The Sanskrit Drama in its Origin, Development, Theory & Practice c20.s9.28

c20.s9.28

The *Nāṭyaçāstra*⁶ mentions, in a passage suspected of interpolation, but without special cause, a type of dramas Nāṭi, which later is styled Nāṭikā, or lesser heroic comedy. The subject-matter in this view may be either legendary or invented; the later opinion requires it to be invented as in the Prakaraṇa, which is the model for the Nāṭikā in this regard. The hero is to be that of the Nāṭaka, a gay king, and the intrigue consists of his efforts to attain marriage with the heroine, who is an *ingénue* of royal family, whom he is destined to marry, but who by some accident or design has been introduced into the harem in an inferior capacity. The lovers have to strive against the jealousy of the queen, a lady of mature character and devotion to the king, who at last is induced to sanction the nuptials. The life of the court gives opportunity for introducing music, song, and the dance as elements in the entertainment. The graceful manner is appropriate, and the erotic sentiment is prescribed; by an excess of zeal, when the drama as usual has four acts, they are in theory to contain each one of the four members of the graceful style. A lesser number of acts is allowed by Dhanañjaya. There is certainly not much difference between such a Nāṭaka as the *Mālavikāgnimitra* and the normal Nāṭikā, save the length, as expressed in the number of the acts, but it would be unwise to assert that the distinction is based on this alone. It is a fact that both in the *Priyadarçikā* and the *Ratnāvalī* the poet has freely enough invented his episodes, and this is a fact justifying the discrimination.