The Bhāsa Theory Again — A Reply to Prof. Keith

Summary

Responding to Professor Arthur Berriedale Keith’s critical remarks about the authenticity of plays attributed to Bhāsa, this article by K. R. Pisharoti defends the legitimacy of the Bhāsa canon. Keith had argued that certain plays show stylistic inconsistencies and lack explicit authorial attribution, suggesting that they may be later compilations. Pisharoti counters by examining linguistic features, metre and thematic coherence across the plays. He points out passages that demonstrate Bhāsa’s originality, such as his use of direct speech and dramatic irony, and compares them with excerpts from Kālidāsa and Śūdraka to show distinctiveness. The author also scrutinises Keith’s reliance on the absence of prologues in some manuscripts, arguing that prologues were often lost in transmission or deliberately omitted in early Sanskrit drama. He cites inscriptions and commentaries that attribute the plays to Bhāsa and notes that traditional critics like Abhinavagupta praised his works. Pisharoti concedes that some later redactions introduced interpolations but asserts that the core narratives and stylistic hallmarks remain Bhāsa’s. The article ends by urging scholars to consider the broader historical context rather than drawing hasty conclusions from limited manuscripts. It emphasises the need for critical editions and philological rigor when assessing the corpus of ancient playwrights.