In which there is the excitement of great men, deep and terrible;
In which the speech is clear, rough and full of meaning.
In which the heroic experience, placed in uncommon characters,
Is divided according to its receptacles by manifest fine distinctions.
To critics of Sanskrit kavya, there is
a kavi who pervades one with a very great inner joy, who appears to be a reincarnation of Valmiki, who has perhaps no equal in insight into human nature and social relationships, who is full of sensitivity and compassion. He is Bhavabhuti—the author of Malati and Madhava, Mahaviracharita (Life of the Great Hero), and Uttararamacharita (Rama’s Later History). Uttararamacharita, considered to be Bhavabhuti’s masterpiece, is a moving and exalted play which reveals his eloquence, so that we realize why he is at times preferred even to Kalidasa. His idealism, lofty conception of family, his fervor and high seriousness—all come through in this exquisite play devoted chiefly to the glorification of the family and dharma.
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