Wayang Purwa symbolizes human life in the world. Basically, the genealogy of wayang is rooted in the gods named Hyang Manikmaya and Hyang Ismaya. They are sons of Hyang Tunggal. In the wayang performance, Hyang Tunggal is not visible. The two sons emerged as lights simultaneously. Manikmaya’s light was glowing brightly. Ismaya’s light was dark. Both of them competed to proclaim that they were the older of the two.
Then, Hyang Tunggal stated that the dark light was older, but he was predicted that he could not have the god’s personality. He was given a name Ismaya. Since he had the human personality, he was asked to stay in earth to take care the god’s descendent, the Pandawa. Then he was sent to the world and named Semar. He has the ugliest human being outlook.
The spark light was named Manikmaya, who lives in Suralaya (the kingdom of gods). Manikmaya is so proud to himself since he perceives himself to have no weakness and to be powerful. That kind of attitudes makes Hyang Tunggal give him some weaknesses.
The two events are symbols. Ismaya symbolizes the body of human being. Ismaya symbolizes the soul of human being (inner body). The body (Semar) always takes care of five senses (Pandawa): sense of smelling (Yudistira); sense of hearing (Bima); sense of seeing (Arjuna); sense of taste (Nakula); and sense of touching (Sadewa).
The task of Semar is to take care the wellbeing of Pandawa, in order to avoid the war with Korawa (sense of Anger). However, Hyang Manik Maya always persuades them to fight. Finally, there is Baratayudha where Pandawa become the winner.
Wayang in Bali is a sacred performing art. It is sacred since the performing art in Bali becomes an arena of transmitting the basic philosophical thought to the audience. The audience is perceived as coming from three realms of world (the realm of gods, the realm of human being, and the realm of underworld).
The existence of wayang characterizes much of the Balinese ritual, from ceremonies for pregnancy to the rituals for weddings. These rituals serve the function of harmonizing the three worlds, often utilizing wayang as the main instrument.
As a sacred performing art in Bali, there are numbers of purification ceremonies for the wayang, puppeteer, gender (gamelan), and the gamelan players. Before the wayang is performed, certain purification ceremonies will be carefully conducted.
The five Pandawas consist of Puntadewa (Yudistira), Bima, Arjuna, Nakula and Sadewa. Puntadewa, Bima, and Arjuna were born from the wedding of King Pandudewanata with Queen Dewi Kunti. On the other hand, Nakula and Sadewa were born from the wedding of King Pandudewanata with Queen Dewi Madrim.
- Puntadewa or son of Pandu or Yudistira is the oldest of Five Pandawas. He is so patient so that he is often called as having the white blood. He would never fight or go to war. He has a powerful amulet named Kalimasada.
- The second Pandawa is Bima or Werkodara. He has a large, strong body and has very sharp thumbnails. He never uses formal language to anyone (except to Dewaruci). He represents the power of Five Pandawas.
- The third Pandawa is Arjuna. He is a handsome warrior. He is also powerful. He practices meditation; therefore he has received lots of powerful weaponry. He is very skilled in the art of archery.
- The fourth and Fifth of Pandawas are Nakula and Sadewa. Like their step-brothers, both of these warrior has supernatural power. Even though they have different mother, Nakula and Sadewa are always loyal to their three step-brothers.
- Drupadi is the daughter of King Drupada, and becomes the wife of the five Pandawas and then known as Princess Krishnaa. When Yudistira becomes the king of Hastinapura, Indraprasta and the Emperor at the end of the war, Drupadi again becomes Queen.
