नाट्यशास्त्रम् (प्रथम भाग - अभिनवभारती एवं हिन्दी टीका सहित)
Natyashastra of Bharata Muni with Hindi Commentary (Vol 1)
by भरत मुनि / आचार्य अभिनवगुप्त
Chapter 14: Zones and Local Usages (कक्षाविभाग)
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
THE ZONES AND THE LOCAL USAGES ETC.
- One should fix the Zones [of the stage] after knowing the division of the three [kinds of] playhouse, that have been mentioned before by me.
The arrangement of drums
- The producer [of a play] should arrange the drums between the two doors of the tiring room, which I have described before.
The Zonal division
- The Zonal division¹ is to be indicated by going about on the stage. [When one is in a particular] Zone [of the stage, it] will change [lit. be another] with his walking out of it.
Utility of the Zonal division
4-6. [It is] from the [convention of] the Zonal division that one is to know [whether the place in which the scene has been laid] is a house, a city, a garden, a pleasure resort, a river, a hermitage, a forest, the earth, the sea, [any part of] the Three worlds, any one of the Seven great divisions of the earth or its continents, any of the different mountains, the sky (lit. light), the [surface of the] earth or the nether world (rasātala), the places of rest, cities or palaces of the Daityas¹.
- The Zones should be fixed with reference to places such as a city, a forest, a continent or a mountain in which the scenes have been laid (lit. the event occurs).
1 (B.XIII.1, G.1). ¹ See NŚ. II. 63ff.
2 (B.XIII.2, G.2).
3 (B.XIII.3, G.3). ¹ As modern devise of the change of scenes was absent in the ancient Hindu theatre, the convention of the Zonal division indicated the locality in which different characters met.
4-6 (B.XIII.4-6, G.4-6), ¹ B. reads daityanūgālayas for daityānām ālayas.
7 (B.XIII.7, G.7).
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Indicating relative location
8. [The Zonal] division should relate to location inside, outside or in the middle and to a place far or near.
9. According to the convention of the Zonal division those who have entered [the stage] earlier, should be taken as being inside [a house], while those entering it later are to be known as remaining outside it.
10. He who enters the stage with the intention of seeing them (i. e. those entering earlier) should report himself turning to the right.
The east on the stage
11. The direction which the drums and the two doors of the tiring room face, should always be considered as the east in course of the dramatic performance.
The rule of exit
12. If any person will go out from the place (lit. there i.e. inside the house) on any business he is to make his exit by the very door he used when entering¹.
13. If after going out he is to re-enter that house he will make his exit [if necessary] by the door through which the men [who enter later] came.
14-15. If out of necessity he goes along with latter, [re-] enters the house with the latter, or by himself alone, another Zone should be prescribed for the two. This other Zone will be indicated by their [order in] walking.
Indication of rank in group walking
16. With the equals, one is to walk side by side and with one's inferiors one is to walk surrounded [by the latter], and handmaids are to be known by their walking before [the master].
8 (B.XIII.8, G.8). 9 (B.XIII.9, G.9). 10 (B.XIII.10, G.10).
11 (B.XIII.11, G.11).
12 (B.XIII.12, G.12). ¹ B. reads the couplet differently.
13 (B.XIII.13, G.13). 14-15 (B.XIII 14, G.14).
240 THE NATYASASTRA [ XIV. 17-
Indicating distance great, small and medium
17. The same place if much walked over will be taken as a distant land. And near by lands or lands of medium distance are to be indicated likewise (in the same principle)¹.
Movement of gods and demigods
18-20. According to the various needs of the plot (lit. play) gods and demigods are to move to cities, forests, seas or mountains through the sky, by an aerial car, by their occult power or by different other acts. But while in disguise in a play they (i. e gods and demigods) are to move on the ground, so that they may be visible like human beings (lit. through human causes)¹.
Movement of men in Bhāratavarṣa
21. The gods and demigods can at their will move to any of [the nine] divisions [of the Jambudvīpa], but it is prescribed that men are to move in Bhārata [varṣa] (India) alone.
Departure for a distance place
22. If a person departs on business to a distant place this is to be indicated by closing the Act [with his departing] and mentioning again this fact in an Introductory Scene (praveśaka).
Time allowed for the events of an Act
23. To indicate the attainment of an object one is to traverse a measure of distance. But in case of failure in this matter (lit. in non-attainment of the object) the Act should be brought to an end.
24. [Incidents in a play occurring for] a Kṣaṇa, a Mūhurta, a Yāma and a day are to be accommodated in an Act in pursuance of the Germ (bīja) [of the play].
25. But a month or a year is [to be considered] finished with the end of an Act; and events occurring more than one year after, should not be put in an Act.
16 (B.XIII.16. G.16).
17 (B.XIII.17, G.17). ¹ For an example of this see Uttara I.
18-20 (B.XIII.18-20, G.18-20). ¹ B.G. add one couplet after this.
21 (B.XIII.21, G.22). 22 (B.XIII.23, G.23). 23 (B.XIII.24, G.24).
24 (B.XIII.25, G.25). 25 (B.XIII.26, G.26).
