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vyapya sthitam rodasi in the opening of Vikramorvasi. Stha is joined with an indecl. part. to express continuity of action. Visvam=prapanćam, 'the whole visible universe,' K. Sarva-bhūta-prakritiḥ, so reads Kāṭavema, followed by my own MS., and supported by Manu ix. 37, Iyam bhūmir bhūtānām sāśvatī yonir ucyate, 'this earth is called the primeval womb [yoniḥ kāraṇam, Kul.] of all created things.' The other MSS. have sarva-vija-prakṛitiḥ. Prakritiḥ=upādāna-kāraṇam, K.; = utpattisthānam, C.;=nidānam, S. Prapannaḥ=upetaḥ, K. The Bengali MSS. have prasannaḥ. The worshippers of Siva, who were Pantheists in the sense of believing that Siva was himself all that exists as well as the cause of all that is, held that there were eight different manifestations of their god, called Rudras (viz. Rudra, Bhava, Sarva, Īśāna, Paśu-pati, Bhima, Ugra, Maha-deva), and that these had their types or representatives in the eight visible forms enumerated here. So the Vishnu-purāņa (Wilson, p. 58, large ed.), 'Brahma assigned to them their respective stations: water, the sun, earth, fire, air, ether, the officiating Brahman [dikshito brāhmaṇaḥ], and the moon; these are termed their visible forms [tanavaḥ].' In the opening of Mālavik. mention is made of Siva upholding the universe by means of these forms, ashṭābhis tanubhir bibhrataḥ kritsnam jagad api. See also Kumāra-s. iv. 76. Sankara, with farfetched subtilty, points out how each of these types of Siva is intended by the poet to correspond with circumstances in the life of Sakuntalā. Thus, ya srishtiḥ, &c., is compared with the sentiment in verse 43; and ye dve, &c., with the two female friends.

1 'At the end of the Nandi, the Sūtra-dhāra (speaks).' In the Hindū drama every piece commences with a prologue, which is preceded by the Nandi or opening benediction, invoking the favour of some deity. It is called Nandi because it rejoices the hearts of the gods; nandanty asyām surā yasmāt tena nāndī prakīrtitā, S. The Sahitya-darpana (p. 135) says, 'What is recited in praise of a deity, a Brāhman, a king, or the like, combined with a benediction, is called Nandi.' It is said to be employed vighnopaśāntaye, 'for the removal of obstacles.' The Sūtra-dhāra was the principal manager who regulated the thread or rules of the drama;

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& आर्य । इयमस्मि । चाज्ञापयत्वार्यः । को नियोगोऽनुष्ठीयतामिति ।

yena nartaniya-kathā-sūtram prathamam subyate, S. He is otherwise, especially when not a Brāhman, called the Sthapaka, 'he who fixes or establishes the action of the play;' kāvyārtha-sthāpanāt, Ć. Sthāpakaḥ sūtradhāra-sadṛiśa-guṇākāraḥ, 'the Sthāpaka has qualities and an appearance like those of the Sūtra-dhāra,' Sāhit.-d. p. 137, 1. 6. Sutra dhāra-padena atra sthāpako 'bhimataḥ sutradhara-samānākāratvāt, S. Bharata says, Sūtradhāraḥ paṭhen nāndim madhyamam [prathamam, Ć.] svaram āśritaḥ, 'the Sūtra-dhāra should recite the Nandi, employing a tone neither high nor low.' He was generally a Brahman, and therefore qualified to recite the Nandi in his own person. He did so, however, as a Brāhman, and not in his character of manager, which he did not assume till he had concluded the Nandi. Nandy-ante sutradhāraḥ is therefore equivalent to 'at the end of the Nandi, or after reciting the Nāndī, the Sūtra-dhāra continues speaking.' So Candra-sekhara, Nāndī, etad-ante sūtradhāro vadati, nāndīm paṭhitvā anyad vadati ity arthaḥ. Hence the word pravisya, 'entering,' is not required; the reciter of the Nandi remaining on the stage in the character of manager. [Iti nayena nāndy-ante sūtradhāra-praveśo 'pāstaḥ, C.] If the manager happened not to be a Brāhman, he seems to have had no right to the title Sūtradhāra, nor could he recite the Nandī, but in that case some Brāhman pronounced the blessing, and the manager was called Sthapaka. Such, at least, seems to be the meaning of Bharata's aphorism [ran-ga-pūjām vidhāya ādau sūtradhāre vinirgate sthāpakaḥ praviśet paśćāt sūtradhāragunakṛitiḥ], though all the extant plays make the Sūtra-dhāra first recite the benediction, and then carry on the dialogue. The Sahit.-d., p. 137, has the following: Idānīm pūrva-rangasya samyak-prayogābhāvād eka eva sūtradhāraḥ sarvam proyojayati iti vyavahāraḥ sa sthāpakaḥ, ‘in these days, from the want of a complete performance of the Pūrva-ran-ga, the custom is that the Sūtra-dhāra alone does all, and he is the Sthāpaka.' The blessing is usually followed by some mention of the author of the piece, an appeal to the favour of the audience, and a short dialogue between the manager and an attendant actor (pāripārśvika). In the present play, an actress sings a song for the amusement of the audience. 2 Looking towards the tiring-room,' which was behind the stage,

