The Sanskrit Drama in its Origin, Development, Theory & Practice c10.s3.20

c10.s3.20

The play is criticized severely, though not by name, by Bhāmaha,³ on the score that Udayana could never have been deceived by an artificial elephant, and if deceived his life would not have been spared by the enemy forces. The contentions are obviously of little value in this form; the essence, of course, is that such an incident which may pass in a tale seems too childish for a drama, but, if this troubles us, we may console ourselves with the reflexion that the trees were thick, and Udayana ardent in the chase. Vāmana⁴ cites the end of verse 3 in Act IV which occurs also in the *Arthaśāstra*,⁵ a work which need not be older than Bhāsa, and may be a good deal later.