CHAPTER SIX:
ERiMTIS PBRSOHAE
The C h a r a c te r is tic s o f th e Hero and th e H eroine
g e n e ra l In tro d u c tio n
The s u b je c t o f d ram atis trersooae o r th e c h a r a c te r
i s in tim a te ly con n ected w ith th e th e o iy o f drama. The
a u th o r o f th e D esarupaka, a w ell known work o f Bram atuigy,
la y s down (1 .1 1 ) t h a t Dramas a r e c l a s s i f i e d acco rd in g to
s u b je c t m a tte r o f P lo t, Hero and Sentim ent.
B h a ra ta 's H a ty a s a s tra , th e e a r l i e s t ex ta n t t r e a t i s e
on dram aturgy as w ell a s p o e tic s , i s a ls o th e e a r l i e s t
known work on th e s u b je c t o f dram atis n arso n ae i . e . th e
Hero, th e H eroine and th e o th e r c h a r a c te r s . Hence i t i s
d e a r th a t th e im p o rtan t ty p e s o f c h a ra c te rs and t h e i r
c l a s s i f i c a t i o n can be tr a c e d t o th e N a ty a S a stra . However,
th e j& criet o f c l a s s i f i c a t i o n ev idenced i n th e H aty a g astra
has undergone a g r e a t d eal o f change i n th e works o Q s t t e r
a u th o ritie s .
B harata t r e a t s o f Mayaka a s th e p r in c ip a l c h a ra c te r
o f a drama, and not a s th e ilam bana-vibhava o f th e S rngarar a s a . T h is i s c l e a r from th e f a c t t h a t B h arata d e a ls w ith
th e s u b je c t o f la y a k a - H ayika-bheda, not w ith Rasa and
Bhafca i n th e s ix th and th e seventh c h a p te rs , but i n th e
concluding c h a p te rs which d eal with th e d if f e r e n t charac­
t e r s o f a drama. C onsequently, th e f o u r - f o ld d iv is io n o f
th e Hero in to Dhiroddhatte, D h lra js lita , D b iro d atta and
Bfcdraprasantay which i s ta k e n o v er i n succeeding works,
a s i t i s g iv en i n th e la ty a ^ a s tr a has l i t t l e to do w ith
th e Hero o f th e e r o t i c em otion, /.g ain , B h a ra ta 's f i v e ­
f o ld d iv is io n of th e man, based on h is behaviour tow ards
th e women, i s a d iv is io n o f Puruss and not th a t o f th e
Hero. And even th e most o f g e n e ra l and popular; c l a s s i f i ­
c a tio n in to Uttama, Madhyama and k dhama, a s g iv e n by
Bharata, i s , in fa c t, concerned with Ban and woman.
I t i s a moot point i f the anonymous author of the
Agnipurana, i t s e l f a work of doubtful authenticity and
date, should get the credit for making certain innovations
o f considerable significance in the conceptual outlook on
the subject of the hero and the heroine of a Sanskrit
play. But in th is work we do indeed find that (1) the
subject has been bought topically under the Srngararasa,
thus bringing under the discussion of the Heros and the
Heroines as the Ilambanavibhavas of the erotic sentiment.
(2) there i s a new four-fold c la ssific a tio n of the Hero
in to Anukula, Saksina, Satha and Dhrsta, with clear
a f f ilia t io n with the subject of e r o tic s, and for which
reason, i t i s adopted in la te r works down to our own times.
This new orientation given to the subject of the Hero and
the Heroine resu lts in a double conception of the Hero,
f ir s t ly as Bhiroddatta 8tc. and again as Anukula etc* in
la te r theory in to ta l disregard of Bharata*s original con­
ception of the Hero of a drama, and not the Alambanavibhava of the Srngararasa.1
Rudrata and Rudrabhat U ' wisely * eliminate the
c la s s ific a tio n of the Hero into Bhirodatta etc* and retain
the only other c la ssific a tio n into Anukula e tc ._ Further
Rudrata defines these la s t four types v is . Anukula etc.
and Rudrabhatta^ defines as well as illu s tr a te s them.
Referring to the sixteen q u alities of the hero* mentioned
in Rudrata* s Kavyalamkara« XEI .7—
8, Hatpisadhu observers
«9
that as the ero tic sentiment i s dependent on the hero,
his q u a lities are d etailed.
