A CRITICAL STUDY OF THE VERSE PORTION OF THE MRCCHAKATIKA THESIS SUBMITTED FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF GAUHATI By Anjali Ghosh (Paul), M.A., B.T., Kavyatirtha OCTOBER, 1982 A CRITICAL STUDY OF THE VIlRSE PORTION OF THE MRCCHAKATIKA • • THESIS SUBMITTED FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF GAUHATI By Anjali Ghosh (Paul), M. A., B. T., Kavyatirtha OCTOBER, 1982 . ProQuest Number: 10112240 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. ProQuest 10112240 Published by ProQuest LLC (2016). Copyright of the Dissertation is held by the Author. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, MI 48106 - 1346 i ^ DR MUKUNDA MADHAVA SHARMA, DEPARTMENT OF SANSKRIT M .A..PH.D., D.LITT. (CAL), KAVYATtRTHA, GAUHATI UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR & HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT OF SANSKRIT. GAUHATI—781014 OAUHATI UNIVERSITY OFFICE -885: ^ PHONE: ( res— 85224 aleZhASJiil Z have the pleasure to oertdfy that this thesis e n t it le d A CRITICAL STUDY OF THS TERSE PORTION OF (HE (4RCCHAKAIZXA has been prepared by Mrs. An Jail Qhosh (Paul) under *y supervision. lo part of this dissert­ ation has been published earlier. Ihis dissertation has never been presented for any dagrea or any such purpose earlier to any university or any institution. This work has been executed with fu ll oonforaity with the Ph.D. regulations of the University of Geuhatl. Date ( M.M. S HARM A ) PREFACE I had the pleasure and privilege of studying the Mrechaka tlk* as a text book in the M.A. class of the Geuhatl Oil varsity during the years 1973-1975. My present Supervisor was then the teacher, and the training 1 received under him resulted in developing a keen interest in the study of th e Sanskrit dramas. Though X had to remain at the far off town of Agar tala in Tripura, being cut off for all these years from the more important centre of learning at Oauhati, I could never give up the fascination for carrying on ay researches on the present topic* With all ay limitations I carried on ay studies just for the sake of it as an oblig­ ation for repaying ay gururna. The research embodied in this dissertation is both analytical and methodical. The purpose was to analyse the beauty o f the Hrflfihaftatftfta and to p resen t the v a rio u s * • aspects of its total chara in a precise but aethodical way. Perhaps because of a tilt towards the aethodical aspect of the study the present dissertation does not happen to be as bulky as many other dissertations usually available for reference in our Oliver si ties. the present work is divided into Seven chapters. The first chapter presents a short introduction to the Mraehakatlka and deals with the topics like the date and Identity of the author of the drama, and its relation with the Cirudatta of - ( 11 ) - Bhasa. in* second oh a D tar presents a critical appreciation of tiie verse portion-ef the ftrgSfraftHdfci as a draa and deala • • * with tile topics like language, vocabulary, characters and the title of the play. Iha tMffl CfrftPtfT, which is in fact the eain chapter, presents a critical appreciation of the verse portion o f the Mrcchakatlka. I t deals with such topics • • / as metres, figures, sentiments and the so called Sakara- vaoanas. The fourth chapter is concerned with the more important variant readings o f the verse portion, the fifth chanter deals with the parallels of the verses of the Mrcchakatlka found in earlier or later Sanskrit literature. • • The sixth chanter is on the treatment of Sudrake's verses in the later alamkira works, the seventh chapter contains a list and analysis of the vise sayings or subhasitas of the Mrctftafclttfci* • along with a concluding remark on tha total merit o f the drama. With these prefatory words, I now humbly present this work for its assessment, for, 1 cannot be sure o f its merits so long as it is not indorsed by the authorities* "a paritosad vidusam na sadhu manye prayogaviJnanam." An ja il Ghosh (Paul) ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I have no words to axpreaa ay deep tense of gratitude to my Preceptor9 Professor Dr. Mukunda Madhava Sharaa, M.4., Ph.D., D .Litt., Kivyatirtha, whose kind guidance, personal care and untiring help gave ae the opportunity to coaplete the present research work. Z aust put on record that the present work is entirely an outcoae of ay preceptor's constant encouragement, pressure and inspiration. I aust remain highly grateful to all the teachers of the Sanskrit Department, Geuhati University for their kind sympathy and help given to ae in connection with ay research project. I shall remain highly grateful to the Sanskrit Departments o f M.B.S. College, Agar tala and Baathakur College, Agar tala, Eripura, for lending ae necessary hooks during ay research dajni. I shall be failin g in my duty if I do not acknowledge the help very kindly rendered t» ae by the aathorities of the National Library, Calcutta and the Geuhati Uhiversity Central L ib r a r y . I an also grateful to Mrs. Elisa Sharaa for her kind sympathy and hospitality towards ae during the days of ay more intensive work when I had to work froa morn t ill night at her residence, while finalising the draft of the thesis with ay Supervisor. -( iv )- I aust remain grateful to ay cousin, Dr. Bibhash Da* Purkayastha, M.Sc.,Ph.D., Professor, Pandu College, for his kind help and sympathy towards ae during ay research period. 