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COLLECTED BY FRANZ BOP?,

Froiessor of Comparative Flailology in the
University of ^Berlin.

Purchased by Cornell

University,

1868.

Cornell University Library

PK 3796.V7C87
Vikramorvasi :an Indian drama /transia

3 1924 022 967 917

Cornell University
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/-^

YIKRAMOEYASI
AN INDIAN DEAMA;

TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH PEOSE FROM THE SANSKRIT

OF KALIBA'SA,

EDWARD BYLES COWELL,

OF MA.GDALEN HALL, OXFORD,

HERTFORD:
PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY STEPHEN AUSTIN,
BOOKSliLB 10 THE EAST-INDIA COLLEGE.

IIDOOOLI,

" I revere the

rhythm

as well as the

becomes poetry ; but that which

effective, that

which

is

really

is really,

is

a false

show

when

is

that which

Then remains

absent, a dazzUng exterior

and which, when present, such an

exterior contrives to conceal."

GoETEE

vr.

first

and fundamentally

translated into prose.

the pure, perfect substance ; of which,

make

deeply,

permanent and furthering,

remains of the poet when he

often contrives to

rhyme, by which poetry

CAitto-hiography.J

PEEFACE.

The

following

supply the

translation

Sanskrit

with a

student

undertaken

been

has

highly esteemed work, which has been lately

book
object,

Moniee Williams'

Mr.

by

therefore, of the

author's

literal

meaning

translator

made

edition.

of a

a text-

The

first

has been to give his

elegance

version

literal

of

style

been

has

throughout esteemed secondary, although he has

endea-

voured, as far as he was able, to combine the two.

refers his

readers

to Professor

Theatre of the Hindus,

verse

the

following

for

Wilson's Specimens of

a fine

pages

to

scholarly

aspire to

translation

He
the
in

be only a faithful

transcript of the original in prose.

Vikramorvas'i

is

that wrote Sakuntald

Sir

W. Jones

at the

drama

by the same elegant hand

(which

was translated

in

close of the last century)

prose

by

tradition

PREFACE.

IV

and internal evidence alike bearing witness to the identity

of

In

authorship.

same

polish of style, the

and character

the

offspring

believed

same

the

see

exquisite

touch in painting scenery

light

and yet

we

two dramas

the

are

'

in

like

and each has the separate personality, as well

diflFerence,'

as

each

mutual
of
to

likeness,

same

the

have

preceded our

era,

which

flourished

Kalidasa

mind.*

creating

during

the

twin

the

characterises

century

is

which

and tradition names him as one of the

" nine gems " of the court of Vikramdditya.

The

translator

would forbear

make any remarks on

to

the drama, with the exception of the Fourth Act, which

requires

a few words of

dramas, the heroes

inferior characters

alone

In the Sanskrit

introduction.
talk

Sanskrit, the

women and

speak in Prdkrit, a dialect derived from

Sanskrit by a similar series

of changes

to

those which

have melted Latin into the modern Italian and Spanish.

Now, through

the

greater

Both Idramas are founded on

meagre hints in the

"

have

first

"

part

furnished

Vikramonas'i."

the

Mahdbhdrata"
idea

of

of

this

ancient
(vol.

the

i.,

act,

legends.
p.

amplified

The PaurAuio version appears

Kalidasa

113),

few

appear

story

of

to

the

in the Barivans'a.

PREFACE.

makes

his

artistic

change of dialect shews that he

hero use Pr&krit instead of Sanskrit; and this

was, in this

act,

He

heroism.

is

mad, but

contemplative Hindd

we

madness

his

we

not

is

of

that

are in the world of the soft

and wherever we turn in Indian

find the gentler feelings of the heart, but not

The reader must bear

the fiercer.
follows

that Pururavas

departing from the vira rasa or ideal of

" Orestes " or " Lear," for

poetry,

felt

Pururavas through the

while Orestes' frenzied

and forget

forest,

call for his

mind

in

this

he

as

for the

bow, or Lear's desolation

in the storm.

have followed Mr. Williams' text; but have also

and especially his " Apparatus

consulted Lenz,

(published in 1834),

which contains some useful

from a MS. in the East India House Library

Wilson's

much

has

translation

also

may add

have

not

that,

always

in

Professor

frequently afibrded

all

accessories

the numerous

kept

probable that the

It is

to

the

word

Hindu

me

the

stage-directions,

ndtya

'

gesticulation.'

stage was nearly destitute

performance,

to the imagination of the spectator

etc.,

scholia

assistance.

of

Criticus''

these

being

left

motion in a chariot,

were thus merely represented by gesticulation:

but

PBErACJi.

VI

have not

prosaic

thought

feature

in

Professor

Wilson

Drama;

on

been

suggested,

German

the
in

suggestion,

necessary to
translation.

his

the

by Hofee,

Tapferheit,"

of

title

interpretations

other

gives

etc.

it

as

p.

9,

the

have

the last

" Urwas'i

which agrees with Lenz'

Apparatus"

very

have also followed

" Vrvasia Incessus,"

as

in his "

this

preserve

rendering of

Continent,

Translation,

der Preis der

the

it

last

VikramaprdptorvaS'X.

have also adopted Lenz's and Boehtlingk's interpretation

of the words Praves'aka and Vishkambhaka.

EXPLANATION OF SOME TERMS OF

MYTHOLOGY, ETC.

Ananoa, a name

K&ma.

of

Bhasata, the name

of a sage, the dramatic instructor of the

Nymphs.

Chataka, a hird, supposed

Choweib, the white hushy

a flapper, and

also

is

to live only
tail of

on

rain.

the Thibet cow, which serves for

used as an ornament

for horses, like

the plume of the war-horse of chivalry.

Danava, Daitta, or Asuba,

a kind of Titan or demon.

DtTE&A or PAEVATf, the wife of Siva.

Gandhaeta, a

celestial musician.

Gaettda, the King of Birds.

Inbea, the god of the

EaI/FA, the

name

EXma, the god

KuTEEA, the god

of a tree in Indra's paradise.

Sachi

or

title

or

of war.

of wealth.

LAKSHMf, the wife

Nandana

firmament.

of love.

Kaetikbta, the god

Maeisha, a

visible

of Vishnu.

given to the principal actor.

SwAESA,

PAULOMf

Indra's paradise.

the wife of Indra.

Saeaswati, the wife of Br&hma, and goddess of eloquence.

KALIDASA'S

YIKRAMORYA^I.
PROLOGUE.
BENEDICTION.

May

He,

whom

they

call the Sole

pervading heaven and earth, to

meaning, belongs the

by those who

title

Male

whom

of " Lord,"

in the Veddntas,

alone,

who

is

in its

sought within

desire liberation, with suspended breath

other penances

Siva,

who

full

and

ever ready to be found, by

is

firm faith and meditation,be your final beatitude

MANAOEB.
[After the benediction

Enough
room.)

of this prolixity.

Mdrisha

! this

it

with a

new

{Looking towards the actors'

am now

about to appear

play, strung together

KSliddsa, entitled " Vikramorvas'i ;"

mand

ended.

assembly hath seen the sentimental

compositions of former poets

before

is

by the

art of

do thou, then, com-

our company, that every actor be attentive to his part,

VIKEAMOEVASI;

Enter an Actob.

ACTOE.

your commands

Sir,

be

shall

fulfilled.

UANA6EB.

this assembly.

reverend and learned in

all,

by your kindness

bowed head,

with

would meanwhile,

address

the

beseech you

your friends, or at least by your

to

admiration of a good drama, hear with attention the present

work of Kilid&sa.

[A
Help, ye noble

help

Voice

is

heard behind the

scenes.

UANAGSB.

Ha
beings

why

who

is

heard

this

sudden cry of

from the

ride in their aerial chariots through the sky

{Having thought a moment.")

heavenly nymph,

Ah

Muni, the friend of Nara

the demon-foes of the

nymphs

have

who was bom from

;*

gods,

it

It is

the

the thigh of the

who, returning from

the Lord of Kail&sa, has been

troop of

distress

visiting

seized in mid-journey by

and therefore does yonder

shriek for succour.

\_Exeunt.

* Indra sent some

penance

his thigh

named

nymphs to tempt Nir&yana while engaged

the sage, to shame them, took

;

and

Tlrvasl.

it

up a

flower

and placed

it

in

on

immediately became a beautiful nymph, hence

OR,

THE HERO AND THE NYMPH.

ACT
Enter some

I.

Nymphs,

hurriedly.

NYMPHS.
Help, ye noble

help

immortals, or hath his

Enter, hurriedly, a

way

King

whosoever

is

the friend of the

in the sky.

in his chariot, with his

Chaeioteek.

KING.

Cease your

cries,

approach and

returning from the Sun,

me, Pururavas, now

tell

against what

are ye to be helped

BAMBHA.
Against the insolence of the demons.
KINO.

What wrong

has been done you by their insolence

BAMBHA.
Let the great King hear!

She,

who was

Indra's soft

weapon, when he was alarmed at the greatness of a Sage's

penance

the

shamer of Parvati, proud of her beauty

and the ornament of heaven; she, our loved companion,

returning from the palace of Kuvera, has been carried

midway, with

ChitralekhS,,

oflF

by a Ddnava.
KING.

Is

it

known towards what

quarter the miscreant

is

gone ?

NYMPHS.

Towards the north-east,

Vasanfasend

is called

praharcmcm mangasya.Ms,lCK.,

p. 163.

VIKRAMOaVA^i';

KING.

Dismiss your sorrows

I will strive to bring

back your

friend.

NYMPHS.

Well worthy
race

is

rr fii
[Joyfully.

the action of a descendant of the Lunar

KING.

Where wiU

ye,

meantime, await

my return ?

NYMPHS.

On

yonder peak of Hemakuta.

KING.

Charioteer

urge the horses to their utmost speed towards

the north-eastern quarter.

CHAEIOTEEB.

As

the

King commands.
KING.
[Gesticulating the swift motion of the chariot.

Excellent

Excellent

with such a speed as

this, I

OTertake even Oaruda, though he had the start

my

Before

chariot rise the clouds in flakes, as rises the dust

swift rolling of the wheels

of spokes between the

could

the

seems to create a second range

first

the long

chowrie on the

head of the steed stands motionless as in a picture

and

the banner in the middle streams to the end of the car,

from the wind of our speed.

[Exeunt.

SAHAJANYif!

Dear

friend, the

King

to the spot as appointed.

is

gone

let

us,

too,

set

forth

the hero and the nymph.

or,

menaka!
Dearest, let us do so.

\They climb

the peak

of Hemahuta,

BAMBHA.
Will the King, indeed, succeed in extracting
of anguish from our hearts

barb

this

MBNAKA.

Doubt

not, dear friend.

AMBHA.
Surely the D^navas are hard to be conquered.

MENAEA.

Even
near,

great Indra himself, as the hour of battle draws

summons

this

and posts him

most honoured hero from the

army, to win victory

the van of his

in

earth,

for the gods.

May he

be altogether victorious

menakaI

[Standing

Dear
I

friends

still

for a moment.

take heart, and be of good cheer

see the chariot

which the Moon gave

yonder

to the holy

King,

gleaming with the banner that bears the ensign of the deer,

and I divine that he wiU not come unsuccessful back.

[They

gesticulate as at

looJting.

Then

Chaeioteee,

some

enter the

sign,

and stand

King and

in the aerial chariot,

Ukvasi, whose

his

with

eyes are closed in terror,

leaning on the right

hand of CjutuaJj^tlka..

VIKBAMORVASI;
CHITEALEKHA.
Dearest

revive

revive

KING.
Fairest maiden

demon

are

revive

dispelled,

revive

timid one

Thunderer guards the three worlds

thy terrors from the

the majesty of the

open therefore,

those long eyes of thine, as the lotus-lake

its

I pray,

lotuses at the

end of the night.

CHITRAlEKHii.
It is strange

sciousness

of

not even yet has she regained her con-

and, but for her breathing, there

is

no sjrmptom

life.

KING.
Gtreatly, indeed,

was thy poor friend alarmed

the heavy

beating of her heart betrays itself by that wreath of Mandara

blossoms, and she sighs repeatedly between her

full breasts.

CHITSALEKHA.
[In a mourr^id
Dearest Urvas'i

voice.

I beseech thee, recover thyself ;

one

might have deemed that thou wast no nymph of heaven

at all!

KING.

The tremor of

fear hath not

tender like a flower

of her robe, as

but

it rises

it is

and

yet forsaken her heart,

still

falls

told

by yonder edge

with the sighing of her

bosom.

[Urvasi comes

to herself.

THE HERO AND THE NYMPH.

OE,

KING.
\JwjlfulIy.

Joy

thee,

to

Chitralekhd

regained her consciousness

see,

thy dear

fire,

when

it

Moon

into serenity,

fainting;

when

the

like

fall

it

or like

hursts through the

thickness of the smoke, thy fair-formed companion

freed from her

hath

when

like the night,

escapes from darkness, at the rising of the

the flame of the nocturnal

friend

Gangft, as

is

seen

she flows back

of a bank hath troubled her

waters.

OHITRALEKHA.

Dear Urvas'i

lay aside your fear,

they have been con-

quered by a Monarch who compassionates the distressed

the D&navas, the enemies of the gods, have had their hopes

smitten down.*

all

UEVA^I.
\_Opening her eyes.

What?

my

rescue

did great Indra behold the fray,

and come

to

CHITRAIEKHA.

Not

Indra, but this holy king, Pururavas, himself a very

Indra in majesty.

* " Sahhi, Urva^i, ms'wastd

pardhatdh hhalM

hJtava,

d^ammmkampina mahm'djena

te; tridas'aparipanthmo hatds'd

Ddncmdh." I should

prefer the absence of the semicolon, in which case hatdsid would

simply

mean

''cruel,"

and

te

would be construed with Dmtmah.

TIKBAMORVASI;

UEVASI.
[^side, looking at the king.

What

my

a kindness hath

fright

from the Dknava proved

KING.
[Aside, looMng at ukvasi-

Well might
N4r&yana in

all

the nymphs, as they tempted the holy

shame, when

his devotions, stand silent with

they beheld her, as she sprang from his thigh

I feel sure that she

Say, was

ascetic at all.

the Moon, the giver of brightness,

it

her into being

or

was no creation of the

was

or

K&ma

How,

indeed, could an

it

the

that

who

called

whole soul immersed

himself, his

month

in love

or rather,

is

richest with flowers

aged Sage, cold with continued

study of the Vedas, and his desires turned away from

objects of sense, create this heart-bewitching form

all

UBVA^f.

Dear Chitralekhd, where can our

friends be

OHITEAIiEKHA.

The mighty monarch knows, who hath

our

delivered us from

fears.

KING.

[Looking at uktasi.

Thy friends
even

he, before

of thine

own

are in the deepest distress ; for only consider,

whose happy eyes thou hast but once

tarried

accord, even he, fair lady, without thee will be

mournful with longing; how, then, must thy friends fare

when
their

parted from thee, whose love hath grown up with

growth

OE,

THE HERO AND THE NYMPH.

UEVASl,'

[To Urself.

Thy words

are very ambrosia

Moon?*

ambrosia should come from the

King)

Hence

is

it

that

but what marvel that

my

heart

{Aloud,
so

to

hastens

the

after

them.
KING.

\Pointing with his hand.

Yonder,

fair lady,

and look on thy

Moon

face,

thy companions stand on Hemakiita,

gazing with longing eyes, as on the

escaped from Rdhu.

[Ubvasi

loohs with longing.

CHITBAIiEKHA.
Dearest,

why

dost thou look at

me

thus

uuvaIl

My

eyes drink in that sharer of

my joys and

sorrows

CHITEALEKHA.
[Smiling.

Whom

meanest thou

UBVASf.
[Reeovm'ing herself.

Whom

should

mean but yonder

troop of

my

friends

eambha!
\Loohing joyously.

Dearest

see

the holy

King

approaches, bringing back

our loved Urvas'i, with Chitralekhd ; like the Moon, attended

by

its

asterism Vis'dkhd.

* Pururavas

is

of the lunar race, and the

of amhrosia {wmrita).

Moon

is

the reservoir

VIKEAMOaVASI

10

menaka!

^^

,.

[Lookmg.
Dearest! two delightful things have

companion

our

us, for

King himself

is

restored to

is

now happened
us,

to

and the holy

unhurt.

BAHAIANTA.

was you who

It

" The

said,

conquered."

Dinava

hard to he

is

Kma.

Charioteer

make

the car descend on yonder mountain-

peak.

CHAEIOTEEE.

As

the

King (long may he

[He

does so

live

Ubvasi

and

* commands.

is

shaken hy the motion,

leans timidly v/pon the

King.
\A.side.

Ah!

our descent to earth bears a happy fruit!

body, from the shaking of the chariot, has

of this long-eyed maiden's

side,

felt

My

the touch

and every hair seems

to

shoot forth with love.

