महाकवि-भवभूतिकृत-रूपकाणि - Plays of Bhavabhuti

 

       Bhavabhuti, a protégé of King Yasovarman and elder contemporary of Vakpati, is the author of three plays Mahaviracaritam, Malatimadhavam and UttaraRamacaritam. From the prologues of these plays it is learnt that his name was Srikantha and that he got the title Bhavabhuti out of devotion of Siva. He was a native of Padmapura in the Vidarbha country. He was the son of Nilakantha and Jatukarni and the grandson of BhattaGopala. He was of Kashyapa Gotra and belonged to the Taittiriya branch of the Krishna YajurVeda. He was deeply learned in rhetoric, Upanishads, Sankhya, Yoga, Vedanta and ritualistic lore. His preceptor was one J`nanaNidhi.

महावीरचरितम्  Mahaviracaritam:

       The Mahaviracaritam in seven acts is the first play of Bhavabhuti. It deals with the life of Rama from his marriage with Sita till his coronation. Ravana sends an envoy to Janaka seeking the hand of Sita. But he is disappointed by Rama’s marriage with Sita. At the instigation of his minister Malyavan, Surpanakha appears in Mithila in the guise of Manthara, the servant of Kaikeyi, demanding Rama’s exile to the forest and Valin attacks Rama who steps into Kishkindha. The wordy duel between Rama and Parasurama is unduly long and mars the effect of the play. It is held that the drama, which Bhavabhuti wrote up to the sloka 46 Act IV, was continued by one Subrahmanya. No reason is however advanced to show what made Bhavabhuti stop abruptly in Act IV.

मालतीमाधवम् - Malatimadhavam:

        The Malatimadhavam is a Prakarana in ten acts depicting the course of love between Madhava and Malati, respectively son and daughter of the ministers in two different countries. The two ministers are thick friends. Side by side is depicted the growth of love between Makaranda and Madayantika, friends of Madhava and Malati. There are many beautiful but detached scenes. Makaranda dresses himself in the garb of a woman and marries one Nandana who was promised the hand of Malati. He saves Madayantika from the attack of a tiger which incident creates love in them. Malati was twice kidnapped by a Kapalika woman to be offered to the deity but was saved by Madhava on the first occasion and on the second by an associate of Kamandaki a Buddhist nun who took interest in the welfare of Malati and Madhava and helped in getting them married.

उत्तररामचरितम् - UttaraRamacaritam:

        In the seven acts of the Uttararamacaritam, Bhavabhuti depicts the story of of the UttaraKanda of the Ramayana. He was influenced by the Kundamala of Dinn`aga, Act II of the Abhijn`anasakuntalam and Venisamhara. The reunion of the lovers is effected by the introduction of a small scene (antarnatika) of the epic story. This play is more a dramatic poem than a drama proper.

        Bhavabhuti’s outlook of life is very serious. That is why he has made the love Rama and Sita and of Malati and Madhava appeal more directly with a realistic touch than that of Dushyanta and Sakuntala. Therefore his plays have no place for humour and consequently Vidushaka character is not found in any of his plays. Self-effacement and self-sacrifice characterised his outlook on  life and therefore the same is found reflected in his characters.

Heroism dominates the Mahaviracaritam, love the Malatimadhavam and pathos the Uttararamacaritam. The second mentioned is the only where all other sentiments have their due place. Bhavabhuti was earliest dramatist to give prominence to the Karuna rasa in a drama. It is even said that he has excelled not only others but his own self in this play.

‘kaÉNyaM BavaBaUitrova tnauto’.

‘]<aro ramacairto BavaBaUitiva-iSaYyato’.

Bhavabhuti seems to suggest a synthesis of the setiments culminating in Karuna.