Svapnavasavadattam - The Svapnavāsavadattam Act-VI

ACT - VI

[THE PALACE OF KALAAMBT]
INTERLUDE

(Enter a Chamberlain)

Chamberlain — Who is here, oh, that attends at the golden-arched gate?

(Enter Portress)

PORTRESS — Sir, it is I, Vijaya, what is to be done?

CHAMBERLAIN — Lady, tell please tell Udayana, whose pros­perity (power) has increased on account of the acquisition of the kingdom of the Vatsas – Here has come from Mahasena's presence a Chamberlain, of the family of Raibhya, as also Vasavadatta's nurse named the revered Vasundhara, sent by queen Angaravati; and both are waiting at the gate.

PORTRESS — Sir, this is neither the proper place nor the proper time for the announcement.

CHAMBERLAIN — How is it not the proper place and time? PORTRESS — May Your Honour hear. Today, a lute was played

upon by some one, residing in the Suryamukha palace of our lord. On

hearing it my lord said – the sound, like that of Ghosavati is heard. CHAMBERLAIN — Then, then?

PROTRESS — Then my lord, having gone there, asked – where was the lute got from? He said thus – It was found by us lying in a

CHAMBERLAIN — Do inform him, lady; this (our visit) is also in connection with that.

PORTRESS— Sir, here I inform him. Here is our lord descending from Suryarnukha palace. So, I will inform him just here.

CHAMBERLAIN — Lady, do so.

(Exeunt Both)

End of the mixed prelude

(Enter the King and the Jester)

KING — 0 thou with a sound gratifying to the ear; how couldst thou that reposed on the pair of breasts and the lap of the queen, take thy residence, which was dreadful, in the wilds, with thy body covered with the dust scattered by the flight of birds.

Moreover thou art heartless, 0 Ghosavati, since thou dost not (sorrowfully) remember - of thy poor queen -

How she pressed thee to her side as she bore thee on her hip; the happy clasping of thee between her breasts, when fatigued, the lamentations with reference to me when separated from me, and the talking accompanied by smiles in the intervals of music.

JESTER — Enough. Do not torment yourself beyond measure. KING — Say not so, dear friend.

My passion that was long dormant, has been roused by the lute, but I cannot see that queen to whom Ghosavati was dear.

Vasantaka, have the Ghosavati repaired by a skilled artisan and bring it back to me at once.

JESTER — As Your Honour commands.

(Exit, taking the lute with him) (Enter Portress)

PORTRESS — May my lord be victorious! Here have arrived at the door, a Chamberlain of the Raibhya clan, from the court of Mahasena and Vasavadatta's nurse named the revered Vasundhara, sent by Queen Angaravati.

KING — If so then let Padmavati be first called.

PORTRESS — As my lord commands. (Exit)

KING — Can Mahasena have learned this news so soon?

(Enter Padmavati and Portress)

PORTRESS — Come, come my Princess.

PADMAVATT — Victory to my noble lord.

KING— Padmavati, did you hear that a chamberlain of the family of Raibhya has come from Mahasena as also Vasavadatta's nurse named the revered Vasundhara, sent by her ladyship Angaravati, and that they are waiting at the door?

PADMAVATT— My noble lord, I shall be glad to have good news of my relatives' family.

KING — This is worthily said by your ladyship, that the relatives of Vasavadatta are your own relatives. Padmavati, be seated. Now, why don't you sit?

PADMAVATT— My noble lord, would you have me seated at your side when you receive these people?

KING — What is wrong in that?

PADMAVATT — That your lordship has married again may seem like indifference (to the feelings of others).

KING — (But) the fact that I (the king) prevents people fit to see his wife, from obtaining a sight of her, will lead to serious blame (or blemish, viz., breach of etiquette). So please be seated.

PADMAVATT — As my noble lord commands. (Sits down) my lord, I am rather uneasy so as to what the dear parents will say.

KING — Quite so, Padmavati.

My heart is full of misgiving as to what he will say. I stole away

PADMAVATI — No; what, forsooth, can be saved, when its time (of destruction) has arrived?

FORTRESS — Here are the Chamberlain and the nurse waiting at the door.

KING — Let them come in at once.

FORTRESS; As the lord commands.

