BHASA

born 3rd century AD, , India the earliest known Sanskrit dramatist, many of whose complete plays have been found. In 1912 an Indian scholar discovered and published the texts of 13 of Bhasa's dramas, previously known only by the allusions of ancient Sanskrit dramatists. His best work, Svapnavasavadatta (The Dream of Vasavadatta), depicts a king losing and then regaining his kingdom from a usurper. The majority of his dramas are ingenious adaptations on themes of heroism and romantic love borrowed from India's two great epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. Bhasa deviated from the accepted dramaturgy of the time by portraying battle scenes and killings on the stage. His influence is seen in the works of the great 5th-century dramatist Kalidasa, who consciously imitated and improved upon some of Bhasa's literary motifs.