Indian Epic Literature: Its Relationship to Theatrical Tradition
Epic poetry is a significant component of Indian
classical literary tradition. It
serves many purposes: entertainment,
edification and inspiration. The
characteristics of this epic poetry include its narrative quality, metric form
and a leisurely unfolding of the story, using considerable detail and frequent
digressions. One noteworthy
literary device of early Indian epic poetry is the introduction of a new tale by
a character within the primary story (a kind of story within the story).
The two oldest and most important Indian epic poems are the Mahabharata and the Ramayana. Both were composed in Sanskrit, an ancient Indo-European language introduced to India between 2000 and 1000 BC, and the sacred language of the Brahman religion.
As with most epic stories in oral tradition, both
works were developed over an extended period of time.
The Mahabharata is believed to have been composed from 600 BC
through 400 AD. The Ramayana
is believed to have been composed in the 4th century BC.
Although they can be considered entertainment literature,
the Ramayana and the Mahabharata are increasingly regarded as
sacred works. Both works explore
religious themes, ethics, duty and the tenets of Hindu faith (especially the
worship of Vishnu).
The Mahabharata, or “Great Tale of the Descendants
of Bharata”, took place during the third Hindu period of chronology, the
Dwapara Yuga. The Mahabharata
is the extended story of a great war fought between two families, the Pandavas
and the Kauravas, who were cousins, over their kingdom. In one of the best-known segments Krishna, serving as
charioteer to the Pandu hero Arjuna, reveals that he is a human incarnation of
the Hindu god Vishnu. This
conversation between Krishna and Arjuna is the Bhagavad Gita or “Secret
Wisdom Sung by the Lord (Krishna)”, a source of great inspiration and wisdom
for modern Hindus.
The Ramayana , or “Life of Rama”, took place late in the second Hindu period of chronology, the Treta Yuga. It recounts the life and exploits of Rama, the human incarnation of the Hindu god Vishnu. It is shorter, more polished and contains fewer digressions than those found in the Mahabharata. The characters of the Ramayana include the heroic Rama, his noble and faithful wife Sita and their children. Sita is abducted by the wicked demon king Ravana and taken to his island city Lanka (perhaps modern Ceylon). Rama successfully regains Sita, aided by an army of monkeys led by the monkey general, Hanuman.
Many traditional Indian dance and dance-drama performances
are based on story segments contained in either the Ramayana or the Mahabharata.
These story segments recur in the traditional theatre forms of other
Asian countries, especially those that share cultural and religious traditions
with India. In addition, later
Sanskrit epics, the Puranas, expanded upon many of the themes and stories found
in the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.
Thus these two great works are the foundation for much of the subsequent
traditional dance, dance-drama and literature of India.
As a point of reference, we are now living in the fourth Hindu period of chronology, the Kali Yuga.
