The Sanskrit Drama in its Origin, Development, Theory & Practice c10.s5.59

c10.s5.59

A characteristic of Bhāsa is his fondness for pithy proverbial phrases, ‘Everything suits a handsome figure’, ‘Misfortunes never come singly’, ‘Good news sounds more pleasant from a friend’s mouth (*pṛaṇivedamānāni piāṇi piadarāṇi honti*)’ ‘Man’s fate is as mobile as an elephant’s trunk’, ‘There are many obstacles in the road to fortune’, ‘A small cause begets grave misfortune’ (are found in the *Avimāraka* alone.) An idea once expressed fascinates Bhāsa and is repeated again and again in the same terms, a fact which incidentally helps to assure the genuineness of the plays. For some phrases he has a special fondness; *mā* with the instrumental is normal in lieu of the ordinary *alam*, which he also uses; *aho tu khalu* to introduce a stanza; *kim nu khalu* in a question; *āma* and *bādham* to indicate assent; *sukham āryasya* as a phrase of greeting. Especially is he devoted to the term *vara*, sometimes before, usually after, the noun whose quality it intensifies; the use occurs even twice or thrice in a single stanza.