XTEVASiC

[Ashamed,

Remove

little

to

Chitralekha.

further.

OHITBALEKHA'^
I

cannot

* A'lfnshmat

indeed

is

I cannot.

properly used aa an honorary

title

I have trans-

lated it at length in the present instance, to explain its meaning.

SdhUi/a-darpana gives
charioteer to a warrior.

it

as the proper

mode

of address

The

ttom a

OE.

THE HERO AND THE NYMPH.

11

UAMBHA.
Let US go to meet the gracious monarch
ALL THE NYMPHS.
Let us do so

\_They approach.

KING.

Charioteer

stay the car, while this fair-browed maiden,

steps

herself desiring,

forth to join her desiring friends

as the Beauty of the Spring, the creepers

\The Chakioxees, complying,

stops the chariot.

THE NYMPHS.

may

Hail,!

the

King be ever

victorious

KING.

And
return

you, too,

may ye be happy

in your companion's

UBVASIC

[Having

Dear
in

my

friends

alighted, leaning

give

me

ypon ChitbaIiEkha's hand.

a close embrace

heart, that I should ever see

my

had not a hope

loved companions

again.

[Her friends embrace

her.

MENAKA.
[In a tone of prayer.

May

the great King ever guard the whole earth

OHABIOTEEE.

King

into view

a great host of chariots has suddenly burst

and yonder comes some one, who, decked with

the sky,
bracelets of molten gold, alights from
the mountain-peak, like a lightning cloud

and ascends

12

VIKEAMOKVASi;

THE NYMPHS.

Oh

wonderful

Behold Chitraratha

Enter Chitbakatha.

OHITBAEATHA.

[Advanoing
Hail

king.

to the

Success to the heroic valour which

able to

is

render such assistance.

KING.

Ah

the

King of the Gandharvas

Welcome

car).

to

my

dear friend

fHe

alights from the

{They grasp each

other's hand.

CHITRABATHA.

Oh my
carried off

friend

as soon as Indra heard that Urvas'i

by the demon

hosts haste to her rescue

Kes'i,
;

was

he bade the Gandhaiva

but having heard immediately

afterwards, from the heavenly spirits,* of the weight of glory

that thou hast won, I

am come

forthwith to thee here

thou, then, take charge of the maiden, and

great Indra himself?
action,

and one dear

Thou

come

hast, indeed, achieved a

She

to his heart.

gave to the wind-god, has been

whom

won by

from the Daitya's hand, and regiven

to

wilt

to behold

mighty

once NSiayana

thee, his friend,

him

as a

new

gift

to-day
KING.
friend

speak not so

* Literally, "the riders in

The heroism

mmdnd^ot heavenly

is

all

Indra's

chariots."

OE,

own,

THE HEEO AND THE NYMPH.

if his friends

13

overcome his foes ; the very echo of the

lion's roar strikes the elephants

with terror, as

it rolls

forth

from the mountain glens.

OHITBABATHA.
It is well

Modesty

is

the ornament of valour.

KING.

My Mend

me

this is not a time for

to see Indra

do

thou, therefore, thyself conduct yonder lady to the presence

of our lord.

OHITBABATHA.
It shall

be as thou wUt.

Ladies

let

us depart.

\They

all set out.

TJEVASIC

[7b her friend.

Dear Chitralekha
king,

who hath

I cannot say farewell to the

saved us

do thou, therefore, be

my

great

voice.*

CHITEALEKHA.
[Approaching the King.

mighty monarch

Urvas'i sends thee this message

-

" I desire," she says, " to take

with

me

my

leave of the

to carry his fame, as a friend, to the

Mng, and

world of the

immortals."
KING.

May we

part to meet again

{The

Nymphs

all set

forth through the

with the

* Literally, " my mouth."

air,

Gandhaeta.


14

VIKEAMOBVASIi
tJEVABL'

[Pretending

How

strange

my

garland

to be

caught and entwined by

is

(^Turning

the branch of this creeping plant.

Oh

King.)

stolen glance at the

beseech thee, release

stopped in her flight.

and

casting

dearest Chitralekhd

a
I

it.

OHITEAIEKHA.
[Looking and smiling.

Ah

it is,

I cannot release

indeed, firmly held.

it.

UBVASL

A truce to laughing

pray unloose

it.

chitbaleee
It

seems to

me

very

but

fast,

still

I will imloose

it.

uevasl"
[Forcirtg

Dearest

you

will

smile.

remember your words.

KING.

It was a kind action of thine,

to interpose

once

ageiin

this

momentary

have I seen

this

creeper

obstacle

my

in

behalf

in her path

maiden with the arched

since
eye,

her face half-turned towards me.

[ChiieaIiEKHA
back

to

releases her.

the

King,

companions in

their

UsvAsf

beholds,

after looking

with a sigh, her

upward flight.

OEABIOTEEB.
Behold,

King

having hurled the Daityas, the guilty

rebels against Indra, deep

aerial

down

weapon hath returned

snake to

its

den.

into the briny ocean, thy

into its quiver,

like

a great

OB,

THE HBB.0 AND THE NYMPH.

15

KING.

Do

thou, therefore, stay the chariot, while I ascend.

[_The

King

ascends.

UBVASI.

[Looking

Shall I

mth a fond

glance towards the

shall I ever see that deliverer again

\JExit with the

Gandhaeta and

King.

her convpanions.

KING.

[Gazing wpwards
Alas

that love should always desire the unattainable

This heavenly maiden, as she

home

my

after her.

flies

upward

to

the central

of her father, irresistibly draws after her the soul from

body, as the flamingo draws the filament from the

blossom-shorn lotus-stalk.

END or THE FIBST

ACT.

16

VIKRAMORVASI;

ACT
Enter the

II.

G k a c i o s o.

GEACIOSO.
[Flurriedly.

O inviter! In this concourse

my tongue, with this secret of

Away,
restrain

in

my mouth

like

King

the

therefore,

an oblation of
is

of people I cannot

the king's swelling

boiled rice.

While,

gone to the judgment-seat, I

will

go up to yonder temple, away from the press of the throng,

and wait
his

{He walks round, and

there.

mouth

sits

down, covering

with his hands.)

Enter a

Femalb Seevant.

FEMALE SERVANT.
This
lady

is

the

the

command which

daughter

of the

I have received from

King of

Kds'i,

"

My

my

faithful

Nipunikd," she said, "ever since the King returned from

visiting the Sun,

he has seemed as

if

he had

left his

heart

behind him; do thou, therefore, try and learn from the

venerable
in

Mdnavaka the

what way should

I will

real cause of his sadness."

I put

the question to the

venture a guess that the King's

BrShman?

secret, like

hoar-frost on a blade of grass, will not long stay with

I will therefore, forthwith,

round and

sees

him.)

go and seek him.

But, strange to say

Now,

the

him

{She walks

there, I declare

THE HERO AND THE NYMPH,

OK,

Mfinavaka

17

standing, hiding himself in yonder corner, like

is

an ape in a picture, and deep in thought on something or

other.

go up to him.

will

thee, reverend Sir

(^She approaches.)

I salute

GEAOIOSO.
I

return thy

greeting.

The moment

{Aside.)

that I

look on this odious maid, the King's secret begins bursting

my

heart,

and well nigh

partly covering his mouth

going

forces its

way out

Oh, NipunikS,

{Aloud,

whither art thou

thus leaving thy music-practice.

SERVANT.

To

visit

your reverend

self,

on an especial commission

from the Queen.

GEAOIOSO.

What may

be her Highness's commands

SERVANT.
"

reverend Brahman

"

she says, " there

lack of kindness in thy conduct towards

me

my

not in

me

is

a great

thou regardest

present anxiety."
GEAOIOSO.

Oh, Nipunikd

my

beloved friend

has any

ojBFence

been committed by

my

SERVANT.

You know

the

woman

actually addressed the

for

whom

Queen by

he sorrows

he has

her name.

GRAOIOSO.

[7b

What my
!

How

friend, then,

himself.

has himself revealed the secret

then can a Br4hman like

me hold

his tongue

any

VIKEAMORVASI;

18

longer
since

Ah

{Aloud.)

you mean the noble nymph Urvasi;

he became mad from the sight of her, the Queen

whom

not the only person

Brahman, he hath most grievously

keeping

me away

from

me

he hath distressed,
afflicted

is

too, a

by rigorously

food

all

SBBVANT.
[Aside.
I

my

have attained

impregnable secret;

will

{She begins

Highness.

my

end, and broken open

go

at

once and

tell it

Lord's
to her

to retire.)

GBACIOSO.

Oh

Nipunikd

message of mine

I beseech thee bear this

King of

to the daughter of the

K4s'i

tell her,

wearied with endeavouring to turn

my

following this deceitful mirage

if

your highness' B lotus

face, I

am

but

"I

am

utterly

loved friend, from

he can only behold

sure he will be efifectually

won back."
SEEVANT.

As you command,

sir.

[Exit.

The Bard proclaims behind

May

the

King be ever

ends of the earth

victorious

dispelling to the

darkness from thy people

energy of thy power and that of the sun's,

the

seem

alike

stands

sky

all

the scenes

in

alone

and thou,

our eyes.
for

sixth portion of the

moment

too,

The Lord

King

day

in

of the stars

the midst of the

takest thy rest in this

OR,

THE HERO AND THE NYMPH.

19

GBAOIOSO.
[Listening.

My

loved friend has risen from the judgment-seat; and

comes

in very truth here he

I will, therefore, attend at his

side.
\_Exit.

(end op the phavesaka.)

Enter ths King, oppressed with melancholy,
followed by the Geacioso.
KING.

That beauty of the world of the Immortals hath entered

at first sight into
irresistible

my

way being opened by

heart, the

the

arrow of Kdma.
GEACIOSO.

Yes

and the daughter of the King of

truth, to take it

much

Kfts'i

seems, in

to heart.

KING.
\_Looking Jixedly at him.

Will you

tell

me how

the secret got abroad

GBAOIOSO.

r ^

-,

[Aside.
I

have been

Nipunikk
question

tricked

otherwise,

by that

why

should

daughter

my

of a

friend

ask

slave,
this

KING.

Why

do you stand thus

silent

GBAOIOSO.
Verily

make

it

my

tongue was tied so

answer the King.

fast that I

could not even

20

VIKKAMOBVASI;
KING.
well;

It is

with what

now

shall I

try to divert myself?

GEAOIOSO.

Oh

let us go into the kitchen.

KING.

And what

shall

we do

there

QBACIOSO.

Let the enjoyment of the

choicest

delicacies,

five

kinds of viands, with the

gladden your melancholy with sweet-

meats, candied sugar, and cakes.

KING.

You, indeed,

will

be happy there with the various forms

of your favourite dishes

who

but

only seek the unattainable

how should

be gladdened,

GEACIOSO.

You have

crossed,

tell

you, the

path of the lady

Urvas'i's vision.

KING.

What

then

GBACIOSO.
I expect that

you

will not find her so very unattainable.

KING.

The equal

of her beauty

must needs be superhuman.

GBAOIOSO.

You
beauty

rouse
I

my curiosity

am

sure I

am

What matters

the lady Urvas'i's

considered second after her

KING.
I

have never yet described her limb by limb

a few words.

GBAOIOBO.
I

am

all attention.

hear

it

in

THE HERO AND THE NYMPH.

OB,

21

KING.

Oh
itself

my

friend

her form

adds the grace to

the similitude of

all

is

the ornament of ornaments

lovely decorations,

all

and

mocks

it

comparisons.

GEACIOSO.

Well

well

you embrace

this exquisite

beauty in your

quicksilver-chase, only as the thirsty Chdtaka follows the

mirage.
KING.

Oh

my

fevered soul

friend
;

cool retreats* are the only refuge for

lead the way

at

my

once to the pleasure-garden.

SKACIOSO.

What's

to be done

This

way

the

lo

here

{They walk round).

pleasure-garden's enclosure.

without waiting for

is

is

the

See, too,

your command, the south wind has

hastened hither "to welcome you.f

KING.

Well-suited, indeed,

here

it

is

comes, dropping on

Lo

the character of the breeze.

its

way

the beauty of the Spring,

and making the twining jasmine play

it

seems

to

me

like

a lover, from the union of affection and kindness.

GEAOIOSO.

May

it

be

like

enter the garden

you in constancy

Will your highness

* JUterally, " cold appliances."

t I have here followed the reading

instead of ^Telrf,

Apparatus

^TW

which Lenz found in

Critimts, p. 12.

all

(prakrit for

the

MSS.

^^^1*5)
See his

22

VIKRAMOB,VAgl'i

KING.

Enter thou

first,

my friend.
{They

enter.

KING.
[

Alas

my

melancholy,
is it

friend

if I strolled

thought that I should heal

into the garden

This

proved by the event.

yields

no

wave that

though

rest,

Tremhling.

longed

stops the traveller's

my

but far otherwise

fair enclosure, after all,

to enter it

like the great

swimming, while he

is

carried

away by the stream.*

GB.ACI080.

How so

KING.

The god with

deeply wounded
its

heart,

fond desires after the

deeper

now

is

had even before

the five arrows

my

the wound,

and in vain
unattainable

when

this

too

I strove to repress
;

but

how much

the young branches

I see

put forth by the Mangoes whose pale leaves are torn by

the wind that blows fresh from Malaya

GACIOSO.

Let your highness cease these complaints

god of love

ere long the

be your friend, and will guide you to the

will

attainment of your desires.

KING.
I accept the

good omen from the Br&hman's

lips.

[ They walk round.

* The Scholiast (Lenz App. Crit.J explains pratipataranam, by

pratikiilaplavanam.

THE HERO AND THE NYMPH.

OB,

23

GBA0IO8O.

Only look,

I beseech you, at the

beauty of the garden,

with the Avatdr of spring revealed.

KING.
I

am

of us,

looking at
the

is

either

at

edge

As'oka-blossom, looking up as

won by

proffered caresses.

branch of the

Amra

yet scanty pollen

the Spring

tree,

of

its

yonder, in front

woman's

like

and there the young

it

opens, ever ready to be

And

yonder hangs the fresh

with

sprays

its

flowers

between

stands

companions

Lo

at every step.

Kuruvaka-blossom, pink

and dark

nails,

it

Beauty

brown with the

my

friend

Youth

and

how

as

its

GEACI080.

See

this

bower of MSdhavi

black stone, and

bees, seems

made

its

of

blossoms
its

own

creepers,

all

with

its

seat of

covered with swarms of

accord for your service

let it

sit

down.

receive your favour.

KING.

As you

please.

{They
GBAOIOSO.

Here, then seated on such a

seat,

O King

let

your eyes

seek the lovely creeping plants, and smile away your desires
after Urvas/i.

KING.
[Sighing deeply.

my

friend

even in yon creepers of the garden, with

their lovely branches

and

all their

profusion of blossoms,

24

VIKRAMORVASI

the eye cannot find

of that maiden

which languishes from the sight

its rest,

think of some remedy for this

GEACIOSO.
[ Considering.

Well

am

thinking

but do not again, I pray you,

my

break the thread of

thoughts by your complainings.

{Making a sudden motion

to be

done

himself).

to

Ah

I see

what

is

KING.

That maiden with a

alas

far

beyond
which

portent,

moment hath
it

my

face bright like the full

reach

KSma

what, then, means

me

works within

moon,

this

My

is,

sudden

heart in a

attained serenity, as though the bliss, which

sighs for, were really present before

\He

it.

sits lost in

a love

reverie.

At this moment enter, aloftinthe air, Ubta'si and Chitealekha.

CHITEAIiEKHaT

Dear Urvas'i

whither are you going, without mentioning

the reason of your journey

uevas'l

With an expression oflove-sorrow, mingled with shame.

Dear

friend

when

release

Hemakdta, "

said

my

to

you, on the

garland, which

peak

of

entanged

in

the branch of a creeper," you smiled as you answered, "

It

is,

indeed, firmly held, and

you ask

me now

reason of

whither I

my journey ?

it

is

cannot be unloosed

am

!"'

and do

going without mentioning the

THE HERO AND THE NYMPH.

OR.

25

OHITEALBKHi.

Are you then, indeed,

set out to visit the holy king,

Pururavas ?

UEVASL
This

indeed,

is,

my

purpose,

disregarding

all

the mis-

givings of shame.

chitealekhaT

whom

But

my

has

dear

Urvas'i

sent

before her.

UEVAsir

Whom,

but my heart

indeed

OHITEALEKlfA.

Yet even now, pause awhile and

consider.

uevas'l

Love

truly orders

me

forward,

how

can

then stay

to consider?

OHITEALBKHA.-

Then

can say nothing more.

uevas'l

Dear
shall

friend

pray then shew

meet no hindrance in

my

me

the path, by which I

going thither.

chitealekh

Be

of

good cheer

the holy preceptor of the Gods

has

taught us the speU called Invincible, of " binding the braid."

