344. 382 CHAPTER VI

382 CHAPTER VI

Here the activity of Sagarika, mentioned by the Minister, which is of the nature of the seed, because all the future developments are its outcome, is thrown into the back-ground by the introduction of the festive scene. This scene covers her activity much as does the earth a seed. And just as the earth, while covering a seed, actually helps it in its growth, so does the festive scene the action of Sagarika.1 Thus the seed of action in the first act, which is at first clearly visible, is rendered as if it were invisible by the festive scene. The Pratimukha, therefore, according to him, is primarily concerned with total unfolding of the seed, that is presented in the Mukha, which though seen is yet, being thrown into the back-ground, remains as if it were unseen. This is called Pratimukha for the simple reason that in it the attempt of the dramatist is quite opposite3 to that involved in the Mukha. For, while in the latter his attempt is to keep the seed concealed, in the former his efforts are concentrated on unfolding it.

3. GARBHA. The Garbha Sandhi represents a further stage in the development of the seed than the one reached in the Pratimukha. The latter represents the sprouting but the former the embryonic fruition. It consists in the presentation of the central figure achieving the wished-for and then losing it and then again getting and losing it also and so on for a number of times. Every time the wished-for is lost there is a search for it. If we take the second act of .Ratnavalī and a part of the third to illustrate the point, it will become fairly clear. It is here that the first meeting of 1. A. Bh. (MSS) Ch. 19. V. 40. 2. A. Bh., (MSS) Ch. 19. V. 40.