Part 10 - Application of the Junctures (sandhi) in a Ḍima

According to Bharata, the Ḍima should have four types of junctures (sandhi), viz.

1. the opening (mukha),
2. the progression (pratimukha),
3. the development (garbha) and
4. concluding (nirvahaṇa).

Opening (mukha):

The opening (mukha) juncture is the origination of the germ, created by the combination of the beginning (ārambha) and the seed (bīja). In the Tripuradāha, the seed (bīja) is employed when Nandī tells Maheśa that instead of killing Rāhu, he should burn Tripuras of Tripurāsura (tripuradāha evārabhyatām–Tripuradāha, C. Dalal, p.85) and at the end of the first act, the beginning (ārambha) is employed when Śiva orders Indra, Bṛhaṣpati, Kubera, Yama to be prepared for the burning of Tripuras. Therefore, the first act is the opening juncture.

Progression (pratimukha):

The progression (pratimukha) juncture is that where the seed is developed with its quality, but sometimes the seed is visible and sometimes it is not. The juncture is created by the combination of effort (prayatna) and drop (bindu). The drop takes the plot forward to the result through the effort. In the Tripuradāha, the progression juncture becomes applied in the second act. The gods are united to destroy Tripura, but the attendants, i.e. Alīka and Viparīta of Tripurāsura, create obstacles in the form of quarrel among the gods like Maheśa, Brahmā, Viṣṇuand artificial Nārada. Here the result is unseen. In the mean time, the demons were occupying the heavenand hence to obstruct them, Kṛṣṇa created artificial darkness. In the dark, being horrified, the demons fought with each other and killed themselves. Seeing this, Sarvatāpa removed the darkness through the illusion called “Kaumudī”. Here the effort is made with great haste though the result is not obtained. The juncture has covered the second act.

Development (garbha):

The development (garbha) juncture is the act of attaining the result through the seed (bīja) which is lost at the end. The juncture is created by the combination of prospect of success (prāptyāśā) and minor episode (patākā). In the third act of the Tripuradāha, Nandī and Kumāra had reached to the top of success, but in the last moment, Nārada stopped them from fighting. He protected Sarvatāpa, telling Kumāra that Śukra is his brother because he was accepted by Śiva as his son. Then Sarvatāpa was embraced by Śukra. It should be noted here that when Sarvatāpa was almost going to be killed by Kumāra, Nārada saved him. Therefore, here the result is again lost, when it was about to be accomplished. That is why it is called the development juncture, which covers the total third act. It should be noted that in the third act, the minor episode (patākā) is the conversation between Sarvatāpa and Viśadāśaya.

Concluding (nirvahaṇa):

The concluding (nirvahaṇa) juncture occurs when the seed (bīja) and the matters of all other junctures are brought together in due order for the result. It is created by the combination of action (kārya) and the attainment of the result (phalāgama). Here, the juncture pervades the entire result. At the end of the fourth act of the Tripuradāha, the result is accomplished, when the sages declared the returning of the gods after destroying the Tripuras of Tripurāsura. The juncture, thus, covers the fourth act and the actions of the other acts.