With

this

the Gods.

we

are rendered safe from any of the enemies of

26

VIKRAMORVAsf;
URVASir

my

All this
irresolute in

my

knows

heart

and yet

well,

stand

still

excessive fear.

onwards.

[^Both

fy

are

come

OHITBALEKHA.
Look, dear Urvas'i

look here

we

to the

Palace of the holy King, which rises like a crest over the
city Fratishthina, as it stands

viewing

its

reflected

the pure waters of Gang&, at their meeting with

image

in

Yamun4.

UEVASI,

\Wiih

Oh

may be

it

have entered

this

heaven

truly said that

Oh

spot.

compassionator of the distressed

my

longing looks.

itself

friend,

seems

where

is

to

that

ohitsalekeX.

We
seems

shall

like

know

if

we

alight in this fair garden, which

some glade of the groves of Nandana.

\_They both descend.

ohitb;alekha.

Lo

yonder, dearest, he stands awaiting thee, like the

newly-risen Moon, the Moonlight.*

* This distinctive personification of the

unfrequent.
,'that

when

Thus

his wife SitA

it

(Gorresio's

had

left

sinks in theWest."

EAmayana,

him

as

Moon and
vol.

iii.,

its light is

p. 273)

EAma

not
says

the splendour leaves the Sun,

OR,

THB HERO AND THE NYMPH.

27

UEVA^L

my

Oh,

friend

King seems

the great

look upon than even when

first I

still

dearer to

saw him.

OHITEALEKHA.
It

should be

so,

come, then,

let

us approach him.

UEVASI.''

in
is

I will not

approach him

my

and stand by his

veil,*

deliberating

upon with

his

myself

I will first conceal

yet.

side,

bosom

and

what he

listen to

friend, in this solitary

place.

OHITEALEKHA.

As you

please.

{They do

so.

GBAOIOSO.

[To

Oh'

at last I

have discovered a plan

the

King.

thy meeting

for

with this object of thy love, though she be so

hard to

be won.

TTEVA^
\To Chitealekha.
Alas
joy

to

who may

this

happy woman

be,

who knows

the

be wooed by him ?

OHITEALEKHA.

Why

do you hesitate

to

divine faculty of Meditation

discover the secret by your

UETABL
Alas

I fear to

know

* Velo, quo

it

too quickly by

my

power.

me mvisiUlem reddo Lbnz.

28

vikbamorvaSi!

geacioso.

[To
Yes, I repeat

meeting with

have discovered a plan

it.

King.

the

thy

for

object.

this difficult

KING.

Speak

forth,

it

my

friend.

GBACIOSO.

Let your highness be an assiduous votary of Sleep,

it

is

who

Sleep

brings lovers together in

dreams

its

for

or

paint an image of the lady Urvas'i in a picture, and solace

thy heart to

its fill

with gazing on

it.

UBVA^I.
[Aside.

Beat freely again,

O my

heart

KING.

Both your plans are

heart of mine

how

is

alike failures

only look,

pierced through with the arrows of

then can I find that sleep which would bring

presence in
picture

my

its

dreams

Nor even

if

^this

Kima;

me

obtained

her

in a

beloved of the beautiful countenance, would the

tear-fioods stop,

O my

friend

which mil

rise in

my

eyes.

ohitbalekhI
[To Uktasi.
Dearest

do you hear these words

UEVASL
I hear them,

but they are

still

not enough for

my

heart.

OSAOIOSO.

[To Me King.

Well

no further reaches

my

ingenuity

THE HERO AND THE NYMPH.

OB,

29

KING.
[Sighing.

who knows

She,

of

my

heart,

not the deep anguish of the sickness

my

despises

O Kdma

insight reads,

poor

love,

with thy

which

her divine

arrows,

five

thee, fare thou bravely, for thus raising in

my

of her presence, which has withered ere

it

thank

soul this

hope

could bear

its

fruit !*

TTBVASf

\_LooMng at her companion.

For shame does the great King thus divine

!

Again do
myself;

which

therefore, write a line

my power

fling it in his

thoughts

unable to stand before him, and reveal

I feel
I will,

my

on

this birch-leaf,

hath created for the occasion, and I wUl

way.

CHITBALEEHA.
I cordially

approve your plan.

[Uevasi

writes,

and throws

it

on the grornid.

GBAOIOSO.

Wonderful

oh,

heavens

snake's cast-off skin fallen on

what can

me

to eat

this

be

Some

me up ?

KING.
\Lo6king.

No

snake's cast-off skin

is

this,

these

are letters that

are written on the birch-leaf.

* I have followed Lenz in interpreting this as

been obliged rather to expand

it,

ironical,

to express the meaning.

but I have

VIKEAMOaVASI

30

OKAOIOSO.

Can the lady

unseen by us, have heard your

Urvas'i,

Highness' complaints, and written these letters on the birch-

and flung

leaf,

there, to testify her great love

it

KING.

Nothing

impossible to the heavenly powers.

is

and reads

joyfully seizes

it.)

Oh,

my

friend

(He

thy conjecture

has come true

GBACIOSO.
I

long to hear what

is

written there
TJBVASl.

\_As^,

Bravo

my

worthy friend,I admire your shrewdness.

KING.

Hear

then.
\_H.e reads.

"

O my

lord

as thou didst

think

of me, that I was

ignorant of thy sorrow, so did I think of thee,

love

me

and

rested on

my

to

me

who

didst

there hath been ever since no joy, as I

couch of the sweet flowers of the coral-tree

and the very winds, as they blow through the groves of

Nandana,

to

my

fevered frame seem like fire."

UEVASI.

[To Chitralekha"What does he say now

CHITBALEKHA.

What,

indeed, should he say, with his limbs thus faded,

like the stalk of a lotus

THE HBRO AND THE NYMPH.

OR,

31

GBACIOSO.

Joy

your Highness' solace

a sacrifice to me,

when

am

is

like the initiatory rite at

hungry.

KING.

Oh

why

dost thou call

this leaf-borne declaration of

of her responding

possession,

is

love,

though

as

but a solace

it

my

Only

look,

adored one, this messenger

and pledge of the most desired

my

face,

with open eyelids, were

close to her's, with those eyes bright like wine

UEVASL
[_Aside.

Here, indeed, our souls agree

KING.

Ah,
of

my

my

hand,

friend, these letters are fading

take and hold my loved

from the moisture

one's pledge in thine.

GEAOIOSO.

What

matters

it ?

The lady

Urvas'i has

shown thee the

blossom of thy desire, but she breaks her promise

in the fruit.

UBVASL
[To Chitkalekka.

Oh, dearest

while I collect myself from the agitation

of standing so near him, do thou display thyself before him,

and speak out what

approve.

CHITBALEKHi^

[Advancmg towards

May

the great

King be ever

victorious

the

king.

KING.
[Starting at her sudden appearance,

and

in a

courteous tone.

Welcome

to

your highness

(He

looks at her side, as

32

VIKRAMOBVABT;

for another.)

my

happy one

thou dost not

now

so gladden

thus coming without that friend of thine, like

soul,

Yamund. when parted from Ganga,

if

we had

fii'st

seen

it

united.

OHlTBAIEKHi.

Do you
lightning

not

first

have the

line of clouds,

and then the

GEACIOBO.
\_Aside.

What

here

is

This new comer

is

not Urvas'i herself,

but she must be her friend.

KING.

Take

this seat, I pray.

chitealekhX.
\_Seatmg

herself.

Urvas'i pays her obeisance to the King, and sends

this

him

message
KING.

"What are her commands

ohitbalekha!
" In that outrage offered by the Asura, the great King

was

my

sorely

refuge,

and now again when

am

by the love that the sight of thee hath

mighty monarch may well pity

me

afflicted

so

raised, the

again."

KING.

Ah,

my

friend

thou

tellest

that

that lovely maiden

sorrows, and seest thou not that Pururavas

same pang

for

her

Alike

labour thou for us both

to the heated iron.

is

is

feeling the

our mutual passion,oh

the heated iron must be welded

the hero and the nymph,

ok,

33

chiteaiekha!
[Beturninff to

dearest

dreaded

come

Kama

hither

enough

affable

have found your much

and

Ukvasi.

am become

the

messenger from your beloved.

TJKVASI.

\_Tremhling with sorrow

Alas

perfidious

how

and fear.

thou deserted

lightly hast

me

CHITEALEKHA.
[Smiling.

In this very next moment

will desert the other,

w^e shall

only keep up your

know which
spirits*

of us

meanwhile.

UEVASL
[ Coming forward with mingled fear and shame.

May

the great

King be ever

victorious

KING.
[Joyfully.

Fairest lady

address

me

victory

is

when thy

already mine,

with that victorious

lips

thus transferred from

title,

the thousand-eyed Indra to a mortal

\_He seizes her hand,

and

leads her to a seat.

GEACIOSO.

What

are your Highness'

friend, and he, too, a

manners

Brdhman,

left

is

Scmscriium,

p.

sm,iles

Is the

unsaluted

[Ubvasi

* Such

like

King's

and hows

to

him.

Bopp's translation of the passage, in his Glossarium

27

"

animus

ceqmts, bene eonvpontns."

34

VIKRAMOEVAS'l;

6BACI0S0.

Health

to

your Highness

fA Messenger of the Gods behind the scenes :}

Oh Chitralekha hasten Urvas'i away, for
!

Lord of the Winds, with the Guardians of the

is

the

earth,

desirous, to-day, of beholding those dramatic love-

which the sage Bharata made you

scenes,

perform,those resting-places

skilled to

for the eight feelings

of the soul.
\Theti all listen,

Ubvasi

shows

distress.

OHITBALEEHA.

Thou

hast heard the words of the messenger

therefore

take thy leave of the great King.

TTEVAsi
\_Sighing.

have no power of utterance.

OHITEALEK.HA.

mighty monarch

Urvas'i addresses thee

subjects," she says, " to the wiU of others

thee farewell, to avoid offending the

"

and

We are

must hid

Monarch of the Devas."

KING.
[
1

would

interrupt
^not

will not forget

him whom ye

Uetasi

turrts

With

difficulty uttering his words.

your Lord's commands, but ye

leave behind

her face, full of sorrow at parting,

towards the

King, and

exit with her friend.

OK,

THE HERO AND THE NTMPH.

36

KING.

With a

Alas

now

all

the use of

my

eyes

is

gone

sigh.

GBACIOSO.
[

But the birch-leaf

sentence,

this

and adds,

While

Urvas'i,

{he

confusedly,

to

in

to

show

the leaf.

middle of the

the

Hem

himself:)

my wonder

was gazing in

birch-leaf

that

Wishing

stops

what's

at the sight of

has unawares dropped from

my

hand
KING.

What were you

wishing to say,

my

friend

GEAOIOSO.
This,

my

lord,

not your Highness

let

existence

now

is

my

was the intended purport of

fast

be disheartened.

bound up

in

your

speech

whole

Urvas'i' s

own

though she

has departed from hence, yet she cannot loosen the chain.
KING.

This very thing dwells in

as she withdrew,

for

methought,
control,

by the heaving of her bosom,

though lodged within

as

mind, too

though she be not under her own

yet her free heart, manifest

seemed

my

me by

her sighs.

GEACIOSO.
Aside.

My
may be

heart trembles at the thought,

ere

how

short the interval

he drops some mention of the birch leaf

KING.

My
lorn
leaf!

friend

mind

with what diversion shall I solace

(Recollecting siiddenly.)

bring

me

my

love-

the birch-

VIKBAMOaVAsi-

36

GBAOIOSO.

{Looking round with a woful countenance.

Ha how
!

comes

be out of sight

to

it

a heavenly birch-leaf, and

it

Surely

must be gone

it

was

after Urvas'i in

her journey.
KING.
[Reproachfully.

Thou

art

always a thoughtless idiot

GBACIOSO.

Let us look

for

or at any rate there

Unter

Qiteen

the

Surely

{Rising.)

it.

{He dances about

Attsinabi,

ivith

it

must be

hither

and

here,

thither.)

Servant

her

and

royal retinue.

QUEEN.
Tell me, NipunikS,

did you really see the

into the creeper-bower,

King going

accompanied by M4navaka

NIPUNIKA.

Have
before

ever

given your Highness

false

information

QT7EEN.
[

Walking round, and looking

what

Nipunikd!

bark, which the south

is

this

leaf,

before her.

like a strip of

wind has blown hither

fresh

NIPUNIKA.
[^Observing

Oh,

my

lady

it

has letters on

it,

though

it.

cannot

THE HERO AND THE NYMPH.

OR,

distinguish them, from

see

caught

it is

in

37

turning round and round

its

your anklet

but

shall I read its contents

[Seizing

it.

QUEEN.

Look

into

it first

will listen

if it

contain nothing

unseemly.

nipunika'

my

Oh,

lady

here

rumour

that

is

[Having done

so.

open now.

all

suspect that these are some love-lines from Urvas'i to the

King

has,

it

doubtless,

fallen

our hands through

into

Mdnavaka's carelessness.
QUEEN.
Well, seize their meaning.
[

NiPUNiKA

reads

it.

QUEEN.

Come
.

let

us go and see our nymph-lover, and take

with us as our present.

this

nipunika'

As your Highness commands.

KING.

O
bear

thou divine breeze of Malaya

thou

away,

for

dust of the flowers of the creepers

do with

this stolen letter,

hath written

friend of the

Spring

thy perfume, the collected odorous

which

Thou knowest

but what hast thou to

my

loved one's affection

that those

who

are pained

with love are sustained by a hundred such pleasures as

these,

when

their

hearts have no hope to rest upon, that

they shall soon attain their desires.

38

VIKRAMOBVAsTi

NIPTJNIKA.

my

Oh,
on

mistress

look

^look

there

is

a search going

for this very birch-leaf of ours.

QtJBEN.

Let us, then, meanwhile, watch him

stand

thou by

in silence.

GEACIOSO.

[7b
See
tail

what

is

this

Ah

the

King.

have been deceived by the

of a peacock, which shone

like a blue lotus in full

blossom.
KING.

Luckless wretch that

am

am on aU

undone

sides

QUEEN.
\_Suddenly advancing.

My

lord

you have troubled yourself enoughhere

is

the birch-leaf

KING.
\_In

What

the

Queen

great confusion, and to himself.

Welcome

f Abashed.)

to

your

Highness
QUEEN.
It

has been " Ul-come" to me, at the present moment.

KING.

\Aside

Oh,

my

friend

what

is

to

be done

to the

Gracioso.

OBAOIOSO.
Little,

indeed, has the thief to say,

goods are the evidence that detects him.

when

the

stolen

OR,

THE HERO AND THE NYMPH.

39

KING.

was not

It

this leaf

which

sought

it

was the

leaf of

a Mantra* for which this search was commenced.

QUEEN.

good fortune.

It is well to conceal one's

GEAOIOSO.

Let be

hasten a banquet

for

him

he

will be well

when

his bile is abated.

aUEEN.

Nipunikd

See,
friend

what

how

else, indeed,

well

Brdhman

the

counsels his

could a sick heart wish for

GBACIOSO.

But only

consider,

how

naturally

all

men

are soothed

by a banquet
KING.

You

fool

you perforce add

to

my

distress,

when

have

already offended too much.

QUEEN.

No, indeed
I

am

it

is

not your Highness that has offended

the offending party, since I have intruded where

presence was unwelcome.

Nipunikd,

let

us be gone

my

[^She turns angrily

away.

KING.

Alas

am

the guilty

and relent from thy wrath

angry, and

how

fairest

one

be appeased

the mistress of the house

can the servant seem faultless

is

\_He falls at her feet.

A portion of the Vedas.

40

VIKBAMORVASI;
QUEEN.
deceiver

my

homage you

the

heart

offer.

is

not so credulous as to trust in

I fear

you when you are so kind

and penitent.
NIPTJNIKA.

Will your Highness walk

Queen

[7%e

this

leaves the

way ?

King and

exit

with her retinue.

GEACIOSO.

The Queen has

torrent

departed, troubled, like a rain-swollen

Rise, therefore, rise

KING.

Oh,
tion,

my

friend

it

has failed only see

a lover's saluta-

with words of affection, but without affection

enters not the skilled

woman's

gem

heart, like the

itself,

that has

only factitious colours.

GBAOIOSO.

Your Highness' words

are

kind

patient cannot endure the light of the

but the opthalmic

lamp immediately

in

front of him.

KING.

Oh, speak not thus ;^though

yet I

has rejected

my

a deep respect for the

still feel

my

salutation, I will

heart be with Urvas'l,

Queen

but since she

arm myself with firmness

against her.

GEACIOSO.

Well
I

am

me

let the

conversation about her stand

dying with hunger, and

alive.

Lo

it is

it is

for

still

awhile

your Highness to keep

time to bathe and to dine

OR,

THE HERO AND THE NYMPH.

