Studies In Sanskrit Sahitya Shastra

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

Page 96

Studies in
doctrine that each sandhi rests on an avasthā and an artha-prakřti. This doctrine does not stand to reason, for as pointed out by the Abh. and the ND., the patākā or prakari, or both of them, are not indispensable elements in the Nataka if the hero is capable of attaining the object of desire without external help. Even in the absence of the patākā and the prakari we do find all the five sandhis in the drama. The definitions of the five sandhis as given by the NS. show that the five respective sandhis essentially rest on the five respective avasthās and the progressive development of the bija. The DR., too is aware of this fact when it says that patākā may or may not occur in the garbha sandhi27 and remains silent as to the place of prakari in the avamarśa or vimarśa. It would not, therefore, be proper to accuse the DR. of misrepresenting Bharata. Instead, in fariness to Dhanañjaya, his statement-which makes each sandhi essentially rest on one avasthā and one arthapraksti-may be looked upon as a description of mechanical or ideal perfection to be wished for rather than a strict doctrine or a rule to be adhered to.
As already said, the sandhis are the structural divisions of the drama which clearly and closely correspond with the avasthās in the hero's realization of his object of desire. The classification into the five avasthās and the five sandhis is intended to help the dramatist to achieve the unity of action or impression.28 The five sandhis are defined as follows:
That part of a play which contains the origination of the bija, the source of several incidents and sentiments, and corresponds with the prārambha avasthā (Beginning) is called Mukha29 (Opening).
The ND., which follows as a rule the Abh., says : 48111a0am 2171a1 fara capffor 52 galam:, H612102107 [ 9219197TUARIT E 92 gak af p. 47 and
Rhea faraFA: Aprilia al p. 41 27 ME...... 92141 FIIT al Fagfaatua:
Haas is wrong when he translates : (In it) there should be an Episode (patākā), or (else) there should not be Prospect of success (prāpti-sambhava--prāptyāśā). What the DR. means is this: In the garbha the patākā may or may not occur but the Prospect of success--the third avasthā shall occur. The BP. prescribes that in case the patākā does not occur in the garbha the playwright should employ the bija or the bindu in its place :
3700 pagt: File ciasty a mafaa | p. 210. 28 The author of Mudrārākşasa has this unity of impression or action in mind when he writes : ga for fanaa
S E Telang's ed. p. 265. Abhinava gives the etymological interpretation of Mukha as follows :111721fcarefa Hat | III. p. 23 NS. XIX. 39, SD. P. 320. For reasons of space the illustrations are not given here for which see the DR, the Abh, the SD. etc., and the sixty-four subdivisions of Sandhis, infra.
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