A Devotional Drama in Sanskrit
Summary
This article introduces and analyses a Sanskrit devotional drama called Krsnabhakticandrika (also referred to as Arsnabhakticandrika) attributed to Anantadeva, a prominent Mimamsa and Dharmasastra scholar. The author notes that most Sanskrit dramas draw their stories from the national epics, whereas this play treats an abstract topic—devotion (bhakti) to Krishna—making it unusual. The drama portrays bhakti as the supreme path to bliss even for scholars inclined to other philosophical systems. The article provides a biographical sketch of Anantadeva, noting his standing as a leading scholar and teacher of the seventeenth century and the author of important commentaries on Mimamsa and Dharmasastra. Evidence from contemporaries such as Khandadeva and Jivadeva indicates that he flourished in the middle of the seventeenth century. The drama’s date is thus placed around this period. The article examines the author’s other compositions and emphasises his adoption of bhakti alongside a commitment to ritualistic philosophy. It further notes that the text lacks formal division into acts despite various entrances and exits, suggesting a unique structure. The theme of the drama revolves around the doctrine of divine grace as the only sure means of attaining supreme reality. The study situates the play within the broader literature on devotion and argues that it illustrates a synthesis between Mimamsa scholarship and bhakti practice.
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Conclusion
The author concludes that Anantadeva’s Krsnabhakticandrika is a rare example of a Sanskrit drama focused on devotion rather than heroic exploits. Composed in the mid‑seventeenth century by a renowned Mimamsa scholar, the play demonstrates how bhakti could be reconciled with ritualistic philosophy. Its unconventional subject matter and structure contribute to our understanding of the diversity of Sanskrit dramatic literature.