Studies In Sanskrit Sahitya Shastra

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

Page 97

Sanskrit Sāhityaśāstra
85
As regards the pratimukha the theorists differ, According to the DR. (which the SD., the BP., the PR. and the RS. follow) that part of a play which represents the development of the bija in such a way as to be perceptible and imperceptible by turns is called pratimukha30 (Progression).
___Abhinava, whom the Ks, and the ND. follow, interprets the text of Bharatast to mean that the part of a play which represents total manifestation of the bija that is shown in the Mukha to be seen and then veiled, as it were, by some secondary incident, is called pratimukhasl.
That part of a play which represents a further stage in the development of the bija which the hero gains and loses by turns and which he frequently searches, everytime it is lost, is called garbha32 (Development).
The authorities differ regarding the definition and interpretation of the fourth sandhi avamarsa or vimarsa. Bharata's text33 is very knotty, defying as it does, a satisfactory
30 'लक्ष्यालक्ष्यतयो दस्तस्य प्रतिमुखं भवेत् ।
बिन्दुप्रयत्नानुगमादङ्गान्यस्य त्रयोदश ॥ DR. p. 11. .31 बीजस्योद्घाटनं यत्र दृष्टनष्टमिव क्वचित् ।
मुखन्यस्तस्य सर्वत्र तद्वै प्रतिमुख स्मृतम् || Ns. XIX, 40,
Abhinavaa notes in his commentary the views of other theorists, criticises them and gives his own. He interprets the text thus : बीजस्योद्घाटनं लावत् फलानुगुणो दशाविशेषः तद् दृष्टमपि विरोधिसनिधेष्टमिव पांसुना पिहितस्येव बीजस्याकुररूपमुद्घाटनम् ।... दृष्ट नष्टमिव कृत्वा तावन्मुखे न्यस्तं भूमाविव बीज, अमात्येन सागरिकाचेष्टितं वसन्तोत्सवकामदेवपूजादिना तिरोहितं नष्टमिव सागरिकाचेष्टितस्य हि बीजस्येव तदाच्छादकमप्युत्सवादिरूपं भूमिरिव प्रत्युद्बोधकम् । तस्य दृष्टनष्टतुल्यं कृत्वा न्यस्तस्य, अत एव कुङ्कुमवीजस्य यदुद्घाटनं तत्कल्प, यत्रोद्घाटन सर्वत्रैव कथाभागसमूहे तत्प्रतिमुखम् । IH. pp.24-25. Abhinava gives etymological explanation of glade as follows: प्रतिराभिमुख्येन यतोऽत्र वृत्तिः । पराङ्मुखता हि दृष्टनष्टकल्पनानिदर्शनम् । III. p. 25. and ND. : मुखस्याभिमुख्येन वर्तत इति प्रतिमुखम् । p.55.
In the word प्रतिमुख, 'प्रति' has the sense - favourable to'. 32 It is so called as it contains the fruit as it were within itself :
फलस्य गीकरणाद् गर्भ: SD. p, 320 प्राप्तिसम्भवाख्ययावस्थायुक्तत्वेन फलस्य गर्मीभावात | Abh. III. p. 25.
नाटकस्य मध्यत्वात् गर्भः । NL. p. 30. 33 गर्भनिभिन्नबीजार्थो विलोभनकृतोऽथवा ।
क्रोधव्यसनजो वापि स विमर्श इमि स्मृतः ॥ Ns. XIX. 42.