1 aust remain ever grateful to Shri Basis the Bara an, Gauhatl Uhl varsity, for his goodness to take the trouble of tvplng the present thesis within a very short tine. Lastlyi it is a pleasure for ae to reaeaber the help and inspiration that I received from a ll the aeabers of my family during the days of aj serious studies particularly froa ay revered father in law, Sjt. Swadesh Kir an Paul, who took keen in terest in the progress o f ay work. ABBREVIATIONS BG - B h ag a v a d g i t i MS - Manus aah ita BE - Bhattikavya MM am Malatimadhava Cir,- Daridra-carudatta NS - Natyasastra C ir u , C a r u d a tta R aghu- R aghuvam sa DR - D a saru p a k a RS - * R tu sem h ara f GG - GLtagovinda S a k - S a k u n ta la H it - Hi topadesa SD - Sahityadarpana Kad - K adam bari SKP - Skandapurana KP - Kavyaprakasa ST m Suvr ttatilaka JOJ - Kathopanisad \* *RC - Uttar araaacari ta Kum - Kumar as ambhava VIK - Vikramorvasiya MA - Mai avikagnim i tr a VS - Vanisamhara MB - Mahabhirata Y6 - Yajnavalkya-samhi ta M egha- M eghaduta Mrechakatika M rc l • • Letters a, b, c and d will mean the first, second, third and fourth foot of any verse respectively. A w ill mean th f i r s t half while B w ill mean the second half of a verse. * In fact it is not reasonable to have the abbreviation as MK because the word Mrechakatika• • cannot be broken into two parts as Hrccha* + katikl.• Yet with deference to use of this abbreviation by celebrated author!eties like MM. V.V. Mirashi we have retained and used this abbre­ viation also. SCHEME OF TRANSLITERATIOH 3T a 3 o <g d I au dh o i S' n n i I -3 c ar s KB u ch M 8 u oT n S vT ks r© Jn e t Tisarga h $ ai 3 th anus vara a Not# - In the quotations, however, we have ret aimed the transliteration pattern of the respective original authors as far as practicable* CON TBITS Pages PREFACE i ACKNOWLEDQBfBfT III ABBREVIATIONS v SCHEME OF TRANSLITERATIOH ▼i ^HAPTER I t M A SHORT INTRODUCTION TO THE v/ MRCCHAKATIKA 1 Plot of the D r«a 6 /J&cchakatika Is a Prakarana 10 ^ / m V 5 s *<#•+• 3 Cti T>a.u-c*- • 4 \ Who was Suaraka 13 Vfeo was the author o f tha MK 15 / Historical Identity of Sudraka 16 B . THE PLACE OF MRCCHAKATIKA IX THE SANSKRIT DRAMATIC * LITERATURE 19 C . &iE RELATION BE TW A * THE DjRIDRA- CHXRUDlJrTA AND THE MRCCHAKATIKA 26 PER I I t /* A CRITICAL APPRECIATION OF THE MRCCHAKATIKA AS A DRAMA 44 ititarjiy4fPtc.t 45 S en tlm m it 46 Humour 47 Style 49 Languages 49 UagulaUc 4sa.fgt 50 Uncommon P r a k r i t words 50 Use of rare words and verbal forms 52 V o c a b u la ry 53 53 Administration 53 Execution system 55 E d u cation 56 C r a ft s 56 -( ii )- P>gM Caste systm* 57 Prostitution 58 Religion 59 Gamblinf 59 Food and drink 60 fllaCftUlB+Qm Wise sayings 6i Charaetars 65 Salient features of the main male characters 66 The minor male characters 70 Other persons mentioned in the drama 74 Principal feamale characters 75 Che minor female characters 76 Ti tie o f the Drama 77 Various incidents 78 CHAPTER III > A CRITICAL APPRECIATION OF THE _ VEPSE PORTION OF THE MRCCHAKATXKA Introduction 8c The rerse text o f the MrcchakatiLka Numbers of verses in Sanskrit 87 Sanskri t verses arranged alphabetically 88 Number of verses in Prakrit 103 Prakrit verses arranged alphabetically 104 Theme o f the verses 111 The extent o f Sudraka's Poetry in MK 121 Charactervise distribution of verses 122 Number of verses charactervise 125 Li ter ary assessments of the verse portion 126 ( l i i ) P a g M Languages 127 S ty la 129 Sanskrit metres 129 Prakrit matras 133 List of Prakrit Tars as with aatras 133 Beauty of ttia matras 139 Alaikaras 143 ifuftraka as a Post of Nature 3 56 A not a on Sakara-vaeana 164 Ctt APISH IV s FIXATION OP THE MOBS ACCEPTABLE TEAT 165 CHAP CSB V s THE PABALLAL6 OF THE INDIVIDUAL VEPSBS Ear liar Parallals 183 Contemporaneous passagas 189 ^CHAPTER VI » TREATMENTS SUDBAKA'S VERSES IN THE LATER ALANKARA WORKS 192 CHAPTER V II * THE WISE SAYINGS Introduc tLon 199 List of visa sayings in the MK 200 Speakarvise Distribution of the wise sayings 202 Thene o f the wise sayings 203 Examination of the visa sayings 204 BIBLIOGRAPHY 216 CHAPTER I A SHORT INTRODUCTION TO THE MRCCHAXAfIKA ..........................