Svapnavasavadattam - Source of Svapnavāsavadattam

Source of Svapnavāsavadattam

The source of Svapnavasavadattam is certainly Kathasaritsagar authored by Somadeva. It is here that we come across the story of Vasavadatta and the `Kathamukha' of the Kathasaritsagar starts with the story of Udayana. Kathasaritsagar is divided into eighteen sections, each of which is called Larhbaka. Udayana, who was a de­scendant of the Pandavas, grew up to be a fearless hero who was well versed in ancient lore, and he was highly proficient in playing the lute. Udayana's father retired to the life of vahaprastha and entrusted the kingdom to Udayana. Udayana left the day to day work to one of his faithful ministers, Yaugandharayana, and started spending his time in luring wild-elephants by playing on his lute. Having heard about Vasavadatta, the princess of Avanti, he wished to make her his queen and waited for a favourable opportunity to arrive his way.

Vasavadatta's father was Mahasena who was a very powerful monarch and had two sons, Gopalaca and Palaca. Mahasena wanted to conquer Kausambi¹ and seeing that Udayana could not be subdued by direct means, he made a huge artificial elephant, filled it with war­riors and put it in the elephant forest in the Vindhyas. In this intrigue Mahasena succeeded; when Udayana approached the fake elephant with his lute, all the warriors came out of it and surrounded him.

There was a skirmish, Udayana was seized from behind, bound with creepers, and sent to Ujjayini. Mahasena treated Udayana re-

1. Kausambi, capital of king Udayana, is where the chief scene of the play is laid. It was a city that was famous in ancient times, being mentioned in the Ramayana of Valmiki. Known for its grandeur, it is today an insignificant village on the river Yamuna, near Allahabad.

On the other hand, in Kau§ambi, Yaugandharayana resolved to free Udayana from Mahasena. He left the kingdom in the hands of another very faithful minister Rumanvan and left for Ujjayini with Vasantaka. The minister turned himself into a hunch-back and Vasantaka into a pot bellied clown through the exercise of magic and entered the palace. However, Udayana very well recognized Yaugandharayana who taught him spells for breaking the prison chains and charms for winning Vasavadatta's love. Soon, Vasavadatta herself began to take sides with Udayana as against her own father. Coming to Udayana again, Yaugandharayana asked him to elope with Vasavadatta, so that they could break the pride of Mahasena. Vasavadatta agreed on it, both of them eloped, reached safely at KaAambT. Mahasena ac­cepted the fact, made peace with Udayana and all was well.

Such is the 'fable' of the original Vasavadatta of Kathasaritsagar of Somadeva.

According to Somadeva, Udayana excels in music; in lute-playing that could tame the wild-elephants. In Bhasa's play, it is Udayana the musician, with his lute Gosavati and Udayana and Vasavadatta are brought together as teacher and pupil. Udayana's famous ejaculation in Svapnavasavadattam is:

Ha priye! Ha priye-§ieye!

Yaugandharayana in Somadeva's katha exercised his magical powers and changed himself into a hunch-back; there are no such miracles found in Bhasa's play.

In Somadeva's katha, Vasavadatta herself invites Yaugandharayana and the jester to her palace. This episode does not occur anywhere in Bhasa's play.

In Somadeva's katha, again, Mahasena receives the captured Udayana with princely honors. Bhasa provides no such welcome to the Kauarnbi king.

Bhasa introduces a personal message to Yaugandharayana

If we compare the narrative in Somadeva's Kathasaritsagar with Bhasa's play, we cannot but admire the latter. His work is worthy of the greatest admiration on account of the delicacy and fineness with which Bhasa has eliminated all that is clumsy and rude in the narra­tive. In Bhasa's play the loosening of the knot brought about with the help of the dream, which is certainly a creation of the dramatist, is fine and delicate. Without doubt, it was this well merited pride for this innovation that induced the poet to insert the word 'dream' in the title of the drama.¹

