329. EARLY POETIC EFFORTS 331

EARLY POETIC EFFORTS 331

Western scholars such as Schroeder, Windisch, Oldenberg, Pis- chel, Konow have evolved various theories about the origin of the Sanskrit drama, all of which are criticized by Prof. A. B. Keith in S. D. pp. 13-27. The Nātyasāstra of Bharata shows its consciousness that the classical Sanskrit drama has its roots deep down in the Vedic age when भरत states (in नाव्यशाख I. 17 Ch. ed. and in G.O. S. ed. also) that yIa (recitation and dialogue), गीत, अभिनय and रस were taken from the ऋग्वेद, सामवेद, यजुर्वेद and आथर्वशवेद respectively (vide p. 29 above). In the Baud. Gr. I. 4. 5 (Mysore ed.) and in the Hir. Gr. I. 24. 6 we come acrcss the following verse which refers to Cakravāka birds that are symbols of tender conjugal love and concord in classical Sanskrit 'चाक्रवाकं संवननं यन्नदीभ्य उदाहृतम्। यदित्ती देवगन्धवौं तेन संवनिनौ स्व: ।I' (the husband says this to the wife on the 4th night after monthly illness starts). Vide S. B. E. vol. 30 p. 198 for Hir. Gr. and H. of Dh. vol. II. p. 224 on सीमन्तोन्नयन for references to other गृद् sutras. The Upanisads also, though they are devoted to the pursuit of philosophical truth, contain highly poetic passages e. g. 'धनुगहीत्वौपनिषदं महासरं शरं द्यपासानिशितं संधयीत। आयम्य तद्भावगतेन चेतसा लच्षयं तदेवाक्षरं सोम्य विद्धि॥" मुएडकोपनि. II. 2.3. Similarly, the verse 'आत्मानं रथिनं विद्धि शरीरं रथमेव तु' (कठोपनिषद् I. 3.3) contains a good रूपक and the verses 'इन्द्रियेभ्यः परा हर्था अर्थभ्यश्ष परं मनः। ...... त्पुरुष: पर:।' contain the figure सार. Vide H. of Dh.vol. II. pp. 1231-1233 for the recitation of narratives called पारिप्लव for one year in aau and Sat. Br. XIII. 4. 3 (SBE. vol. 44 pp. 360-371). In the ea. AT. (VII. 18. 10=33. 6) the story of शुनःशेप is called शौनःशेपाख्यान, which the hotr priest was to recite to the king in the Rajasuya sacrifice. In ऐत. ब्रा. (III. 25. 1= 13. 1) there is mention of सौपर्णाख्यान. 2 Coming to later days, there is : mple evidence to show that centuries before the Christian era poctry of a high order had been composed. It is accepted almost by all scholars that the Mahabharata in its extant form cannot be placed later than the 2nd century A. D. and that a large portion of it may be at least as old as 500 B.C. Similarly, the {THrT has been assigned to the 4th century B. C. by some scholars (Dr. Keith in JRAS 1915 p. 320), while others (like Dr. Jacobi) would place it as far back as 600 B. C. These two epics contain highly poetical passages, Many passages are quoted from the HETaRa in the