312. 348 CHAPTER VI

348 CHAPTER VI

not to introduce anything on the stage, which is likely to shock the spectator's sense of reality of the presented. The stage, being of the limited size and the drama being in- tended to be presented within a fixed duration of time, he does not present on the stage all such things as do not fit in with the temporal and spatial limitations of the stage- presentation. He, therefore, naturally has to content himself with giving information about such things as big battles, long journeys and rebellions etc., through the informatory scenes. UNITIES OF TIME, PLACE AND ACTION He has to maintain the unity of time and consequently of space within each act of a drama. For, the dramatic action, according to the Indian dramaturgist, has to be divided into five parts, on the basis of five stages of action; and each stage has to be presented in a separate act. The continuity of the dramatised story has to be maintained, after the end of an act through introduction of1 Bindu (recollection of purpose) which is like a thread and strings together the various stages of action, presented separately in separate acts. The action and events, presented in an act ought to be such as do not extend over more than five Muhūrtas2. For, that is just the duration of time, for which the actors can act and the spectators can3 witness the performance at a stretch, without feeling any inconvenience, due to inter- ference with the daily natural routine. Thus, if the events and the action, connected with one stage of action, be such as, consistently with the unity of time, cannot be presented in one act, there are two ways of dealing with such a part of the story : 1. A. Bh., Ch. 19 (20 ?) V. 13 (MSS). 2. S. C., 635. 3. A. Bh., Ch. 19 (20 ?) V. 24. (MSS).