The historical Udayana appears in the Puranas as a ruler of the Pururara dynasty. His name appears among the twenty-nine Puru Kings, tracing their lineage to Arjuna, the hero of the Mahabharata war. They removed their capital from Hastinapura to Kau§ambi as the former capital had been destroyed by the floods of the Ganges. From a passage in one of the Buddhist canonical writings we learn that he reigned shortly after the death of Buddha and consequently was a contemporary of Canda Pradyota of Avanti, of Pasenadi and his son Ajata§atru of Kosala; and of Bimbasara and his son Ajata§atru of Magadha. Most of the historians of the present day agree on these points and establish matrimonial relations of Udayana with Avanti, Magadha and Anga Kingdoms. Moreover, the literary figure of King Dar§aka, the ruler of Magadha has been identified with the famous ruler Ajata§atru of Magadha, and Padmavati as his sister.

It is not possible even now to trace the origin and the growth of the legends that gathered around the figure of Udayana. But even in the canonical Pali writings, we find a few hints of his amorous traits that would make him a suitable hero for romantic adventure, just as his contemporary Pradyota had gained early an unenviable reputation for

1. M. Winternitz - A History of Indian Literature. Translated from the German, by Subhadra Jha. Vol. III Part I. Classical Sanskrit Literature, Motilal Banarasi Dass. Delhi, Varanasi, Patna.

STORY OF SVAPNAVĀSAVADATTAM

Bhasa here picks up the thread of the Udayana story from where he left it in Pratijfiayaugandharayanam. Yaugandharayana's ambition to recover the lost slices of Udayana's territory, annexed by usurpers and reinstall him as the suzerain monarch of the whole Vatsa kingdom is at the bottom of the whole plot. But this political resolve is given a different twist here by the dramatist to make it a dream of love, unlike in Pratiffiayaugandharayanam where the minister's pledge dominates the theme. In Svapnavasavadattam, love and marriage become po­litical tools. He plans the king's marriage with the Magadha princess Padmavati as the only sure means of boosting up Udayana's political and military power. But this was impossible without the elimination of Vasavadatta, without which, Udayana was sure to spurn the very idea of another wife. Moreover, the king of Magadha¹ would not consent to his daughter taking the position of a second wife. This induces the faithful and clever minister to take recourse to a trick. Yaugandharayana takes Vasavadatta into his confidence and she agrees to be his ac­complice in a strategic plan to lead Udayana into believing that she is dead. To give it greater credibility, Yaugandharayana is also to be declared dead. One day, while the king is away on a hunting expedi-

1. The country of Magadha corresponds roughly to the southern part of of the modern state of Bihar. Rajagrha was its capital.

The queen and the minister are on their way, and passing by a forest hermitage, meet the retinue of the Magadhan princess Padmavati, in Act I. She has been to visit the Queen Mother, Mahadevi. The prin­cess Padmavati is to stay one night at the hermitage and has it pro­claimed that anyone there may claim a boon. This is the minister's opportunity to put Vasavadatta under the security of the Magadhan court. He pretends that she is his sister and asks the princess to take her as a ward. His request is granted.

At this stage, a brahmacharin, a supposed eye-witness, gives a poignant picture of the tragedy of Lavanaka, which serves to project Udayana's great qualities and his tender sensibilities as a lover. The ground is thus prepared to create a place for Udayana in Padmavatis heart.

In Act II we see Padmavati and Vasavadatta playing ball together. The two immediately become friends. From their conversation we learn that Padmavati has made up her mind to marry king Udayana. Soon the nurse of the Princess too, reports that Udayana has agreed to accept the latter as his wife. The soliloquy of Vasavadatta shows how greatly she is perturbed at this. But she has, however, some con­solation, when she concludes from the words of the nurse, that her husband wants to have a second wife only out of the sense of duty and not on account of lack of affection for her.

