History of Sanskrit Poetics c6.8.4

c6.8.4

A dramatic representation has generally four aspects viz. the dialogue, songs, music and dance. All these elements were developed in Vedic Literature. Dialogues have been already referred to. Then there were the ब्रह्मौद्यस (questions and answers) as in वाज. सं. 23. 9-12 and 45-62 explained in शतपथब्राह्मण XIII. 2. 6. 9-17 and XIII..5. 2. 12-21 (S. B. E. vol. 44 pp. 314-316 and pp. 388-90). Vide also तै. सं. VII 4. 18 and तै. ब्रा. III. 9. 5. In Vedic ritual there were several incidents that partook of the nature of the drama. First, there is a dialogue between the Adhvaryu and the vendor of Soma (vide H. of Dh. vol. II. p. 1143 and notes). Then in the Mahāvrata which is the penultimate day in a Sattra, there is a mock fight between a brāhmaṇa and a śūdra for a white circular skin that symbolizes the sun, and it is so arranged that it ends in a victory for the ārya. Vide H. of Dh. vol. II. p. 1244. In the same rite there was beating of drums, chanting of hymns by the priests whose wives acted as choristers and played on several musical intruments, and servants and maids danced with water jars on their heads and sang songs in which cows were lauded (ibid. pp. 1244-45). Compare for this Tai. S. VII. 5. 10. In the Aśvamedha, after the horse was sacrificed, there was an exchange of obscene abuse between the hotṛ priest and the crowned queen and the brahmā priest and the favourite wife of the king (vide H. of Dh. vol. II. pp. 1234-35).