41

KING.

[Looking upward.

What!

is

the half of the day already gone?

this, then, that the

sits

It is for

peacock, oppressed with the heat,

in the cool basin at the foot of the tree

now

the bees have

penetrated the blossoms of the Karnikara, and are slumbering

there

leaving the heated water, the waterfowl repairs to the

lotus-bed by the shore

and the wearied parrot begs

water in that house of his sportshis cage

for

!*

\_Exeunt.

* This line seems literally,

"The

cage-parrot, inhabiting his house

of sports."

END OF THE SECOND

ACT.

42

VlKKAMOEVAil;

ACT
Enter

Two

III.

Disciples of Bhakata.
FIEST DISCIPLE.

Oh,
the

my

cell of

friend Pailava,

the holy

him

take a seat with

to

guard the

fire to

cell

when our

in his chariot, while I

I would, therefore,

preceptor -went from

great Indra's palace, he bade you

was

left

behind

now ask youwas

the

heavenly audience pleased or not with our Guru's dramatic

performance

SECOND DISCIPLE.

How much

it

was pleased,

know

not

but most

assuredly during the performance of the play, " The Choice

of Lakshmt" which Saraswati herself had composed, Urvas'i

wholly lost herself in some of the impassioned parts

riEST DISCIPLE.

There was a

fault manifest

this is

what you were going

to say.

SECOND DISCIPLE.
Yes, indeed

How

she actually broke

down

in her part.

EIUST DISCIPLE.
so

SECOND DISCIPLE.
Urvas'i sustained the part of Lakshmi,

addressed

by

Menak&, who played

in

and on her being

the

character

of

OE,

Varuni

" The

THE HERO AND THE NYMPH.

guardian

43

of the three worlds, with

spirits

Kes'ava, are assembled together,

on

whom

is

thy heart

fixed?"

PIEST DISCIPLE.

And what

then

SECOND DISCIPLE.
She ought
"

On

to

have answered, " On Purushottama " but,

Pururavas " escaped from her lips, instead.

FIRST DISCIPLE.

Ah

our organs of intellect are obedient to destiny

was not the sage angry with her

But

SECOND DISCIPLE.

Our preceptor cursed

her, but Indra

showed favour

to

her.

FIEST DISCIPLE,

How

SO

SECOND DISCIPLE.
"

Forasmuch

as thou hast gone counter to

tions, therefore shall

my

instruc-

thy heavenly knowledge utterly

fail."

However, when Indra saw

Such was the preceptor's ban.

poor Urvas'i standing with her face bent down in utter

shame, he thus spoke

in

whom

been

my

thy being

is

ally in battle

to her,

" To

bound up,
;

him, the holy King,

owe

gratitude as having

therefore dwell thou with Pururavas,

as thou desirest, until that he has oiTspring from thee."

FIEST DISCIPLE.

The speech was worthy

heart's inmost thoughts.

of great Indra,

who knows

the

44

vikeamobvaIi;

second disciple.
\LooTdng at the sun.

In our eager discourse we have transgressed the hour

of ahlution

let us, therefore,

hasten to our preceptor's

side.

\_Exeunt.

END

THE TISHKAMBHAKA.

01'

Entei- the

Chambeklain.

CHAMBBBIAIN.
strives in the proper time of

life

hut afterwards his sons relieve him of

his

Every father of a family

to attain wealth,

burden, and he betakes himself to rest

a growing old which day
until our very voice

tude
I

'Tis

by day impairs our standing

in

be changed from the sorrow of the

a tiresome business

this charge over

life,

servi-

women

have received the following commission from her High-

ness, the daughter of the

but ours has been

vow

" Go,"

King

of Kds'i,

who has undertaken

she says, " and carry

my

former message

again to the King, in which I dismissed

my

begged him, by the mouth of Nipunikd,

to

completion of

my

vow."

I will see the

completed the evening ceremonies.

Sweet are the

looks. J

palace
sleep

The peacocks

pride,

come

the doves, as they

to the

King when he has

(He

walks round and

tidings of the close of

sit

and

day

to the

strewn on their poles lazy with

fly to their turret tops,

can scarce

be distinguished from the fumes of incense which escape

from the windows

and the

old

men

of

the seraglio.

OE,

engaged in their
for the

evening

flowers.

of

Lo

THE HEllO AND THE NYMPH.

distributing the lighted lamps

duties, are
rites

45

on the spots decked with

Ah

{Looking.)

offerings

here comes his Majesty

yonder he shines, surrounded by the torches in the

hands of the maidens who attend

whose wings have not been cut

mountain,
garland
sides

of the

Karnikara in

Enter the King, as

off,*

with a
its

in view.

with

described,

a moving

bloom, hung along

full

watch and keep him

I will

him,like

and

retinue

his

the

Gkacioso.
KING.

[To himself.

My

managed without extreme

thus

day

sorrows have been lost in occupation, and I have

how

but

to wile

shall I ever pass the night with

break the long monotony of

to

difilculty

its

away the

no diversion

watches?

OHAMBEBLAIN.
\_Advancing.

May
this

the

message

King be ever
to

behind the Palace of the

stay awhile,

victorious

your Majesty

and watch

" The

Gem

until the

The Queen sends

moon

is

beautiful

there let your Highness

moon

enters

its

asterism

Rohini."

* Such
as

is

the explanation of apaksJiasdddt, given by the Scholiast,

quoted in Lenz' Appendix,

the

clouds

p. 18.

The wings

they are said to have been

Meghaduta (Wilson),

p. 7.

of the mountains are

cut off by

Indra.

See

46

VIKBAMOEVASl";

KING.
Tell the

Queen

that

shall

it

be as she desires,

Chambeklain, promising

\_Exit

compliance.

KING.

[To
Oh,

my

friend

is this

on account of a vow

the

Geacioso.

undertaking of the Queen's really

geacioso.
I conjecture that her

and now

desires,

Highness

some compunction,

feels

under the pretext of

this

vow,

to efface

her scornful rejection of your salutation.

KING.

You

and they
to

Wise women, when they have

speak plausibly.

rejected kind greetings,

distress

on second thoughts

feel

remorse,

themselves with various expedients to

pacify their beloved.

Come, show the way behind

the

Palace of the Gem.

GBACIOSO.

This way, this way

staircase of crystal,

of the

Gem

is

let

your Highness ascend by

cold with Ganga's spray

this

the Palace

lovely at every season.

\_The

King and all

ascend.

GEACIOSO.
\_Looking.

The moon must be

is

close at hand, for the eastern quarter

escaping from darkness, and assuming a reddening hue.

KING.

You

think rightly.

The darkness

is

scattered further

and further by the rays of the moon, though

still

hidden

OR,

below the horizon

as

though

from

it

THE HERO AND THE NYMPH.

47

my

and Indra's* quarter gladdens

eyes

were a human countenance parting the locks

forehead.

its

GEAOIOSO.

see

see

The

lord of the Oshad'i plantsf

bright, like granulated sugar

risen

is

now

KING.
[Smiling.

The

objects of the glutton are always something eatable!

(Folding his hands and bowing. J

stars

thou that bringest light to the

Monarch

divine

of the

of the good,

rites

and gladdenest the manes and the Suras with ambrosia,

and

dispellest the

shadows that gather in the night,

that art set on Siva's crest,

Hail

to thee

all

O thou

Hail

GEAOIOSO.

By

a sign declared to a

Brdhman

like

me,

your grandfather^ has favourably dismissed you

I pray

know

that

be seated,

I shall then sit happily too.

* Indra's quarter

is

meaning of harivdhana.
flavos egwos hahens, and

Wilson only

the East.

so,

too,

the Scholiast,

horizon, in the previous sentence, properly

tain behind

gives

as

Indra,

the
i.e.,

means the eastern moun-

which the sun and moon are supposed

Compare Deuteronomy

it

The word rendered

to rise.

t " IdUeralement, 'Le maitre desherbes, leroi de

Chezt.

Garuda

Bopp, in his Glossary, translates

xxxiii., 14,

"The

la vegetation.'"

precious things

put forth by the moon.''

t Pururavas was of the
masculine.

Lunar

race.

The moon,

in Sanscrit,

is

48

VIKEAMORVASI;

[^Aceeptinff

Ms

invitation

and loohing round

on his attendants.

Our lamps
can retire to

are superfluous and lost in the moonlight

ye

rest.

ATTENDANTS.

As

King commands.

the

[Exeunt.

KING.

[Tb

Yet a moment,
here

we

while

the

my

are

Gkacioso, and looking

friend,

at the

and her Highness

will he

my

alone, I will teU thee

still

Moon.

present

state,

GEACIOSO.

Ah

no Urvas'i

visible

is

witnessed her reciprocal

yourself

here

affection,

but since we have

you may well support

by hope.
KING.

It is so

like

in

great, indeed is the anguish of

a river's current,

by rugged rocks, so

obstructed,

my

love

my

whose dashing stream

though

still

bounds

the

soul

is

but

hemmed

joy of union be

onwards, following

its

native impulse.

GEACIOSO.

Inasmuch

as

you are

your limbs are so wasted,

meeting with the nymphs.

still

so handsome,

for

all

that

foresee therefrom a speedy

OB,

THE HERO AND THE NYMPH.

'49

KING.

an omen.

\_As though hailing

My
its

right

arm comforts me,

throbbings, just as

in

my

heavy sorrow, with

you have done with your hope-

insph'ing words.

GEACIOSO.

Brahman's words are never other than

King

[2%e

enters in the air

by

with

sits,

hopeful

Ubvasi,

true.

and

looh,

then

in a gala dress,^ attended

Chitealekha.
UEVAsi.''

[Looking at herself.

Dear

friend

with pearl

this dress of mine, decorated

ornaments, and trimmed with sapphires, pleases

my heart.

OHITEALEKHA.

Words cannot
"

Would

praise

it

enough

that I were Pururavas

can only think,

"
!

UEVAS'I,'

Alas

speed, bring

have no power in myself;

him

here, or take

me

do you, with

all

to his dwelling.

OHITEALEKHA.

We

are

come

to the glorious palace of your beloved, like

the peak of Kaildsa reflected in the dark

Yamuna's waters.f

UEVASir

Put

forth your heavenly

King who hath

engaged

stolen

my

power and learn where

is

the

heart away, and on what he

" lAterally. 'Dressed as a

t Compare

woman who

goes to meet her lover.'

MeghaMta, Sloke

53.

is

VIKRAMOEVASI:

50

chitkalekh
^To

Well

stay

him, dearest

will jest with her awhile.

he

is

herself.

(AloudJ.

standing yonder at a time

fit

I see

for enjoy-

ment, enjoying the pleasure of the desired society of a

friend.

UEVASJ.

Away! my

heart will not believe

you have got something

Surely

it is

before,*

it.

your head when you speak

in

only the society of that friend

when he

O dear Chitralekhd!

my heart

carried off

thus.

who was with him

as I left.

OHITEALEKHA.
\_LooMjtg.

Behold the holy monarch himself, alone with

Gem.

in the Palace of the

his friend

Let us approach him.

[They

descend.

KING.

[To

Oh,

my

friend

the

Gkacioso.

the pain of love increases with the

night.

UEVASI.

[To Chitealekha-

My heart

trembles at these ambiguous words.

remain unseen, and

listen

Let us

to his conversation, until

our

uncertainties are dispelled.

CHlTEALEKHi.

As you

please.

GEAOIOSO.

You

should enjoy the ambrosia-laden moonbeams.

* " Coram hoc ipso amioali. guem dids, comenfu

ah

illo

rapielatur."

^Lenz.

seilieei cor

mihi

OB,

THE HBKO AND THE NYMPH.

51

KING.

my

Oh,

friend

this sickness is not to

such means as these

be cured with

not the fresh couch of flowers,

'tis

nor the moonbeams, nor the unguent of sandal poured over

all

the

body,

nor

strings of pearls

my

maiden, alone can drive

she, the

heavenly

love-melancholy away, or only

secret converse, flying to her as its subject, can lighten

my

heart.

UBVA^ir

my

Oh,
having

heart

me and

left

this

the fruit thou hast gained for

is

flown hither
GEACIOSO.

Ah

also,

sugar-cane,

when

cannot obtain curds and sugar or

make myself happy with

thinking about

it.

KING.

You, however, soon find

i/our desires

GBACIOSO.

And

you, too, ere long shall obtain her.'

KING.

My

what

friend, this is

think

chitbalekh
[7b Ukvasi.
Listen

discontented one

GBAOIOBO.

What

is it ?

KING.

This limb, which was pressed by hers, in the shaking

of the chariot, alone of
the rest of

my

body

is

all

my

limbs retains

its

power

to act

but a dead weight on the earth.

VIKEAMORVASI

52

UBVASI.^

Why
O

{Approaching hurriedly.)

should I longer delay?

dear Chitralekha

alas

King regards me

the

not, even

though I stand in his presence.

CHITEALEKHA^
ySmtling.

Oh, impatient one

thou hast not thrown off thy

veil.

A VOICE BEHIND THE SCENES.

" This way,

O Queen !"
Uktasi and

\_All listen.

her friend look dismayed.

GEACIOSO.
\jSurprised.

Good heavens
thy

Queen approaches

the

put a seal on

lips.

KING.

Do

you, too,

sit

with your face's expression veiled.

TIEVASI.

Oh,

my

friend

what

is to

be done

CHITEALEKHA.
Cease this alarm, thou art
is

seen here in fulfilment of a

Enter the

Queen,

with her

still

vow

invisible

the

Queen

she will not stay long.

Attendants,

hearing

gifts.

QUEEN.
[^Looking at the moon.
Still fairer

seems the moon from

its

meeting with

its

asterism Rohini.

FEMALE SERVANT.
Thus, too, will there be increased splendour to the King

when your Highness has

joined him.
[2'i^ey tvalf; round.

Oa,

THE HERO AND THE NYMPH.

53

GEACIOSO.

[To
Ah.

now

understand

it

all

the

King.

she comes to offer the

swastivdchana, or else she has dismissed her wrath against

you,* under the pretext of a

vow

to the

moon

to

my

eyes,

her Highness looks very beautiful to-day.

KING.
[^Smilinc/.

In either case your last remark appears to

me

true, for

her Highness with her white garments, and adorned only

with white

mangalaf

and her

flowers,

forehead decked

with the stalks of the striped durhd grass, seems, indeed,

now

fully

appeased,

and her form has dismissed

all its

haughtiness under the pretext of her vow.

QUEEN.
[_Advancinff.

May

the son of a noble father^ be ever victorious

ATTENDANTS.

May

our Lord be victorious

GEACIOSO.

Health

to

your Highness

KING.

"Welcome,

goddess

[^He seizes her

hand and

* The Scholiast explains thamantam antarena,

leads her to a seat.

b^ hhavantmn wddis'ya.

t Fcmicum dactylon.
%

i.e.,

in theatrical language, a husband.

54

VIKRAMOEVAil;

Well may she be addressed with the

title

of goddess

she yields not even to Sachi in beauty.

CHITBALEKHA.

What

can you talk of a

rival's face ?

QUEEN.
to accomplish a certain

have

vow under your

Highness'

you bear with the inconvenience a moment.

auspices; I pray

KING.

O MSnavaka

the inconvenience

is

a favour.

GBACIOSO.

Would
this,

that I might often have such inconvenience as

while performing the rites of the swastivdchana.

KING.

Under what name

is

your Highness' vow

[The

Queen

looks at

Nipunika.

NIPTJNIKA.
It is called

" The Conciliation of a Husband's regard."

KING.

[Looking at the Queen.

virtuous one

with this vow night and day you weary

your body, tender as a lotus-stalk

be thus conciliated, who himself

your favour ?

is

why

your slave

to

What

is

pining with desire for

a great respect he has for her

With a forced
!

smile.

OB,

THE HEEO AND THE NYMPH.

55

CHITBALEKHA.

Hush,

foolish one

courtiers flatter

most when

their

hearts are elsewhere.

QUEEN.
It is all
is

through the

efficacy of this

vow

that

my

husband

so touched.

GEACIOSO.

[To Me King.

Be

my

still,

words of our

Lord

it

is

not seemly to contradict the

friends.

QTIEEN.

Maidens

homage

bring hither the

to the

moonbeams,

gifts,

as they fall

that I

may pay my

on the palace.

ATTENBANTS.

As

the

Queen commands.

Here

are the gifts

QUEEN.
Present
offerings

them.

of flowers,

^She

worships

Honour

etc.)

the

also

moonbeams,

with

with these sweet-

meats the venerable Minavaka and the Chamberlain.

ATTENDANTS.

As

the

Queen commands.

venerable

Manavaka

these propitiatory gifts are for thee.

GEACIOSO.
\_Taking the dish.