The second and third act present a novelty in having wholly feminine scenes with no male presence. Both acts are in Prakrit, whereas the rest of the play is in Sanskrit and both acts do not have a single verse either. The second act provides an excellent glimpse of Padmavatis joyful life of light revelry in the company of her jovial friends, typical of adolescent youth; now absorbed in indoor games, now indulging in

1. Lavanaka was the name of a village adjacent to Magadha, and was prob­ably situated on the south bank of the river Yamuna, near its confluence with the Ganges. It seems to have been a centre for education according to the account of the Brahmacharin, in the play.

In Act III and IV the marriage of Udayana and Padmavati is solem­nized. Vasavadatta comes alone to the garden, while the preparations for the wedding are going on. She is highly perturbed and seeks refuge in solitude to give vent to her pent up feelings. Cruel fate assigns to her the task of weaving the wedding garland for her rival, with her own hands. Bhasa has opened up new vistas of dramatic irony with a deep under-current of pathos, in her exchanges with Padmavati and the maids, quite unlike those in a light vein, providing amusement.

In Act IV there is an interlude in which the Vidusaka enters and expresses his satisfaction that the marriage has taken place early in which he has tasted dainty dishes. But he complains that his stomach has gone out of order. Then Padmavati enters with Vasavadatta. From the conversation of the king and Vidusaka, we learn that king Udayana still loves Vasavadatta who is supposed to be dead, and continually thinks of her. The Vidusaka asks the king as to who is dearer to him, whether Vasavdatta or Padmavati? The king evades the answer for a long time but at last admits that although Padmavati is admired greatly by him, his heart is still bound by Vasavadatta, who is no more. Then the king asks the Vidusaka which one he likes of the two. The Vidusaka, however, decides in favour of Padmavati because she gives him more dainty dishes and takes care of him. The king again and again remembers Vasavadatta and his sorrow which is deep-rooted becomes fresh and he starts weeping. When the Vidusaka goes to fetch water for the king to wash his eyes, the two ladies are deeply touched by the conversation overheard by them; Vasavdatta retreats and Padmavati approaches her husband. Now the Vidusaka brings water for the king to wash his eyes and the king, in order that Padmavati may not feel hurt, says that flower-pollen has fallen into his eyes.

Act V is played in the samudragrha¹ (Water Pavilion or Summer Pavilion) of the palace. In an interlude we learn that the young queen, Padmavati is unwell. The maid-servants report that Padmavati has

1. Literally: Sea or Ocean mansion.

She shoots out of the bed, only to discover that, luckily, the king is only dreaming and no damage has been done to the plans of Yaugandharayana. That is a crucial psychological moment for her. To flee or not to flee is the main question. How could she, poor soul, resist the temptations of the God-given moment to have a secret heart-gratifying look at the deity of her soul, who is her own husband no doubt, and yet denied to her; who has been so near all the while and yet so distant, cut off by cruel political will. Just then, the king continues his talk in sleep. "Oh! Dearest darling, why don't your re­spond?" Vasavadatta is at her wit's end – to speak or not to speak. Instinct decides where reason does not and she promptly responds in a subdued tone. "Yes, my lord, here I am, I do respond". Thereafter this fantastic dialogue begins:

KING — Are you angry with me?

VASAVADATTA — Not at all, not at all; I am grieved.

KING — If you are not angry, why have you not put on your ornaments?

VASAVADATTA — What, other than this?

KING — Why? Do you remember Viracika?

VASAVADATTA — (Angrily) Avaunt! Here also Viracika?

Here ends this mysterious exchange between the two sensitive souls.

Hardly is she out of the Pavilion, when the King awakes from his slumber and shouts:

"Vasavadatta, stay, stay! Oh pity!

While I was going out in haste,

I struck against a wing of the door,

Thence I know not clearly,

if this is true or it is just my wishful thinking

(Vidasaka enters)

VIDOSAKA — Oh! His Honour has risen from sleep.

KING — Friend, I have agreeable news to tell you. Vasavadatta is, forsooth, alive.

VIDOSAKA — Oh! Vasavadatta! Where is Vasavadatta? Vasavdatta is indeed, long dead.

KING — Friend, do not, do not say so.

