The Sanskrit drama : $b in its origin, development, theory and practiceKeith, Arthur Berriedale
History
The Sanskrit drama : $b in its origin, development, theory and practice
Keith, Arthur Berriedale
Sanskrit drama -- History and criticism
Saṁsthānaka, after burying the body under some leaves, departs,
promising himself to put the slave in chains; the monk re-enters to dry
his robe, finds and restores to life Vasantasenā, and takes her to the
monastery to be cared for. In Act IX Saṁsthānaka denounces Cārudatta as
the murderer of Vasantasenā to the court; [269] her mother is summoned
as a witness, but defends Cārudatta, who himself is cited; the police
officer testifies to the escape of Āryaka, which implicates Cārudatta;
the Vidūṣaka who enters the court, while en route to return to
Vasantasenā the jewels she had given the child, is so indignant with
the accuser that he lets fall the jewels; this fact, taken together
with the evidence that Vasantasenā spent the night with Cārudatta and
left next morning to meet him, and the signs of struggle in the park,
deceives the judge, who condemns Cārudatta to exile; Pālaka converts
the sentence into one of death. Act X reveals the hero led to death by
two Caṇḍālas, who regret the duty they have to perform; the servant of
Saṁsthānaka escapes and reveals the truth, but Saṁsthānaka makes light
of his words as a disgraced and spiteful slave, and the headsmen decide
to proceed with their work. Vasantasenā and the monk enter just in time
to prevent Cārudatta’s death, and, while the lovers rejoice at their
reunion, the news is brought that Āryaka has succeeded Pālaka whom he
has slain, and that he has granted a principality to Cārudatta. The
crowd shout for Saṁsthānaka’s death, but Cārudatta pardons him, while
the monk is rewarded by being appointed superior over the Buddhist
monasteries of the realm, and, best of all, Vasantasenā is made free of
her profession, and thus can become Cārudatta’s lawful wife.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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