(Exit)

(Enter the Chamberlain, the Nurse and the Fortress)

CHAMBERLAIN — Oh! Great is my joy,

On coming to the kingdom of our kinsman; but again there is sorrow felt when I remember the destruction of our princess. What indeed would not have been done by you, oh fate! Had there been the kingdom seized by the enemies (regained) and the queen safe?

FORTRESS — Here is the lord. Let the noble one approach

him.

CHAMBERLAIN — (Going forth) Victory to your Highness! NURSE — May the master be victorious.

KING — (with great respect) Noble one.

Is that king, who has the power to bring about the rise and fall of the offspring of royal races on earth and my coveted relative, all well?

CHAMBERLAIN — What else? Mahasena is all right, and asks about the welfare of you all here.

KING — (Rising from his seat) What does Mahasena command?

CHAMBERLAIN — Worthy is this of the son of the princess Videha. Your Honour should please hear Mahasena's message, seated on your seat.

KING — As Mahasena commands (through you). (Sits down) CHAMBERLAIN — Fortunately is the kingdom regained that was

No enterprising spirit manifests itself in those, who are timid or weak; generally royal splendor is enjoyed only by the energetic alone.

KING — Noble sir, all this is due to the power of Mahasena. For -

I was, indeed first conquered and yet fondled (afterwards) along with his sons; I forcibly carried away his daughter but did not save her (from destruction); and even after hearing of her demise, his regarding me as his own is just the same; or why, that I obtained the Vatsas, over which I used to rule, was owing to the king.

CHAMBERLAIN — This is Mahasena's message; that of the queen, her ladyship here will tell.

KING — 0 Mother!

The lady goddess of the city, chief among the sixteen queens, my mother - so afflicted with grief at my departure - is she in good health?

NURSE — The queen is well, and inquires after your honour's well-being of every kind here.

KING — Well-being of every kind you say? Mother, of this sort is the well-being!

NURSE — Do not torment yourself beyond measure, my lord.

CHAMBERLAIN — Take courage, my noble lord. Though dead the daughter of Mahasena is not dead when thus remembered with tenderness by your lordship. Or rather,

Who is able to protect whom in the hour of death? Who can hold the pitcher when the rope (attached to it) is cut? Thus man fares equally with (lit. has the same law of life as) trees: each is cut down (dies) when his time comes and grows (is born) again.

KING — Noble one, do not say so.

Mahasena's daughter, my pupil and my beloved queen - how could I forget her, even in the births to come?

NURSE — Thus said the Queen: Vasavadatta has passed away. To me and also to Mahasena you are as dear as our Gopalaka and Palaka, being the son-in-law, as chosen from the first. For this reason you were brought to Ujjayini. We gave her away to you under the pretext of the lute, without fire as witness to the act; owing to your

KING — Ah, How loving and how noble is the message of her Majesty?

Those words I hold more precious than the conquest of a hundred realms. For we are not forgotten in her love, although transgressors.

PADMAVATI — My lord, I would like to see the portrait of my elder sister and salute her.

NURSE — Look, Princess, look (shows her the picture) PADMAVATT— (Aside) Why! It is very much like the lady Avantika. (Aloud) my lord, is this a good likeness of her ladyship?

KING — Likeness? No, I think it is herself. Oh! How could cruel calamity befall this charming loveliness? How could fire ravage the sweetness of this face?

PADMAVATI — On seeing the portrait of my lord, I shall be able

to know whether this portrait is similar to her ladyship or not.

NURSE — May the Princess see it, may the princess see it. PADMAVATT— (On seeing) From the (exact) resemblance of my

lord's portrait I know that this portrait too is similar to her ladyship. KING — My queen, since the time of seeing the portrait I see that

you appear to be greatly delighted and dejected. What can this be? PADMAVATT — My lord, a lady resembling this portrait lives

here.

KING — What, resembling Vasavadatta?

PADMAVATT — Yes.

KING — Then send for her at once.

PADMAVATT— My noble lord, a certain Brahmana left her with me as a ward, before my marriage, saying that she was his sister. Being separated from her husband she shuns the sight of other men. So when you see her in my company you will know if she is the same.

KING: If she be a Brahmana's sister, it is manifest she must be another. Identity of form occurs in life as of very doubles.

(Enter the Portress)

PORTRESS — Victory to my lord. Here has a Brahmana, be­longing to Ujjayini, come to the door to receive back his deposit, a woman, whom he says he left as his younger sister in the hands of the queen.