Prosperity to your Highness

may your vow

be very

successful.

nipunika'T

And

these are for thee,

venerable Chamberlain

56

VIKEAMORVAST;

CHAMBEBIAIN,
[Taking them.
Prosperity to j'our Highness

Q-UBEN,

Come

hither,

my

Lord, for a moment.

KING.

Here

am.
QUEEN.
\JFolding her hands, in token of
to the

Having

Moon and

homage

King, and bowing.

called to witness yonder twins of heaven, the

Rohini, I thus conciliate

whom my

soever she be,

my

lord's society,

let

or hindrance from

lord loves,

my

husband,

Who-

and who herseK

desires

with her henceforth shall he dwell without

me

uuvas'l

Wonderful, indeed

my heart

but

is

now

know

not what more she will say

brightened with confidence.

chitbalekhaI

O
to

dearest

thy union with thy beloved has been consented

by the noble Queen,

now meet

faithful to

her husband, and

it

will

with no obstacle.
GEAOIOSO.

When
flies

man

before him, no

has his hands cut

wonder

if

oflF,

he says, "

Go

and the
!

go

culprit

you

shall

OR.

THE HERO AND THE NYMPH.

have impunity !"*

this time

Has

(Aloud.J

neglected your Highness lately

57

the King, then,

QUEEN.
Fool

hy the end of
to

me

my

desire

my

Lord's happiness, even though

own.

Judge hence, then,

it

he

he be dear

if

or not.

KING.

O jealous
to another, or

my

one

thou hast

keep

me

love towards thee

power over me

all

as thy slave

is

to give

me

but, indeed, timid one,

not as thou suspectest.

QUEEN.
Well,

let it

be

The vow

prescribed.

fulfilled, as

Come,

of

my

has

conciliation

been

attendants, let us depart.

KING.

You

will not leave

me

reconciled,

if

you depart so soon.

QUEEN.

My

lord

the sanctity of the

vow

is

now

inviolate.

\_Exit with her train.

UEVAsi.

The King seems

back

to love her, yet I cannot call

my

heart.

CHITRALEKHA.

How,

* This
ferently, "

indeed, can hope so firm as your's be called back

is

Lenz's translation.

The

Professor Wilson gives

culprit that escapes before his

hand

is

out

it

off,

never to run such a risk again."

I

very

dif-

determines

VIKBAMOEVASI;

58

KING.
\^Returning to his seat.

My

friend

is

her Highness far away

GBACIOSO.

Say

She has soon

what you wish.

freely

you

left

a doctor leaves his sick patient, having decided that he

as
is

incurable.

KING.

Oh

would that Urvas'i.

UEVASI.

[To
To-day he

herself.

will attain his desire.

KING.

....Might but

secretly

sound of her anklets,

cover

my

fall

fear,

in this palace,

in

my

ear the

stealing behind

or, softly

eyes with her lotus hand

might descend
through

let

sweet

me, might

Oh would

that she

and while lingering, delayed

be perforce led towards me, step by

step,

by

her dexterous friend

OHITBALEKHA.
dear TJrvas'i

pray

now

fulfil this

desire of his.

URVA^li
[^Timidly.

1 will sport with

him a moment.

[_She steps behind

him and

covers his eyes, while

Chitralekha makes
conscious of

it.

the

Gracioso

OR,

THE HEEO AND THE NTMPH.

59

KING.
[Starting at the touch.

My

friend

Ndrdyana here

not

is

the

thigh-born daughter

fair

of

GEACIOSO.

How

does your Highness

know

it ?

KING.

What

else

can

should I feel a

be

it

thrill

How

otherwise, from this touch,

through each hair of

my body ?

The

lotus opens not at the sun's beams, as at the moon's.

URVASL
Strange

adamantine
her eyes,

say

to

my

both

I cannot

glue.

hands are fixed

with

as

draw them away! fShe half-closes

and having taken her hands away, stands frightened.

May

She slowly advances.)

the

King be

victorious

chitealekhaI
All joy to thee,

my

brother

!*

KING.
It

has already come.

UEVASL

Chitralekhd

fore, as loving

him,

the
I

Queen has given him

approach his person.

you, think not that I claimed

him

before

my

me

to

Oh

there-

beseech

right.

GBAOIOSO.

What

were you here when the sun

Such seems the

i.e.,

force of oayasya here.

set ?f

See iJenz, note

and heard the Queen's words.

77.

VIKRAMORVASI

60

KING.

on Urvasi-

\ Looking

If the

my

of the

gift

Queen

is

the claim you put in for

person, by whose consent, then, did you steal

heart before

away my

chitealekhI.

King! she hath nothing

now,

my

Let

to reply.

words

pray you, be heard.

KING.

am

attentive.

CHITEALEKHA.
Immediately
I

am

through the hot season,

after the Spring,

required in attendance on the

Sun

my

brother, therefore, to take all care that

may

beseech

my

loved companion

never the while regret the Swarga she hath

left.

GEAOIOSO.

What,
bered ?

in

There

sooth,

there

is

in

Swarga, to be remem-

neither eaten nor drunken, but they are

it is

with unwinking

only intent upon being like fishes

eyes

KING.

Oh,

my

friend

Swarga, with

its

how

shall she

be ever made

But be

indescribable joys?

that Pururavas will be her slave, and

to forget

assured

no other woman

shall

share him.

ohitralekhI.
I

am, indeed, favoured.

and bid me

farewell.

Dear

UrvaS'l

be of good cheer,

OR.

THE HERO AND THE NYMPH.

61

TIUVASY

[In a sad voice emhracing

Dearest

thou wilt not forget

her.

me ?

CHITEALEKHA.
[Smiling.
It is

now

that

you that ought

you

to be asked that question

by me,

are united to your beloved.

[She lows

to the

King, and

exit.

GEAOIOSO.

Joy

joy

may your Highness

fulfilment of his desires

be blessed with the

KING.

Behold, this

is

When

the fulfilment!

empire of the world, with

its

I attained

one canopy,* and

its

the

footstool

gorgeous with the gems of the diadems of neighbouring

kings, yet

dear right

was
is

I not so blessed as I

am

this day,

mine of doing her commands

when

the

as a slave at

her feet

URVASL
I

have no power of speech

to say more.

KING.

[Having taken hold of her.

Oh, how void of

possession of

my

obstacle

all

desires

* Literally.

is

this present fulness of

These moonbeams

'

With one

umbrella.'

verily gladden

62

VIKEAMOEVASI;

my

body;
and

heart,

loveliest

that

all

lady

stem with wrath,

seemed

reconciled

is

erst

me

to

my

are propitious to

love's arrows themselves

through

my

oh,

union

with thee.

have erred against

my King

in tan-ying so long.

KING.

Oh, lovely one

sorrow "while
joy;

the

it

say not

was

which

That

so.

near, after the interval of

shadow of the

tree is

most a

rest

to

seemed

year

is

him who

hath been scorched by the noon.

GBACIOSO.

Noble lady

we have enjoyed

delicious at evening.

It

is

moonbeams,

the

time for thee

to

enter

so

thy

home.
KING.

Do

thou, therefore,

shew the way

to thy

new

friend.

GBACIOSO.

This way, your Highness.

\_He walks romid.

KING.

Oh, lovely one

this is

now my
URVAsf.

What

is it?

desire

....

63

THE HERO AND THE NYMPH.

OE,

KING.
Before,

when

night passed as

indeed shall
at the

same

the object of ray love was unattained, the

if

I be,

rate

lengthened an hundred-fold.

maiden with the

now thou

fair

art here

brow,

Oh, happy
if it

passes

l^Exeunt.

END OP THE THIKD

ACT.

VIKE AMORV AI

64

ACT
Introductory

(AkshiptiMJ

song

Chitkalekha,

Forlorn,

she

in

on

lotus-blossoms,

Sahajanta and

from her

separation

the

of

hehind the scenes.

with

bewildered,

flutters,

panions,

IV.

bosom

opened

of

at

the

best

one
the

beloved,

her

of
lake,

com-

with

its

touch of the sun-

beams.

Enter

Sahajanta and Chitkalekha.

chitealekha'.
\_As

she

in

Consumed with sorrow

pair of

with

swans mourn

in

for

the

enters

and

looks round,

Dwipadikd measure.

their

the

friend,

loving

the lake, with their eyes flowing

tears.

SAHAJANTi
\_Moumfully.

Dear Chitralekh&

the shade on thy face, dark like the

fading lotus, betrays the sickness of thy heart

the cause of thy sadness, that

with thee.

I,

too,

may be

oh,

tell

me

a like sorrower

65

THK HERO AND THE NYMPH.

OB,

OHITEALEKHA.
[_In

Oh,
I

my

friend

have been

saw the spring-season

full

voice.

of longing regrets, since

arrive without her

who had been appointed

a sorrowful

for attendance

my

loved friend,

on the sun, in the

order of the service of the nymphs.

SAHAJANYA.

know

well your mutual fondness, but what further

chitealbkh

And

very time, while I fixed

at this

divine meditation to

see

what

terrible misfortune indeed have

tidings

found

my

there

thoughts in

might be, a

SAHAJANYA.

What

can

it

be

OHITBALEKHA.
[^Mournfully.
Urvas'i,

then,

had taken the fortunate king (who had

entrusted the burden of his

was gone

to

kingdom

roam with him

in the

to his counsellors),

Gandha-madana

and

forests,

in the region of the heights of Kailasa.

SAHAJANYA.
[Applauding.
It

was a pleasure which right well suited such spots

but what more

CHITEALEKHA.
There, on the banks of the Mandakini,

was deeply incensed, because the king

for a

my

moment

his thoughts to the daughter of a Vidyadhara,

vati,

who was

sporting on the hills of sand.

loved Urvas'i
directed

named Udaka-

66

VIKKAMORTASI;
SAHAJANTA.

She was jealous, and her love went too

destiny

was strong even there

what followed

Well,

far.

CHITEALEKHA.

She rejected

all

heart being blinded

divine decree
for

and her

her husband's conciliations,

by the Sage's

curse, she

forgot

and hurried into the grove of Kartikeya,

ever shunned by all damsels

entrance, her form

was changed

the
to

be

and immediately on her

into that of a creeper

growing

by the edge of the wood.

SAHAJANTA.
[/ra great distress.

Surely there

is

nothing which

is

inviolable to destiny,

by which even the change of such a form can be wrought.

But what more

CHITEALEKHA.

The King,

wanders through

utterly reft of his senses,

the forest, ever seeking his beloved, and spends days and

nights in continual exclamations, " Urvas'i

is

there !"

(Looldng at the shy.)

jecture, will

And

is

here

little

^Urvas'i

cure, I con-

he find from yonder rising of clouds, which

wakes a longing even in the

blest.*

* The "Eainy Season" of the Hindti poet answers to our Spring,

being ss

full

of tender associations.

THE HERO AND THE NYMPH.

OB,

[JAMBHALIKA SON]

Consumed
pair

of swans

witli

sorrow for their friend, the loving

mourn

in

the

hot tears

lake, their

ceaselessly welling.

SAHAJANYA.

dearest

is

there any

means of re-union

OHITKALEKHA.
Alas

whence, indeed,

is

there any means, except from

the jewel of union which sprang from the glow of Durga's

feet?

SAHAJANYA.

Oh
as
will

their

surely such noble forms do not long have sorrow

portion

some means

of

re-union,

foretell,

be assuredly discovered, which shall conciliate her

(Looking at the eastern quarter.)

favour again.
let

us haste to

monarch of the

But come,

our attendance on the sun, yon glorious

east.

[KHAItDASHASA SOMO]

Agitated with anguish of heart, longing for the

sight

of her

companion amidst

the

soul-ravish-

ing splendours of the full-blown lotuses,

wanders

along the lake the lonely swan.

\JExeun(.

END or THE PEAVESAKA-

68

VIKEAMOSVASi';

Behind

the Scenes,

The

cm Introductory Song of Pukubavas.

lord

elephants

of

visibly changed, with the

the forest

enters

madness of separation from

while his mountain-form

his love,

how

adorned with

is

flowers and sprays, the spoils of the trees which he

Enter the King, mad, with his gaze fixed on the shy.
KINO.
\Angrily.

Ah,

my

villain,

demon

stay

summit of the mountain

arrows.
if to

stay

whither

What! he

{Looking.)

darling?

to the sky,

he

striJce,

measure, looking on all

thou with

hath flown from the

and now pelts

(Seizing a clod of earth in his hand,

breaks

fliest

me

with

and running

out immediately in the

as

Dwipadikd*

sides. J
tjSOHS]

With
love,

a pang fixed in his heart for the loss of his

and flapping his wings,

in the lake

mourns the

young swan, with tear-streams gushing from

{Suddenly recognising the
it

is

object, in

a ivailing

voice).

his eyes.

Ah

no

yon shower-armed cloud, and no haughty demon of

the night

it

and no bow

is

for

yonder
earthly

bow

of heaven

arrows

is

it

shower, and not a succession of arrows

drawn

to its full,

yon keen-shafted
it

is

the lightning

glistening like a streak of gold on the touch-stone,f and not

* This and other similar terms used throughout this Act refer to
musical measures

but their precise import

is

doubtful,

t Kftlidfea repeats this simile in the Meghaduta, sloke 89.

THE HBEO AND THE NYMPH.

OE,

my own loved Urvas'i

{Hefalh fainting again he rises with

a sighr-in Dwipadikd.)
of darkness steals

Now

moment

off the

yet she will not be angry long

Swarga

towards
all

yet

sight

it,

young lightning

Where

voice.)

{Having

where

her heavenly power

effort of

may have

perhaps she

her soul

still

{Angrily.)

then,

If she

of tenderness

full

is

flown

were now before me, not

she

that

is

now gone

who have

sorrow

to

of separation from
fallen so

so far out of

my

how

so

command,
continuous

me

and

we need no umbrella

air.)

my

blow

Kestrain

ever in

my

to

new

thy

the days

shade us

water-laden

anger

my

at

sky with thy

the

wanderings

o'er

the

beloved, then, oh then, whatsoever thou

shalt do I will bear

!

if

when

that, too,

cloud, that overspreadest

showers

earth I behold

this

beloved so hard to be endured and

that

(Charchari

See'

from the heat through the rising of the

Alas

my

adverse fortune, sorrow comes fast

do you ask me,

suddenly upon

are so delightful,

clouds.

What

{Looking round, sighing and weeping^in Dwipadikd.J

to those

bound

But

when

the enemies of the gods could carry her away.

means

Ah

me

some demon

like eye,

Perhaps she has hidden herself some-

where in her displeasure, by an

to

too well

the fawn

a mournful

in

then can she be gone

up

know

away her of

yonder dark cloud carries

thought a

69

it.

{After musing

the redoubled sorrow of

my mind

is all

since the holy sages say, that the king

CharchariM).

in

beheld in vain.

is

the source of

seasons, shall I put back the season of the rainy clouds

VIKRAMORVAST;

70

[CHABCHAal SONG]

Resonant with the songs of the perfume-maddened

bees,
its

and the loudly-blown pipes of the Kokilas, with

multitude of young branches shaken by the wind

which sweeps through them,

with

various gestures

of joy, dances the heavenly tree.*

{He

dances

after all
all

But

to the song.)

since

I will

now pays me homage

it

the signs of the Rainy Season.

cloud

is

my

for gold,

as

its liege,

Yes

{Smiling.')

my

wave over me

trees

yonder

their sprays

heralds are yonder peacocks, as they raise

their shriller voices at the cessation of the heat

my

mountains are
showers.

with

canopy of state, bright with streaks of lightning

and the Nichula

for chowries

not put the season back,

do with the homage of a court-train

[BHmnAXA

of

his

with worn

love,
feet,

to

lost.

SONG]

[In the interval of

their

wander away

I will

through the wood and seek for the darling I have

Bereft

me

Well, but what have

{Again, Charchari.)

behold

and the

merchants, busied in bringing

and

intensely

recitation.\

distressed,

the lord of the elephant-herd

slowly roams, followed by the pangs of absence, in

the forests of the hUls, blazing with blossom
*

The Kalpa

t The

in Indra's heaven.

Scholiast explains pdtha as " instrumental symphony,'' and

reads pdthasydmte.

But why may we not take

"recitation," applying it to the King's

ipatha

is

applied, p. 45,

1.

17

and

p. 46,

it

monologue
1.

18)

in

its

(to

usual sense of

which the verb

aind thus supposing that

the songs were sung behind the scenes, in the intervals of silence ?

OR,

THE HERO AND THE NYMPH.

{Hamng walked round and

Ah

measure).

Banana, and

all

its

tears.

be tracked

.''

looked, joyfully,

memory of her

She

is

eyes,

If she with the fair form

by which

in

my

doubt, this

is

angry love's way

scarf,

is

ah

it

joyfully tracked

it is

whence,

tain,

it

impeded her path,

lips.

coming

it

neck stretched out

cry.

I will seize
is,

with

it.

tears).

