Prekshaa articles feed

Caturvidhābhinaya in the Kumārasambhava - Part 5 - Devas and Brahmā

As the devatas had even lost their voice to give words to their trouble, Indra, their leader gets into action; and his action is merely to reverentially pass on the responsibility to his Guru Bṛhaspati. He does so only with a gentle and slow movement of all his hundred eyes towards the Guru. He does not have words to speak to Brahmā or to the Guru. Bṛhaspati, who is known to have mastered language can at least attempt to express their unified wish to Brahmā – the master of speech, speaking to the Creator of Speech!.

ततो मन्दानिलोद्धूतकमलाकरशोभिना ।

Kathāpīṭhalambaka - 1- Śiva Starts Narrating a Story

इदं गुरु-गिरीन्द्रजा प्रणय-मन्दरान्दोलनात्
पुरा किल कथामृतं हर-मुखाम्बुधेरुद्गतं |
प्रसह्य रसयन्ति ये विगतविघ्नलब्धर्धयो
धुरं दधति वैबुधीं भुवि भवप्रसादेन ते ||

Long ago this kathāmṛta (literally 'story-nectar') rose up from the mouth of Śiva churned by Pārvatī’s love acting as the Mount Mandara. Those of this world who partake of it are, through the grace of Śiva, instantly rid of obstacles and blessed with prosperity and vested with knowledge.

Drama Companies of Bellary (Part 2)

Kumbāra Guṇḍayya (Guṇḍayya, the Potter)

In one of the plays – probably ‘Vijayanagara Patana’ – one of the characters is a potter. That day Raghavacharya beckoned me and told me to sit in the first row, just next to stage. I declined. He insisted I sit there compulsorily. “If you don’t sit there, I will have to call out your name loudly and make you come there. It will be an unnecessary fuss.” Thus he cajoled me. I sat there as per his instruction.