The next important th eorist, who i s also the most
authoritative writer on Dramaturgy a fte r Bharata, having
exercised considerable influence on la te r works on Drama­
turgy including the present chapter of our work which i s
almost entirely based on the Basanlpaka, i s Dhananjaya.
His work, the Bairapaka, synthesises "the two main
classifications of the Hero; for., he says, each of the
art
fa./c
mm
four types of the Hero (Dhirajjaitk etc#) as an £Lagibana~
vibhava of the Srhgararasa i s again of four kinds viz.
Anukula, Baksina, etc. He has also mentioned the P ratinayaka or the opponent of the Hera. The three fold
classificatio n into Jyestha, Madhyataa and Adharaa (Higher,
Middle and Lower) has been attrib u ted by hi® also to the
Hera alongwith a ll the other characters. I t should be
understood th a t the Dasarupaka is primarily a work on
dramaturgy and not im the erotica, This is why the
Srngara Hayakatva here is only a phase of the lif e of
the general Hero of the play and therefore has no claim
to any Independent treatment in ills work? *
|
Bhoja has as many as six bases fo r the c la ss ifi­
cation of the Hero. To the divisions of the layaka into
(l) Utta©a etc. on the basis of his qualities; into (2)
Bhirodatta etc. on the basis of his general character!stie s ; and into (3) Anukula etc. on the basis of his
relations with Heroine, Bhoja adds the classifications
of the. Hero (4) into Nayaka, Pratinayaka, Upanayaka and
Muiiayaka on the basis of his relativ e position and ^
importance in a plot, (5) into S h'trika, Rajas and Tafflas,
according to his nature and (6) into Asadharana and
Sadharaca, strangely according as he has one or ©ore
wives. I t ©ay be remembered here that Bhoja associates
each of the four la in types of the Hero viz. Bhiroddhata
etc. with one of the four types of the Srngara which he
has divided into four types viz. SharmaSrngara* Irfchasrngara* Kamasrngara and floksa srngara. Thus the Hero; of
Bh&riasrngara is BhlrocMt ta, that of Art ha srngara j^bhiroddhata, th at of Kama, B hiralalita and of Moksa, Dhiraprasbnta, ^
€42
Hemachandra’s Glassification
On Hemachandra* s classification of the layaka
and the ley.ika, Dr- Rakesh Gupta remarks: "Hemachandra
in his Eayyanushsana' has repeated Rudrata* s principal
scheme of classification into sixteen types. But while
’ ... "
"
!
taking up the other eightfold classification he says,
nnlike Rudrabhatta and Dhananjaya, that it is applicable
only to the Svakiya.
Parakiya* according to him, can
« **
m m
_
be of only three types: Virahotkanthita, Abhisarika and
Yipralabdha.
With regard to the courtesan he does not
Joeak of this classification at all, fhe topic is con­
cluded with the mention of the Pratinayika or the rival
wife. * ©
BetnaChandra’s Treatment of the Characteristics of the
Hero and the Heroine
Hemachandra's treatment of Iayaka-Hayika-Bheda
is based on the scheme of classification adopted by
Rudrata as well as on thenoutlook and the method of
ore seatation adopted in the .Dasai^paka of Dhananjaya
*
;.
who is Indebted to the Srngaratilaka*
y
__
In fact, Shanaa-
jaya ^reproduces in toto the three classifications of the
Srnga^Tilaka with all possible brevity and conciseness,
giving only short definitions and omitting illustrations
A
and other details.**
How, the B&sarupaka discusses the.-characteris­
tics of the Hero and the Heroine and the dramatis perso­
nae of all types, in the second Prafcasa,
We have noted
earlier on, Yastu, Heta and Rasa form the basis of
classification of a dramatic composition. And since the
topic of the Vastu or subject matter has been dealt with
643
in. the first Prakasa of the Dasaraipaka, Dhananjaya takes
up for treatment the topic of the Meta or Nayakabheda in
the second Prakasa to be followed by the theory cfRasa.
i
i
Hemachandra*s Treatment of layaka-Uaylka-Bheda in Chanter
Seven of Kawanaslsam
|
I
At the outset Hemachandra briefly explains the
reason why this chapter on the characteristics of the
Hero and other oharaters is included in this work. He
says that in view of the fact that Kayya or Literary;
compositions contain the Hero and other characters, it
is proposed to describe the characteristics of these
characters.