Well,

Or

it,

cliff

of the

yon peacock

sits

my

moungazing

shaken by the strong east wind,

to

its

I will ask

sorrow,

full,

as swelling with its

it.

[KHAHDAKA

Full of

any tidings of

Perched on the rocky

with a shower hanging over

its

what

then, in this forest shall I find

(Looking.)

Well

but a grassy glade covered with Indragopas

at the clouds, with its tail

and

without

yet bears the marks of her falling tear-drops, which

[Walking rmmd, and perceiving

love

dark blue like a parrot's breast,

have stolen the redness of her

What

with the

lac,

{He walks round

have found a sign

which she threw in anger away, when

and

suffused

had touched with her

marked with

Ah

Dwipadikd.)

her

their moist

when anger

deeper impression of her heels behind.

and

of these woods, I should see

the line of her lovely footsteps

looks

This young

gone from hence, but how shall she

feet the cloud-watered soil

and

Dwipadikd

in

resolve has prospered

flowers, with their red edges

calyxes,* recals the

them with

my

VI

SOPTG]

longing for the sight of his

perhaps, "laden with moisture."

72

VIKRAMOETAs'f;

the repeller of

noblest of elephants,

beloved, the

wanders hurriedly on, bewildered in his

enemies,

inmost mind.

in

{Charchari

the interval

lord of the Peacocks

tell

know

if,

as thou roamest through

beautiful bride.

hear

a face like the moon, and a Hansa's gait ; thou wilt

fHe

me,

my own

the woods, thou hast seen

me

of the Khandaka.) I beseech thee,

the signs of her, for I have told

them unto

thee.

down with Charcharihd music, and folds his hands, j

sits

bird of the white-angled eye, with the dark-blue throat!

my

hast thou seen in this forest the desire of

loved wife, with the long eye,*

to be seen

Ha

he gives

Charohari.)

Ha!

know

beautiful like

{He

with Charcharihd music, and looks.)

answer, but begins to dance.

What

can

Now

it.

be the

that

my

reason of
loved one

cloud, outspread

for

whom,

other's

yonder

{Again
delight?
his

tail

in the gentle breeze, is

indeed,

would the peacock

she were near, with the flower-encircled tresses of

if

{He

ills.

is

hour of joy

no more of one who thus rejoices over

I will ask

looks

rownd with a Dwipadikd

air.)

Ah

female Kokila sitting on the boughs of the

rose-apple, her passion

past.

his

is lost,

her, the lovely-haired, fallen all loose in the

Well

well worthy

object

me no

without a rival

charm,

sits

an

my

heart,

inflamed,

These are the wisest of

* IMerally.

"With

birds.

now

the

I will

sultry heat

ask

it.

the long corner of the eye."

is

THE HBEO AND THE NYMPH.

OR,

[KHUEAKA

73

SONG.]

Dwelling in the grove of the Vidyddharas, with

tears
all

of sadness bursting from his eyes, and with

the joy of his heart driven far away, the

King

of Elephants wanders on and on, with the majesty

of a cloud.*
{After the

Khuraka a Charchari.)

with the sweet song

my

has

fair

tell

me,

with Balantikd, and kneels.)

Love

Didst thou ask

cannot

why

{Having danced, he advances

humble pride,

dart, skilled to

loved one, before me, or quickly

wherever she

What

may

be.
?

she has forsaken one so devoted as I

the left.\)

mind a

saidst

she was angry

single act of mine, that could

the tyranny of

waits not for intentional offences.J

women
{He

over their lovers

sits

down

in agita-

and then kneels, repeating, " she was angry" and looks.)

What
own

lovers call the messenger of

Oh, honoured bird

call to

cause her v^rath

tion,

thou

little to

{Looking forward.')
I

dweller in foreign nests

Bird of the sweet note

{Having moved a

but

my

Thee

thou art his unerring

either bring her,

lead me.

beloved been seen by thee, wandering at will

through this Nandana grove

oh

Oh, alien-reared Kokila

she interrupts

concerns

my

discourse,

and only thinks of her

but well runs the proverb, "

Men

say that

* I follow Wilson and Lenz in translating ambara as " a cloud,"

it

properly means "the sky."

t A'kds'e
out of sight.
I

The

is

simply a stage-direction, implying

said

to a person

See Wilson's Lexicon.

Scholiast explains hhdva by abhiprdija.


74

VIKEAMOEVASf;

the greatest

ill

of another's

since yonder hird,

adversity

is

newly-ripened

unheeding

absorbed in
fruit, as

of love, her lover's

songstress as well as

may

is

utterly cold to themselves

my

love,

are both gone

beloved

will

fallen into

the

fair

not be angry

{Having

I will follow her.

she dwell in joy.

am

blinded with the intoxication

They

my

sipping the royal rose-apple's

woman

lip.

now

;"

Ah

walks round, with Dioipadikd, and looks.)

risen, he

yonder

to

the right, by the edge of the wood, I hear the sound of

anklets, that tell of the motion of
will follow

my

beloved one's

feet.

it.

[SOHG]

[^Six

His face forlorn

Upahhangas in

the

Kakubha mode.

for the absence of his beloved

his eyes troubled with the incessant welling of tears

his feet tottering under his insupportable anguish
his whole

body consumed by the mighty pain

that

pervades him, and his mind more and more racked

with anguish, and greatly

terrified,*

roams through

the wood, the Elephant-King.

[He

looks all

round

with Dwipadikd.

-[SONG]

Parted from his loved mate, consumed with the

flame of intense sorrow, and his eyes blinded with

streaming tears,

wanders bewildered, the Lord of

Elephants.f
*

Bantam gata

is

obscure.

The

Scholiast reads r^<ft"

t This SOUR, which only repeats the former,

is

^?T!

probably spurious.

OE,

fMournfullyJ.

THE HERO AND THE NYMPH.

Alas

ah

me

Beholding

all

75

quarters of the

heavens dark with clouds, and longing for the Manasa

lake,
the flamingo has uttered
of anklets.

(Having

cry;

its

recited

was not the tinkling

it

he

this,

Well

rises. J

ere

these birds, longing for Mdnasa, rise on the wing from this
lake, I

may

find from

advances, with BalantiM,

fowl

hereafter

drop

of

and meanwhile

my

beloved

it tells

Inasmuch

{He

me

lotus-fibres,

uplift

as

it

lifts

Manasa

take

to

me from my

concerns

beloved.

sorrow,

lake

down,
it?

Charchari.)

{He

rises

and

presently

it

by

tidings

dearer to the

is

{He

themselves.

its

{He

King of Water-

holts

head and looks upward,

plainly, " I have seen her with a longing mind

sits

thou hide

Ho

kneels.)

the care of their friends

good than even what

askance.)

and

shalt thou hie thee to the

thy viaticum of

again

my

them some news of

flamingo

dances.)

If she,

why

my

!"

dost

beloved,

with the arched brows, hath not passed in the path of thy

how

vision along the shore of the lake,

all

that gait of hers, waving with the intoxication of love

know

it

that

one

(He

by thy imitation of her walk.

Charcharikd, folding his hands. J

fair

hast thou stolen

thou hast stolen her gait

single

feature :*

laid to thy charge.

flamingo
;

is

is

give

Oh

me my

recognised by

thou must surrender what

{Again Charchari.)

thou learn that sportive step of thine

* Such

she

advances, with

is

thus

where didst

{Again Charchari.

the Scholiast's interpretation, choritadravycmsa.

;!

VIKBAMOUVASI;

76

He

speaks in a courteous tone

then again, with

Charcharikd,

repeats it in a tone of upbraiding, meditating, with DwipacH/cd.)

It

hath flown away in

punishes thieves

!"

thinking "It

fear,

a King who

{He

seek another opportunity.

I will

walks round, with Dwipadikd, and

stands a ruddy goose, with

is

its

Ah

looks.')

mate.

I will

yonder

walk towards

it.

[SONG]

In the wood, soul-ravishing with the

{Kutilikd.)

{Mandaghati,)

sounds of the rustlings of the leaves,

with the young boughs of

Rover, {Charehari,)

the

noble trees in

its

royal

full

elephant wanders,

maddened with the absence of his mate.

( Charcharl, in the interval of two Layas.J

Tell me,

of the colour of saffron and the Gorochana dye

bird,

{He approaches, with Charcharikd, and

named Rathdnga

bird

hast thou

sporting through these honey

not seen a happy damsel,

days?

Oh,

kneels.)

a hero asks thee, deserted by his

wife with the swelling hips, and utterly wretched, though

possessed of

"
I,

And who
who have

all
is

as

the

he ?"

my

pomp
it

asks,

the Empire of the World.

* I have

it.

{He

kneels).

somewhat expanded these

obscure as well as very absurd.

mayks a

later author.

to

it

Sun and Moon, whom

own accordUrvas'i and

their

What

heart can desire.*

am, then, unknown

progenitors the

two brides have chosen of

I will reprove

human

that

it still sits silent.

Well

Thy own example

lines,

which in the

gives

original are

The continued play on Eath&aga

Por sronivimha compare Kitu-sak^hXsa.,

i.

4.


THE HERO AND THE WTMPH.

OR,

me

When

a precedent.

thy companion

is

77

only hidden from

thee by the lotus-leaf in the lake, thou fanciest her far

away, and longingly utterest a forlorn cry

love of thy mate,

means

then,
all

my

{He

heart?

my

of

effect

{Walks

Ah

me

this lotus stops

like her

mouth when
"

of joyous love.

would

in

Show

with

my

sorrow, refusing

its

This

Well

will seek

Dwipadikd, and

looks.)

bee murmuring within,

bite her underlip, with a

its

wholly

is

not hostility to the stranger

bee in

I conciliate the

on, with

What,

alone.*

down.)

sits

such, through

left

reverses of fortune.

another opportunity.
!

me

towards

this aspect

tidings to

the

thy fear of being

is

murmur
;"

thus

lotus-dwelling.

[SONG]

[_A half Dwichaturasraka.

The heat

of his love

on a sudden

and the young swan sports

increased,

is

greatly

in the lake,

entirely surrendered to his passion.

{He

sits

down, with a Chaturasraka, folding his hands.)

honey-making bee
wine-like eye

tell

me some

tidings of her with the

but I know thou hast nowhere seen that

mine

peerless wife of

for hadst

thou found on thy way

the perfume that breathes from her

lips,

thou have for this lotus now? {He walks

and

looks.)

mate,

is

Ah

Oh,

leaning

the

King

what love couldst

on, with

Dwipadikd,

of the Elephant-herd, with his

against yon Kadamba's

stem

advance towards him.

* Lenz found bhirutd in

all

the

MSS.

will

!!

78

VIKEAMOBVASf;
CSOHG]

The elephant stands

{Kutilikd.)

{He

for

maddened

hees clustering

in

looks

the

round him

But

interval.')

this

with new shoots, torn from the Sallaki

he hath finished
and ask

him.

Elephants

bendest the

Moon ?

the elephant,
!

me

stateliest

{He

Well

{Charehari.)

answer

ask

thee,

hast thou anywhere

whose

beauty

with love

!*

See
near

Lord of
sport,

seen

my

surpasses the

far

Oh, thou young mate

and thou,

too,

O King

of

of the

has there passed in the range of your view, a damsel

in unfading youth, with a glad aspect

her

Moon, and her hair variegated

of the

{Joyfully listening .)

flowers?

low sound he

Aha!

my

and thou

Such

Me men
art the

is

call

as

am

the Yuthikd's

consoled by the

Much

to tell

me

do

I love

Askest thou, "

How ?"

beloved.

thee for our community of rank.

!

face like a digit

which seems

utters in his throat,

speedy recovery of

of the

distilling

now draw

I will

advances two steps.)

mad

and

thou who, with a blow in

tree

wife,

tree,

{Looking, with Sthdnaka).

his repast.

mind - enchanting

Listen

not the time to

is

him with the end of her trunk,the bough, covered

a juice perfumed like wine.

herd

Let him meanwhile seek what his mate

approach him.
offers

with perfume-

the loss of his mate,

mourning

wood,

in the

the Lord of the Inhabitants of Earth

Lord of Elephants

thy bounty flowsf in an

Lenz's and Bopp's version of this obscure phrase.

t Alluding to the juice that flows from the elephant's temples, and

which the bees

love.

OE,

THE HBllO AND THE NYMPH.

uninterrupted stream,

me

Urvas'i to

thee

and of

dearest,

yonder stands

women,

only mayst thou

Mayst thou abide

{He walks round, with Dwipadikd, and

happiness!

Ah

all fair

the herd thy mate to

all

never feel the anguish of separation

of

things of thine are like mine

all

is

doth mine

so, too,

79

supremely

the

Surabhikandhara, beloved of Nymphs,

love

may be found

and

looks.)

see

by the

in the valleys at

What

a deep gloom

flashes of lightning.

sequences of

my

foot

knows but my

Walks round

is

here

However,

But

stay

through the con-

crime, even the rising of the clouds

of lightning, because of
visiting this

who

looks.")

mountain,

pleasant

its

mound

Still,

it.

in

I will

I shall

is

void

not depart without

of rocks.

[KHANDIKA SONG]

See

cleaving the ground with his sharp hoofs,

unwavering and overcome with passion, the wild boar

rushes round, through the impervious woods, intent

on the object of his search.

mountain with the broad slope

chest and swelling hips,

the slender

Ananga

Even
the

it,

along the steeps of thy

too, is silent

distance

well

happy

my

fear

will

it

cliffs ?

whom

head,

How

cannot hear

with

wife

as she

gracefully bending her

chose, passed,

thy wood,

hath

me

go nearer and ask

is

into
this

through
it

again.

[CHAECBAKI SONG]

thou with thy cataracts clear like the surface

VIKBAMOEVASIi

80

of crystal rooks,

whose peaks garlanded

thou who
are

ravishest

a thousand various flowers,

the heart with the wild songs of thy Kinnaras

World

Supporter of the

shew me

my

{He approaches, with Charcharikd, and folds

Lord of mountains

with

O,

heloved.

Oh,

his hands.')

hast thou seen in this pleasant extre-

mity of the wood, the lovely damsel peerless in every limb,

who

is,

alas

parted from

What

listened joyfully.')

me

it

{He hears

the echo ; having

answers accordingly, " I have

seen her." Well! I will look for her. {Having looked round

How

as disappointed.)
rolling

is this ?

It

from the depths of the glens.

in

having risen and seated himself-

me

was but

am weary

my own

{He

then

a desponding voice.)

Ah

I will enjoy awhile,

on the banks of

mountain torrent, the cool air that blows from

{He walks round and

While I gaze on

looks.)

echo,

faints;

this stream,

turbid with the fresh influx of waters, desire rises in

heart.

Whence can

it

come

this

its waters.

Frowning with

its

my

waves as

with brows, girdled with the line of fluttering birds, and

throwing off

its

foam as a garment loosened in anger, and

hurrying in devious ways with a repeatedly stumbling

surely, here is

of the stream

my

jealous beloved, changed into the form

Well

dearest, fairest one

ing

and mourning

step,

let

me

conciliate her.

as thou flowest

birds,

longing for

Be

appeased,

on with thy
the

banks

flutter-

of the

Ganges, and resonant with the murmurings of thy swarms of

bees.

OR,

THE HERO AND THE NYMPH.

81

[OHAKCHABI SONG]

[/n the interval of a Kutilikd.

With

his

arms

from the surge, lashed by

rising

the East "Wind, the Lord of Ocean wantonly dances

with his limbs of cloud, decked with swans, ruddy

and

geese,

saffron

coloured shells,

and

passed with sea-monsters and dark lotuses

open palm

is

uplifted from the

encom;

and his

waves near the shore

but the season of new clouds stops him, and draws

down
{He

the skies against him.*

the dear voice

me ?

approaches, with Charcharikd, and kneels.)

me,

what minutest

whose every

whose inmost soul

love,

that

from

all

But how

a river indeed, and no Urvas'i

it is

stUl silent.

how

else should

to despair.

Happiness will be found at

its

in

and

thee,

perjury towards

forsake Pururavas, and hurry onwards to

the sea

in

thou shouldst thus, in thy haughtiness,

thy poor servant away

is it

bound up

desire is

revolts

thou with

offence dost thou see

my
fling

Then
it

thus

meeting with

last, if

we

yield not

I will return, then, to that quarter where the

fair-eyed damsel vanished from

my

sight.

* These lines are the obscurest in the play.

{He walks round

In the third

line,

two of the MSS. collated by Lenz, read Tctmhiima before ^anTcha.

For

their sense, he compares a passage in the Nalod^ya,

called

^f%^TT^TTTJ>

club and sword."

"

armed with monsters

Compare the whole

where the sea

is

(yadah,),zsvi\i)i

in Wilson's translation, and see

his note thereon.

82

VIKRAMOEVAsi;

looks.)

I will

my

beloved.