When I was asleep,

She awakened me and went away,

I had been deceived by Rumarivana,

Who had reported earlier that she was burnt.

VIDOSAKA— Pity! this is inconceivable. Since I made a mention of the bathing place in Avanti¹, you thought about Vasavdatta and you feel you have seen her in dream.

1. Avanti is another name of Ujjayini, the capital city of the Avanti kingdom.

KING — Thus then she was seen by me in a dream!

In case, it is merely a dream, a blessing it would be, if I had not awaked. In case it is an illusion, let this illusion continue forever.

The hero talking in a dream and the heroine, almost dreaming in wakefulness, such a dialogue cannot, naturally, go on for long. With deep psychological insight, Bhasa has forced in the Virachika epi­sode to cut this exchange short from Vasavadatta's side. Otherwise, would Vasavadatta, then totally lost to the outside world, stop and withdraw at all from that hypnotic situation? Not on her own, it can be presumed. Some such expedient was, therefore, an inevitable psy­chological necessity. The king, at last, opens out his arms, appealing to Vasavadatta to forgive him for his breach of faith and that is the end of this sensational little drama, within the bigger drama.

Vasavadatta feels she has stayed too long, fears she might be discovered and wishes to quit. But her legs pull her back. She wavers for a while. Her hankering to touch her lover for just a second drives her crazy. She returns to replace the sleeping king's hanging hand in position and rushes past. But the touch awakes the king. He has a dreamy vision of the real Vasavadatta for a split-second, hurrying out of the sombre chamber like an apparition, as a tantalizing continua­tion of the figure in the dream. But the thin line between the dream-vision and real vision is so convincingly palpable that he senses the reality of Vasavdatta, leaps from the bed, calls aloud to her to stop and rushes behind her. But in his drowsy excitement and the mad rush to get to her, he knocks against the door panel. Vasavadatta escapes by the skin of her teeth. Just then, the jester returns with the blanket. The king jubilantly cries out to him that Vasavadatta is alive and that he had seen her in flesh and blood. But the Vidusaka laughs it away saying that Vasavadatta was dead long, long ago. That he must have either dreamt of her or must have seen a yaksini. A yaksini called Avantisundari was believed to haunt the place. Thus, the real Vasavadatta, who is seen by Udayana for a fleeting moment and had really emerged from dreamland for Udayana, is pushed back into the realm of fairyland for the time being. But, in this unconscious mention

An abrupt twist is given to the whole episode by the message, just received from the Magadha king that all is set for the campaign against Aruni, the usurper. This brings in a sudden change of mood and the king proceeds to assume the lead. This dream-scene in the fifth act is the unique and unparalleled creation of Bhasa's dramatic genius. There is certainly no dearth of highly dramatic scenes in the varied plays of Bhasa - we have them in good number - but the high drama of the dream scene, its uniqueness and the grandeur of its design are a class by itself. A headache of Padmavati - ironic as it might look - proves to be the ground for the momentary but highly nuanced meeting between Udayana and Vasavadatta in a mysterious dream-world.

Act VI takes us into the palace of king Udayana. The king finds the lute Ghosavati that at one time was played upon by Vasavadatta, when he was training her in playing on the lute. At the sight of the lute the painful recollection wakes up in the King:

Beloved lute, once thou hast rested over her breasts and on her thighs How hast thou led the terrible life in the forest?
Where birds have scattered thy stick in dust?
Besides, thou art devoid of sentiment,
O Ghosavati that thou remember not about her -
Carrying thee between her thighs, pressing thee between her arms,
Offering thee the pleasant embrace between her warm breasts,
Bewailing in her separation from me, And the conversation full of smiles,
That took place in between musical pauses.

The concluding act opens with the recovery of the hero's lost lute, and here starts the revival of wistful memories of his giving lute les-

And the play ends here with the benedictory stanza:

May our lion king protect the whole of this earth that extends upto the sea, on whose face the Himalayas and the Vindhyas appear like two giant earrings.

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