Mudrarakshasa (literary study)
by Antara Chakravarty | 2015 | 58,556 words
This page relates ‘Use of Bibhatsarasa (odius sentiment)’ of the English study on the Mudrarakshasa: an ancient Sanskrit dramatic play (Nataka) authored by Vishakhadatta which deals with the life of king Chandragupta. This study investigates the Mudra Rakshasa from a literary perspective, such as metrics, themes, rhetorics and other poetical elements. Chandragupta ruled the Mauryan Empire during the 4th century BCE, hence this text can also be studied as a historical textbook of ancient India.
3.7. Use of Bībhatsarasa (odius sentiment)
The dramatist Viśākhadatta only in one place has mentioned the Bībhatsarasa. In the third act at the time of the mock quarrel between Cāṇakya and Candragupta,
Cāṇakya gave a description about burnt corpse, vultures and cremation ground. Cf. —
gṛdhrairābaddhacakraṃ viyati vicalitairdīrghaniṣkampapakṣairdhūmairdhvastārkabhāsāṃ saghanamiva diśāṃ maṇḍalaṃ darśayantaḥ/
nandairānandayantaḥ pitṛvananilayān prāṇinaḥ paśya caitān nirvāntyadyāpi naite snutabahalavasāvāhinā havyavāhāḥ//[1]
In this verse, the Bībhatsarasa is merged with the Vīrarasa.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Ibid., III. 28