रत्नावली नाटिका (सम्राट हर्षवर्धन - शास्त्रीय नाटिका रत्न सम्पूर्ण ४ अङ्क सान्वय सटीक)

INTRODUCTION xi

and the whole plot should be divided into a number of acts
from five to ten. The subject-matter of the plot is called वस्तु
which is again divided into the two heads आधिकारिक (main) and
प्रासङ्गिक (the subsidiary)—the latter contributing to the development
of the former. The प्रासङ्गिक वृत्त is again of two kinds as पताका and
प्रकरी. पताका is an episode of considerable length ( व्यापि प्रासङ्गिकं वृत्तं
पताकेत्यभिधीयते ) and प्रकरी is also an episode of limited duration
with minor importance (प्रासङ्गिकं प्रदेशस्थं चरितं प्रकरी मता ) The develop-
ment of a dramatic plot is represented again in five stages or अवस्थाs
which are (1) प्रारम्भ (beginning), (2) यत्न (attempt), (3) प्राप्त्याशा (hope of
success), (4) नियताप्ति (hope of sure attainment through the obstacles
being averted) and (5) फलागम (attainment of the desired object);
cf.—अवस्थाः पञ्च कार्यस्य प्रारब्धस्य फलार्थिभिः । आरम्भयत्न-प्राप्त्याशा-नियताप्तिफलागमाः ॥
Connecting these five stages there are five corresponding
sandhis or junctures which carry each of these stages of the action
to its natural close. They are—opening ( मुख ), progression ( प्रतिमुख ),
development ( गर्भ ), pause ( विमर्श ) and conclussion ( निर्वहण )
corresponding to Protasis, Epitasis, Catastasis, Peripateia and
Catastrophe. Cf.—
‘यथासंख्यमवस्थाभिराभियोंगात्तु पञ्चभिः ।
पञ्चधैवेतिवृत्तस्य भागाः स्युः पञ्च सन्धयः ॥ साः दः
मुखं प्रतिमुखं गर्भो विमर्श उपसंहृतिः ।
इति पञ्चास्य भेदाः स्युः....॥ साः दः (६)
Other minute details of the elements of this plot are superfluous.
(2) Hero—The hero of a नाटक should be धीरोदात्त (magnanimous
and patient) ; but in the entire dramatic art four kinds of heroes
are generally met with. They are उदात्त (magnanimous), ललित (gay
or light-hearted) प्रशान्त (calm, not self-conceited), उद्धत (haughty or of
firm resolve). The heroines also must be possessing qualities
corresponding to those of the heroes and they are broadly divided
into three classes—viz., स्वीया परकीया and साधारणी (as Vasantasená of
Mricchakatikam). The rival heroes (प्रतिनायक) are depicted with all