Upa-rūpakas
The Sāhitya-darpaṇa defines eighteen uparūpakas namely, nāṭikā, troṭaka, goṣṭhī, saṭṭaka, nāṭya-rāsaka, prasthāna, ullāpya, kāvya, preṅkhaṇa, rāsaka, saṃlāpaka, śrīgadita, śilpaka, vilāsikā, durmallikā, prakaraṇī, hallīśa, bhāṇikā
- Nāṭikā – The storyline of a nāṭikā is kalipta, i.e., imagined and created by the playwright. A nāṭikā consists of four acts and female characters paly prominent roles. The hero is a king who is dhīralalita and prakhyāta. A princess who is usually in disguise in the king’s antaḥpura is the nāyikā of the play; she is usually depicted as learning music or an associated form of fine art and is in love with the king. The queen is older than the heroine, is pragalbhā (matured) and belongs to a royal lineage as well. She is irascible and gets annoyed at every possible instance. The union of the king and his new lover depends on the queen. Kaiśikī-vṛtti dominates this kind of play and in most cases, the vimarṣa-sandhi is absent. Example – Ratnāvalī, Viddhaśālābhañjikā
- Troṭaka – A troṭaka is composed of five, seven, eight or nine aṅkas and portrays the story of divine-humans. Vidūṣaka is present in every aṅka and śṛṅgāra-rasa dominates the play. Example: Stambhitarambhā, Vikramorvaśīyam
- Goṣṭhī – This variety of uparūpaka has nine or ten kinds of prākṛta-puruṣas along with about six female chracters; the composition and the content are not really profound; kaiśikī-vṛtt is predominant throughout the play; garbha and vimarṣa sandhis are absent. Kāma-śṛṅgāra i.e., lustful romance is the dominating emotion. A goṣṭhī usually consists of one aṅka only. Example: Raivata-madanikā
- Saṭṭaka/ Saṭṭika – In this genre of uparūpaka, all characters speak prakrit; the connecting segments of praveśaka and viṣkambhaka are absent; adbhuta-rasa is evoked at every stage of the plot. Its aṅkas are named javanikā. A saṭṭika bears semblance to the nāṭikā in all other features. Example: Karpūra-mañjarī
- Nāṭya-rāsaka – This consists of one aṅka only and the nāyaka is of the udātta kind. A pīṭha-mardaka is the upa-nāyaka (secondary hero); hāsya is the primary rasa of a nāṭya-rāsaka and it comes along with traces of śṛṅgāra as well. The nāyikā is a vāsakasajjikā. A nāṭya-rāsaka consists of mukha-sandhi and nirvahaṇa-sandhis along with the ten lāsyāṅgas (according to some aestheticians, only the pratimukha-sandhi is absent in a nāṭya-rāsaka). It is filled with many different tāla patterns with a governing laya. Example: Narmavatī, Vilāsavatī.
- Prasthāna – In a prasthāna/ prasthānaka, the nāyaka is a dāsa, i..e, a servant; the upa-nāyaka (secondary hero) is an inferior person and the nāyikā is a dāsī. The play predominantly has kaiśikī and bhāratī-vṛttis; the story ends with the consumption of surā (liquor). It typically consists of two aṅkas and different tāla patterns play a prominent role.
- Ullāpya – The hero of this kind of play is udātta (noble and generous) and the story is usually connected with divine characters; an ullāpya usually consists of one aṅka only, while some scholars believe that it can consist of three aṅkas as well; its limbs are derived from śilpaka. The play evokes hāsya, śṛṅgāra, and karuṇa rasas. Battles and combats come as a part of the plot. Tryaśra (asra) gīta comes as a part of this and adds beauty to the presentation. Typically, an ullāpya has four nāyikās. Example: Devī-mahādeva.
- Kāvya – A play of the kāvya genre consists of a single aṅka and is devoid of ārabhaṭī-vṛtti. The nāyaka and nāyikā are udātta. The mukha, pratimukha, and nirvahaṇa-sandhis are presentand the play is rich in hāsya-rasa; the play consists of gītīs called khaṇḍa-mātrā, dvipadi and bhagna-tālā. A śuddha-gaṇikā plays an important role and śṛṅgāra-rasa is invariably evoked through the play. Example: Yādavodaya
- Preṅkhaṇa – The nāyaka is of a preṅkhaṇa is of the inferior kind; garbha and avamarmarṣa sandhis are absent and so is the sūtradhāra. The play consists of one aṅka only and is devoid of viṣkambhaka and praveśaka. All four vṛttis are present in abundance. Physical combat comes as a part of the play and dialogues are filled with rage. Nāndī and prarocanā take place in the nepathya: Example: Valīvadha.
- Rāsaka – A rāsaka has only one aṅka only and may consist of upto five characters. Mukha and nirvahaṇa sandhis are present (some aestheticians are of the opinion that the pratimukha-sandhi is also present). Bhāratī and kaiśikī vṛttis dominate the play; a rāsaka is filled with different kinds of bhāṣās and vibhāṣās; vīthyaṅgas and kalās come as a part of it. The nāyaka is a fool and the nāyikā is prakhyāta. The nāndī-padya of a rāsaka is filled with śleṣa (pun); there is no exclusive sūtradhāra in the play. As the play progresses, its profundity increase as well; noble emotions and delicate artistry become prominent. Example - Menakāhita
The current series of articles is an enlarged adaption of Prof. A. R. Krishnasastri's Kannada treatise Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka. They are presented along with additional information and footnotes by Arjun Bharadwaj.