KING — Padmavati, can it be that he is that same Brahmana? PADMAVATT— He may be.

KING — Let that Brahmana be ushered in at once with the for­malities proper to the inner court?

PORTRESS — As my lord commands. (Exit)

KING — Padmavati, you too bring her.

PADMAVATT — As my noble lord commands. (Exit)

(Enter Yaugandharayana and the Fortress)

YAUGANDHARAYANA — Ah! (Aside)

Though it was in the king's interest that I concealed the Queen consort, though I can see that what I have done is to his benefit, yet even when my work is done my heart misgives me as to what my royal master will say.

PORTRESS — This is the king; your reverence may approach

him.

YAUGANDHARAYANA — (Having approached) Victory to the king! Victory!

KING—The voice seemsto have been heard before. 0 Brahmana, was your sister left as a deposit in the hands of Padmavati? YAUGANDHARAYANA — Just so.

KING — If so, hasten, hasten his sister here.

PORTRESS — As my lord commands. (Exit)

(Then enter Padmavati, Avantika and the Fortress)

PADMAVATT — Come, come quickly, my lady, I will tell you something pleasing.

VASAVADATTA — What, What?

PADMAVATT — Your brother has come

AVANTIKA— Fortunately, he remembers me, at least now. PADMAVATT — (Having approached) Victory to my lord! Here is the deposit.

KING — Restore it Padmavati. (But) a deposit ought to be re­turned in the presence of witnesses. The worthy Raibhya here and his ladyship will form the court.

PADMAVATI — Now, Sir, resume your charge of this lady. NURSE— (Observing Avantika carefully)Oh! This is the Princess Vasavadatta!

KING — How now? The daughter of Mahasena! Oh, my queen, enter inside (the ladies' apartments) with PadmavatT.

YAUGANDHARAYANA — No no, she must not go in there. This lady is, I tell you, my sister.

KING — What are you saying? This is the daughter of Mahasena. YAUGANDHARAYANA — 0 king!

You are born in the race of Bharata, are well disciplined, enlight­ened, and pure; it does not therefore behove you to take her away by force — you who are to show what are (guide in the matter of) the royal duties.

KING — Very well; let us see this similarity of form. Let the veil be removed.

YAUGANDHARAYANA — Victory to my royal master! VASAVADATTA — Victory to my noble lord!

KING — Ah! This is Yaugandharayana; and this Mahasena's daughter!

Is it a reality or dream, that she is again seen by me? For by her although seen, I was then deceived.

YAUGANDHARAYANA — Sire, by concealing the queen I am guilty of a grave offence. Please pardon me, my royal master. (With these words falls at his feet)

KING — (Raising him up) You are certainly Yaugandharayana to be sure. By feigning madness, by battles and by plans worked out according to the codes of polity — thus indeed by your efforts we were rescued when plunged into adversity.

YAUGANDHARAYANA — I do but follow the fortunes of my royal master.

VASAVADATTA — (Raising Padmavati) Rise, rise, oh blessed one, rise! It was my body that was in fault being falsely presented to you as belonging to a suppliant.

PADMAVATT— I am beholden to you.

KING — Friend Yaugandharayana, what was your object in de­ciding to remove the queen?

YAUGANDHARAYANA — Because I administered Kaushambi

only.

KING — Then, what was the reason in leaving her as a deposit in the hands of Padmavati?

YAUGANDHARAYANA — Because it was predicted by the astrol­ogers, like Pu§pakabhadra and others, that she was to be the queen of my lord.

KING — Was this too known to Rumaryan? YAUGANDHARAYANA— My lord, It was known to everyone. KING — Oh, Rumanvan is a rogue indeed.

YAUGANDHARAYANA — Lord, let the noble Raibhya and her ladyship here return just today and communicate the news of the queen's being safe.

KING — No, no, we shall all go with queen Padmavati. YAUGANDHARAYANA — As my lord commands.

(Bharata - Vakya - Benediction)

May our Rajasiriiha (lion-like king) rule the earth girt by the oceans, the Himalaya and the Vindhya mountains for her ear-orna­ments and marked by one (royal) umbrella.

(Exeunt omnes)

End of Act VI

Here ends the play SVAPNAVASAVADATTAM