Bhavabhuti

Summary

Bhavabhuti, one of the great Sanskrit dramatists, is profiled in this article. He belonged to a Brahmin family of the Kāśyapa gotra; his father was Nīlakaṇṭha and his mother Jāṭukarṇī, and he inherited the title Śrīkantha from an ancestor. Under the guidance of his teacher Jananidhi he studied the Vedas, Upanishads, Sāṅkhya, Yoga, grammar, rhetoric and logic. His plays include the romantic Malati‑Madhava and two Rāma‑themed dramas, Mahāvīra‑carita and Uttarā‑Rāma‑carita. Unlike most contemporaries he did not enjoy royal patronage, lamenting in his plays that while other poets were honoured, he went unrecognised; nevertheless he associated with actors at the Kalapriyanatha fair in Ujjayini and had his works staged there. The article surveys his life, noting that his themes moved from romance to the heroic and devotional, and situating him chronologically around the late seventh to early eighth century, when he flourished during King Yāśovarman’s reign. It discusses the humanism and psychological depth of his characters and the way he drew on traditional epics while introducing his own innovations. The author also compares Bhavabhuti with earlier poets such as Kālidāsa and Bāṇa, showing how Bhavabhuti’s more sombre tone and moral earnestness contrast with their lightness. Emphasis is placed on his mastery of Sanskrit and Prakrit, his sensitive portrayal of women and his defence of dharma. The article concludes by appraising his lasting influence on Sanskrit drama and the respect later scholars paid to his three major works.