प्रियदर्शिका नाटिका (सम्राट हर्षवर्धन - चतुरङ्क शास्त्रीय नाटिका सान्वय सटीक)

XXXI
दिष्ट्यापि वर्धयन्ते (p 38), or advises the King saying मासोपवासं
कृत्वा &c. (p. 48). As regards the denouement and the general
setting the play opens with the usual नान्दी. The प्रस्तावना is
not in its usual style but rather on the model of Bhāsa, as
no other character than the Sūtradhāra is introduced in it.
In it the Sūtra. informs the audience of the name of the
author, the title of the play and the occasion of its perform_
ance. Then there is a Viskambhaka in which the chamberlain
of Dṛḍhavarman, King of the Aṅga country, briefly narrates
the part of the story, a knowledge of which is necessary for
the understanding of the events related in the play. The
Bīja or seed is also cast when the Kañch. says—येन सापि राजकुमारी
पद्मा कथमप्युत्सङ्गाद्योपनीय &c. (see p. 4). The Mukhasandhi
begins where the King commits Āraṇyikā to the care of
Vāsavadattā and terminates with the close of the 2nd Act. The
Bīja germinates and sprouts up when the King sees Āraṇyikā
(p. 18) and afterwards clasps her at the neck (p. 20). The प्रति-
मुखसन्धि begins with the 3rd Act (see com.) wherein we have
the गर्भसन्धि also. In the प्रति० there is यत्न for the attainment of
the Phala or the final object; but to have it further postponed
the poet has used the device of a गर्भनाटक,* which brings to
light the King's intrigue and thus hinders the progress of love.
In the fourth Act which is introduced by a Praveśaka, we
have the अवमर्श and the निर्वहण Sandhis fused together,
wherein the final object is attained; and the play closes with
the usual Bharatavākya.
(6) CRITICAL REMARKS ON HARSHA'S THREE PLAYS.
Of the three plays of Harsha, the Ratnāvalī and the
Priyadarśikā have the same subject-matter, i. e., the love
intrigue of King Vatsa. Four characters are common to both
of these plays, namely, King Vatsa, Queen Vāsavadattā, her
attendant Kāñchanamālā and the Viduṣhaka Vasantaka
Rumaṇvat, the usual general of the King's army is mentioned
*गर्भनाटक also called गर्भाङ्क (An act containing a play in it) is
defined as—अङ्कोदरप्रविष्टो यो रङ्गद्दार समाहितम् । अङ्गोऽपरः स गर्भाङ्कः सबीज-
फलवान्निः Sah. D. VI. 20 'A Secondary Act, incorporated into a
principal Act and having the characteristics of a play in brief, such
as its preliminaries, introduction, its Bīja and its final end, is
called गर्भाङ्क. This device has been used by Bhavabhūti in his
Uttār., Act VII and by Rājaśekhara in his Bālarāmāyaṇa.