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
with remorse, has her fetched, as Vatsa can cure her; the chamberlain
recognizes his princess, Vatsa’s magic arts bring her back to
consciousness, and Vāsavadattā recognizes in her her cousin, and grants
her hand to the king.
The Nāgānanda [367] performed at a festival of Indra, perhaps in the
autumn, differs from these dramas in its form, for it is a Nāṭaka in
five Acts, and in its inspiration; those are variants by Harṣa on the
theme of Vatsa’s loves, this is the dramatization of a Buddhist legend,
the self-sacrifice of Jīmūtavāhana, which was told in the Bṛhatkathā,
whence it appears in the later versions of that text [368] and in the
Vetālapañcaviṅçati. [369] Jīmūtavāhana is a prince of the Vidyādharas,
who has induced his father to resign his kingship, and give himself up
to a life of calm; he has made the acquaintance of Mitrāvasu, the
prince of the Siddhas, who has a sister. She has had a dream in which
Gaurī has revealed to her her future husband, and Jīmūtavāhana hidden
behind a thicket overhears her confiding this dream to her friend; the
Vidūṣaka forces a meeting on the timid lovers, who shyly confess their
affection, when an ascetic from the hermitage arrives to take the
maiden away. In Act II Malayavatī is love-sick, resting on a stone seat
in the garden; a sound makes her move away, when the king enters,
equally oppressed, declares his love and paints his fancy. Mitrāvasu
comes to offer him his sister’s hand; the king declines it, ignorant of
whom he loves; she deems herself disdained and seeks to hang herself,
but her friends rescue her and call for aid. Jīmūtavāhana appears, and
proves that she is his love by showing the picture. The two exchange
vows, and the marriage is concluded. In Act III, after a comic
interlude, we find them walking in the park in happiness; Jīmūtavāhana
is apprised of the seizure of his kingdom, but accepts the news gladly.
But the last two Acts change the topic. While strolling with Mitrāvasu
one day, Jīmūtavāhana sees a heap of bones and learns that they are the
bones of serpents daily offered to the divine bird Garuḍa; he resolves
to save the lives of the serpents at the cost of his own, gets rid of
Mitrāvasu, and goes to the place of offering. He hears the sobs of the
mother of Çan̄khacūḍa, whose son is about to be offered, consoles her by
offering himself in ransom, but is refused with admiration for his
gallantry. But, when the two have entered the temple to pray before the
offering, he gives himself to Garuḍa as substitute and is borne away.
The last Act opens with the anxiety of the parents of Jīmūtavāhana, to
whom and his wife is borne a jewel fallen from his crown; Çan̄khacūḍa,
also, emerged from the temple, finds the sacrifice made and reveals to
Garuḍa his crime. It is too late; the hero expires as his parents
arrive. Garuḍa is ashamed, and Gaurī appears to cut the knot, revive
the prince, and re-establish him in his realm, in order to keep faith
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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