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सूत्रधारः ।

आर्ये । अभिरूपभूयिष्ठा परिषदियम् । अद्य खलु कालिदासग्रथितवस्तुना नवेनाभिज्ञानशकुन्तलाख्येन नाटकेनोपस्थातव्यमस्माभिः । तत्प्रतिपात्रमाधीयतां यत्नः ।

to each othe

'looking behind the scenes.' Nepathyam=vyatiriktam yavanikāntaritam varṇikā-grahaṇādi-yogyam naṭa-varga-sthānam, K.;=bhūshaṇa-sthānam rangād vahiḥ-stham, Ć., S. In a Hindū theatre, a curtain [apațī, pața, yavanika] suspended across the stage, answered the purposes of scenes. Behind it there was the space called nepathya, where the decorations were kept, and where the actors attired themselves and remained in readiness before entering the stage; whither also they withdrew on leaving it. When an actor was to come on hurriedly, the stage-direction is paṭākshepena or apati-kshepena, 'with a hurried toss of the curtain.' When he was to say something whilst hidden from the audience in this space behind the curtain, the direction is nepathye, '(a voice) in the postscenium.' As to nepathya-vidhānam in the next line [=prasādhana-kriyā, S.], it may be translated, 'the act of decoration,' 'making the toilet,' or perhaps, 'the arrangements of the tiring-room.' Nepathye yad vidhiyate tan nepathyavidhānam. Kāṭavema has naipathya. Nepathyam vidhā=nepathyam rać or nepathyam kri. Compare Ratnāvalī, p. 2, l. 16.

1 For the most part (composed of) learned [educated] men.' The audience consisted chiefly of good judges [abhirūpa = vidvas, pandita, K., Ć.] So rāshṭram śūdra-bhūyishṭham, Manu viii. 22.

2 With the new drama called "Token-Sakuntala," or "Ring-(recognized) Sakuntalā.” Abhijiāna-śakuntalā is an anomalous compound (Gram. 775); not one in which the terms are inverted, but one in which there is uttara-pada-lopa or madhyama-pada-lopa, elision of the second member.' On the authority of Candra-sekhara, the second member to be supplied is smṛitā, 'recognized ;' and abhijñāna is 'the token of recognition—the ring.' The compound will thus be equivalent to abhijñānasmṛitā Śakuntalā, 'Sakuntalā recognized by the token.' So śāka-pārthiva, 'the king of the era,' is equivalent to śāka-priya-pārthiva, 'the king beloved by the era.'

3

'Therefore let care be applied by each to his own part [or character],' 'let pains be taken by all in their several parts.' Pratipātram=pātre pātre, K. Tat=tasmāt, K. So sveshu sthāneshv avahitair bhavitavyam, Vikram., Act I.

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आर्ये । कथयामि ते भूतार्थम् ।

आ परितोषाविदुषां न साधु मन्ये प्रयोगविज्ञानम् । बलवदपि शिक्षितानामात्मन्यप्रत्ययं चेतः ॥ २॥

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1 ‘By reason of your honour's good assignment of the parts of the play (to the several actors), nothing will be wanting ;' i. e. ' by reason of your skill in casting the characters, nothing is likely to go amiss in the acting;' or, ‘by reason of ( our) good acting, nothing will be wanting to your honour;' or, ‘by reason of your honour's (skill in the) management of the play,' &c. Such are the various interpretations of Kātavema, Candraśekhara, and Sankara : the first seems preferable. So yaḥ prayogo bhavatisha nibaddhah, Vikram, Act II. [prayogam nibandh = prayogama virać].

2 Bhūtārtham=satyam, S.;=satyārtham, K., ' the real truth,’ ‘the true state of the case. '

3 I do not consider skill-in-the-representation-of-plays to be good [perfect] until (it cause) the satisfaction of the learned (audience); the mind of those even who are very well instructed has no confidence in itself,' Balavad=sushthu, C. A- pratyaya, 'distrustful of,' (with loc.)

Verse 2. ARYA or GĀTHÃ, in which there are thirty Mātrās or measures (a short syllable containing one, and a long, two) in the first half-verse, and twenty-seven in the second. Each foot must contain four measures, except the sixth of the second half-verse, which contains one; and the half-verse must be divided by a pause at the end of the third foot.

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नन्विममेव तावदचिरप्रवृत्तमुपभोगक्षमं ग्रीष्मसमयमधिकृत्य गीयताम् । सम्प्रति हि

सुभगसलिलावगाहाः पाटलसंसर्गसुरभिवनवाताः । प्रच्छायसुलभनिद्रा दिवसाः परिणामरमणीयाः ॥ ३ ॥

b

तह । ॥ इति गायति ॥

नदी ।

* अथ कतमं पुनर्ऋतुमधिकृत्य गास्यामि ।

b तथा ।

1 Sruti-prasādana-tah=sravanendriya tarpanāt, K. Some MSS. insert sangītāt karaniyam.

± Lit. ‘having placed over,' 'having made the prominent subject.' Hence, adhikritya=krite, 'about,' 'concerning,' 'with reference to,' Pāṇ. iv. 3, 87. So, in the next sentence : ' Assuredly let a song be sung concerning this very summer season, (so) suited to enjoyment [upabhogakshama], that has not long set in.' As to nanu, see Pān. viii. I, 43.

3 ‘ For now (are) the days on-which-there-are-grateful-bathings-in-thewater (and) on-which-silvan-breezes-are-fragrant-from-contact-with-thetrumpet-flower: (now are the days) on-which-sleep-is-easily-induced-invery-shady-spots (and) which-are-delightful-at-their-close.' Praććhāya° =prakrishṭa-échāyā yatra tat sthānam pracchāyam tasmin sulabhā nidrā yeshu te tathoktāk, K.; see p. 37, note 1 of this book. A short vowel is the substitute for the long final of a fem. noun, when compounded with such prepositions as pra, ati, &c.; thus pragrīva from grīvā; atimāla from mālā; see Laghu-k. 1003. Pariņāma = virāma = sāyan.kāla, 'the evening,' K.

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