242 THE NATYASASTRA [ XIV. 37-
[Now comes the question] : Why is [it called] pravṛtti (report) [of the Local Usages] ? [In answer to this] it is said that pravṛtti is so called because it informs [one] about the Local Usages regarding costumes, languages, manners and professions in different countries of the world. Vṛtti and pravṛtti mean 'information', There are many countries in this world. Hence it is asked, "How a fourfold division of these (i.e. the four pravṛttis) [can be] proper ? And an observance of all these pravṛttis possess [some] common characteristics." [In reply] it has been said, "It is true that their observance has [some] common characteristics ; but as people have different native countries, costumes, languages and manners, I have prescribed a fourfold classification of the dramatic performance which is attached to four different Styles according to the preference of [different] people. [Hence] countries are connected with the performance which relate to the Styles such as the Verbal (bhāratī) the Grand (sāttvatī), the Graceful (kaiśikī) and the Violent (ārabhaṭī). And from these [countries] arise the four pravṛttis (Local Usages) and also the [entire] performance including them.
The Dākṣiṇātyā Local Usage
Now [it is said] in that connexion (lit. there) that the Southern [countries] favour various kind of dances, songs and instrumental music, an abundance of the Graceful (kaiśikī) Style and clever and graceful gestures. They are as follows :
37 Countries adjacent to mountains named the Mahendra, the Malaya, the Sahya, the Mekala and the Kālapañjara¹, are known as the Dākṣiṇāpatha (Deccan).
38-39 [But] Kosala, Tosala, Kaliṅga¹, Yavana, Khasa, and countries like Dramiḍa, Andhra, Mahārāṣṭra², Vaiṇṇa and Vana-
37 (B.XIII.39, G.39). ¹ Kālapa jara seems to be same as modern Kāliñjara (=Kālapi jara) ; piñjara is a variant of pañjara; see Paia-saddamahannavo, sub voce.
38-39 (B.XIII.40-41, G.40-41). * See note 1 to 43-45.
• ² Andhra-Mahārāṣṭra may also be taken as the name of the great Andhra empire (mahā-rāṣṭra).
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vāsika which lie between the Southern Ocean and the Vindhya [mountain] are always to take to the Dākṣiṇātyā Local Usages³.
The Āvantī Local Usage
40-41. Avantī, Vidiśā, Saurāṣṭra, Mālava, Sindhu, Sauvīra, Arvudeya¹ Daśārṇa, Tripura, and Mṛttikāvat always take to the Āvantī Local Usage².
- The performance [of a play] by [people of] these [countries] should depend on the Grand (sāttvatī) and the Graceful [kaiśikī] Styles and [such a procedure] should be adopted by the producers.
The Oḍhra-Māgadhī Local Usage
43-45. Eastern¹ [countries such as] Aṅga, Vaṅga, Kaliṅga², Vatsa, Oḍhra (Oḍra), Magadha, Puṇḍra, Nepāla, Aṃtargira, Bahirgira, Plavaṃgama, Malada³, Mallavartaka,⁴ Brahmottara,⁵ Bhārgava,⁶ Mārgava,⁷ Prāgjyotiṣa, Pulinda, Videha and Tāmralipta, adopt the Local Usage known as the Oḍhra-Māgadhī.
- In relation to other countries too known in the Purāṇas as belonging to the East the Oḍhra-Māgadhī Local Usage is applied.
³ Geographical names mentioned in this passage and the passages that follow, are mostly to be met with in the Purāṇas (sometimes with variant readings). For a discussion on the same see Dines Chandra Sircar, ‘Text of the Puranic Lists of Peoples’ (IHQ. Vol. XXI. 1945 pp. 297-314).
40-41 (B.XIII.42-43, G.42-43). ¹ Arvuda or modern Ābu in Rajputana is probably meant by this name.
42 (B.XIII.44, G.44).
43-45 (B.XIII.45-47, G.45-47). ¹ B. prāṅgā pravṛttayaḥ.
² The twofold mention of Kaliṅga requires an explanation. It is possible that the two different Usages were current in this region.
³ Maladā be may modern Maldah District of Bengal.
⁴ Mallavartaka may be modern Mallabhum (Bankura in Bengal).
⁵ For Brahmottara see Viśvabhāratī Patrikā, Vol. IV. pp. 250ff.
⁶ Bhārgava remains unidentified.
⁷ Mārgava remains unidentified.
46 (B.XIII.48, G.48).
244 THE NATYASASTRA [ XIV. 47-
The Pāñcāla-Madhyamā Local Usage
47-48. Countries such as Pañcāla, Śūrasena, Kāśmīra, Hastināpura, Vālhika, Śākala¹, Madra and Uśīnara which are contiguous either to the Himalayas or to the Northern bank of the Ganges, take to the Pāñcāla-madhyamā Local Usage.
- In this Usage the Grand (sāttvatī) and the Violent (ārabhaṭī) Styles are known [to predominate]. The application of these [means] paucity of song and excessive movement and extraordinary Gaits and steps.
The twofold entrance in observing Local Usages
-
Going about on the stage in [observing] Local Usages, will be in two ways, viz. by entering from the right and by entering from the left.
