3. The title of the Play

In the literature it is found that the title of any composition is based on three theories—

1. by the names of nāyaka or nāyikā, or the both;
2. based on the central theme;
3. or by a symbolic name.

Visvanātha Kavirāja in the sixth chapter of his Sāhityadarpaṇa discusses in brief, the procedure or conventions of naming or giving the title of a play. The title of a play should generally be suggestive one. According to him, the title in case of a nāṭaka, should be given in such a way so that it should express or indicate the very nucleus of the dramatic action.

Cf.

nāma kāryaṃ nāṭakasya garbhitārtha-prakāśakam/^[1]

The grandson of Sāmanta Vaṭeśvaradatta and the son of Mahāraja Pṛthu, Viśākhadatta has given the title of his play having seven acts, Mudrārākṣasa.^[2] By doing so, the dramatist wants to convey some special reflection of the theme to the audience.

The title Mudrārākṣasam can be derived in two ways—

mudrayā gṛhito rākṣasa nāmamātyo yatra tanmudrārākṣasam nāma nāṭakam.

Here madhyapadalopi samāsa is to be taken. This indicates how Rākṣasa won over by the signet ring. Some others derive it using Dandva-samāsa, i.e., mudrā ca rākṣasaśca mudrārākṣasam. In this case ‘Mudrā’ and ‘Rākṣasa’ are of the same importance. But in the very nāṭaka, all the intrigues of Cāṇakya centers round Rākṣasa. So, Rākṣasa is the goal and the signet ring or the Mudrā is only a means to achieve Rākṣasa as the minister of Candragupta. Cāṇakya makes this point clear when he says in the first act—“that is why we are trying to win you over.”^[3] Therefore it can be easily seen that the former way of derivation aptly justifies the meaning of the name.

Acharya Jagadisha Chandra Mishra and Satyavrata Siṃha in the introductions of their additions of Mudrārākṣasa convey the same idea that with the formula adhikṛtya kṛte granthe, the word ‘Mudrārākṣasa’ becomes napuṃsakānta or neuter gender.^[4]

But R. R. Deshpandey in the introductory portion of his edition of the very drama clearly discards the very idea saying thus—

“The tittle of the play cannot be understood on the basis of adhikṛtya kṛte granthe as the form than would be Maudrārākṣasam.”

He further suggested mudrayā jitaḥ rākṣasaḥ yasmin tat, that in which there is Rākṣasa i.e., account of Rākṣasa won by a signet ring is the principal theme of the play and in keeping with the maxim prādhnyena vyapadeśā bhavanti, Mudrārākṣasam comes to be the tittle of the play.^[5]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Sāhityadarpaṇa, VI.142

[2]:

Mudrārākṣasa, Act-I, Prastāvanā (the prologue)

[3]:

ata evāsmākaṃ tvatsaṃgrahe yatnaḥ kathamasau vṛṣalasya sācivyagrahaṇena sanugrahaḥ syāditi, Mudrārākṣasa, p.35

[4]:

Mudrārākṣasam, ed.Acarya Jagadish Candra Misra, p.24 and Mudrārākṣasam, Ed. Satyavrata Sinha, p.20

[5]:

Mudrārākṣasam, ed. R.R. Deshpandey, p.8