Pre-Buddhist India: A Political, Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey of Ancient India Based Mainly on the Jataka Stories c6.s3.15

c6.s3.15

Among literary works, in addition to the various works of antiquity like the *Vedas* and the *Vedāngas*,¹¹ the *Akkhānas* or ballads¹² and stray *gāthās* composed by *sāvakas*, *isis* or *kavis*,¹³ *Hatthisuttam* or the treatise on elephants was known.¹⁴ The *gāthās* of the *Jātakas* themselves, indeed, reveal a highly developed stage of Poetry, rich with imagination and beauty of style,¹⁵ and deep with thoughts and observation alike.¹⁶ The *Akkhānas* or the ballads in prose and verse, such as those sung by the rhapsodists, were current and had set up the stage out of which the future Epics were to be evolved.¹ We may also discern the beginnings, the first steps, towards a future drama in the varied productions of shows with scenery, music and dancing before a big concourse of people on certain festival days : these were the samajjas of which we shall presently speak. We have a distinct reference to nāṭakāni, which were, most probably, dramatic performances, as distinguished from pure dancing and acting or pantomimes.² It seems the age of the Jātakas saw the beginnings of literary activities—of prose, poetry and drama—in the ordinary language of the people.³