Madhyamavyayoga

Synopsis

The play is set in the forest where the Pandava brothers are in exile. A Brahmin family—a mother, father, and their three sons—is pursued by Ghatotkacha, the son of the demoness Hidimbā and the Pandava prince Bhima. Acting on his mother's orders to find human prey, Ghatotkacha captures the family but offers to release them if one member becomes Hidimbā's meal. Each family member volunteers selflessly: the father offers himself to protect his family, the mother insists she has fulfilled her role, and the first and second sons argue they should be the sacrifice.

The father confesses his favorite is the first son, and the mother admits her favorite is the youngest, leaving the middle son to be taken. Before facing his fate, the middle son asks to drink from a nearby lake. When he does not return, Ghatotkacha demands the family give the middle son's name so he can call him. The first son gives the name madhyama, meaning 'middle one,' which is also the title of Bhima as the middle Pandava.

Bhima, hearing himself called, enters and takes charge, telling the priest he will take his place as Hidimbā's meal if needed.

Adaptations

Madhyamavyayoga was performed by the drama troupe of Alva's Education Foundation, directed by Jeevan Ram Sullia. The play was also staged in Kolkata, Kurukshetra, Madurai, Kozhikode, Varanasi, and across Karnataka. Additionally, it was performed by second-year students of the National School of Drama in Delhi in November 2002, directed by Anjala Mahirishi. The play has also been produced by Sarga Kalakshetra Kavalam, a school founded under Padmabhushan Kavalam Narayana Panicker, directed by his disciple Satish Kumar Kavalam.

Translations to English

The play has been translated into English several times. Notable translations include E. P. Janvier's 1922 edition published by Wesleyan Mission Press, C. Devadhar's 1957 version from Oriental Book Agency, and the 1991 collection Thirteen Plays of Bhasa by L. Swarup and A. C. Woolner. Other translations are A. Haskar's 1993 The Shattered Thigh and Other Mahabharata Plays of Bhasa, S. Bhattacharjee's 1999 edition, and S. K. Sharma's 2005 publication. Most of these texts include English introductions and notes.

Did You Know?

• The play's title combines madhyama (the middle one) and vyayoga (a one-act heroic drama).
• In classical Sanskrit dramaturgy, a vyayoga is a one-act play with a heroic mood, lacking romantic elements and having few feminine roles.
• The confusion caused by addressing both the priest's middle son and Bhimasena as madhyama is central to the play.