Bhoja summary

नायकाः

प्रधान-पुरुषार्थ-भेदेन

  • प्रधान-पुरुषार्थ-भेदेन भोजकृत-विभागः
    • धीरोद्धतः - अर्थप्रधानः. Goal - Material prosperity.
      • Eg. rAvaNa or parashurAma.
      • Object enhances social worth
      • Set of pursued objects - largest
      • Often unsuccessful.
      • Competition from others - highest. Possibility of interpersonal relationship problems - highest.
      • Fruit - transient freedom from displeasure
      • Often unsuccessful
    • धीर-ललितः - काम-प्रधानः Goal - Material enjoyment.
      • Eg. duśyanta, vatsarāja udayana.
      • Object’s enjoyment gives pleasure
      • Set of pursued objects - intermediate
      • Competition from others - intermediate. Possibility of interpersonal relationship problems - intermediate.
      • Fruit - transient pleasure
      • successful/ unsuccessful
    • धीरोदात्तः - धर्म-प्रधानः Goal - puNya via ethical action.
      • Eg. rAma
      • Set of pursued objects - small
      • Object unimportant . Ethical action directed at or using object is key.
      • Competition from others - small. Possibility of interpersonal relationship problems - small.
      • Fruit - Long term future pleasure
      • Often successful, thanks to prajñā.
    • धीर-शान्तः - मोक्ष-प्रधानः
      • eg. jīmūtavāhana
      • Object/ actions unimportant. Recoiling from objects important.
      • Set of pursued objects - smallest
      • Fruit - eternal freedom from displeasure.
      • Competition from others - None. Possibility of interpersonal relationship problems - least.
      • Liberated person cannot be shown on stage easily, as he no longer performs any actions.
      • Often successful
  • तत्तत्-पुरुषार्थानुसरणम् अपीमे नायकाः शिक्षन्ति प्रेक्षकेभ्य इति प्रधान-नायकानां कस्मिंश्चन पुरुषार्थे बद्धता साधु रक्ष्यते काव्ये। उपनायकानां तु पुरुषार्थेषु भवेद् भेदः काव्ये नानाभागेषु।

Traits

  • Personality traits as per bhoja differentiate various heroes.
    • Categories - Shared traits, unique traits, differentiating traits.

Shared traits

    1. Exalted birth (jāti)
    1. Exalted lineage (anvaya)
    1. Exalted kinship (abhijana)
    1. Exalted nationality (nivāsa)
    1. Exalted habitation (āspada)
    1. Exalted position (pada)
    1. Exalted filial connection (pitarau)
    1. Skill (dākṣya)
    1. Artistic aptitude (kalāvaidagdhya)
    1. Shrewdness (caturatā)
    1. Physical beauty/exalted physical appearance (rūpasampat)
    1. Sex appeal (saubhāgya)
    1. Generosity (tyāga)
    1. Absence of self-depreciatory talk (adīnavākyatā),
    1. Rhetorical ability (vāgmitva)
    1. Physical prowess (sakti),
    1. Bravery (śaurya)
    1. Learning/domain-specific knowledge (śāstrajñatā),
    1. Wisdom (prajñā)
    1. Superhuman influence (prabhāva)
    1. Spatiotemporal propriety of thought and behaviour (deśakālāvabodha)
    1. Ability to accurately decode others’ expressive behaviours (ingitākārajñatā)
    1. Exalted enterprise (mahārambhatā)
    1. Friendship (sauhārda)

Of the above,

  • śānta and udātta always possess all 24.
  • lalita posseses always possess 1-18. May have 19-24.
  • uddhata posseses always 1-12. May have 13-18.

Unique traits

uddhata

Social, physical traits

    1. Inability to put up with loss of status (māna). Hence, always unsatisfied.
    1. Enhancement of energy when insulted (tejas)
    1. Excessive pride (sauņdīrya)
    1. Mannerisms associated with pride (vilāsa)
    1. Boastfulness (vikatthanā)
    1. Impatience/inability to tolerate delay in one’s undertaking (asthiratva)
    1. inability to suppress opinions when gripped by impulse (agambhīratā)
    1. Impetuousness/acting without thinking (sāhasa)
lalita

Social, physical, intellectual traits

    1. Being well-groomed (suveṣatā)
    1. Attractiveness (sampriyatā)
    1. Youth (yauvana)
    1. Liberality in bestowing others with gifts (sthūlalakṣatā)
    1. Pleasing talk (priyamvadatva)
    1. Natural gracefulness in mannerisms (lālitya)
    1. Freedom from fury under all situations (mādhurya)
    1. Fidelity in relationships, especially romantic ones (dr̥ḍhabhaktitā)
udātta

Social, physical, intellectual, moral traits

    1. Moral character as expressed through noble behavior (śīla)
    1. Civility (dākṣiṇya)
    1. Steadfastness (sthairya)
    1. Profundity of character as manifested through restrained behavior (gāmbhīrya)
    1. Confidence in one’s enterprise (prāgalbhya)
    1. Maintenance of propriety under all circumstances (sobhā)
    1. Gratitude (krtajñatā),
    1. Modesty (avikatthana)
śānta

Social, physical, intellectual, moral, spiritual traits

    1. Tolerance/ability to suffer without getting angry (kṣamā)
    1. Complete control over one’s sensory and motor faculties (vasitva)
    1. Contentment (santoșa)
    1. Recoiling away from sense objects, serenity (praśama)
    1. Cleanliness (sauca)
    1. Guilelessness, straightforwardness (ārjava)
    1. Contemplativeness (vaiśāradya)
    1. Disinclination to enjoy worldly pleasures (vairāgya)

Inference

  • From story.
  • Dialogues. Others commenting on the character’s behavior.

अहङ्कारोद्भवः

  • कर्मफलानि। ततो वर्तमाना व्यक्तिः।
  • Personality type = f(traits, life-goal)
  • Traits lead to actions.
  • Actions
    • Some actions aid attainment of object in line with पुरुषार्थ।
    • Actions may be successful or unsuccessful. In case of udātta or śānta characters, actions (reg. dharma and moxa) are unlikely to be unsuccessful as they have the “prajñā” trait.
  • Self identity types
    • Trait based - “I am smart.”, “I am educated in the arts.”
      • Oft seen where life-goal is artha or kāma.
      • Unsuccessful actions result in ill-being.
    • Action based
      • Eg. dhArmika person, in whom all great traits are present.
      • In udātta or śānta character, ahaṅkāra is based on performance of action, rather than on success. So, no ill-being.

References