Both men and women fall into three natural types:
Uttama, Madhyama and Adhama.
The Uttama type is posse­
ssed of virtues only. The Ma dhyasa type possesses many
good qualities with a few defects. But the Adhama type
is all defects. The servants of the Hero such as Vita,
Cet&, Vidusaka etc. are of the Adhama type.
j
The Hero (layaka), belonging to the Uttama or
Madhyama type, defined (¥1.1) as he who is possessed of
all the good qualities or vilfeies and who pervades the!
entire composition. The word layaka is explained as the
chief person or principal character towards whom all jfche
events in a composition converge and who enjoys th© j
fruit, the consumation of the poea.^ Thus the Hero j
enjoys the most exalted position in a drama or a poeraj
and his personality towers over the personalities of j
the other dramatis persons. The following observations
of Dr. I, S. Shastri admirably sua up the importance of
the Hero in a Kavya - be it a play or a poem:
!
M....Whatever the sentiment or the motive of
the play be, there is always a principal action or the
denouement therein. Whosoever is to enjoy the benefit
of all efforts or in whose interest are all movements
directed is the person who reaps the real harvest. The
motif or the resultant benefit is called the fruit
(Phala) and the enjoyment of the ?hala is called the
«> IQ
Adhikara.
w
One who has the Adhikara is, no doubt, the
Adhilcarin and it is he who becomes virtually the princi­
pal character in a drama. He is called the Heta, layaka
or the hero, because the entire dramatic action culminates
ultimately into, his benefit.
He in fact becomes the sub­
stratum of all actions and is the basic or the. pendent
factor (llambana) of the principal sentiment in a show;
11
and thus ranks foremost for consideration.n
Hemachandra defines the personal traits, quali­
ties and merits of the layaka or Feta in terms of two
karikas quoted from the Basarupaks (2.1-3) which state
that *’the Hero should be well-bred, charming, liberal,
clever, affable, popular, upright, eloquent, of exalted
lineage, resolute and young; endowed with intelligence,
energy, memory, wisdom, (skill in the) arts, and pride,
heroic, mighty, vigorous, familiar with the codes, and
12
a just observer of laws. *
This list of Grunas is intended to make the Hero
'Samagragunah' as Hemachandra has characterised him in
the gloss on VII,1. There, Hemachandra states that the
Hero should be possessed of all gcod virtues, the
qualities and traits of personality which make him fit
to be the leader (let!) of a play and the other physical
qualities (Sattvikagunas) to be enumerated next.
It will
be noted that Dhananjaya includes the quality of S&stric
045
vision la the list of ihe essential qualification of a
hero. Visv&aatha (S.D.III.SO) sums up the qualities
required of a layaka thus: "Munificent, clever, high­
born, handsome, youthful, enthusiastic, prompt, devoted
to people, powerful and tactful Is the nature of a
hero.*
The Natyadarpana, however, is extremely brief:
'‘The Hero is one who achieves the fruit and does not
suffer calamities."18
The Bight Sattvika Punas of the Hero
Such a Hero is possessed of eight Sattvika
(physical) qualities:
'
It should be noted here that the
Basarupaka takes up these quantise for description and
after it has dealt with the first and the second class!i/i
fications of the Hero
(IIS,8) and the other subsidiary
male characters (II.8 and 9). He enumerates the eight
physical qualities in II.10 and describes and illustrates
each of these in the subsequent portion.
It is obvious, therefore, that Hemachandra has
altered the order of the topics a little bit. However,
the eight "phydcal qualities” of Hemachandra are the
same as those of Bhananjaya. They are: Sobha, Vilasa,
Madhurya, Gambhiiya, Sthairya, Tejas, Lalita and Audarya.
Bhananjaya characterises these as "Paurusah gunah” or
"sanly qualities” which spring from "one*s nature”.
These qualities are called Sattvajah because they
are born of Sattva which means a bodily change. But as
in most cases, physical change is due to a mental change,
so these qualities are both mental as well as physteal.
646
However, since the change is noticeable in the body, they
are stated to be predominantly physical.
