Early History of the Vaishnava Faith and Movement in Bengal, from Sanskrit and Bengali Sources c11.s3.8

c11.s3.8

In the Prologue, the author claims that his play is entirely novel (abhinava-kṛti) and original (anya-cchāyayā no nibaddham), but it is clear that neither the theme nor its treatment displays much variety or originality. It is a pretty little amourette, modelled obviously on the Nāṭikā type of Sanskrit plays. But perhaps in these idyllic and romantic little plays, which aim at nothing more than picturing the pretty sentiment in a pretty environment, elegance was more expected than originality, and poverty of invention need hardly be regarded as a defect. The work employs the familiar motifs and devices common to such erotic playlet (the romantic commonplaces, for instance, of love at first sight, pangs and sentimental longings of separated lovers, love-letter, dream-vision, painting-tablet, minute portraiture of the personal beauty of the lovers, and their ultimate union effected by the effort of their companions), and makes use of conventional words and imageries to depict them. Here is, for instance, pure rhetoric in Kṛṣṇa's description of Rādhā's lovely face: