Prastavana (Sanskrit Introduction of the Abhijnana Shakuntalam)

abhijnanasakuntalam ya srstih srasta, radya vahati vidhihutam ya havirya ca hotri ye he kalam vidhattah srutivisayaguna ya sthita vyapya visvam | yamahuh sarva vijaprakrtiriti yaya praninah pranavantah pratyacabhih prapannastanubhiravatu vastabhirastabhirosah || 1 || May Isa (Siva) protect you-Isa known by (Or-protect you with) those eight perceptible forms-the form that is the first creation of the Creator-the from that carries the duly offered Ghee-the from that performs sacrifice-the two forms that regulate time - the form that pervades the universe and has the object of the sense of hearing for its characteristice, the form that is called the source of all germs the form by which the living are endowed with life. yeti || anvayah | -ya srstah adya srstih, ya vidhihuta havirvahati, ya ca hovi, ye he kala vidhattah, srutivisayaguna ya visva vyapya sthita, yam sarvabijaprakrtiriti ahah, yaya praninah pranavantah, tabhih pratyaksabhih astabhih tanubhih prapanna isah vah avatu || vyakhaya -'ya ' jalarupa murtti ': 'srastuh ' jagatkatta ': 'adya srstih ' prathama krtih [ "apa eva sasarjadau " iti manuh ] | 'ya ' agnirupa mutti ': 'vidhina ' yathasastra ' 'huta ' datta m havih ' ghrta m 'bahati ' yathapava ' prapayati [ "agnimukha vai devah " ityarthah ] | 'ya ca hoti ' yajamanarupa murttih | 'ye dda ' candrasurya ' rupe murti 'kalam ' ahoravatmakam 'vidhattah ' janayatah | 'srateh ' sravanendriyasya 'visayah ' jneyah arthah sabdah, sa 'gunane ' yasyah

62 abhijnanasakuntalam tadrsi sabdaguna 'ya ' akasarupa murtti ': 'visva ' brahmanda ' 'vyapya sthita ' anupravisya bartta te | 'ya ' prthivirupam murtti sarva bijanam sarvasasyanam 'prakrtih ' mulakaranam ' iti cahah ' kathayanti pandita iti sesah [ "bra vah pancanamaditah aho bruvah " iti varttamane usa ahadesasca ] | 'yaya vayurupaya sutta 'praninah ' pranabhrtah 'pranavantah ' pranasamanvitah ( " vayurayuh " iti ) | 'tabhih ' 'pratyacabhih ' indriyagrahyamih 'astabhih tanubhih ' murttibhih 'prapannah ' praptah, labdhah, astiti jnatah 'isah ' sivah [ "bhutarkacandra aarat asst prakirttita " ityastamuttih sivah ] 'va: ' yusman rangagatan sabhyan 'avatu ' raksatu | - ityasauh sutradharena pathita | anumiyate ca esamadhisthata kascidasti iti | ete tu kaladayah sacadupalabhyanta | sa hi visvatma paramakarunikah sivah yusman raksatu iti tatparyyam || [ "prapanna " (ra-, vi, ma, ) - "prasanna " (ta-, nya- )] || NOTES 1. abhijnanasakuntalam - For derivation see Preface, also see note on abhijnanasakuntalanamadha yena ( Infra) . 2. (a) ya srstih etc. - My attention was drawn to the following explanation of ya srstih srasturadya in the nando | The explanation proposes to take adya as purvavarttino antecedent. The statement then means-that creation which preceded even the Creator. This is faulty, beoause- (i) ado bhava iti adi + yata = adya means (first). (ii) It is not in common use in the sense purvavati 'nau (antecedent ). Again with the proposed meaning of the idea evidently lacks precision, for no reason is forthcoming why this should mean water exclusively and not fire, ether, or air. But the anomaly is easily avoided if we mean by as 'antecedent to the universe, the creation of brahma (the Creator )', Thus Kulluka in Manu I, says "adau svakayya- bhutabrahandasrste : praka " | (b) ye i kala vidhittah -- Refers to the sun. and the moon. These two by their revolution serve to measure

wi hu prastavana - | 63 . time ( kala ) | The day, month, year are all reckoned in India by both methods - Solar and lunar (c) vahati etc. - vidhanamiti vi +dha + ki bhave vidhih injunction sastranusasanam || hayate iti hu + isa (aunadika ) karma ni havih offering, not necessarily Ghee, anything thrown into the fire for some specific deity is havisa | (d) ya ca hovaum - juhoti iti ha + taca karttari + nipa striyam = hotau | Or - hotu | - saulamasyah iti ha + trn karttari striyam hotri | (0) srativisayaguna &c. Refers to akasa | Ether which propagates sound is a gof akasa | tatpurusogarbho vadavihih (See vyakhapra ) | visinoti vadha nati indriyamarthena yunakti iti bi si + aca karttari visayah object of sense perception indriyarthah | " parinivibhyah sevasitasya sivu - " iti sayagrahanat satvam | (g) sabavoja - prakrtih - This has become ukta owing to its connection with iti | Hence uktartha tvat, i. e. abhihitatvat prathama | karmadha - and tat- (see vyakha ) | (h) yaya - Refers to vayu Air. vayu is called jagataprana | Hence naturally vayuna jivah pranavantah | This gives trtiya karane | If we suppose that prana exists because of trayu . then yatha takes hetau trtiya | (i) pratyacabhih - Here aksi means indriya sense. " savamindriyam vrttivisaye aksi- sabdo vakti " iti kaiyatah | pratimukhatvamanam ityavyayibhave " pratipara (?) samanubhyo'ksanah ' hatitaca samasantah | pratyaksam indriyabhimukhatvam accessibility with respect to the sense, tat astasam iti pratyaksa + aca matvathe striyam = pratyaksah accessible to the sense. Or, pratigata aksani indriyani pratyaksah praditat- tabhih| (1) prapannah pra + pad + kta karma ni = prapannah known, ie, inferred to exist. The existence of Isa is inferred from his eight forms (astabhih tanubhih ) which are directly perceived ( pratyacabhih ) | The anumana is sound, because based upon pratyaksa | pra + pada is praptartha because it is gatyartha | Instance of its gavyathata are numerous. Thus 'tamjanmane sailavadhu ' prapade " "tam prapedire praktanajanmavidyah " "prapedire cirena nabhi prathamodavindavah " etc. Others take prapanna in the sense yuktah | Others again read prasanna and explain prasanna isah pratyaksabhirastabhistanubhih ba: avatu -Let Siva be pleased and protect you with His eight Perceptible forms. But in this case, as well as when c is explained as ga:, it is difficult to see what purpose is served

64 abhijnanasakuntalam by the epithet pratyaksabhih | The sense does not suffer if pratyacabhih is omitted altogether. In our interpretation the reference to pratyaksa is indispensable, serving as the basis of the anumana about the existence of Siva. (k) isah- ista iti isa aisvayom + ke kattari the Lord. A name of Siva. The epithet is a happy one coming after enumeration of the eight forms which amply testify to His aisvayya || ava ( raksane ) + lota tu = avatu may protect. 3. Metre-The metre is mugdhara defined as "maramnairyanam vayena vimuniyatiyutamagdhara kauttiteyam " - It is sugdhara if the triads ma, ra, bha, na, ya, ya, ya follow in order, with pause after every seventh syllable. 4. Remark-At the time of Kalidasa, Buddhism was on the decline and Brahmanism, once more in the ascendant. But baneful effects of the preaching of so-called godlessness had not yet disappeard. Hence the poet deems it fit here to combat the prevailing scepticism (See Introduction). ( nandante ) sutradharah ( nepathyabhimukhamavalokya ) sraye, yadi nepathyavidhanamavasitam, itastavadagamatratam | (After the Nandi) Manager (Looking towards the dressing room) - Gentle Lady, if your dressing (lit. - making of your toilet ) is over, do thou come over here. ( pravisya ) nati - ajjautta, i [srayamtraputra, iyamasmi ] | ( Entering) Lady Manager - My noble Lord, here I am. | ada sutradharah - srarye, abhirupabhuyistha parisadiyam | khalu kalidasagrathitavastuna abhijnanasakuntalanamadheyena navena natakenopasthatavyamasmabhih | tatpratipatramadhiyatam yatnah | | Manager-Gentle Lady, this assembly is mainly of learned men. We have today to attend with a new drama too,

prastavana 65 . Abhijnana Sakuntala by name, the matter of which has been composed by Kalidasa. So let special care be taken with all the Dramatis Personae. nandante iti | 'nandayah ' purvi kayah slokarupayah asisah [ " nandi asirvacana- samyukta " iti bharatah ] 'anta ' avasane, svayameva nandisloka pathitva ityarthah muva kathasutra ' dharayatiti 'sutradharah ' natanam neta rangadevatayah pujakah [ " sutradharah pathe- nandom " iti bharatah ] | 'nepathyasya ' vesaraca nasthanasya 'abhimukham avalokya ' kathayati - 'aya ' he satpatti, 'yadi nepayasya ' vesaracanaya 'vidhana ' karyam ' avasita ' samaptam, tada itastavat ' asmin rangamanca ' 'agamyatam ' | 66 pravisyeti | 'nati ' sutradharakhasya natasya pavi 'pravisya ' nepathyat rangamanca agatya aha - "arya puva " bhoh khamin 'iyam ' aham agata 'asmi | [ atah parama-- "ajnapayatu aya ko niyogah anusthiyatam iti " ( ta, nya- ma- ) ] || , aya ' iti ! 'aya ' iyam parisat ' esa purah drsyamana sabha 'abhirupaih panditaih 'bhuyistha ' vahala 'abhirupabhuyistha ' panditabahula | vahavah pandita ava samagatah | 'anya khalu ' nunam 'asmabhih kalidasena tadakhana prasiddha na kavina 'grathita ' nivada ' 'vastu ' kathasvarupa ' yasya tathavidhena 'abhijnanasakuntalam iti namadheya " nama yasya tena 'nabena ' anabhinita purvena natakena drsyakavyavisesena upasthatavya ' sevitavyam | 'tata ' tasmat 'pratipava '' pavale pava iti sarvakhapi natakiyasu vyaktisu 'yanah adhiyatam " kriyatam bhavata | vicaranipuna sabha duste abhinayena tusyet | atigudhasayah kila kalidasah bhavagambhiryyat abhinetrn kadarthayet iti na citram | nutanancaitannataka nasmabhih abhinautapurvam | iti vahnani sankasthanani samapatitani | ato'ha bravimi - he apa savadhana satau natakiyan janan manca ' prapaya iti tatparyam || NOTES 1. (a) nandanta &c. - nandana nandah Rejoicing. bhave ghana | nandena pavyate iti nanda + ana saisikah striyam = nandi a benediction, "devaddijanrpadinama- sirvadaparayana | nandanti devata yasmattasmannandi prakirttita || " The object of

66 abhijnanasakuntalam the is to secure a happy termination of the acting. " tathapyavasyam karttavya nandi vighnopasantaye " | The preceding sloka is the nandi here, (b) sutradharah- sutra + dhari + anu kattari | " navyasya yadanusthana ' tatsutra syat savijakam | rangadevatapujakrt sutradhara iti smrtah || " He is the first actor to enter the stage. 2. na payyabhi &c. - nepathya neans "Dreessing" also "Dressing Room", "no patha ' tu prasadhane rangabhumau vesabhede " ini haimah | Here it is "Dressing Room." 3. ayya &c. - The sutradhara here addresses his wife i. o the Person who appears in the character of his wife. "patni arye ti sambhasya " | Hence na pathavidhana may be taken to mean either the dressing, necessary to make him appear as his wife ; or gene rally, the dressing of the different actors who are about to play their parts. Prof. Gajendragadkar accepts the first interpretation, Ragarding the second he says - 'This is not correct. For the Nati could not be expected to look to these matters as she did not know what she was wanted for by her husband and hence could not have received any previous instructions.' It seems more natural to suppose that the actors are all together in the tiring room and each of them know what part every one else has to play. Prof G. makes the Nati say ajnapayatu ayah ki niyogo'nusthiyatamiti | We omit it. In saying this the Nati is merely playing a part and this is no bar to her watching the dressing of the actors. ava + so antagamane + ta karttari avasitam | 2 | 4. aryaputra - arthate gamyate sevyatvena asriyate iti r + nyat karma ni = aryah one of noble character. Here she refers to her 'father in-law' by it. aya: i. e. the husband. tasya 5. (a) abhirupa &c. - abhilaksya darsaniya rupramesamiti abhirupah panditah "pradibhyo dhatujasya - " iti bahuvrihih | " abhirupo budhe rameा " - iti medini | atisayena | vahi prati vaha + istan striyam = bhuyista | Next mupasapa | (b) parita . akham saudanti iti pari + sada + kvipa adhikarane = parisat an

prastavana assembly. (c) abhijnana &c. - abhijnayate anena iti abhi + jna + luta, karane = abhijnanam a token. Here it means the ring. Now see Preface, Page 1. nama eba namadhayam | kharthe dhoyapratyayah | Of the two derivations given in the Preface, the one with a compound | is preferable. It makes and equally prominent which is quite proper considering the prominent part the Ring (abhijnana ) plays in the drama. * (d) natakena &c. - nata avaskandane curadi + kha la kattari = natakama a drama. 'devatanam manusyanam rajnam loke mahatmanam | purvavrttanucarita ' prakhatodattanayakam | pravesaka viskambhakadibhih sandhibhiranvitam | ... nanabhavarasa rajya nataka ' surayo viduh || " (c) tat pratipatram &c - pava pava iti vipa sayam avyayi - Here the sutradhara enumerates the difficulties. First, the assembly is of experts, so cannot be duped. The poet is no other than Kalidasa himself whose writings require patient and intelligent study to master. The drama again is new, i. e it is being acted for thefirst time today. Thus the test is extremely severe and every actor requires careful looking after. We find a simila, repuest to the andience in Vikramorvasi (see Act 1 Sl. 2) + nati - suvihidapapatro adae ajjasma na kimpi parihaismadi [suvihitaprayogataya aryasya na kimapi parihasyate ] | LADY M. Owing to my noble Lord's well directed arrangements, nothing well be found wanting. sutradharah - arya, kathayami te bhutartham- a paritosadidusam na sadhu manya prayogavijnanam | valavadapi siksitanamatmanyapratyayam cetah || 2|| MANAGER - Gentle Lady, I tell you the truth. I do not deem the knowledge of acting perfect until the satisfaction of * The deriv and remark adopted by Prof. Gajendragadkar. † The remark adopted by Prof. Gajendragadkar.

68 abhijnanasakuntalam experts. The mind of the trained, though strong is without confidence in itself. niti | 'aya 'sya ' bhavatah 'suvihitah ' sadhukrtah 'prayogah ' abhinayavyavastha yena | tatta 'suvihitaprayogata '| 'taya ', abhinayakausalena [ karttari va hetau trtiya ], 'kimapi kincidapi 'na parihasyate ' parihinam bhavisyati | sarva madosa ' bhavisyati ityarthah | sutreti | aryyo te tubhya m bhuta ' yathartham 'artha ' tattva ' kathayami ' | yat tattvato me manasi varttate tat kathayami srnu -- a iti | anvayah - vidusam paritosata a, prayogavijnana sadhu na manye, siksitanam cetah valavat api atmani apratyayam || vyakha - "vidusam " panditanam paritosat ' priteh "a" yavat na pritih tavat 'prayogasya ' abhinayasya vijnana visista jnana ' 'sadhu ' nirdosa ' 'na manya ' na ganayami | 'siksitanam ' ammadidhanam nipunanam 'cetah ' citta ' 'balavat api ' hrdhamapi sat atmani ' svavisaye 'apratyayam ' sandihanam adrdha़ bhavati ityarthah | nipunah parakoya ' valavala niscitam jananto'pi sratmana anusthitesu saphalah bhavema na va iti, sadaiva sasanka iti bhavah || NOTES 1. (a) suvihita etc. - pari + ha tyage means to leave, to forsake. (b) na kimapi parihasyate nothing will be forsaken (by sucaruta ), the construction being - kimapi abhinayanga ' sucarutaya na parihasyate - sarva sucaru sampatsyate ityarthah | Hence kim in kimapi has ukta karmani prathama and parihasyate has karma ni lrta | If however suvihitaprayogataya has hetau trtiya then parihasyate has karma karttari lrta | Here Prof. Gajendra gadkar is misled by his theory that the Nati knows nothing about the arrangements. He therefore takes fafga as fafaa, a very unusual interpretation. He does not even hesitate to push his theory to the logical extreme and say "That the Sutradhara had not already assigned the parts or arranged the representation". How then could the king enter the stage t Lic

prastavana 1 Mr .. in a chariot ? Neither the Sutradhara nor the Nati had left the stage to arrange for it. (e) This confidence of the in the abilities of the renders the latter's diffidence very pleasing. + 2. aryya &c - bhuta means satya true. "bhuta satyopamanayoh " iti haimah | te has caturthi sampradane by the rule "karmana yamabhiprati - " ; or caturthi karma na by the rule 'kriyarthopapadasya ca karmani sthaninah | " 3. (a) a paritosat &c. - paritosat has pancami in connection with a | "vidah sataba muh " iti vida + sata = vidan or vidvan (b) valavat • ा is taken by others along with siksitanam as siksana kriyavisesana ; Thus, 'balavat ' atyartha siksitanamapi ' - even of those that are extremely learned. Prof. G. objects to my taking as an adjective to cetasa | He says "Its use as an adjective is not Kalidasian" How so ? Later, Kalidasa says balavan khalu abhinivesah " (Act I 1 I), again "sumbhoho me tada valavan " ( Act VII). In both these balavat is an adjective Prof. G. also thinks " balavat cetah " does not sound good Sanskrit.'' If balavan abhinivesah ; sammoho valavan, balavanindriyagnamah, balavan andhakarah (Bhasa) &c, are good Sanskrit there is no reason why should not be so, unless the implication be that the idea of a strong or weak mind or heart is foreign to Sanskrit. But Vaysa himself speaks of the weakness of heart in "tudra ' 'hrdayadaurva ' lya ' tyaktottistha parantapa " - Gita. Again the Gita has "cancala ' hi manah krsna pramathi balavaddrdham " where the commentators construe mano balavat | Prof. G. evidently confounds the indecli nable with the ordinary attributive word a which is valavat not an indeclinable. (c) Remark - This is a gentle rebuke to the self-reliant nati | The metre is aryya which is defined "yasyah pade prathame dadasamavastatha trtiye'pi | astadasa dvitiya caturtha ke pancadasa sayya " | (d) The figure of speech (alamkara ) ia arthantaranyasa | "jnayah so'rthantara- nyaso vastu prastutya kincana | tatsadhanasamartha sya nyaso yo'nyasya vastumah || " Here * The remark adopted by Prof. Gajendragadkar.

70 abhijnanasakuntalam his own diffidence is the prastutavastu ; this is justified [ sadhana ] by another vastu viz., siksitanamapratyaya cetah | nati - evva nedam ! anantarakaranijjam dava ajjo sranavedu [ evametat | anantarakaraniyam tavadarya ajnapayatu ] | LADY M-So it is. Let my noble Lord but command. what has to be done presently. sutradharah - kimanyadasyah parisadah srutiprasadanatah 1 tadima- meva tavat acirapravrttamupabhogaksama ' grismasamayamadhikrtya gauya- tam | samprati hi- subhagasa lilavagahah patalasamsargasurabhivanavatah | pracchaya sulabhanidra divasah parinamaramaniyah || 3 || MANAGER-What else besides regaling the ears of this assembly? Do then sing, touching this enjoyable summer season that has not yet long commenced. Now indeed are the days pleasant towards the close when a dip into the water is agreeable, the sylvan breeze is fragrant from contact with Patala flowers, and sleep is easily obtained in wellshaded places. | nathauli | 'etat ' bhavaduktam 'evam ' idrsameva | siksitah sasanka eva ityarthah | aryah mavan 'anantaram ' asmin eva ksane, yat 'karaniya ' karttavya ' tat srajnapayatu | pratipata yatna adheya eva iti nasti sandehah | tat bruhi prathamam kim karisya | sutreti | 'asyah ' samagatayah 'parisadah ' 'sruteh ' sravanendriyasya 'prasadanatah prinanat 'anyata ' apara ' 'kim ' anantarakaraniyamasti ? adau sabhayah karna vinodah karttavyah | 'tat ' tasmat 'acira " samprati 'pravrtta ' prarabdham 'upabhogasya ' avagaha- nadisukhasya 'ksama ' yogyam 'imam ' eta ' 'grismasamayam eva adhikrtya ' visayikrtya 'gauyatam tavat ' tvaya | 'samprati ' adhuna agate grisma 'hi '-

prastavana 71 subhageti | 'subhagah ' udarah pritipradah 'salile ' jale 'avagahah ' nimajjanam yesu tadrsah, 'patalasya ' vanapuspavisesasya 'samsarge ' sma ' samparkat 'surabhayah pranatarpana 'banavatah ' 'vanavayavi ' yesu tadrsah 'pracchayesu ' chayapradhanesu sthalesu 'sulabha ' mukhaprapya 'nidra ' yesu tadrsa divasah 'parinama ' avasana ' 'karaniyah ' pritikarah bhavanti | surabhina vatena sevyamanah chayasu nidritah iti natah parah upabhogavidhirasti | grisma eva dinavasane sambhavani | ato subhagata grismasya iti bhavah || matah sa ca NOTES 1. - anantara &c. - avidyamanam antaram avakasah kalaviprakarso yasmin karmani tat yatha tatha anantaram without delay. Qualifies karaniyam | anantara m karaniyam | supa supa | 2. srutiprasadanatah has pancamyastasa | The pancami is owing to anyat | Nothing else but treating them to a sweet song-this is the only anantarakaraniya karma | 3. (a) acira &c. - dvitiya tat - by the rule "atyantasa yoge ca | " (b) grismasya samayah the time summer. tam | It was summer at the time of acting and also when the play opens. 4. (a) subhaga &c. - - salile salilasya va avagahah salilavagahah immersion in water. sahasupeti samasa or tat | Then bahuvrihih | (b) patala &c. - vanasya vatah vanabatah | patalasya raktavarnapuspavisesasya samsargah patalasa sargah contact of the Patala ( Rose ? ) flowers. tena surabhayah patalasa sarga- surabhayah | sahasupeti samasah - the trtiya being deti | tadrsa vanavata yosu | (c) pracchaya &c. - su + labha + khal karmani striyama = sulabha easily available. prakrsta chaya yesu te pracchayah prakrstakayah | tesu sulabha pracchayasulabha | saha- supeti samasah | tadrsi nidra yesu | (d) parinasa &c. - pari + gam + ghana adhikarane = parinamah the end i. e., the afternoon. rama + nica + aniyara kurttari vahulakata = ramaniyah pleasing. Strictly speaking ramaniya should mean, " capable of being pleased" in the karma vacya | The aniyara kattari is an irregularity suggested by the rule " kutyaluाto bahulam " | pariname ramaniyah sahasupeti samasah | We cannot have parinami

72 abhijnanasakuntalam ramaniyo yesamiti vahanauhih because that should give ramaniyaparinamah | (c) Remark - The Sloka shows how the summer is upabhogacama | already explained. The Meter is nati - taha [ tatha ] ( gayati ) LADY M.-True [ Or - Very well ]. (Sings) -- isi sicumbiai amarahim suumarakesarasihai srida ' sayanti dadyamana pamadao sirosakusumai || 4 || [ isadosacca svitani bhramaraih sukumarakesara sikhani | avatamsayanti dayamanah pramadah sirisakusumani || ] Women are tenderly handling and making into eardrops sirisha flowers, the tips of whose filaments are very delicate and which have been lightly kissed by black bees. sutradharah -- ayem sadhu gitam | aho ragavaddha cittavrtti- ralikhita iva sarvato rangah | tadidanom katamat prakaranamasritya enamaradhayamah | MANAGER- Well sung, gentle Lady. Ah! the house with the function of its mind rivetted on the melody, looks like one painted all round. Now then which drama shall we take up to serve it ? natauti | 'tatha ' tadeva bhavat | grismameva asritya gayami | ita prakva 'gayati ' | igaditi | anvayah - pramadah sukumarakesarasikhani bhramarah isadosacumbitani sirisakusumani dayamanah avatamsayanti || vyakha - 'pramadah ' yuvatyah sukumara ' atikosalah 'kesaranam ' kincalkanam 'sikhah ' agrani yesam tani komalatvat * Adopted by Prof. Gajendragadkar.

prastavana 73 I 'bhramaraih isadosat ' mandamandam [ " prakare gunavacanasya " iti prakare hiruktam ] na tu nirbhara ' 'cumbitani ' potani 'sirisakusumani dayamanah sakrpah akathora sprsanta ityarthah, 'avatamsayanti ' avatamsa ' karnabhusanam kurvanti [ "tatkaroti tadacasta " iti nic ] | khabhavakomalani kusumani prak bhramarairanukampitani adhuna naribhih ityarthah | atra 'sukumarakesarasikhani sirisakusumani, ' iti sakuntala lacate | "bhramarairisacca - mbitani " iti dusyante na tastha sangamah, "dayamana - " iti aprobhih raksana m ca gamyate "isadosat " (ra-, vi . ma. ) "ksana " (ta-, nya- ) ] | sutreti | 'ayem sadhu ' atimadhura yatha tatha 'gautam ' bhavatya gana krtam [ bhave 'ktah ]| 'aho ' ascarya ' 'rangah ' navyalayah laksanya tavatyo janah 'ragena ' gitaragena 'baddha ' grhota 'cittavrttih ' yasya tathabhutah san 'sarvatah ' sarvasu dictu, yatra yatra vili - kayami tatra tatra ityarthah 'alikhita iva ' civita iva ' pratibhati | nunam abhimukhikrto ragah| 'tat ' tasmat idanim abhimukhibhute rage 'katamat prakaranamasritya ' kim khita natakamavalamba 'ena ' rangam [ anvadese bangam [ anvadese enadesah ] 'aradhayamah ' upasthasyamahe | NOTES 1. tatha - This may be taken either as an approval of the sentiment expressed by the c, or as assent to sing. In his latter capacity compare "tatha [ ratha sthapayati ]" - Infra. 2. (a) isat &c. - Expresses prakara and qualifies cumbana kriya | The duplicated form behaves like a compound word by the rule " karmadharayavaduttaresu | " Hence the synonym is mandamandam and not manda mandam | (b) sukumara etc. - kesaranam sikhah kesara sikhah tips of filaments. Then bahu-- | (c) dayamanah etc. - Taking pity. Here Prof. G. comments Ray takes sirisakusumani dayamanah which is wrong, as the root governs the genitive, according to 'adhigarthadayesam karmani '।" This is not my construction. I construe dayamanah sravatamsayasti | In the Tika - I render dayamanah as sakrpah | 6

74 abhijnanasakuntalam This is absurd if the construction is sirisakusumani dayamanah ; sirisa- kusumani sakrpah gives no sense ; dayamanah sakrpah avatasayanti is perfectly intelligible. I am sorry however being unable to agree with Prof. G. when he says that fadayaifa za is wrong. The sirisakusumani dayamanah rule "adhigartha - " 'governs the genitive only when the is taken as sesa ( sosatvena vivaksite ) | If the karmatva is recognised we must have dvitiya | Witness " brajanti tesam dayase na kasmat " with krama as sesa, and "na gaja nagaja dayita dayitah " with karma as karma| Here also if sirisakusuma were taken prominently as karma of daya the construction sirisakusumani dayamanah would be correct. The sirisa flower being very delicate they are pitied by the bees who kiss them gently; the girls too pity them while they pluck them.* (d) Note that both and describe the summer, but with this difference that while the former notices facts only the latter refers to feelings. The metre is noticed before. a variety of t be hinting at the flowers stand for 3. Remark-The poet here seems to story of the drama. The delicate f Sakuutala; the gentle kissing by the bees represents the temporary union of Dushyanta and Sakuntala; and pitying by girls symbolises the protection afforded to Sakuntala by the celestial nymphs.* 4. ragabaddha etc. - raga with karane and ramga with adhikarane ghana | cittasya vrttih cittavrttih functions of the mind. The melody had captured all the functions of the mind of the whole house. The audience heard nothing but the exquisite strain, saw nothing, felt the touch of nothing, smelt nothing, and so on, hence it looked like a painted scene. Compare "a: a fe bhirapivanto nathyo na jaga murvisayantarani | tathahi sa sendriyavattirasam sarvatmana * Adopted by Prof. Gajendragadkar.

prastavana 75 caksuriva pravista || " (b) katamat prakaranam - kim + datam = katamat | tat | prakarana and nataka are varieties of rupaka | "natakamatha prakarana ' bhanavyaprayogasamava- karadimah | ihamrgangavithyah prahasanamiti rupakani dasa || Here the two are used synonymously. natau - nam ajjamissehim padha़mam pavva anata ahina- saundala ' nama apuvva nada poe ahikaroduti [ nanu aryamisrah prathamameva ajnatam abhijnanasakuntala ' nama apurva nataka prayoge adhikriyatam iti ] | LADYM Well, even at the outset it has been ordered by your honoured self that the new drama named Abhijnana Sakuntala be put on the stage. natauti | 'nanu ' niscitamaha ' smarami 'aya ' misrah ' manyah bhavadubhih 'prathamameva ' pravistayameva mayi ra gam, abhijnanasakuntala ' nama 'apurva nutana ' nataka ' 'prayoge ' abhinaye 'adhikriyatam ' prayujyatam 'iti srajnatam adistam | NOTES 1. aryya misrah &c. - ayya is the usual form of addressing the sutradhara by nati | " vacyau natausuladhara varyanamna parasparam " | misra is a prasamsavacana word of the matallikadi class. Hence prasasya arya arya misrah the purvanipata of arya being regulated by the rule "prasa msavacanaisca " | taih | gaurave vahuvacanam i.e. the plural is intensive, the gaurava being already expressed by misra (b) prayoge - pra + yuja + ghana bhave -prayogah acting. prayoge adhikriyatam - be taken up in acting. samyaganuvodhito'smi | asmin ksane sutradharah - ayem | vismatam khalu maya | kutah ?- tavasmi gitaragena harina prasabham hrtah | esa rajeva dusantah saranga natiramhasa || 5|| (niskrantau ) iti prastavana |

76 . abhijnanasakuntalam MANAGER-Noble Lady, I am rightly reminded Indeed ; I forgot it at this moment. Do you ask 'why'? By the winning melody of thy song I have been forcibly carried away like this king Dushyanta by the speedy antelope. (Exeunt). Here ends the Prologue. sutreti | 'ayem samyaka ' sadhu 'anuvodhitah ' smaritah 'asmi ' | 'asmin ksane ' etasmin muhatte 'vismata ' khalu maya ' | 'kutah kuto vismatam iti prcchasi cet taveti | anvayah -- harina tava gitaragena atira hasa sarangana esa raja dusyanta iva, prasabha ' hatah asmi | vyakhya -harina sanoharena 'tava gotaragena ' ganakharana 'ati ' atisayi 'ra' hah ' vego yasya tena pravalavegena 'sara ' gena civangena mrgena 'esah ' artha ' drsyamanah 'raja dusyanta iva prasabha ' balat 'hrtah ' visayantara ' nitah 'asmi | yaha - asmi iti ahama avyayam | sara savalasa ' gamasya iti saramgah krsnasarah [sakanvadih | bhasma lanchanena munirapi savalamgah, sunau tu punah saramgah iti bhedah | | sloke'smin uccaranakausalat, sagah iti saramga iti va uktam, iti srotrnam sandehah syat | saramga ( muni ) paksa 'atira hasa ' tivravegena citrakarina ityarthah 'saramgena munina durvasasa yatha 'dusyanto hrtah sakuntalarupata vastunah apanitah tatha | iti durvasasah sapah sakuntalayah pratyakhaprananca dhvanyate || [ "dusyantah " [ra, vi, ma- ] " dusyantah " [ ta, nya- ] || niskantaviti | 'niskanti ' 'gamancadahirgatau | "esa raja " iti vaca | patrapravesa sucayitva sabhyan unmakhikrtya gatau | niskrantasca niskranta ca iti "niskrantau [ "puman striya " itthe kasasah ] | yadda - "niskantau abhinetarau janau iti vakyasesah | ayameva paco jyayan | ekasesapaksa tu prathamacaturtha- sapatamanam ankanamantale "niskrantah sarve " iti na sa 'gacchate | "niskrantah sarve abhinetaro jana " iti vakyasese sarva manavadyam | prastavaneti - prastutasya kathabastuna aksepah ityarthah - prastavana kathamukham |

prastavana NOTES G 1. (a) tavasmi &c. He too was like the audience under the influence of the melody. Hence he was forcibly ( prasabham ) dragged away from his subject. (b) harina - sadhu harati iti hr + nini sadhukarini karttari bahulakat, or avasyake nini = hari that which thoroughly overpowers, tena ; comp Panini's use " samanatirthe vasi " | Or hr + ghana = harah | tatah matvarthiyah inih | Or grahyaditvata ninih- comp " manthini cetamam " - Bh. VI 35; similarly explain kamin badin dhvamsin etc. (c) esa rajeba &c. - Here he points with his finger at the dressing room whence are seen three actors coming out one dressed as king, another as his charioteer and a third as a stag. As there is nothing to tell the audience that this is king Dushyanta entering, the announcement is made by sutradhara himself. There is no anachronism in this because the reference is to what is present. The metre is sloka, defined as "loke sasta guru jneya ' sarvatra laghu pancamam | dvicatuh padayorha sva ' saptama dirgha manyayoh || " 2. Remark - Here again future events are reflected. For sara 'gena may be so pronounced by a skilful actor as to leave the audience in doubt whether sare gaya or saramgena is the word. But sara 'gena = by the stag, and saramgana = by the sage. In the latter case, reference is to the fiery (atira hamsa ) Durvasas whose imprecation forcibly carries away (prasabha ' hatah ) Dushyanta from Sakuntala. * sara + amga = sararamga ( sakanvadi ) when meaning mrga, but saramga when it means suni | 3. Reading-dusyanta is to be preferred to dusmanta | That is obvious from the alliteration in the sloka "yena yena viyujyante prajah nigdhena vandha na | sa sa papahate tasam dusyanta iti ghusyatam || " Act, VI Innfra dusmanta spoils the alliteration. 4. niskrantau - Qualifies abhinetari understood. See vyakhaya | * Adopted by Prof. Gajendragadkar.

20 abhijnanasakuntalam 5. prastavana - pra + stu + nica yuca bhave striyam | The sahityadarpana thus defines prastavana - "nati vidusako vapi pariparsvika eva va | sutradharena sahitah sa 'lapa ' yatra kurvate | citrarvakyah svakayyautyah prastutacepibhirmithah | amukha tat vijnaya namna prastavanapi sa || " The same authority takes this as a prastavana of the avagalita variety. - "yava kava samavesat karyampramanyat prasadhyate | prayoge khalu tajjneya ' namnavalagita budhaih || "