As
remarked above, the eight qualities enumerated
by Hemaehandra are literally met with in the Dasarupaka
(II. 10).
lot only that,
even
the explanations of these
eight qualities as given by Hemachandra (711. 3-10) tally
with those given by Hhamnjaya (n.11-14). It is a safe
bet, therefore, that we keep in view-
Dhananjaya's
eon-,
ception of these individual qualities while trying to
understand Hemachandra’s sutras on these Sattvagunas.
It
may be noted that irrespective of the type to which the
hero belongs, he has certain general characteristics as
*r*
his personal merits and these are the eight Sattvika charac­
teristics, termed manly qualities based on nature, mentioned
by Bharat a and adopted by all succeeding authors without
any change in their conception.
above.
This point has been noted
Additional comments by Hemachandm
Hemachandra adds explanatory comments which not
only bring out the essence of the definition but also shed
light on the examples. It may be noted that some of these
qualities derive thdr sense from r,he general qualities of
the hero mentioned earlier i.e. Bfeta vinito etc.(D.R. 2.1-2).
The Types of the Hero
According to Hjmaehandra, Bhiroddhata, Dhiralallta,
Dhirasinta and IMroddlaa&a are the four types of the Hero
in general (711,11).
But, when the poem treats of love,
then the Hero is again of four types.
That is to say, in
Srngararasa, the hero is either Baksina or Dhrsta or
Anukula or Satha in every type of a hero. Bach type of the
\
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647
Kero in Dhirodatta e tc ., therefore, becomes fourfold and,
with the four-fold division of each of these heroes, in
matters of love, the number of types of the Hero is ^
sixteen. Hemachandra defines each of these types. (Su.
VII,12-15 and VII.16-19)
Overlapping of Tyres Possible
low, as a rule the Gods, as heroes, are of the
Dhirodatta type; kings are of the type of D hiralalita,
commanders and ministers are of the Bhiroddhata type.
Brahmins and merchants are of the Dhlraprasanta type.
This rule is of course not hard and fa s t. For, Rama,
although a king, is a Dhirodatta type. Whereas Madhava
in the Malatimadhava play, though a son of a s in is te r,
i s of the D hiralalita type.
That is why Hemachandra quits Bharata’s two
karlkas (I.S . S4.18-19 C.8.8. I.S . 84.18-19 G.O.S)
which lay down only a general rule that there may be an
overlapping of types. The viveka commentary has one
passage (the only passage in th is chapter) which takes up
the discussion of a theoretical point.
Hemachandra quotes the la^yas'astm passage
(24.18-19 G.O.S.) which means ihap the Gods are to be
considered Bhiroddhata, the kings D hiralalita, Senapati
and ministers Dhirodaife and Brahmins and merchants are to
be thought of as Bhiraprasfanta. This is the four-fold
division of the Hero.
The
the idea of
produces an
I I . 6 and 6a
viveka passage (mentioned above) elaborates
the latyasastra passage f i r s t and then re­
argument from the Avaloka of Bhanika on D.R.
(Bh^mika’s whole passage is quoted with some
variations).
The Interchangeability OR Otherwise of Types of Heroes
The passage in question raises an important
question as to whether the four types of the Hera des­
cribed above are (l) interchangeable or are (2) fixed
or not. How, here we should re mesher that the question
re la te s to the f i r s t classificatio n of the Heroes. But
i t may be asked as regards the second classificatio n of
the. Hero as lovers.
The argument can be summarised as under:
"The term Bhiroddbata denotes states or stages
characterised by qualities mentioned with them and are
lik e the stages of a cow: a c a lf, a b u ll, and a great
bull,* they are not fixed generlcally - I f that were the
case, the various opposing stages being depicted in
great works of master poets would be incongruent. For
J a ti is fixed. Take fo r example the work of Bhavabhuti
v iz. the play Mahaviracapta. Herein the self same
Parsurama i s depicted as Bhiroddhata, Bhirodatta and
also as DhiraJinta. And s t i l l no one can find fault
with th is variegated depiction of the different stages
or states of Parasurama. For, in the case of a person
(a minor character) who is not a here of the poem or
drama, his q ualities etc. are not rigidly fixed. (In
other words his type of character can be changed). On
the other hand, in the case of Rama and others, who
happens to be the Hero in a poem or drama, there can be
no change throughout the play or poem. Thus, when Rama,
who i s by definition the Bhirodatta Hero, k ills Valin by
tric k , he is suddenly changed to a Bhiroddhat type of a
hero. This is not desirable and should be avoided.
