Locana,
Abhinavagupta, (poetics)
See
Patrick Colm Hogan,
Toward a cognitive science of poetics:
Anandavardhana, Abhinavagupta, and the theory of literature
Bhasa's Plays
The great sanskrit dramatist
Bhasa who lived before Kalidasa
(c. 3rd century AD)
wrote many
plays based on Mahabharata. Following is a list of those plays. Note that
this is not a complete list of Bhasa's plays.
- Madhyamavyayogam (Bhima reunited with
Hidimba and son)
- Dutavakyam (Krishna as emissary
to Kauravas court)
- Karnabharam
(Indra begging the gift of
Karna's armour and earrings)
- Pancaratram (Raid on Virata)
- Dutaghatolkacam
(Ghatotkacha's message to
Kauravas celebrating death of Abhimanyu that Arjuna would
avenge)
- Urubhangam (Bhima-Duryodhana duel)
These were first published by T. Ganapati Sastrikal in 1921.
Kalidasa's Plays:
- Abijnana Sakuntala,
Dushyanta Shakuntala story.
- Kumarasambhava,
Marriage of Shiva and Parvati.
- Kiratarjuniya,
Bharavi, (poem)(6th-7th century)
In 18 cantos on the single
episode of Vana Parva of
Arjuna propitiating Shiva for divine weapons.
- Sisupalavadha,
Magha, (poem) (7th century)
Slaying of
Shishupala by Krishna in 20
cantos on a single episode of Sabha Parva through lengthy descriptions.
- Venisamhara,
Bhatta Narayana, (play) (8th century).
On Bhima taking revenge for the outrage on Draupadi.
- Kerala king Kulashekhara Varman
of 9th c. AD
- SubhadrA-Dhananjaya
- TapatI-Samvarana
-
Bala Bharata or
Prachanda
Pandava ,
deals with core story of
epic up to dice game and insult to Draupadi.
- Bharatamanjari, (poem)
Ksemendra . His Chitra
Bharata is lost.
- Bharta Champu,
Anantabhatta, in 12 chapters.
- Purva Bharata Champu,,
Manaveda, (17th century), along with the commentary
Krishniya. Published by Dr. K.
Raghavan Pillai, Kerala University, Ananthshayanm Samskrta Granthavali,
No. 209. Printed at Sriramavilaam Press, Kollam (1963).
- Vasudeva,
- Nalodaya
- Yudhishthira-Vijaya
a yamaka-kAvya,
covering hunting sports
of Pandu and ending in coronation of Yudhishthira.
- Partha Parakrama,
Prahladanadeva, c.12th c AD, play on
raid on Virata.
- Dhananjaya Vijaya,
Kanchana Pandita, (undated) ending with
marriage of
Uttara-Abhimanyu.
- Samudra Manthana,
Vatsaraja, minister of Paramardideva of
Kalanjara (1163-1203 AD).
Play in 3 acts on the churning of the ocean.
- Sharmishtha-Yayati,
Krishna Kavi, (play) (no date).
- Vikranta Kaurava,
Hastimalla, c. 1200 AD, a play in 6 acts.
- Draupadi Svayamvara,
Vijayapala, 12th c. AD. Draupadi's
marriage in 2
acts.
- Vyasa Shriramadeva, 15th c. AD.
- Pandavabhudaya.
Svayamvara of
DraupadI in in 2
acts.
- Subhadra Parinaya,
another play on Arjuna winning Subhadra.
- Subhadraharana,
Madhava, pre 17th c. AD, deals with the
abduction of Subhadra by Arjuna.
- Nirbhaya
Bhima,
Ramachandra,
second half of 12th c. AD deals with BhIma killing
Baka (play).
- Saugandhikaharana,
VishvanAtha, c. early 14th c. AD. One act play
deals with Bhima
bringing the flower for Draupadi.
- Bhima Vikrama Vyayoga,
Mokshaditya, pre 14th c. AD.
Deals with adventures of Bhima.
- Kalyanasaugandhika,
Nilakantha, 17th c. AD, a Keralite,
dealt with Bhima-Hanumat and
the fetching of flowers.
- Hariduta, (Anonymous)
deals with Krishna's mission to Kauravas.
- Bala-Bharata,
Amarachandra Suri, first half of 13th c. AD
in Gujarat, adapted
complete epic in 19 cantos.
- Kichaka-vadha,
Nitivarman,
in eastern India before 11th c. AD, on Bhima's
slaying
Kichaka in his yamaka
kavya.
- Naranarayanananda,
Vastupala, first half of 13th c. AD, a minister
of Vuradhavala of
Dholka, on Krishna-Arjuna's
friendship and Subhadra's marriage in 16 cantos.
- Naishadha-Charita,
Shri Harsha of Kanauj in latter
half of 12th c. AD on Nala-Damayanti.
- Sahridayananda,
Krishnananda, a
Mahapatra to a king of Puri before 14th c. AD,
deals with story of Nala in
in 15 cantos.
- Nalabhyudaya,
Vamanabhatta Bana, court poet of Reddi prince
Vema of KondavIdu
14th-15th c.AD, wrote in 8
cantos on Nala's story.
- Nala-champu (Damayanti champu)
,Trivikrama Bhatta, 10th c. AD, covering
part of the Nala-Damayanti story in 7 cantos.
- Nala
vilasa,
Ramachandra,
pupil of Hemachandra of 12th c. AD, composed play in 7 acts.
- Nalacharita,
Nilakantha Dikshita, drama.
- Nala Bhumipala Rupaka
, a drama, anonymous.
- Nala Varnana Kavya ,
Lakshmidhara.
- Nalananda (play),
Jivavibudha.
- Raghava-Naishadhiya
, Haradatta Suri, gives stories of Rama
and
Nala.
- Naishadhananda,
Kshemishvara, 10th c. AD, in 7 acts on Nala.
- Savitri charitra,
Sankaralala (1882). A play on the legend of
SavitrI-Satyavat.
- 2 plays are lost: Mukuta-Taditaka
, ascribed to
Bana by Bhoja, and
the Chandapala dealing with
Bhima-Duryodhana battle.
Sources:
The Cultural Heritage of India, Vol. 2,
published by The Ramakrishna Mission, Institute of Culture, Calcutta, India.
Source for further reference:
Epic Sources of Sanskrit Literature,
Juthika Ghosh, Calcutta Sanskrit College Research
Series XXIII (Calcutta 1963)
Compiled by Pradip Bhattacharya and A. Harindranath
Last updated September 28, 2005.