Svapnavasavadattam - The Svapnavāsavadattam Act-V

ACT - V

[At Magadha]
INTERLUDE

(Enter Padminika)

Padminika — Madhukarika, oh, Madhukarika, come here quickly.

(Enter Madhukarika)

MADHUKARIKA — Here I am, my dear, what is to be done? PADMINIKA — Don't you know my dear, that Princess Padmavati is troubled by a headache.

MADHUKARIKA — Oh, fie upon it!

PADMINIKA — Friend, run quickly and call the revered Avantika. Only tell her the princess has a headache, and she will come of her own accord.

MADHUKARIKA — My dear, what good can she do?

PADMINIKA — Why, she will tell the princess pleasant stories and drive away the pain.

MADHUKARIKA — Very likely. Where have you made up the princess's bed?

PADMINIKA— It is spread in the lake-house. Go you now. I too will seek out the noble Vasantaka that he may inform the lord of it.

MADHUKARIKA— Let it be so. (Exit)

PADMINIKA — Where can I see the noble Vasantaka now?

(Enter the Jester)

JESTER — Today indeed, on the extremely auspicious and joyful occasion, the pangs due to the fire of love of his lordship the king of the Vatsas, whose heart has been agitated by separation from his ladyship Vasavadatta, fanned by the acceptance of the hand of Padmavati, are greatly increased. (Observing Padminika) Hallo! It is Padminika. Well, Padminika, what is the news?

PADMINIKA — Noble Vasantaka, do you not know that Princess Padmavati is distressed by a headache?

JESTER — Truly lady, I did not know.

PADMINIKA — Well, let his Highness know about it. Meanwhile I will hurry up with the ointment for her forehead.

JESTER — Where is the bed arranged for Padmavati? PADMINKA — It is spread in the lake-house, I am told. JESTER — Your ladyship may go; in the meanwhile I will inform

his Honour.

(Exeunt both)

End of the Interlude

(Enter the King)

KING — I, on who in course of time, the responsibility of a wife has fallen again, brood over that laudable, worthy daughter of the king of Avanti (Vasavadatta), whose tender frame was consumed by the fire at Lavanaka, like a lotus plant smitten by frost.

(Entering)

JESTER — Make haste, make haste, Your honour.

KING — What for?

JESTER — Her ladyship Padmavati is tormented by headache. KING — Who says so?

JESTER — It is reported by Padminika.

KING — Oh, painful.

Having attained a wife, rich in (radiant with) the splendor of beauty and endowed with virtues, I, although yet suffering from the pain of the former blow, felt my grief softened as it were today (but) having experienced misery I expect Padmavati also to fare similarly (to meet a similar fate). Now at what place is Padmavati ?

JESTER — Her bed is spread in the lake-house.

KING — So then lead the way to that place.

JESTER — Come, come, your Honour

(Both walk on)

JESTER — This is the lake-house. May your honour, enter. KING — You enter first.

JESTER — Oh, I will. (Entering) My God! Stay, just stay, your Honour!

KING — What for?

JESTER — Here is a serpent, rolling on the ground, his form revealed by the light of the lamp.

KING — (Enters and looking at it carefully, smiles)) Oh, the fool sees in this a snake!

Fool, you mistake for a serpent, the straight, and long garland hanging on the front arch of the summer house, fallen on the ground, being shaken by the gentle breeze at night, that imitates somewhat the movements of a serpent.

JESTER — (looking closely) your Honour is right. It is not a snake.

(Entering and looking round) Lady Padmavati must have been here and gone away.)

KING — Friend she could not have come here.

JESTER — How does your Honour know that?

KING — What is to be known here? Look -

The bed has not been pressed; it is as smooth as when made. There is no crinkle in the counterpane, the pillow is not rumpled nor stained with ointments for an aching head. There is no charming ar­rangement to divert a patient's gaze. A person having gone to bed through pain does not leave it again quickly of his own accord.

JESTER — If so, your Honour should sit on this bed for a short while and wait for her ladyship.

KING — Very well. (Sits down) Friend, sleep overpowers me. Tell some story.

JESTER — I shall tell. Your Honour should listen with a 'hum'.

KING — I will.

JESTER — There is a city Ujjayini by name. There are in it, as they say, many delightful pools (tanks) for bathing.

KING — What, Ujjayini did you say?

JESTER — If you don't like this story, I shall tell you another. KING — Friend, it is not that I do not like the story; but -

I think painfully (at the mention of Ujjayini) of the daughter of

Avantis king, (who) remembering her kinsfolk, at the moment of de-

parture with me (to Kau6ambT), and causing to fall, through love, on

my bosom the tears that had flowed from her eyes and clung to their

corners.

And again—

Many a time during her lessons, while gazing at me, the playing (on the lute) was done in the air, with her hand having the bow dropped from it.

