Studies In Sanskrit Sahitya Shastra

Author(s): V M Kulkarni
Publisher: B L Institute of Indology

Page 94

Studies in
as elements of the plot. The treatment of patākā and prakari at the hands of the authorities clearly shows that these two are nothing but divisions of the präsangika or anusangika plot. The bija, the bindu and the kärya are, then, obviously elements of the adhikarika plot. On a closer thought it would appear that there is no essential difference between the two interpretations. The whole itivrtta is the means to the end (Karya or Sadhya or Parama-Prayojana) kept before his mind's eye by the dramatist. Looked at objectively, the dramatic plot admits of these five divisions or elements.
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The Five Karyavasthas
1 Arambha or prärambha (Beginning), 2 Yatna or prayatna (Effort), 3 Präptyāśā or präptisambhava (Possibility of attainment, Prospect of success), 4 Niyatapti or nityata phalapräpti (Certainty of Attainment or Success) and 5 phalagama or phala yoga (Attainment of the Result or the object of desire) are called the five stages in the development of the action.
Arambha is the desire to attain the end aimed at by the hero: Yatna is the determined effort to secure the end. Präptyäsä is the possibility of success having regard to the means at hand and the obstacles in the way of attainment. Niyatapti is the certainty of attainment, if only some specific obstacle can be overcome. Phalagama is the final attainment of the object of desire.
It is easy to see how each preceding stage leads on to the succeeding stage, These five avasthas occur in the order in which they are enumerated21. The names and the definitions of the five avasthās make it abundantly clear that the avasthas are primarily the mental states or attitudes of the hero with reference to the end aimed at (Karya, sädhya, prayojana, phala) by him22. It goes without saying that these mental states are followed by appropriate action or activity or movement both verbal and physical. Thus the five avasthas which are vitally connected with the hero represent a subjective analysis of the development of the main plot.
The Abh. mentions a view which regards the artha-prakṛtis as elements or parts of the story:
त्वाहुः
अन्ये लाहु: अर्थस्य समस्वरूपकवाच्यस्य प्रकृतयः प्रकरणान्यवक्वार्थखण्डा इत्यर्थप्रकृतयः | Abh. 111. p. 12. The NL. seems to support this view when it says: अस्य च नाटकस्य पञ्चार्थप्रकृतयो भवन्ति । नाटकीयवस्तुनः पूर्वोत्तस्य पञ्च प्रकृतयः स्वभावा भवन्ति। P. 6.
21 प्रेक्षापूर्वकारिणां हि प्रथममारम्भस्ततः प्रयत्नस्ततः सम्भावना ततो निश्चयस्ततः फलप्राप्तिरित्ययमेव क्रमः ।
ND. p. 49.
and सर्वस्यैव हि कार्यस्य प्रारम्यस्य फलार्थिभिः ।
एतास्वनुक्रमेणैव पञ्चावस्था भवन्ति हि ॥ Ns XIX, 14.
22 नेतुर्मुख्यफलं प्रति बीजाद्युपायान् प्रयोक्तुरवस्थाः प्रधानवृत्तविषये कायवाङ्मनसां व्यापाराः । ND. p. 49.