Bhasa and The Authorship of The Thirteen Trivandrum Plays

Bhasa and The Authorship of The Thirteen Trivandrum Plays

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Book Specification

Item Code: IDJ735
Author: Hirananda Sastri
Publisher: Archaeological Survey of India
Language: English
Edition: 1998
Pages: 36
Cover: Hardcover
Other Details 11.0 inch x 8.5 inch
Weight 350 gm

Book Description

Forward

The perusal of a drama named Ascharyachudamani by Saktibhadra, rent to me by Mr. K.V. Subrahmanya Aiyar, Assistant Superintendent for Epigraphy, and its similarity with the thirteen Trivandrum plays led me to study the authorship of the latter, which have been hitherto ascribed to Bhasa, known as one of the oldest and most renowned playwrights of India. The present paper is the result of that study, which demolishes the structure fondly built by the distinguished discoverer and editor of these plays and his followers.

It is a painful task to destroy the cherished theory of another, but it appeared to me that the misleading arguments hitherto advanced in favour of Bhasa's authorship required exposition, and I regret this could not be done without giving prominence to the destructive method, which is generally unpleasant. I admit the value of the contributions which various scholars have made towards the solution of this very difficult problem and I do not claim that my thesis finally settles the question. I have merely hinted at the source of these plays with the hope that it will evoke a further analysis of the situation, leading to the discovery of the real author.

I am extremely grateful to Sir John Marshall, Kt., C.I.E., M.A., Litt. D., F.S.A., Director General of archeology in India, whose keen interest for augmenting the cause of Oriental learning and kind appreciation of my humble labours have induced him to publish this thesis as a memoir in the Archeological series. I am no less indebted to Dr. Sten Konow of Kristiania (OSLO) and to my life-long friend Rai Bahadur Hiralal of the Central Provinces, both of whom read over my paper and offered valuable criticism which enabled me to revise a part of it so as to strengthen the arguments put forward by me.

CONTENTS
Foreword iii
Introductory remarks 1
Summary of arguments supporting the Bhasa theory 2
Examination of arguments in favour of the Bhasa theory-
The question of nandi and the entry of sutradhara
4
The argument of conformity to the canons of Bharata 6
Bhagavadajjukam and the Trivandrum plays 6,20
The question of the title of the Svapnanatakam 9
The argument of proverbial or sententious sayings 13
Examination of similarity of structure and comparison of some Trivandrum plays with the Ascharyachudamani of Saktibhadra 14
The question of archaisms and the use of old Prakrit forms 17
Is the Mrichchhakatika really a part of the Charudatta 21
The identity of the patron of the author of the Trivandrum plays 25
The pratimagrihas of the Pratimanataka and the age of the latter 26
The epithets of Bhasa 27
The evidence of anthologies and the Bhasa theory 27
Conclusion 28
Index 31

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