649
However, in the case of the four types of the
Hero as a lover viz, Daksina, Bhrsta, Anukula and Satha,
the types may change - whether main or minor.n15
This is an important issue which Dfaanika settled
once and for all, Hemachandra has quoted it almost
verbation in his commentary in the same context*
The Hero as a Lover
Hemachandra has already introduced the second
classification of the Here as a lover in his gloss on
VII, 11, He takes up the four types or aspects of the
Here in the erotic sentiment. The D.R. (II.6) states:
*When the Hero has been captivated by another woman, he
may be gallant or clever (Daksina), deceitful (Satha)
or shameless (Bhrsta) towards his previous love,” But
if the here has only on© lady-love he is faithful
(Anukula). These four types Hemachandra defines and
illustrates on the same lines as observed in the
Basarupaka.
The Opponent of the Hero: Pratinayaka
A character who is an adversary of the here or
who is the declared foe of the hero is called the Prati­
nayaka or villain. The Here is always a Dhira character,
possessed of excellent virtues, the villain, on the other
hand, is always conceived to be avaricious, vicious,
cunning, sinful and voluptuous as a person, who, at the
same time is possessed of great strength or resources.
Hemachandra describes the Pratindyaka exactly as
Bhananjaya does (II.9), though he replaces the word Ripu
with Pratinayaka, quite appropriately. This adversary
of the Hero, called Pratinayaka, Is avaricious,
Dhiroddiaia (vehement), stubbornj criminal and vicious,
e.g* Havana is the Pratioayaka of Rama and Dupyodhana
of Yudhisthira.
The Characteristics of the Heroins
The Heroine i s the other important character in
a Kavya who naturally occupies a very important place
in a love-play. The proper portrayal of the character
of the Heroine c a lls fo r the best dramatic or poetic
s k ill on the part of the poet; for such a portrayal
ensures the ultimate success of the work of a r t. The
Sanskrit w riters on Dramaturgy and Rasa have developed
the subject of Ifayika-bheda both quite extensively and
intensively, particularly with regard to the delinea­
tio n of Rasa, that too, Srrigararasa.
Sr, S. K» De'enRemarks on Portrayal of Love
r
"Love sways women's heart no less than i t sways
man's; but i t s effect differs in different types of men
and the ways of fcdoing and love d iffers accordingly,"
observes Dr. S. K. Re in his study of love in Sanskrit
L iterature.
"The science of Poetics and Srotic take
a delight in classifying these different types and
analysing the varied effects of love on them. Thus we
have arrangements into divisions and sub-divisions,
according to rank, character, circumstances and thqlik e, of a l l conceivable types of the hero, the heroine,
th e ir assistan ts and adjuncts, as well as of the diffe­
rent shades of th e ir feeling and gestures; and the
sentiment of love i s defined, analysed, and classified
industriously in a ll i t s f in ite mtods and situations.
The procedure, no doubt, possessed an a ttra c tio n for
medidteret scholastic minds, but i t also throws a great
/
11?
jf i
(0}
651
deal of light on the practice of the later poets who
often follow these prescriptions faithfully.
In his
character: as a lover* the hero is classified, for
instance, into the faithful (Anukula) who confines him­
self to one, the gallant (Baksina) whose attention is
distributed equally among the many, the sly (Satha) and
the saucy (Dhurfca) ........But the hero may also be
high spirited, naughty, sportive ar serene, according
to his temperament.
In the same way, the heroine, in
relation to the hero, may be his life (Sviya) or belong
to another (Parakiya) or be comraoa to all (samanya).
The sviya is subdivided again int3 the adolescent and
artless (Mugdha), the youthful (l&dhya) and the mature
and audacious (Pragalbha); or, in other words, into the
inexperienced, the partly experienced, and the fully
experienced.
Of these the adolescent and arttess
heroine in the greatest favourite with the poets, who
delight in depicting with a graceful touch the first
dawn of love in her simple heart.
Kalidas gives a
fine description of the charms of adolescence in his
picture of the girl Parvati
budding into womanhood;
but the artless emotionjof the adolescent heroine are
best described by Amaru ......
Later theorists intro­
duce greater fineness into the analysis by subdividing
each of these heroines again, according to her temper,
into the self-possessed, the not-self-possessed and the
partly self-possessed; 0$ according to the tank, higher
or lower, each holds in the affection of the hero.
