Ramayana
Hanuman.
Kumbakarna, who actually does not agree with Rahwana, s conduct,
still feels very sad seeing his sister and Cousin die. Hestill wishes
to show his loyalty to his country. Rushing forward to the battle-
field, lie is attacked by an army of apes, all of whom are beaten
even Laksmana is beaten. Only when Rama appears armed with bow and
arrows that Kumbakarna dies as a hero.
two great families and the journey of Yudisrira to Heuvcn. Unlike
the Ramayana) the story of which is fairly simpie, the story of
the Mababbarata is rather complicated and very long.
The
story of Ramayana, which is performed in dance-drama or jendratari,
does not deviate much from original epic but the Java, nese dance-drama
presenting stories from the epic Mahabharafa do deviate a great
deal.
The
Mdbabbardta has long been known by the Javanese inore than a thousand
years ago. For example, the story oi Bimmaya Kumara is*k6corded
as performed as puppet theatre (wayang) in the
copper
plate inscription issued by King Balitung in A.P. 907. It is a story
about Bhima, the second brother of the five Pandawas.
The
Javanese make a clear distinction between stories based oil epic
and those which were created by dalang (puppeteer). The for mer
are called Won pokok, or Won (hiparan, or Won jejer (trunk stories),
the latter Won carangan (branch stories). There are also stories
wholly invented by ddlang called lahon sempalan (detached stories).
By
the middle of the 18th century, it seems, the Mababharaia -as preferred
to the Ramayana for performance in the courts of the Central Javanese
kings and mansions of the nobility. I suspect that the preference
was not only because the Mahabbarata creatively inspired new stories.
It also reflected the political conditions at that time. The Dutch
had divided the Mataram kingdom into. two -Surakarta and Yogyakarta
- for the two brothers Sunan Paku Buwono III and Sultan Hamengku
Buwono I in 1755.
By
the 18th century stories based on the Mahabharata were being performed
both through the-leath,~.- shadow-puppet-play and through dance-drama
(wayang wong). The performance al"'ys
depicted
a conflict between the five Pandawas and the hundred Kaurawas, with
the intervention of a third party who was considered foreign (Javanese:
Sabrangen), supposedly the Dutch.
It
should be noted that because the Javanese considered the heroes
of both the Ramaya-na and the Mababbarala, it is not
surprising
that the Javanese have also created new stories combining the Ramayana
and the Mahahbarata, for example the Rama Nitis (Incarnation of
Rama). In the Rama Nitis Rama incarnates in Kresna, advisor 'and
helper, of the Pandawas, and Laksmana. incarnates . in
Arjuna,
the greatest hero of the Mahahharata.
Based
on the Mahahharata the Javanese men of letters made up stories of
their own, though the names of the important characters are taken
from names from the Mahabba-rata. The PregiwaPregiwati dance-drama,
which is very popular among the Javanese, used to perform the complete
story. In the palace of Yogyakarta, such a performance used to last
three days at a stretch. Today this. long story can be performed
in only two hours, one hour, or even less.
The
Pregiwa-Pregiwati dance-drama is now scarcely performed as a whole.
Only the most interesting parts of it are performed, such as the
journey of Abimanyu and Gatotkaca in their search for Pregiwa-pregiwati
when they meet the giant Cakil and his troop of , giants.. Another
part performed is the story of war between the Pandawas and the
king who desires the prospective wife of Abimanyu. In Yogyakarta
this is a separate independent Won,, called lakon Suprabalwati Tinanding
(Suprabawati fighting Srikand
Following
is a summary of the Pregiwa-Pregiwati ~ance-drama.
King
Kresna has.-agrown--up 4a~yghter called De-wi.Siti Sundari.
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