JESTER — I shall tell you another. There is a town called Brahmadatta, where there was a king named Kampilya.

KING — What is it? What did you say?

(Jester repeats what he has just said)

KING — Fool, say - king Brahmadatta, the city Kampilya.

JESTER — Is Brahmadatta the King and Kampilya the city? KING — Yes. That's right

JESTER — Then your Honour should wait for a short while, in

(Exit)

(Enter Vasavadatta in the disguise of Avantika and a

maid)

MAID — Come this way, lady. The princess is suffering from a severe headache.

VASAVADATTA — Oh pity! Where is the bed of Padmavati arranged?

MAID — It is spread in the samudragrha.¹

VASAVADATTA — Then lead the way.

(Both move around)

MAID — This is the samudragrha; your ladyship should enter. In the meantime I shall quickly bring the ointment for her forehead.

(Exit)

VASAVADATTA — Oh, how cruel are the gods to me.

Padmavati, who was a source of comfort to my lord in the agony of his bereavement has now fallen ill herself. I will go in. (Entering and looking above) Ah! How careless the servants are. Padmavati is ill, and they have left her alone with only a lamp to keep her company. So, she is asleep. I shall sit down. But if I sit elsewhere it might look as if I had but little love for her. So I shall sit on the same bed. (Sits down) Why is it that now I am sitting beside her, my heart seems to thrill with joy? Happily her breathing is easy and regular. Her headache must have gone and by leaving me one side of the bed she seems to invite

1. Water pavilion or summer pavilion. Literally Sea or Lake House.

KING — (Talking in his sleep) 0 Vasavadatta!

VASAVADATTA — (Starting up) Oh, my lord and not Padmavati to be sure! Can it be that I am seen? Surely the momentous work undertaken by the noble Yaugandharayana is rendered vain by my being seen.

KING — 0 daughter of the King of Avanti!

VASAVADATTA — Happily my lord is only dreaming. There is no one about. I shall stay a little while and gladden my eyes and my heart.

KING — Dear one, my darling pupil, answer me.

VASAVADATTA — I speak, my lord, I speak.

KING — Are you angry?

VASAVADATTA — Oh no, oh no, only very miserable.

KING — If you are not displeased, why do you wear no jewels? VASAVADATTA — What could be better than this?

KING — What! do you remember Virachika?

VASAVADATTA — (Angrily) Avaunt! Here also Virachika? KING — In that case I conciliate you with regard to Virachika

(Stretches forth his hands)

VASAVADATTA — I have stayed long; some one might see me here. So, I shall go or I will first replace on the bed the hand of my lord that is hanging down from the bed and then go. (Does so and departs).

KING — (Rising up at once) Vasavadatta, Stay, stay. Oh pity! Darting out in haste, I was struck by the panel of the door; I therefore, do not know clearly whether this is a reality or only my heart's fancy?

(Enters Jester)

JESTER — Oh! His Honour has risen from sleep

KING — Friend, I have happy news to tell you, Vasavadatta is

alive!

KING — Friend, Do not, do not say so.

She went away, friend, having awakened me while I was en­joying sound sleep in bed. I was then deceived by Rumanvana when he told me that she was burnt.

JESTER — Alas! This is not impossible. Ah! By Your Honour thinking of her ladyship at my mention of the bathing pools of Ujjayini, she might have been seen in a dream!

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

If that was a dream, how glorious never to wake again, if this be illusion, long may that illusion last.

JESTER — Friend, in this city there dwells a Yaksini (sylph) named Avantisundari. She might have been seen by you.

KING — No, no.

At the end of my dream I awoke and saw her face; the eyes strangers to collyrium and the long unbraided locks were those of a lady guarding her virtue.

Moreover, friend, behold, do behold.

This arm of mine which was tightly clasped by the agitated queen, does not even now give up its horripilation (it has not ceased to thrill with joy) though it felt her touch only in a dream.

JESTER — Your Honour should not think of such futile things. Come, come my lord; let us go to the inner quadrangle.

(Enter the Chamberlain)

CHAMBERLAIN — Victory to Your Honour! King DarSaka, our sov­ereign lord, sends you these tidings: Here indeed has Your Honour's war-minister, Rumarivana, come with a large force to attack Arurii. Likewise, my own victorious army, elephants, cavalry, chariots and infantry, is equipped and ready. Therefore arise. Moreover,

Your foes are divided, your subjects, devoted to you by reason of your virtues, have gained confidence. Arrangements are completed to protect your rear when you advance. Whatever is needed to crush the foe, I have provided. Forces have crossed the Ganges, the Vatsa

KING — (Rising) Excellent! Here now.

Having met that Aruni, adept in dreadful deeds, in the battle field surging like a mighty ocean with huge elephants and horses and swelling with the fierce waves of the scattered arrows, I will destroy him.

(Exeunt Omnes)

End of the Fifth act