Part 13 - Technical Aspects of a Nāṭaka

The Nāṭaka should include other technical aspects such as:

1. the benedictory verse (nāndī),
2. the prologue (prastāvanā),
3. the intermediate scenes (arthopakṣepaka, i.e. praveśaka, viṣkambhaka, cūlikā, aṅkāvatāra and aṅkāsya),
4. aside (ātmagata or svagata),
5. aloud (prakāśa),
6. personal address (janāntika),
7. intimation scene (nepathya or cūlikā),
8. confidential (apavārita),
9. conversation with imaginary persons (ākāśabhāṣita),
10. epilogue (bharatavākya) and others.

The Mudrārākṣasa covered the technical aspects like:

1. the benedictory verse (nāndī),
2. the prologue (prastāvanā),
3. introductory scene (praveśaka),
4. intimation scene (cūlikā or nepathya),
5. continuation scene (aṅkāvatāra),
6. aside (svagata or ātmagata),
7. aloud (prakāśa),
8. conversation with imaginary person (ākāśabhāṣita) and
9. epilogue (bharatavākya).

Nāndī (Benedictory) –

The benedictory verse comes at the beginning of the drama. A Brahmin recites the verse for the welfare of the audienceand the same forms nāndī. It is a part of the preliminaries. It is said that the auspicious verse should occur at the beginning, at the middle and at the end as well (maṅgalādīni maṅgalamadhyāni maṅgalāntāni śāstrāṇi prathante vīrapuruṣakāṇi bhavanti āyuṣmatpuruṣakāṇi ca). In the Mudrārākṣasa, at the beginning, the verse “dhanyā keyam sthitā….” praises the lord Śiva; at the middle, the verse “ākāśam kāśapuṣpacchavimabhibhavatā…. (III. 20)” praises the lord Śiva again through the description of autumn season and at the end it comes as the epilogue (bharatavākya).

Prastāvanā (Prologue) –

The prologue is an important feature, employed at the beginning, after the benedictory. The stage-manager (sūtradhāra) generally conducts it either with the companion of the establisher (sthāpaka), the jester (viduṣaka) or the actress (naṭī). They discuss about the matter of the plot and about the author. In the Mudrārākṣasa, Sūtradhāra and Naṭī represent the prologue. They discuss about the plot and the author in a humorous way.

Scene from behind the curtain (Nepathya) –

The scene is the part of five types of intermediate scenes (praveśaka, viṣkambhaka, cūlikā, aṅkāvatāra and aṅkāsya), which is also called cūlikā (intimation scene). It presents off stage events through the characters available behind the curtain. All types of dramas use the scene often because sometimes it is not possible to present the things needed by the situation on the stage. In the Mudrārākṣasa, it is applied at many places as per the necessity.

Introductory scene (Praveśaka) –

The introductory scene or Praveśaka is a part of the five types of intermediate scenes (Arthopakṣepakas - praveśaka, viṣkambhaka, cūlikā, aṅkāvatāra and aṅkāsya). In a drama, it comes at the beginning of the act, except in the first act, which introduces about the past things of the plot before the audiences. Two low characters, who speak in the Prākrit, usually conduct Praveśaka. In the Mudrārākṣasa, it is applied in the fifth act, by the two characters, i.e. Kṣapaṇaka and Siddhārthaka, who wanted to bring about conflict by the order of Cāṇakya, between Malayaketu and Rākṣasa, by showing the letter and the ornaments sealed by Rākṣasa. Siddhārthaka tells Malayaketu that Rākṣasa has sent him to Candragupta to give him the ornaments and the letter, which were handed over to him. Then in the sixth act, Sidhārthaka and Samiddhārthaka conduct the scene. They discuss how Malayaketu becomes the enemy of Rākṣasa and how he kills five of the principal kings.

Continuation scene (Aṅkāvatāra) –

Aṅkāvatāra is the part of five types of intermediate scenes (Arthopakṣepakas - praveśaka, viṣkambhaka, cūlikā, aṅkāvatāra and aṅkāsya), which comes at the end of an act. It is conducted by an actor available on the stage, who discusses about what is going to happen in the next act. In the sixth act of the Mudrārākṣasa, one of the spies of Cāṇakya told Rākṣasa that Candanadas has been taken to the place of execution by the order of Cāṇakya. The same thing is shown in the seventh act, where two men of Cāṇakya take Candanadāsa to the place of execution. Thus, it forms continuation scene (aṅkāvatāra).

Aside (Svagata) and Aloud (Ātmagata) –

The aside and aloud are applied frequently in every drama. The dialogues, which are heard by the audience and co-actors is called aloudand the dialogues, which are not heard by the co-actors but indirectly heard by the audiences, is called aside. The aloud and aside are also applied frequently in the Mudrārākṣasa in various scenes.

Conversation with imaginary person (Ākāśabhāṣita) –

If an actor watching towards the sky, talks with an imaginary person when he is alone on the stage, the conversation is called “ākāśabhāṣita”. The actor usually asks questions like “kim bravisi”, “kim bhaṇasi” or “kim brute” (what do you say?). It is as if a person is hearing and someone is speaking with him from somewhere. In the Mudrārākṣasa, it is applied almost in every act, once or twice.

Epilogue (Bharatavākya) –

The epilogue is the concluding prayer in general, performed at the end of the drama, by an actor or more than one actor, to finish the dramatic enactment. In the Mudrārākṣasa, it makes prayer to Viṣṇu, for Candragupta to make him prosperous and protect the earth without any obstacles (vārāhīmātmayoneḥ………pārthivaścandraguptaḥ).