________________
110
by Abhinava as 'Karaṇatvadharmabhavapravṛttinimitta upayaḥ.' This linga (i.e. upaya or hetu) may be either Sadhaka (-Käraka) or Jñäpaka, productive or informative.
After setting forth the general definition the NS. distinguishes its four varieties:
When the aim (of the hero) is realised quite unexpectedly and is thus seen to be far superior to what was expected we have the first Patäkästhānaka.1 Abh., ND. and SD. employ the same example to illustrate this variety in Act III of the Ratnavali, when the hero (King Vatsa) hastens to save Vasavadatta, as he believes, from hanging herself, he finds to his great joy and surprise that he has rescued none other than Sagarika herself. It is easy to see that in this example there is no foreshadowing of an event but actual union of the hero and heroine and thus the hetu is sadhaka. R. illustrates this variety by citing a different passage from the Ratnävall, Act II2 where he finds an allusion to Vāsavadatta's imminent anger.
Raghavabhatta points out an example of the first Patäkästhanaka while commenting on Jivitasarvasva which apparently means 'the choicest treasures in his posse
1. Vidasaka-एसा खु अवरा देवी वासवदत्ता |
Studies in
( राजा सचकितं सागरिकाया हस्ते मुखति) वासवदत्तत्यनेनोपचारप्रयोगेण भाविनो
' इत्यत्रेयं पताकास्थानकम् ।'
वासवदत्ता कोपस्य सूचनात् सहसार्थसम्पत्तिरूपमिदमेकं
Instead of gunavaty upak arataḥ of the NS. we have gunavṛtty upacarataḥ in the BP (and R.), while gunavatyupacarataḥ in the SD. Gunavati and gunavṛtti may be looked upon as synonymous (—utkrsta) ‘Upacāratah' is explained as 'Paramaprītikāranāt'. This is rather an unusual meaning. The other reading is decidedly better and is supported by Abh., NL., and Adibharata.
Ghosh translates the couplet as follows:
"The sudden development of a novel meaning due to an indirect suggestion, is called the First Episode Indication." This is obviously not satisfactory. In connection with the interpretation of this variety read Abh :
यत्रोपकारकमपेक्ष्य गुणवती उत्कृष्टय अर्थस्य फलस्य सहसंवाचिन्तितोपनतत्वेन भवति सम्पत्तिः तत्प्रथममिति साध्यफलयोगात्प्रधानं पताकास्थानम् ।
2. The ND. remarks on the word सहसा in its definition : सहसेष्टार्थलाभश्च सहसे त्याकस्मिकत्वेन सभ्यानां चमत्कारहेतुत्वमाह ।
It rightly recognises the artistic value of surprise, as an element in sustaining interest. But in the example quoted the 'इष्टार्थलाभ' comes as a surprise-of course, a very pleasant one-to the hero, for the audience has a foreknowledge that the hero is going to rescue Sagarika disguised as Vasavadattā. 3. Śākuntala, Kale's edition, p. 30 : अत्र जीवित सर्वस्वशब्देन । विषयनिगरणाच्छकुन्तलाया उक्तेः
पताकास्थानकमनेनोक्तम् । तल्लक्षणमादिभरते 'सहसैवार्थसंपत्तिर्नायकस्योपकारिका । पताकास्थानकं संधौ प्रथमे तन्मत्तम्' इति ।
That the first Patäkästhanaka should occur in the first Sandhi is the view of Adibharata, which is, however, not correct for which see infra,
