Pratijnayaugandharayana

Pratijnayaugandharayana (Sanskrit: प्रतिञयौगन्धरायण, Pratijñāyaugandharāyaṇa) (English: The Pledge of Minister Yaugandharāyaṇa) is a Sanskrit play in four acts written by the ancient Indian poet Bhāsa. It is the oldest extant political play of India[1] and the prequel to Bhāsa's Svapnavasavadattam.[2][3][4] These plays were written by Bhāsa on the account of Udayana, king of Vatsa (Kaushambi).

Throughout the play, Yaugandharayana, minister of Udayana, takes two vows which are ultimately fulfilled.[5]

Background

Pratijnayaugandharayana was rediscovered, along with Bhāsa's 12 other plays, in 1912 by Indian scholar T. Ganapati Sastri.[6][7] The play is based on Udayana's story in the ancient Indian epic Brihatkatha, written by Gunadhya.[8]

Plot

The plot is set before the events of Svapnavasavadattam.[9][3] It describes the imprisonment of Vatsa King Udayana under Pradyota, King of Ujjayini and the events in Ujjayini, following his capture.[3]

While out on a hunting trip, Prince Udayana is tricked into being captured by his enemy, King Pradyota. Pradyota's daughter, Vasavadatta, takes music lessons from the captured prince, and they fall in love. Yaugandharayana, Udayana's minister, helps them and Udayana elopes with Vasavadatta.[8]

The story is presented through action and narration—by minor characters.[5]

References
  1. Varadpande, Manohar Laxman (2005). History of Indian Theatre: Classical theatre. New Delhi: Shakti Malik, Abhinav Publications. p. 60. ISBN 81-7017-430-9.
  2. Keith, Arthur Berriedale (1924). The Sanskrit Drama in Its Origin, Development, Theory & Practice. Clarendon Press. pp. 91–126.
  3. Ayyar, A.S.P (1942). Bhasa (The Indian Men of Letter Series) (1st ed.). Mylapore, Madras: The Madras Law Journal Office. pp. 112–124.
  4. P.G, Dr. Rajukkuttan (2015). Malayala Nadakam (M.A. IInd Year) (I ed.). Kozhikkode: Calicut University. p. 6.
  5. Pillai, K. Raghavan (2007). Datta, Amaresh; Lal, Mohan (eds.). Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature: Navaratri-Sarvasena (4th ed.). New Delhi: Sahitya Akademi. p. 3331. ISBN 978-81-260-1003-1.CS1 maint: ignored ISBN errors (link)
  6. Johnson, W. B. (2009). Bhāsa. In A Dictionary of Hinduism. : Oxford University Press.
  7. Lal, Ananda (2011). Bhasa. Oxford Reference.
  8. Mukherjee, Sujit (1998). A Dictionary of Indian Literature: Beginnings-1850. Orient Blackswan. pp. 295–296. ISBN 978-81-250-1453-9.
  9. D.D.Kosambi, Pracheena Barathathinte Samskaravum Nagarikathayum: Charithraparamaya rooparekha (Translation: M Leelavathi (Page 294)
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