The Envoy : An Introduction

 

Bhasa is known as the most prominent literary figure in classical Sanskrit literature. He is the earliest known dramatist of ancient India, most of the discovered plays of Bhasa deals with the original themes such as , “ Heroism “ & “ Romantic Love” . These themes appear to be borrowed from the Ingenious Indian texts such as the Ramayana and the Mahabharata .From the technical view point, they provide valuable insights into the dramatic tradition that existed in Bhasa’s age . Plays employed various combinations of the eight basic emotions ( bhava) and flavours ( rasa) they were professionally written and performed and other aspects of stage crafts were well developed in terms of content, the most notable thing about the Bhasa’s Mahabharta plays is how he uses creative licence to extra polite dialogues and imagine scenes that were not in the original text of the epic but which are largely consistent with its tone.

“The Envoy” is one of the thirteen plays of Bhasa discovered by T. Ganpati Shastri during the early decades of the twentieth century. The original Sanskrit name of this play was DuteVakya. It is based on a momentous episode from the Mahabharata. It presents an important moment in the progress of the epic. The warring factions of Kauravas and Pandavas are getting ready to fight each other at Kurukshetra. However the Pandavas decide to make a last bid for peace. They send Krishna as their envoy to the Kanrava camp. They want Krishna to plead on their behalf and convince the Kauravas that war can be avoided of the Kauravas agree to give the Pandavas their inheritance. The play depicts Krishna's dignified entry into the Court and his graceful advice to Duryodhana. But the villainous Kaurva King behaves very insolently and insulting while talking Krishna. Enraged at this, Krishna at once calls for Sudarshana who at once appears with his deadly disc. Duryodhana would have been pilled there and then had it not been for the softening words of Sudarshana to Krishna. Krishna sends away Sudarshana and himself leaves for the Pandavas Camp. However before he leaves Dhritrashtra comes there and begs Krishna to be forgiven for the offensive behaviour of his son.

Salient features 1. Bhasa displays the emotions professionally and beautifully. 2. The playwright has shown the complexities very well.

Major Character

Chamberlain The play begins with the entry of the chracter

Duryodhana The eldest son of Dhritarastra and Ganddhari. Born in Kuru Dynasty.

Krishna A Relative and eternal upholder of religion.

Sudarshana The divine discuss ( non - human thing)

Dhritrashtra The elder brother of pandu who was born blind.

 

Aside- is a stage device in which a character expresses to the audience his ‘Soliloquy’ . By convention, it is inaudible to the other characters on the stage. Both devices, common in Elizabethan and later drama, the plays convey the illusion of real life.

Personification- It is a literary device through which human features are attributed to nonhuman things. For eg.Sudarshana the divine discuss is personified by the playwright as it is shown as a speaking character in the play.