need not be used in the sandhi to which they are assigned, nor need all of them be used. One anga may be repeated twice or thrice, if need be, but not more than thrice as too much repetition would make the play insipid. Thus 'sampheta' and 'vidrava' being repeated in the Veņi develop the heroic and the furious sentiments, whereas vilāsa when repeated in the Ratnāvali rouses the erotic sentiment. Certain angas by their very nature require to be used in the sandhi to which they are assigned and in the very order in which they are treated. Upakşepa, parikara, parinyāsa, for example, must be used in that very order in the Mukha. If one anga be capable of achieving the purpose of two or two angas are capable of achieving the purpose of three, the dramatist should use only one anga or two as the case may be. Thus a sandhi may have only four angas, others being merged in them. Amukha or prastāvanā is no part of the drama which really begins with its end. The angas should, therefore flow from the bija and lead up to the kārya. The hero or his rival should, as a rule, appear in them. The first three angas of the mukha, upakşepa etc., may, however, be advantageously represented by unimportant characters. The sixfold purpose of the sandhyangas
. The NS. and following it, later authorities declare the six-fold purpose of angas as follows : (1) to present the subject matter in such a way as to create the desired rasa, (2) to expand the plot, (3) to increase interest in the minds of spectators (or readers) regarding the plot, (4) to conceal what ought to be concealed, (5) to produce surprise while presenting a familiar story and (6) to disclose what ought to be disclosed as it contributes to the development of rasa.
The NS emphasizes the importance of the angas by analogy :
Just as a man without limbs cannot fight, even so, a drama without angas cannot be well enacted. A play though poor as regards its story attains merit when equipped with the angas as it then becomes suited to the stage. On the other hand, a play with a noble theme but devoid of angas proves unsuited to the stage and does not interest any rasika.
From what has been said above it would seem that Bharata discusses at length the topic of sandhis, and sandhyangas with a view to emphasizing the need for a closely-knit plot, in which each detail should be very necessary for the development of the plot and rasa. Bharata's analysis of sandhis and sandhyangas reveals that he was conscious of the principle of Aucitya essential to rasa which Kșemendra later
84 Abhinava stoutly refutes their view : see NS III. Pp. 36-37. He interprets the text of Bharata : 92 T Faeziaragi aice | thus : gla da tela realfardagi fa ETEfriga2149, aga 778712722athözz1a: III. p. 37.
Read NS XIX. 99-100 which lend support to this view.
