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.
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