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The '''''Anargharāghava''''' ([[Devanagari]] {{lang|sa|अनर्घराघव}}) is a [[Sanskrit drama|dramatised]] retelling of the [[Ramayana]], and one of the most challenging pieces of classical [[Sanskrit poetry]].
It is the only surviving work by '''{{IAST|Murāri}}''', a Brahmin court poet, who lived some time between the 8th and 10th century CE, perhaps in Orissa or in neighbouring South India.

Because of its elegant style, learned allusions and often striking imagery, the poem has been a great favourite among pandits {{Who|date=November 2009}}, although it received little attention in the West until recently. The well-known epic story of Rama’s exploits is presented as a series of political intrigues and [[battle]]s, and contrasted with lyrical passages of various kinds: on love and war, [[pride]] and [[honor]], [[Deity|gods]] and [[demon]]s, rites and myths, regions and cities of ancient [[India]].

The play has little action — most fights and events take place behind the scenes or between acts — focussing instead on diction and other elements of dramatic representation, reminiscent of the Keralan [[Kutiyattam]] tradition. Although [[Kutiyattam]] representations are envisaged for dramas with more action than the Anargharāghava, actual performances — which normally include only one episode of a play at one go — often resemble spectacular chanting recitations of poetry interspersed with well-choreographed movements rather than what one would normally call theatre.

Murāri's emphasis on writing a play rather than a series of beautiful stanzas is also seen in the numerous allusions to plays and theatre.
In the Prakrit-Sanskrit prelude of Act 4, entitled ''{{IAST|miśraviṣkambhaka}}'', Mālyavan, the great intriguer of the demons, Rāvaṇa’s minister, is angry with [[Vishvamitra|Vishvāmitra]], who is directing a ‘bad drama’, ''{{IAST|durnāṭaka}}'', a play which is altogether against Mālyavan’s will. The expression is made more explicit by one of the commentators, Vishnubhatta, who gives the following paraphrase: he [[Vishvamitra|Vishvāmitra]] directs everything himself, just as a stage-manager does (''{{IAST|svayaṃ sūtradhāravat sarvapreraka iti bhāvaḥ}}'').
In presenting the Rama-story as a story of intrigues, Murāri follows the tradition of [[Bhavabhuti]]’s Mahāvīracarita, but renews it with his parallels from the world of stage.

== Translations ==
*''Anargharāghavam'' with Sanskrit commentary and Hindi translation by Rāmacandra Miśra, Varanasi: Chowkhamba Vidya Bhawan, 1960.
*''Anargharāghava: Das Schauspiel vom kostbaren Raghuspross. Einführung und Übersetzung'' by Karin Steiner, Drama und Theater in Südasien, Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag, 1997.
*''Rama Beyond Price'' by Judit Törzsök, [[Clay Sanskrit Library]], 2006.

==See also==
*[[Sanskrit drama]]
*[[Sanskrit literature]]

== References ==
{{More footnotes|date=November 2009}}
*''Viṣṇubhaṭṭaviracitā Anargharāghavapañcikā: The Commentary of Viṣṇubhaṭṭa on the Anargharāghava of Murāri'' by Judit Törzsök, Critical edition, Vol I: The Commentary of Viṣṇubhaṭṭa; Vol. II: The Anargharāghava of Murāri as Read by Viṣṇubhaṭṭa, Notes, Appendices by Harinarayana Bhat, Journal of the American Oriental Society, Vol. 123, No. 2 (Apr. – Jun., 2003), pp. 431–434.

== External links ==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110809060739/http://www.new.dli.ernet.in/cgi-bin/DBscripts/allmetainfo.cgi?barcode=1999990073486 scans of an 1887 edition], Nirnaysagar press, Mumbai.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Anargharaghava}}
[[Category:Sanskrit plays]]

Anargharāghava - Revision history

>GoodDay at 04:15, 30 October 2017