-
In the Āvantī and the Dākṣiṇātyā Local Usage the going about [on the stage] will be from the right, and in the Pāñcālī and the Oḍhra-Māgadhī it will be from the left.
-
In case of the Āvantī and the Dākṣiṇātyā Local Usages the door to be used in entering should be the Northern one, while in case of the Pāñcālī and Oḍhra-Māgadhī Local Usages the Southern door should be used.
-
But in view of the special assembly, place, occasion and expression of meaning these rules may be combined (lit. be made into one).
-
Experts should apply to plays the Local Usages which have been prescribed before for different countries.
-
In musical plays (gānakādi) these rules should be simplified. One should produce them (lit. practice those acts) in disregard of the multiplicity of Local Usages.
47-48 (B.XIII.49-50, G.50-51). ¹ The reading Śalyaka of some mss. may be a variant of Śālvaka. As in the Purāṇas an expression like śālvāḥ śākalavāsinaḥ is met with. Śālvas or Śālvakas might have been the name of a tribe residing in the ancient Śākala region.
49 (B.XIII.51, G.49). 50 (B.XIII.52, G.52).
51 (B.XIII.53, G.53). 52 (B.XIII.54, G.54).
53 (B.XIII.55, G.55). 54 (B XIII.56, G.56). 55 (B.XIII.57, G.58).
.XIV. 63] THE ZONES & THE LOCAL USAGES 245
The two general types of plays
56. The production of a play in conformity with the rules of dramatic practice is of two types : delicate (sukumāra) and violent (āviddha).
The violent types
57-58. The play which requires violent (āviddha) gestures and movements (aṅgahāra) to represent, cutting, piercing and challenging, and contains the use of magic and occult powers as well as artificial objects and make-up, and has more men and less women [among its dramatis personae] and applies [in its production] mostly the Grand and the Violent Styles, is of the violent type.
59. According to the [expert] producers, [plays of] the Ḍima. the Samavakāra, the Vyāyoga and the Īhāmṛga [classes] are known to be of the violent type.
60. Production of plays of this type should be made by [an impersonation of] gods, Dānavas and Rakṣasas who are majestic and haughty, and have heroism, energy and strength.
The delicate type
61. The Nāṭaka, the Prakaraṇa, Vīthi and the Aṅka are plays of the delicate type, and they depend [for their production] [on an impersonation of] human beings only.
The two Practices
62. I shall now define (lit. relate the characteristes of) the two Practices (dharmī) which have been mentioned before.
The realistic Practice
63-64. If a play depends on natural behaviour [in its characters] and is simple and not articial, and has in its [plot]
56 (B.XIII.59 ; G.59)
57 (B.XIII.60-61, G.60-61).
59 (B.XIII.62, G.62).
60 (B.XIII 63, G.63).
61 (B.XIII.64, G.64). $^1$ B. adds five additional couplets after this.
62 (B.XIII.70, G.65). $^1$ For a discussion on Dharmīs see V. Raghavan, Nāṭya Dharmī and Loka Dharmī (Idealism and Realism of Bharata's Stage), Journal of Oriental Researches. Madras, Vol. VII. pp. 359-375.
63-64 (B.XIII.71-72, G.66-67). $^1$ See note 1 to IX. 1-3.
246 THE NATYASASTRA [ XIV. 65-
professions and activities of the people and has [simple acting and] no playful flourish of limbs and depends on men and women of different types, it is called realistic (lokadharmī)$^1$.
The conventional Practice
65-66. If a play contains speech, activity, beings and states of the extraordinary kind, and requires acting with playful flourish of limbs and possesses characteristics of dance, and requires conventional enunciation, and is dependent on emotionally carried persons (lit.) characters it is to be known as conventional (nāṭyadharmī)$^1$.
-
If anything used by (lit. among) people, appears (lit. set foot)$^1$ in a play (lit here) as endowed with a corporal from and speech$^2$ the practice is [also] called conventional (nāṭyadharmī)$^3$.
-
[The practice in a play according to which persons are supposed] not to hear words uttered in proximity, or to hear what has not been uttered at all, is [also] called conventional.
-
If objects like a hill, conveyance, aerial car, shield, armour, weapon or banner-staff are made to appear on the stage (lit. are used) in [human] form, it is known as an [instance of] the conventional Practice.
-
If after appearing in a role, one assumes a different role [in the same play], on account of his being an expert in both the cases or being the sole actor available for both the roles, it is known to be an instance of the conventional Practice.
-
If after a person has been employed (lit. being) in the role of a woman for whom marital connexion with a particular character is forbidden by the Śāstras, is made to appear in the
65-67 (B.XIII.75, G.70). $^1$ padam; G. reads bhadram.
$^2$ mūrtimat sābhibhāṣam (B. mūrtimat sābhilāṣam).
$^3$ An instance of this is the personification of the Bhramaśāpa in Māyāpuṣpaka (Ag.).
68 (B.XIII.76, G.71). $^1$ For āsannoktam, G. reads atroktam caiva.
69 (B.XIII.77, G.72). $^1$ G. omits two couplets (70 and 71) after this.
70 (B.XIII.78)
71 (B.XIII.79).