January 2026
Chāyā-nāṭakas
Neither the Nāṭya-śāstra nor the treatises composed in later periods mention the chāyā-nāṭakas. Different scholars have defined the term chāyā-nāṭaka in different ways. Shadow play on a screen, puppet presentations, or mute plays such as Kathakali are, at times, classified as chāyā-nāṭakas. The narration by the bhāgavatas during a performance is also classified under this category. These are not real plays; the text of the chāyā-...
[It is a matter of immense joy and pride to us at Prekshaa Pratishtana that the prestigious Padma Bhushan Award has been conferred on our advisor and chief contributor, Shatavadhani Dr. R Ganesh. Prekshaa has been fortunate to receive his guidance right from its inception. He has been extremely generous with his knowledge and wisdom, time and resources, each of which is invaluable to us.
Ganesh is an ardent advocate of Vedanta, according to...
Freedom of Choice
There is a pre-existing universal order (ṛta), we are born into this world carrying the three great debts (ṛṇa), and we are expected to adhere to a path of sustainability (dharma). So, it is natural to ask: Where does individual freedom feature in the scheme of things?
Sanātana-dharma offers the greatest possibility for individual freedom with the caveat: My desire to be free should not trample upon your desire to be free.[1]...
Adbhuta-darpaṇa
Mahādeva-kavi, the author of Adbhuta-darpaṇa, was a contemporary of Rāmabhadra-dīkṣita. The play in ten acts narrates the story starting from Aṅgada-sandhāna – the attempts at a peace treaty by Aṅgada; Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa possess an adbhuta-maṇi-darpaṇa – a gem-studded magical mirror, using which, they watch the battle between Rāvaṇa and the vānaras; thus, the name of the drama. The play is full of magical tricks of the rākṣasas....
Cosmic Order
Understanding reality in all its dimensions takes us closer to the Vedic conception of ṛta. The word ṛta may be roughly translated as the ‘cosmic order in the universe,’ ‘divine principles governing the world,’ ‘cosmic law behind existence.’ It refers to the dynamism inherent in the universe. Even in nature, dynamism means life and stasis means death—a man is deemed to be alive only if he is breathing, his heart is beating, and...
Fact and Value
To understand truth from a different perspective, let us take a look at Fact and Value. Seers of ancient India cherished the implications of facts and values, which are both outside the purview of blind faith. On the one hand, they did not completely exclude faith from philosophy and on the other, they did not attempt to explain everything within the narrow framework of faith. They were intelligent and mature to approach fact and...
Prasanna-rāghava
Jayadeva, the author of Candrāloka, has also penned a play called Prasanna-rāghava. The play in seven acts narrates the story of the Rāmāyaṇa starting from Sītā’s svayaṃvara to Rāma’s homecoming after fourteen years of exile. Śūrpaṇakhā and Mālyavanta play no role in the plot. The playwright, however, introduces a few fantastical elements – it is not just Rāvaṇa who competes and fails in stringing Śiva’s bow, but Bāṇāsura...