The Sanskrit Drama in its Origin, Development, Theory & Practice c20.s6.1

c20.s6.1

Plot, characters, and sentiment are not the only constituent elements of drama; the poet must be an adept in adopting the appropriate manner¹ or style (*vṛtti*), for each action of the hero; the style adds to the play the indefinable element of perfection which is present in the highest beauty of feature or dress. The manners allowed by the Nāṭyaçāstra are four, the graceful (*kaiçikī*), the grand (*sāttvatī*), the violent (*ārabhaṭī*), and the verbal (*bhāratī*), which owes its name to the fact that, unlike the others, it depends for its effect on words, not action.