by Andrew Skilton (Translator)
Two tragic plays that break the rules: both show the hero dying on stage, a scenario forbidden in Sanskrit dramaturgy. King Harsha's play, composed in the seventh century, re-examines the Buddhist tale of a magician prince who makes the ultimate sacrifice to save a hostage snake (naga). The Shattered Thighs, attributed to Bhasa, the illustrious predecessor to ancient Kali-dasa, transforms a crucial episode of the Maha-bh rata war. As he dies from a foul blow to the legs delivered in his duel with Bhima, Dury dhana's character is inverted, depicted as a noble and gracious exemplar amidst the wreckage of the fearsome battle scene.
Number of Pages: 380
Dimensions: 1 x 6.5 x 4.3 IN
Publication Date: March 01, 2009