{He

ask yon sitting antelope for tidings of

and

kneels).
[&ALITAKA SOHQ]

In the

skirts

flowers, in the forest of

Nandana, soul-ravishing with

the sounds of the love-intoxicated

AirS,vata, the

(He

seems

is this,

like

that in the form of a black

a side-long glance, let

Beauty of the Grove, to behold the new

is

intently fixed

mate, roams

Lord of Elephants.

What

looks.)

antelope,

Kokilas-consumed

the flame of absence from his

with

new

of the trees, garlanded with

on

delayed by the fawn that

drinking her milk.

is

by the

His gaze

which approaches

doe,

his

fall

fruits

slowly,

{Charchar{.)

Hast thou seen a maiden, the beauty of the Suras,

bosomed, in undecaying youth, with
swan's

gait,

and a deer's eye

sorrow.

Deer

beseech thee, deliver

{He

my

look upon, like thy

He

my

minds not
Alas

everywhere.*

{He walks

me

from

Ho

large-eyed, and fair

{He

mate.

words

Oh

this
!

if

my sea of desolate

beloved in the wood

I will tell thee her signs

panion.

wandering through

approaches, folding his hands.)

hast thou seen

full-

slender form,

up by the splendour of the sky

grove, lighted

thou hast,

looks.)

How

his eyes are fixed

Lord

of

Listen

is
is

she to
this

on his com-

a reverse of fortune meets with contempt

I will pass

and seek yet another opportunity.

round, and looks.)

Aha

I see

a sign of her

* Literally, "Finds the place of scorn everywhere."

THE HERO AND THE NYMPH.

O^,

path.

Here

uneven with

a red

is

its

Kadamba

tree,

83

one of whose flowers,

filaments not yet all expanded* (the herald

of the close of the sultry season), has been plucked to adorn

my

{He walks

loved one's tresses.

what

is

exceeding glow which

this

fissure in the rock ?f

Is

it

and

on,
I

see shining from a

not some bright remnant of flesh,

from an elephant which some lion hath destroyed

be a spark of
rain

Aha

fire

it

but could

But

looks.)

its

it

may

blaze have endured the

a jewel, bright in hue like the blossoms

is

of the red As'oka, and the sun seems resolved to carry

off,
it

with his rays resting on

it

Well

as hands. J

it

I will take

myself.
CSONG]

Withheld from attaining

filled

with

tears,

forlorn in the

the

beloved,

his

his

Lord of Elephants

eyes

wanders

wood, with a countenance wearied with

sorrow.

{He

approaches, with Dwipadikd,

and

seizes it ; then says to

himself.)

She, on whose tresses, perfumed with the fiowers

of the coral tree, this jewel would have been

she,

my

loved one,

will not soil

it

by

my

is

now

far out of

my

"The Kadamba

flower,

when

full-blown,

is

it

away.

invested with pro-

eoting antherse, like the erect bristles of a hedge-hog."WiLSOlir.

t The King here sees the

J

Kara means both

flash of the distant jewel.

" a ray,"

tears.

\_He flings

fitly set,

reach.

and "a hand."

84

VIKBAMOEVASI;
A VOICE BEHIND THE SCENES.
Seize

my

it,

son

seize

my

it,

son! this

the

is

Jewel of Union, which sprang from the glow of the

daughter of the Mountain

feet of the

be held

if it

fast,

;* it bringeth,

speedy union with the beloved.

KING.

[Looking up.

Who

bids

me

this

the form of a deer.

{He

for the counsel.

Union

of

me,

if

forsaken

I will

make

What

holy sage

seizes

on

Welcome,

the jewel.)

as

thee

am by

the

her of the

jewel

Jewel

of

my

to

slender waist,f
Is'wara

as

crest,

{He walks round and

reason

is

this creeper, bereft of its flowers

my

But

looks.)

forlorn

of

all

its

offended love,

hum

left

embrace the creeper which can give

Look on me,

alone as in

of murmuring bees,

when she had

her anger, though fallen suppliant at her

{CharehaH.)

its

washed with

adornings, and putting forth no

the silence of thought, with no

my

yet not without

lips are

flowers, in the absence of its native season

stands like

This slender plant, with

spirit soothed.

branches wet with rain, as one whose

her,

in

I am, indeed, thankful

does this strange feeling of desire come over me; as

I gaze

tears

some holy sage

thou provest the true Jewel of Union

wears the young Moon.

why

is

it

me

repelled

feet.

me

it

in

long to

such an image of

creeper

am

agitated

* Burga, or Vma, the daughter of the HimMaya, and wife of

or Is'wara.

t For the exact meaning of the epithet, see Lenz, note ex.

Siva,

OE,

of heart ;*

if

ever,

THE HERO AND THE NYMPH.

by

may

destiny, I

never roam in this forest more

and

85

find her again, I will

my

wanderings,

when

this is over, shall never tend hither.

IHe approaches,
the creeper;

with Charcharikd, and embraces

Ukvasi

appears in

its

place.

KING.
\_Having closed his eyes, and gesticulating as

though touched.

Aha my

heart seems suddenly at

herself were touched.

Whatever have been

my

may

rest, as

not believe

first

soon open

my

it is

how

my

can

it

be

utterly different.

eyes only to discover that

has not been found to

What ?

though Urvas'i
?

thoughts about Urvas'i, in a

moment more they have always proved

shall

it

(He

touch.

my

beloved

opens his eyes slowly.

Urvas'i herself!

\_He faints

and falls.

UEVASIT

Oh, revive

revive

great

King

KING.
[

dearest! now, indeed, have I lifej

displeased, I

was sunk

in the

which gives
"

is

a doubtful word.

as the Frdcrit for mgna-hridaya.

hridwyena.

me

as consciousness

by

* VrniM-Tividwya
it,

to himself.

when thou wast

gloom of separation from thee

but joy! joy! thou art recovered by

the dead

Coming

I have hesitatingly translated

The

Scholiast explains

Vimia-hridmja would mean, "I have found

little

or no sense in this place.

absiirdwn nisi corruptum."

Lenz

calls

my

it

ima

heart,"

the whole distich,

86

YIKKAMOBVASf;
UBVASir
great

Let the

King

which

the reverse

forgive

my

heedless passion brought upon him.

KING.

Thou

thee, of itself,

how thou
time.

my

hast no need to sue

hath won

from

it

couldst forsake

me

forgiveness

my inmost soul.

the sight of

Oh,

tell

me

through such a long weary

Peacock, Kokila, swan, ruddy goose, bee, elephant,

mountain,

river,

and antelope,

thee through the forest, of

with tears

as I

whom

have

roamed
I

in search for

not sought tidings

TiEVAsir

To my

inner sense, indeed, were revealed tidings of the

King.
KING.

Dearest

know not what

this " inner sense'' of thine

means.

UEVA^L
Let the King hear

:in

olden time Kartikeya, having

taken a vow of eternal celibacy, dwelt in the grove Sakalakalusha, the border of the Gandha-m&dana forest, and fixed
this decree

KING.

What?
ttevas'l

" Whosoever of

women

shall enter this spot, she shall be

changed into the form of a creeper, and she

shall

not be

released from that form, save

by the jewel that sprang from

the glow of DurgA's feet."

then

I,

for

my heart was blinded

THE HERO AND THE NYMPH.

OR,

by the sage's curseforgetful of the god's

the grove of Kumdra, to be shunned by

and on the moment of passing within,

into a creeper, growing

all

my

87

decree,
of

entered

woman's

race,

form was changed

by the end of the wood.

KING.

Now,
oft

dearest!

me

think

it is

explained.

all

banished far away,

for a while in sleep,

oh

a long separation as this

the

cause of our union

if

how

Thou, who wouldst

thou didst but lose

couldst thou endure such

See, this, as thou saidst,

me

is

the

restorer of the lost.

[//e shews her the jewel.
TJKVASI.

What
this that I

strange

it is

the Jewel of

Union

It is

from

have regained myself, being once more clasped

in the embraces of

my

King.
KING.
[Placing the jewel on her forehead.

Thy

face,

suffused with the trembling colours of the

jewel, which I hold on thy forehead, wears the glow of the

lotus,

red with the morning sunbeam

UEVASI.

speaker of fond words

remember how long we have

been abssnt from Pratishthdna

blame your tarrying so long

your subjects will begin to

come

let

us be going.

KING.

Even

so, as

you

say.

[They

UEVASL

How

would the King wish

to return

rise to depart.

88

VIKRAMORVA^fs
KING.

Waft me home on the new

happy journey

chariot for our

coloured

how

lightning for

of Indra,

its

hanner

and

cloud,

converted into a

decorated with the many-

waving the

swift-gleaming

!*
SONG.

Its

long-sought companion at last

is

found

every feather erect with joy, the young swan

on

its

way,borne on

the air-car of

its

own

and,
flies

wild

will.

[^Exeunt.

* 1 have borrowed Wilson's translation of this verse, in the Prosody

of his

Grammar, where I

first

Lenz render Mela-gamcme,

saw

" in its

it,

several years since.

wavy motion."

END or THE rOURTH

ACT.

Bopp and

OR,

THE HERO AND THE NYMPH.

ACT

89

V.

Enter the Gkacioso, joyfully.

GHAOIOSO.

Aha

aha

heaven be praised

a long wandering

after

with Urvas'i, in the regions beautiful with the Nandana

my

groves,
city,

Lord the King has

at length returned to the

and now once more exercises

duties of his station,

"VVell,

and winning

his sway, fulfilling the

all his subjects'

except the lack of children, I

am

hearts.

sure he has not a

This being a great lunar day, he

single subject for sadness.

has been bathing with the Queen, in the meeting waters of

Gangd and Yamunk,, and has

the

palace;

am

just

returned to the

here just at the right moment,

when he

is

busy adorning his person with unguents.*

BEHIND THE SCENES.

Hola

hola

hawk has thrown down

the red

fan that covered the bright jewel which the King,

Nymph, had

while parted from the

the

gem

for flesh,

of his diadem,

has swallowed

it

destined for

and mistaking the jewel

and flown

off.

GEACIOSO.
\Listenmg.

A most sad mischance

*
it

The word iiaUabd

is

may be connected with

That crest-jewel of re-union

not in the Lexicon,

fjenz conjectures that

ixthlika, " saffron."

90

VIKEAMORVAsYj

my Mend.

exceedingly prized by

know was

This

is

why he

has risen so hurriedly from his seat, and comes hither with
I will attend at his side.

his toilet unfinished.

END OP THE PKATESAKA.

Enter the King, Gbacioso, Chambeei,ain, Mottntaineer,

and Attendants.
KING.

mountaineer

mountaineer

own

where

is

this bird-thief,

and ventures

that has seized

its

theft in the very

house of the watchman

destruction,

its

first

mountaineek.

Yonder

see

it

almost

about,

flying

colouring the

sky with the jewel, the string of which hangs at the end
of

its

beak.
king.

1 see

from
bird

it

now.

Bearing the jewel's golden chain suspended

beak, with

its

its

makes a ring of

flashing hues, like the circle of a

its

But

whirling firebrand.

swift flight thus ornamented, the

tell

me what

is

to

be done.

GEAOIOSO.

Away

with

all feelings

of mercy

the ofiiender must be

punished.
KING.

You speak

well

a bow

bow

ATTENDANTS.

As our Lord commands

[I!xeunt.

KINO.

The

vile bird is

no longer

visible.

OE

THE HEKO AND THE NYMPH.

91

GRACIOSO.

There he goes

the wretch has fled away to the south.

KING.
\_Seeing

See now

the bird, with the jewel,

it.

that almost buds

with splendour, as with a cluster of As'oka blossoms, seems

to

hang an

ear-ring on that quarter of the sky.*

TAVANI SERVANT.
[Entering with a how in her hand.

My

Lord

here

is

the

bow with an arrow

KING.

But what can be done with the bow now

eating wretch

is

flown out of reach of the arrow

gleams the noblest of gems, borne away in the

by the

The

Mars by

bird, as shines the planet

flesh-

yonder

far distance

night, half lost in

the thick clouds, which he pierces through.

Noble TClavya

CHAMBEELAIN.

As your Highness commands.

KING.

Command
for the

the citizens,

by

my

order

let

search be

made

wretched bird in the tree where he roosts at evening.

CHAMBEELAIN.

As

the

King

\_Exit.

orders.

"Her beauty hangs upon

the cheek of night,

Like a rich jewel in an Ethiop's

ear."

Momeo and

Juliet,

92

VIKBAMOEVA^j
GBAOIOSO.

Well

now

your Highness rest

let

be gone, the gem-thief

wherever

it

may

from the range of

will not escape

your commands.

\_They

sit

down.

KING.

O my

friend

recovery of the

my

gem

intense efforts are not for the mere

that the bird has carried off ;

that jewel of re-union, that I

am

re-united with

my

it is

by

beloved.

OEAMBLAIN.
[Entering.

The King
of
to

is ever victorious

which pursued

thine

it,

Transfixed by that wrath

the

guilty

bird,

condemned

death, has speedily fallen from the sky with the jewel

of the diadem.

[All express astonishment.

CHAMBERLAIN.

The jewel has been washed,

given

to

whom

should

it

be

KING.

Go, put

it

in the casket.

MOUNTAINEER

As

the

King

[Bxit with the Jewel.

orders.

KING,

[To Taiavta.
Dost thou know whose arrow

this is

CHAMBERLAIN.
It is

marked with a name, but

my

eyes are not equal to

the deciphering the colours.

KING.

Hold

the arrow up, while I examine

it.

OR,

THE HERO AND THE NYMPH.

93

GEACIOSO.

What

does your Highness study so

KING.

Hear the

name.

letters of the striker's

cmAcioso.
I

am

all attention.

KING.
[^Reads.

" This

the arrow of the Prince, the Archer, Ayus, the

is

son of Urvas'i and Pururavas,* the smiter of the lives of his

enemies."
GEACIOSO.

Joy

Joy

your Highness

is

blessed with a son

KING.

How

is this,

sacrifice,! I

my

friend

Except during the Naimesha

have been always with Urvas'i

once seen her giving signs of pregnancy

she have been a mother

Yet

remember,

and never have

;

how
for

then can

some days

the shade of her face was pale as the Lavali's fruit; and

she seemed to

wax

thin, so

that the bracelets round her

arms hung loose.t

GEACIOSO.

Let not your Highness attribute human nature

the

actions of the heavenly beings

are veiled

to Urvas'i

by

their

power.
KING,

Let

it

be as you say

concealing

but what could be the cause of her

it ?

* Uterally, "

The son

of Ila."

t This lasted twelve years.

t Compare Maghmans'a, iii.

2,

and

Stenzler's note.

VIKRAMOEVASI

94

GEAOIOSO.

Lest you should desert her, as growing old.

KING.

Have done with

jesting

think seriously.

GBACIOSO.

Who shall

think of the secrets of the gods

CHAMBEELAIN.
[Entering.

May

King be ever

the

victorious

female ascetic

has come from the hermitage of

of the race of Bhrigu,

Chyavana, bringing a lad with her, and desires to see your

Highness.
KING.

Introduce them both without delay.

Chamberlain

The

and

retires,

Ascetic with

the

re-enters,

bringing

the

Lad.

GEAOIOSO.
Surely, this

the Kshatriya youth, to

is

whom

belonged

the arrow inscribed with a name, which pierced the bird as

its

mark

;in

so

many ways he

takes after your Highness.

king.
It

must be

with tears

so

my

my mind feels a

My

eyes, as they fall

heart proclaims a father's fondness

happy calm.

in

trembling arms

salute thee.

How I

long to throw off

filled

and

all

my

him with a long passionate embrace

gravity of rank and clasp

my

on him, are

{Advancing).

Holy woman

THE HERO AND THE NYMPH.

OE,

95

ASCETIC.

mighty King

the Lunar Race.

long mayst thou be the upholder of

{To

The holy King recognises

herself.)

the ties of blood, even untold.

{Aloud.)

My

child

bow

to thy father.

[The Youth, with

his hands,

his eyes filled with tears,* folds

and bows

to the

King.

KING.

Long mayst thou

live,

child

youth.
\_Starting at being touched,

If this be

my

affection

bosoms

which

love,

I feel

and I his child

father,
for

when

aside.

hear that this

what must, indeed, be

who have grown up

their parents,

is

their

their

in

KING.

holy

woman

what

is

the cause of thy coming

ASCETIC.

Let the great King hear

was given

into

some reason or
natal rites
fulfilled

my

This child (long

hands immediately

other,

by Urvas'i

all

after

may he

live)

his birth, for

that pertains to the

and education of a well-born Kshatriya was

towards him

having learned

by the

illustrious

Chyavana

and

other knowledge, he hath been lately

all

instructed in archery.

*
filled

Or

it

maybe, "The youth bows

with tears."

This

is

to the King,

Lena's interpretation.

whose eyes are

VIKBAMOEVASiT

96

KING.