The
Parakiya or another man's wife, who is theoretically
rejected in orthod&x Poetics as a heroine, but who,
according to other sfstras is the highest type of the
heroine, is twofold, according as she is maiden or
married; while the Samanya heroine, who is sometimes
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i
652
extolled and sometimes deprecated, is only of one kind,
the vesya or the courtesan.
The sixteen types of
heroine thus obtained are further arranged according to
the eightfold diversity of her condition or situation in
relation to her lover, into eight sore different types;
vis; the heroine who has her lover under absolute
control (svadhinapatika), the heroine disappointed in
her assignation through misadventure or involuntary
absence of the love (Utka); the heroine in full dress
expectant of her lover (vasakasajja.), the heroine decei­
ved (vipralabdha), the heroine separated by a quarrel
(kalahantarita), the heroine outraged by signs of unmm
faithfulness in the lover (khandita), the heroine who
ventures out to meet her lover (abhisarika) and lastly,
*
1
• "
m m
the heroine pining away for the absence of the lover who
has gone abroad (Prositapatika).
Of the last, the typical
example is the Yaksa’s wife in the Meghaduta; but fine
studies of the other types are to be found scattered in
innumerable verses in the Anthologies."^
Hemachandra, like Dhanan^aya (D.R.II.15) divides
the Heroin into three types: (1) Svakiya, (2) Parakiya
and (3) Samanya.
The word Tadguna in the definition
shows that she has the hero’s qualities.
The S&iya or
Svakiya is the hero’s wife and possesses good character,
uprightness, bashfulness, homeliness etc.
This Siftya
may be (i) inexperienced (Mugdha), (ii) partly expert eased
(Madhya) and (iii) experienced (Praudba alias Pragalbha).
According to Hemachandra this distinction is due to
difference of age and self-consciousness (Vayah and
Kaus'ala),
653
Hemachandra illustrates the Mngdha, the Madhya
and the Pragalbha types in the twofold aspect of each
i.e. in respect of age and experience. So we have
*1 (a) Yayasa Mngdha (b) Kausalens Mugdha, II (a) Vayasa
Madhya (b) Kausalena Madhya, III (a) Vayasa Pragalbha
(Praudha?) (b) Kausalena Praudha.
o
, Mow, in so far as the experience of their anger
towards their lover is concerned, the Madhya and the
Praudha types fall into three sub-types each. Thus we
have I (a) Bhlramadbya (b) Bhiradhiramadhya and
(c) Adhira Madhya. Similarly, we get II (a) Bhira
Praudha (b) Bhiradhli^ Pmudhia and (c) Adhira Praudha.
But the Mugdha is so yourig and inexperienced that she
does not know how to express her angerj she only knows
how to weep. Therefore, she is of ong type only.
*
*
low, the Madhya and Praudha is sixfold as seen
above. Both again are either Jyestha or Kanistha i.e.
Senior or Junior in point of enjoying the husbands
favours. Thus there are twelve varieties of the S&Lya
scad Madhya and Praudha types. Add to it the one type
of Mngdha. And we have thirteen varieties of the
Svakiya type.
The Concent of Farakiva
The Parakiya may be another* s wife or a maiden
(VII.S3). But she is not helpful in a principal Basa
(as per otthodox poetic theorists’, hence, Hemachandra
says, her divisions etc. are not given In a detailed
way here. Again, the word Hdha (married) is a sign ofidentification. For, even a keen is called Parastri. ^
But so far as the Kanya (Parakiya] is concerned, she,
t
:■>
654
being under the control of her fath er e tc ., is called
Anyastri (another’s woman), though unmarried. Bhamika
remarks that she may either be unobtainable from her
father, or she may be obtainable. In eith er case she
is in another's custody (or one is a fraid of one's
wife) the love a ffa ir with a Sanya is always a clandes­
tin e, as, e.g. Madhava’s love for Malati, V atsam ja's
love fo r Saganka. Of course, the poet is free to
depict her love eith er in a principal Rasa or in a
1Q
subsidiary Rasa.
