Presentation is designed to help students to understand the tradition and strucutre of Sanskrit Drama. Sanskrit Theatre is oldest available theatre and drama having tradition more than five thousand. It is perhaps only indigenous cultural heritage that successfully retain their existence against brutal Abrahamic invade. This presentation is not a mere creation of the author, as it is based on various sources and purely designed to assist students in their examination. Quality of this presentation cannot be compared with original text and genuine resources. Students are advised to prefer the authentic texts and resources for better results.

2. •Sanskrit drama, the classical drama of India, which
flourished from about 1500 BC to about AD 1100.
•Sanskrit drama is attributed to Bharata, the legendary
formulator of the dramatic art in India his work
the Naya-sastra (c.2d cent. AD).
•The earliest-known Sanskrit playwright was Bhasa (c.3d
cent. AD) while among the most renowned
were Kalidas , Bhavabhuti (c.8th cent. AD), and
King Harsha.

3. •the performances were highly stylized in terms of
gesture and costume, and music and dance played a
significant part in them.
•the religious influence that explains the happy endings
occurring in all Sanskrit drama: Victory of good over evil.
•Themes deal with the supernatural
(Kalidasa's Vikramorvasi ) and political and historical
topics (Kalidasa's Malavikagnimitra).

4. •Mricchakatika, attributed to the legendary King
Sudraka, theme of ordinary people and is
profuse in exciting, melodramatic incident.
•later developed into a didactic form of religious
allegory represented by
the Prabodhacandrodaya of Krishna Mira (11th
cent.).

5. ORIGIN OF SANSKRIT THEATRE:
•Brahma took recourse to yoga, selected the text from the Rig
Veda, song and music from the Sama Veda, acting from
the Yajur Veda, and aesthetic sentiment from the Atharva
Veda to create a fifth Veda known as the Natyaveda.
•The Natyaveda of Brahma was given to Bharata to make it
known to the mankind.
•Natyadharmi was more conventional

6. RUPAK: MAJOR TYPES OF SANSKRIT DRAMA
• नाटक (Nāṭaka)
• प्रकरण (Prakaraṇa)
• समवकार (Samavakāra)
• ईहामृग (Īhāmṛga)
• डिम (Ḍima)
• व्यायोग (Vyāyoga)
• उत्सृष्टटकाांक ककां वा अांक (Aṅka -Utsṛṣṭikāṅka)
• प्रहसन (Prahasana)
• भाण (Bhāṇa)
• वीथी (Vīthi)

7. UPRUPAK: MINOR TYPES OF SANSKRIT DRAMA
•Natika, Trotak, Goshti, Natyarasak, Prasthan,
Ullapya, Kavya, Prenkhan, Rasak, Sanlapak,
Shrigadit, Shilpak, Vilasika, Durmallika, Prakaranika,
Hallish, and Bhanica
•नाटटका, त्रोटक, गोटठी, सट्टक, नाट्यरासक, प्रस्थान, उल्लाप्य,
काव्य, प्रेङ्खण, रासक, सांलापक, श्रीगटित, शिल्पक, ववलाशसका,
िुममष्ल्लका, प्रकरणणका, हल्लीि तथा भाणणका

8. • Sanskrit theatre stressed the delineation or portrayal of bhava i.e. emotive state.
Performers evoked to the audience these bhavas which, through powerful
abhinaya or acting were transformed into the ideal, central aesthetic experience
of rasa.
• two modes of theatrical representation: a) lokadharmi, was nearer to the way
things are seen in ordinary life. b) natyadharmi was more conventional.
• Music was an integral part of theatre.
• Sanskrit theatre was holistic, consisting of a highly evolved text, pre-written as
well as orally circulating among the community of artists. The rediscovery of the
Natyashastra and Bhasa excited scholars and artists in Sanskrit dramatic
performance

9. MAJOR SANSKRIT DRAMATISTS:
• 1. Bhas: The Svapnavasavadattam is the most famous composition of Bas. His other
famous works are — Pratijna-Yaugandharayan, Charu Duttam, Pancharatral,
`Karnabhara' `Dootvakya', and Bat Charit, Abibharaki. Prupuk was written in Prakrit
language staged by common people during social ceremonies Ramayana, Mahabharata
and Puranas.
• 2. Shudrak: His famous work was Mrichakatikam which means, earthen vehicle. His
play reflects struggle in life which differentiates him from his predecessors. In his play
there is a hero, heroine and a villain. The play is based on love story of Brahmin
Charudatta and a ganika Vasantsena.
• 3. Vishakhadatta: He was one of the most famous play writers of Gupta period. His two
famous compositions are — `Mudrarakshasa' and Devichandra Guptam. In
`Mudrarakshasa' he describes about the great emperor of Nanda dynasty Dhanananda
and founder of Mauryan Empire i.e., Chandragupta Maurya. In `Devichandragupta' he
mentioned about Gupta emperor Chandragupta and his brother Ram Gupta. In
Mudrarakshasa love, joy, heroine, comedy is absent.

10. MAJOR SANSKRIT DRAMATISTS:
• 4. Kalidas: He was a famous play writer in the court of Chandragupta II. His most
famous plays are `Malvikagnimitram, Vikramorvsaiyam' and `Abhigyan Shakuntalam.
• 5. Bhavabhuti: He was a famous play writer of later phase of classical era. After
Bhavabhuti there were no great Sanskrit play writer of Madhav and Malt is depicted
in India. Uttararamacharita is another famous play of Bhavabhuti. His other
composition is `Malti Madhav' where love story tantric rites played important role
but comedian was absent.
• 6. Harshvardhana: He was ruler of Kannauj. He composed three famous plays—
Nagananda, Ratnavali', and 'Priyadarshika'. Naganand describes about prohibition of
snake sacrifice. Ratnavali mentions about love affair between prince Udayan and his
lover Ratnavali while 'Priyadarshika' describes about love affairs between Udayan and
Priyadarshika.
• 7. Mahendra Varman: He was a great Pallava king. His famous play is `Mattavillas
Parahasana'. It is a satire that creates fun at the peculiar aspects of Kapalika and
Pashupata cult.