He

has, indeed,

become a

proficient.

ASCETIC.

This day he went out with some sons of the sages,

collect flowers, fruits,

way he

wood, and Kusa grass

and on

to
his

violated the prohibitions of the Hermitage.

GBAOIOSO.

How

so ?*

ASCETIC.

A hawk

that

had

carried off

some

and was

flesh,

sitting

on the summit of one of the trees in the hermitage, became

a

mark

for his arrow.

KING.

And what

followed

ASCETIC.

When
my

the holy

man heard

the story, he bade

charge into Urvas'i's hands.

me

restore

I desire, therefore, to see

Urvas'i.

KING.

Be

seated, I pray you.

hy an attendant.)

{They

sit

down on

Oh, honoured Talavya

seats brought

inform Urvas'i

of this.

{Exit Chamberlain.
KING.

Come
son

thrills

hither,

come

hither,

my

through every limb.

by him brought near me,

as the

child

Oh

the touch of

gladden

my

my

heart

moonbeam gladdens

the

moon-gem
* TVe see KAliddsa's light touch in thus making the Graoioso break

in upon the conversation by

this question of eager curiosity.

OB,

THE HERO AND THE NYMPH.

97

ASOETIO.

My

child,

go and gladden thy father.

[The youth approaches

the

King.

KING.

CAfter enibracing him.)

My

child, salute

my

good

friend, the

Brdhman

GBACIOSO.

Why

should the child be afraid of

me

Surely he must

often have seen apes about the hermitage.

^^^
,
I salute thee,

(SmUmg.)

sir.

GBACIOSO.

May

your highness have health and prosper.

Uetasi and

\Enter

the

Chambeklain.

CHAMBERLAIN.
This way, your highness,this way.
TTEVASl.

{Coming forward, aad

Who

is

this sitting

King himself binds up

Wonderful
he

is

grown

it

is

my

on the golden
his locks?

looking.)

footstool, while the

{Seeing the Ascetic.)

boy Ayus, accompanied by SatyavatI

a tall youth indeed

KING.

(LooMng.)

My

child, here is

thy mother come, intently gazing upon

thee,upheaving the

scarf

of

her bosom, which bursts

open with the gush of her love.*

* Compare

Tennyson's
" and half

The sacred mother's bosom, panting, burst

The laces towards her babe."
o

98

VIKBAMORVA^";
ASCETIC.

Come,

Urvasi

my

up

son, go

to thy mother.

(She goes towards

with the youth.

TJEVASI.

I salute thy feet,

woman

reverend

ASCETIC.

My child,

mayst thou ever be honoured of thy husband

YOUTH.

honoured one

!*

I salute thee.

UEVASL

Win
the

thy father's favour,

King be ever

my

{To

child.

the

King.)

May

victorious.

KING.

Hail to the mother

Be

seated here.

TFEVAS'L

Ye honored
sit

ones

be seated.

They

all in compliance

down.)
ASCETIC.

My

in

child,

(restore into

of your husband,

the presence

your hands

my

life

am

by a longer

now

charge, skilled in knowledge,

and exercised in the use of arms and armour.

to depart;

transgressing the laws of

my

now wish

hermitage-

stay.

UEVASl.'

As you

will,

I regret to lose

^yet

seeing you after such an

you so soon

interval,

but not to violate your laws,

perhaps you had better depart

I trust

other again.
* Homer's

iroTi/io.

we

shall see each

OR,

99

THE HERO AND THE NYMPH.

KING.

Reverend woman

my

give

salutation to the illustrious

Chyavana.
ASCETIC.

Even

so.

TorrTH.

Reverend lady
lead

me away

too

thou really returning

art

Wilt thou

KING.

Thou
it

is

hast performed

now

time for thee

the

duties

of

thy

first

order

to enter the second.

ASCETIC.

My

child, follow thy father's words.

TOITTH.

Well, then, send

me

the dark-necked peacock, whose

hath lately grown, which used to sleep in

loved to feel

me

do

so.

stroke

my

tail

bosom, and

tail.

its

ASCETIC.
I will

UEVAsi.

Holy woman

thy

I salute

feet.

KING.
I

bow

one

to thee, revered

ASCETIC.

Happiness unto you

all.

lExit.

KING.
Fairest one

with this

this

fair child

day I

am

the most fortunate of fathers,

of thine,like Indra, the city-destroyer,

with Jayanta, the child of his Paulomi.

VIKBAMOEVASI;

100

GB.ACIOSO.

"Well

with tears

Why,

my

why

but

her highness's face suddenly suffused

is

KING.

one

loveliest

weepest thou, when joy quivers in

heart at this sudden attainment of continuance to

my

race, and renderest superfluous the adornings of strings of

pearls

fall fast

by the tears that

on thy

full

bosom ?*

TJEVASI.

Listen,

my

King

child before

recalled to

my

me

was

first filled

with joy at beholdmg

but the mention of Indra's name has

heart's

memory

his decree.

KING.

Let

it

be

told.

tjevas'l

Hear,
first

king

made thy

with

my

^in

the bygone time,

prisoner,

preceptor's curse,

when my

heart was

was standing one day bewildered

when Indra

dismissed me, having

fixed a decree.

KING.

What was

it?

Tell me.
UEVAsIf^

"When he, my

loved friend, the holy King, shall behold

the face of a child born from thee, then

my presence."

Through

must thou return unto

fear, then, lest I

should be parted

from thee, to lengthen the time of our union,

I entrusted

the child into the hands of the honoured Satyavati, in the

* Lenz found in the

MSS.

a better reading

virackanam.

OR,

THE HERO AND THE NYMPH.

hermitage of the holy Chyavana

proved himself so worthy

win

to

now

but

101

been given unto us again, how can

Kmo faints.

IThe
ALL.
!

O King

revive, revive,

OHAMBBBLAIN.

O King

Revive,

and has

I abide longer with the

King?

Oh

Ayus* has

that

his father's heart,

GBAOI080.

Heaven

avert

it

Heaven

avert

it

!f

KING.

(Coming
Alas, that destiny should delight to check

On

me, while I rejoiced in the attainment of

fallen,
as-

graceful one

this

refreshed by the

is

himself.)

my

joy

son, hath

blow of separation from thee,

when

the lightning falls on the tree,

the heat

to

human

first

languor from

its

shower.

GBAOIOSO.

This event, I conjecture, will have some foolish accom-

panimentsj

but King Indra must be conciliated.

TTBVASL

Ah, wretched me
think that at this

* Dirgh^yus

is

am undone

moment

of

my

The King,

recovery of

I fear, will

my

son,

only an auspicious play on Ayus.

t The Scholiast explains abrdhmaw^am by abcidhyoMdviti.

(Appm'atus

Crit., p. 31),

perturbati, ut fferw.

to be killed

and Kuckert, consider

'Mord!'"

"proper for a brahmin,"

i.e.

death."

Hofer translates

The Graoioso begins

it

it

E.

If
"

Lenz

" exolamatio hominis

Wilson (Lexicon)

(in theatrical language).

the French sacre.

now

says," sacred, not

a "not" and hrdhmcmya

so, it

may

correspond with

des Ungluoks

to suspect the King's purpose.

!"


102

VIKEAMOEVASI;

that his education

over, I return of

is

Swarga, as having accomplished

my

my own

choice to

purpose.

KIN.

O
easy;

one

loveliest

hut our state

our

own

and

I this

desires

forth will

commands

go, obey thou the

for

separation

is

not

of dependence on another over-rules

day devolving
fly

The

speak not thus.

my kingdom upon

of thy lord,

thy son, hence-

refuge to the woods, where roam the

herds of deer.

YOUTH.

Oh, father

put not another under the yoke which the

great bull so long hath borne.

KING.

dear child

say not so

he he young, subdues

his

the

Gandha

fellows

poison of the scarce hatched snake

a child, can guard the earth
equal to every duty,

elephant, though

deadly*

the fierce

is

and the king, though

for the

power, that

rises

innate in the blood, not the years.

is

honoured Talavya!

CHAMBERLAIN.
Let the King command me.
KING.

Carry

ceremony

my

orders

to

for anointing

the

Minister

Parvata

^let

the

King -^yusf be prepared.

[Exit CHAMBEELAiiir

All

sorrowful.

gesticulate as da%zled.'\

* Frahhavaiitardm

t A'yushmat

is

is

an intensitive form.

See Wllkim' Chram.,

another ausjiicious play on A'yus.

p. 539.

OR,

THE HERO AND THE NYMPH.

103

KING.

(Looking up at the sky.)

Ah
Ah

it

whence

is

this lightning flash?

the holy Ndrada

is

I see

{Recognising

it.)

him yonder with

his

matted locks, tawny like the streak on the touch-stone, and

his Brdhmanical thread spotless as a digit of the

moving Kalpa

tree, like a

of youth, laden with

hranch of gold, in

abundance of

moon,

the heauty

all

Hasten with

pearls.

him

the oblation to honour

TfBVASf.

Behold the oblation

for the holy sage.

NAEADA.
{Entering.')

Victory to the Guardian of the Middle World.

KING,

holy sage

I salute thee.

UETASI.
1

bow

before thee

nATeaba.

May husband and

wife be never parted

KING.

^^

{Aside

Would

that

of Urvas'i,

bows

it

might be

so.

{Aloud.)

to

My

Uktasi.)

child,

born

to thee.

NAEADA.

Long

live the youth.

KING.

Be

\_They all sit down.

seated on this seat.

KING.
{Respectfully.)

What may

be the cause of thy coming

nXbada.

King

hear the commands of Indra.

104

VIKRAMOBVASf;

KING.
I attend.

NAEADA.
Indra,

mands

who

thee,

beholds

all

things by his divine power com-

art purposing to depart into the

who

wood

KING.

What commands he ?
NABADA.
hath been foretold by those

It

worlds, that ere long there will be

and Asuras, and thou must be our

therefore,

thy weapons

who behold

war between the Suras

;

lay not,

shall

be thy

ally in the fight

and Urvas'i

aside,

the three

rightful wife while life shall last.

tTETAsK

wonderful

an arrow seems plucked from

my

heart

KING.

Immeasurable are

my

obligations to the supreme King.

nIbada.
It

thou

well

is

fulfil

let

him

thine towards

the sun augmenteth

the shy.)

fulfil

fire,

OKambhd!

his duties towards thee,

him

and

let the

and do

with their several splendours

fire

the sun.

{Looldng up

to

consecrated water be brought

for the youth's coronation.

BAMBHA.
[Entering.

AU

the preparations are ready.

n/eada.
Let the youth be seated on the royal seat,*

* lAterally, " Seat of prosperity."

THE HERO AND THE NYMPH.

OEi

Rambha places him

105

on the royal

seat.

NAEADA.
Hail! hail!
KING.

Mayst thou be the

exalter of thy race

UBVASl'

May

thy father's words come true

Bards

\^A pair of

behind the Scene'].

FIBST BABB.

As

Atri,

creator

the

as the

our King to

sage

Moon

Budha

of the Immortals, to

to Atri

Budha

as

so thou,

in all world-loved qualities

father,

fulfilled in

to the

Prince
;

Brdhma, the

Moon

art like

and

all

as

to

thy

blessings are

thy preeminent race.

SECOND BAED.
Erst firmly fixed in thy father, and
in

thy turn, whose

stable

now

entrusted to thee

might knoweth no sickness

to

impair it,the Royal Prosperity shineth yet brighter than

ever

like

GangS, who rolleth her waters

at

once in the

Him&laya and the ocean.

BAMBHA.
Joy

joy

my

and yet needs not

loved friend beholds her son's coronation,

to

be parted from her husband.

UBVA^L

Our happiness, Kambhd,

the

Youth

mother.

by

the

hand.)

is

common

My

child

to us both.
!

salute

{Taking
thy elder

106

VIKItAMOaVAKl

KING.

Stay

let

us

approach her together.

all

NAEADA.

The glory of thy son Ayus' coronation

recals to

mind the day when Indra appointed Mahisena

mand

to the

my

com-

of his hosts.

KING.
Greatly, indeed,

am

favoured by Indra.

NAEADA.
Say,

King

what further boon wouldst thou have the

Lord of fulness bestow on thee

KING.
If there be

any further boon that

is

Indra grant, that, through thee, for the

dear to me, then

good,* the mutual rivals Fortune and Eloquence

now seems

be wedded in that union which

attained.

And

yet another

through his

straits

may

one

every

may

attain

still

May

so

may

MSS.

at last

hard to be

every one pass safely

every one behold good fortune

his

desires

and every one be

everywhere happy

* All the

let

common welfare of the

collated

by Lenz

THE END.

read, udbJmtaye.

A SCHEME
METRES OCCURRING IN THE VIKRAMORVASL*

HAVE

not thought

it

necessary to specify the instances

of the Epic s'loka, which are pretty frequent (twenty-seven

in all)

the other metres are as follows

I.-DISTICHS

WHICH CONSIST OP FOUR EQUAL

Teishtubh,

a.

1.

Indrcwa^rd pure.

54

(6).

Upajdii; or Indravajrdani Upendravcy'rd mixed.

p. 8,

PA'BAS.

or distichs of forty-four syllables

p.

2.

ii. iii.

59,

i. ;

60,

ii.

This analysis only extends to the Sanskrit part of Act IV.

TIio Prftltrit

metres are of a different class; and as the Prakrit passages appear in Mr.
Williams' edition in their Sanskrit form only, no notice of

The numbers

here given refer to the page

page, except in the Fourth Act, (pages 38 to

refer to the line in the page.

them

and the number of the

57),

is

needed here.

distich in that

where the second numbers

108

SCHEME OP THE METRES.

Jagati, or distichs of forty-eight syllables

b.

3.

Va/nil asMha,

p. 2, ii.; 4, ii.; 32,

4.

i.

43

ii.;

(8)

54 (17)

55 (14).

Drutamla/mbita.

p. 14,i.; 28, i;

Atijagati, or

c.

50 (21); 52(9).

distichs of fifty-two syllables

5.

p.

SakkarI,

d.

6.

p.

or distichs of fifty-six syllables

18,

1.

19,

36,

i. ;

65,

Atisakkaki,
7.

37,

66,

43 (2)

i. ;

i. ;

67,

45 (5); 46 (22) ; 61,

i.

or distichs of sixty syllables

44 (10)

AtyashtJ,
8.

ii. ;

i. ;

Mdlini.

p. 13, i*;

/.

Vasamtatilaka.

2 (Intro.)

e.

53 (9); 57(11).

45 (19)

49 (3)

66,

ii.; 68. ii. iu.

or distichs of sixty-eight syllables

Manddkrantd.

p. 3: iii

10.

i. ;

26,

i. ;

42

(11).

In the third line read " rtpan'd'u."

ii.

SCHEME OF THE METRES.

Swrini.

9.

p. 16,

10.

Prithwi.

11.

Sikharini.

i. ;

30.

i.

41 (2)

p. 16,

p.

g.

Atidhkixi, or
12.

p. 1

109

48 (14)

66,

iii.

ii.

51 (17); 53(21).

distichs of seventy-six syllables

S'drdUla vikrid'ita.

(Bened.)

3, i

4, i

13,

ii.

50

II.DISTICHS

22,

(5)

i.

54

24,

i. ;

26,

ii.

34,

ii.

41 (10)*

(24).

OP TWO EQUAL AEDSa4u)1SAB, WITH

UNEQUAL PADAS.
13.

p. 6, iv.

14.

8,

i. ;

19,

iii.

28,

ii. ;

41 (17)

47

(6).

Aparavaktrd.

------'--'--- -----------1

p. 23,
15.

ii.

Pwshpitdgrd.

-^~_--_^-_^_^

,_^^^-..._^_I

p. 27, i.; 37,

16.

p.

iii.

VaitdUya.

The atliavd

45

(12).

in the tenth line should be struck out, as

it

mars the metre.

110

SCHEME OF THE METRES.

IllDISTICHS,

WHOSE FEET ARE BECKONED Br

SYLLABIC INSTANTS.

p. S,

34,

i. ;

i. ii. ;

35,

(For this measure see the Sitopades'a).

A'ryd.

17.

i. ii.

57 (4) ; 59,
18.

4, iii.

iii. ;

5,

11,

i. ;

i.

12,

i.

42 (24)* ; 43 (16) ; 49
60,

i. ;

61,

i,

A'ryd Upagiti

62,

i.

(differing

13,

(15, 25)

63,

i. ;

The
Lenz,

p.

verses,

page

ii.

64,

23,

i.

53 (17)

27,

In line

26,

29,

i.

54 (12)t ; 56 (21)

i.

fifteen short syllables).

(Intro.)

52 (19), are very

irregular.

213).

ii. iii.

from the preceding in the second

pdda, which, like the fourth, contains only

p. 1,

iil.

the metre requires smarayaii.

t In line 18 the metre requires priya-janma.

{See