Ganika is the Samanya Eayika ( ^ . ® n Hemachandra explains the word Ganika by means of a rath er
fanciful derivation of the word: ‘’Salapragalbhyadhaurtyabhyam ganayati kalayati Ganika.” That i s to say: ”A
woman who a ttra c ts (Ganayat i=fCalayati) men by her
proficiency in fine a rts (Kalapragalbhya) and by her
cunning. Ganika is , more naturally or properly, 'a
woman common to a Gana or a congregation or a mass of
people. ’ For, anybody can approa 3h her and buy her
love. Samanya is explained as common to a l l , whether
a good man or a bad man, a refined man or an id io t, A
Ganika's love i s synthetic or a r tif ic ia l, based on
feigned affection, intent on monetary p ro fit. She is
in short out to earn money by pleasing the customer. 21
Hemachandra mentions (Vlfc,SO) the eight states
(Astah Avasthas) of a Hayika's love towards her husband.
But i t will be seen that a ll these eight states are
possible only in the case of a wife; when a woman is not
a wife, but another's woman or merely an unmarried g ir l,
a ll these states are not possible; only the la s t three
— —
(viz. Yirahotkanthita, Vipraldiha or Abhisarika) are
hk
possible.
*
.
055
These peculiar eight states of the Nayikas
(Sva and Para) are duly explained.
Bhananjay (D.R.II.20) remarks that nthe heroines
of the la s t six types ( i .e . a ll except the Svadhinapatika
and Tasakasajja) are characterized by reflection, sigh­
ing, weeping, change in colour, weakness and absence of
ornaments; (but) those of the f i r s t two v arieties ( i.e .
Svadhinapatika and Vasakasajja), by playfulness, radia­
nce, and jo y .” The Avaloka points out th at the heroine
connected with another (Parastri) wether maiden or wife*
cannot be of a l l these v arieties. For instance, Malavika
should not be regarded as Khandita.
-
i
How each of the v arieties mentioned so f a r say be
eith er Uttama, Madhyama or Adhama (D.R.II.45 refers to
th is threefold classificatio n of a ll characters viz.
layaka, layika, e tc .). We thus get, by successive multi­
plication, the to ta l of 884 types of Heroines. 85
I t say be noted that Hesachnadra reproduces the
commentary of Dhai$Lka (D.R.XX.28 ff.p»109) verbation
under VII. 81 where he states that P arastri type of the
heroine can have only three of the eight states,
Svadhinapatika, etc.
This i s the force of tra d itio n - stereo-typed
divisions, stereo-typed re stric tio n s, stereo-typed
conventions, which make even Hemachaadra, a thinker of
no mean order, to follow Bhananjaya, and Dhanika without
a question. And th is is a subject - that of Ifayakalayika-Bheda where Dhananjaya i s a greater authority
than Hemachaadra. Iven Hemachandra realizes th is - that
is evident a t every step in th is dsapter* Of course,
Rudrata and Rudrabhatta also cast th eir
656
influence on our author, may be, through the Basarapaka,
Hesiachaadra is a follower of Bharata
Hemachandra's exposition of the twenty Sattvika
llamkaras (Natural traces) of the Heroine, reminds of
the twenty graces mentioned by Bharata. Bharata
classifies them under three heads Angaja or Physical,
Ayatnaja or Involuntary and Svabhivaja or Dispositional.
Hafcfe, Bhava and Hela are Arigaja, Sobha, Kanti, Dipti,
Madhurya, Pragalbhata, Audarya and Bhairya are Ayatnaja;
and Lila, Yilasa, Vicchitti, Tibhrasa, Kilakincita,
Mottayita, Kuttamita, Bibboka, Lalita and Vihrta are
Svabha^aja. All these are defined by Bhananjaya in his
Dasarupaka (11,20-41). And Hemachandra Is a follower
of Bharata, as he himself declares at the end of this
chapter (Asmabhir Bharatamatanusiabhir etc. p. 451).
