346. 384 CHAPTER VI

384 CHAPTER VI

hero. This comes out at its best only when the struggle in which he is engaged, is the keenest and the obstacle, that he overcomes, is the greatest that he has ever to face. Further, the best qualities are forced to come out only when, after the facts have conspired to arouse a strong hope, there arises the obstacle, which dashes it to the ground and arouses grave doubts in the hero about his success. It is thus based on the fact of experience. But it has to be understood that it is not the reflection at the first sight of the object of desire, but consequent on the rise of obstacle after hope has been aroused. Avamarsa fits in very well with Niyatapti inasmuch as it involves overcoming of the last obstacle. At the beginning of Avamarsa, some obstacles are put on the way of the hero so as to bring out his best qualities. The Sandhyangas, which have been mentioned thereunder, fully bear out this assertion. Whether the theme of a drama be love or heroism, the dramatis personea have to be arranged into two opposite groups. That is, to say, in all dramas, there has to be presented the conflict of interests at least in the beginning. It is, therefore, natural that one of the conten- ding parties, finding its path obstructed by the other, should speak ill of it, that there should be exchange of hot words between them when they meet, that one of them should kill or arrest those primarily responsible for the obst- ruction and so on. Thus, when a very important member, such as the deputy leader, of one party is killed or arrested by the leader of the opposition, there arise grave doubts in the mind of the hero about his success to achieve the objective. He, therefore, exerts himself to the utmost. This brings out his best qualities. That1 portion of Ratnavali which represents the

1. D. R. 21.