महावीरचरितम् (महाकवि भवभूति - वीररस-प्रधान रामकथा नाटक सम्पूर्ण ७ अङ्क सटीक)

Introduction [lxxii
in the play; but her own scheming contributes far less to the ultimate
result than does mere chance. In this connexion the Kapālakuṇḍalā
episode is what is most frequently criticized. It gives the poet the chance
to describe the cemetery-scenes, or to indulge (acts ix and x) in a pathetic
outpouring of song, but it serves no other purpose.
Some go so far as to suppose that this entire episode is a later addition
by the poet, prompted by a desire to emulate Kālidāsa (see § 7 above): it
did not belong to the poet's original conception of the plot. It would seem
that a good case could be made in favour of this theory, especially if we
take into account the number of lines and stanzas and parts of stanzas
that we find common¹ to this play and to the Uttara-Rāma-charita, after the
completion of which latter play Bhavabhūti is believed to have reverted to
the former play and enlarged it.
Now although it be true (see appendixes 6 and 8) that Bhavabhūti did
revise his own plays, I