/
Nayaka-Nayika-Bheda: A Highly Conventionalized Subject
The subject classification of the Hero and the
Heroine is highly conventionalised one in Sanskrit
Literature both creative and critical. It is intimately
connected with the drama in general and Srngararasa in
particular. In the classical period of Sanskrit
Literature love-poetry bloomed in its fullness which
brought in its wake an overflow of amourous descriptions
which followed conventional patterns. The Kamasulfa had
a contribution to make in this field. The science of
Erotics had indeed a profound influence on the theory
and practice of poetry of this period. As it deals with
the art and practice of love, it 1ms sections on the
ways and means of winning and keeping a lover, court­
ship and signs of love, on marriage, and conduct of
married 1/jLfe, and on the practical psychology of the
657
emotion of love. Poetics, in its treatment of love came
under the influence of Erotics.^
But when freshness and originality dwindle, con­
vention reigns supreme. During the middle ages the
theorists and poets tried to surprise us, instead of
please and delight us, by highly conventionalised and
stereotyped,.' though minutely worked out, details of
description and illustration of tie modes in which the
Nayikas express their erotic feelings* No wonder then
that artificiality of scholastic formalism marks both
the theory and practice of love-poetry. Thus conven­
tion becomes the rule rather than the exception. This
is true of the Nayaka-Nayika-Bheda also since though
these attempts indicate considerable power of analysis
is more of the form than of spirit, based on what we
should consider accidents rather “han essentials.*5®
CHAPTER SIX I MOTES AND REFERENCES
(1 ) V id e " S tu d ie s I n N ayaka-N ayikabhed" b y D r. R a k e s a g u p ta ,
1967# p p . 3 7 -3 8 .
/
.__
(2 ) V id e R u d ra ta K .A . X I I *9-12 and S jm c a r a tila k a (S*T. )I*23-28*
( 3 ) D r . R a k e s a g u p ta , Ib id # p* 39*
(4 ) Ib id # p* 3 9 .
(5 ) I b i d , p . 4 1 .
(6 ) I b i d & K.A.S . V H #31 ( g lo s s ) # p* 421*
(7 ) v id e S t u d i e s In Naya ka -N ayil® -B heda, p p . 56 & 60*
(8 ) I b i d , p* 56*
A lso s e e S .T . 1.117*131 a n d D*R. I I .
( 9 ) " N a y a ti v y a p n o ti i t i v r t t a m phalam c s i t i n ay ak ali”
KJk*S • p* 406«
-
-
M
(1 0 ) c f* D.R* 1*12 HAdhikarah phalaswamyam a d h i k a r i ca ta tp ra b h fih
(1 1 ) The la w s a n d p r a c t i c e o f S a n s k r i t Drama# p p . 2 0 3 -4 .
(1 2 ) D.R* Hass# p . 4 0 (T r* )«
_
_■
t
___
(1 3 ) cf* The R a sa rn a v a su d h a k a ra o f S ih g a b h u p a la # 1 .6 1 -6 2 *
(1 4 ) I n t o (1 ) C h iro d d h a ta e t c . and (2 ) Anukula e t c .
(1 5 ) K*A,*S. p«411# D .R . I I .1 0 (A v a lo k a )« c f . H a ss, p .42(D «R . 1 .6 )
(1 6 ) T re a tm e n t o f l o v e i n S a n s k r i t l i t e r a t u r e b y D r. S.K.De#
p . 48 e t c .
(1 7 ) I b i d , p p . 4 9 -5 0 .
(1 8 ) "A v aruddhapi p a r a s t r i t y u c y a t e , M
(19)
D.R,(II*
But
20,
21) say s t
"Naliyodha'ngirase K v a c i t " .
love for a maiden m a y b e employed a t will,
in connection with the principal or the
sentiments,
cf.
Dhanika's
which Hemachandra
(20)
D.R.
(21)
cf. D.R.
remarks
subordinate
(D.R.
11.28
ff)
paraphrases.
11,21 gives the
same idea in a l m o s t t he seme terms.
11.23 w i t h Avaloka.
* 2 2 * e £ . D .R . 1 1 . 22-23a w ith Avaloka
(23)
(24)
A c c o r d i n g t o Hass,
the D.R, admits but
Vide T h e Dasarupa,
p.
V i d e Dr.
58
128 varieties.
(Notes).
s.KwDe, T r e a t m e n t of D o v e i n 8 . K .
V i d e a l s o N . N . B h a t t a c h a r y a *s
Literature",
Chap.
(9 5 )
Dr.
(26)
Mammata regards
S.K.De,
Ibid,
VII,
pp»
Litt«,
p.19.
"History of I ndian E r o t i c
47-49,
56-57.
p.52.
"Grivabhangabhiraniam
«• e t c . " a s a n
i n s t a n c e o f t h e B h a y a n a k a r a s a a n d n o t a s a n i n s t a n c e of
Ahhasa
o f B h a y a n a k a . (^Yide~ - f n - $-h
tttt t u i i m m t i