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
The play is criticized severely, though not by name, by Bhāmaha, [176]
on the score that Udayana could never have been deceived by an
artificial elephant, and if deceived his life would not have been
spared by the enemy forces. The contentions are obviously of little
value in this form; the essence, of course, is that such an incident
which may pass in a tale seems too childish for a drama, but, if this
troubles us, we may console ourselves with the reflexion that the trees
were thick, and Udayana ardent in the chase. Vāmana [177] cites the end
of verse 3 in Act IV which occurs also in the Arthaçāstra, [178] a work
which need not be older than Bhāsa, and may be a good deal later.
The Svapnavāsavadattā, [179] or the Svapnanāṭaka, in six Acts forms in
substance the continuation of the Pratijñāyaugandharāyaṇa. The minister
is anxious to secure for Udayana an extension of his power by wedding
him to Padmāvatī, daughter of the king of Magadha. But Udayana will not
leave his beloved Vāsavadattā, so that strategy is needed. The minister
induces Vāsavadattā to aid in his scheme, and, taking advantage of a
temporary separation, he spreads the rumour that the queen and he have
perished in a conflagration. The king is thus induced to consider
marriage with Padmāvatī, in whose care the minister has entrusted the
queen, giving out that she is his sister. Padmāvatī is willing to
accept the love of the king, but, learning that he has never ceased to
cherish the memory of his beloved, she is seized by a severe headache,
and the king comes to comfort her. He does not find her, and lies down,
sleep overcoming him; Vāsavadattā who had come to aid Padmāvatī sits
down beside the sleeping form which she mistakes for that of her new
mistress, but, as he begins to speak in his sleep she rises and leaves
him, but not before he has caught a glimpse of her, in a dream as he
thinks. He is summoned to the palace, and finds the good news that his
foes have been defeated, and a messenger has come from Mahāsena and his
wife to console him, bearing the picture of the nuptials of himself and
Vāsavadattā. Padmāvatī recognizes in the lady the features of the
sister left in her care by Yaugandharāyaṇa, who arrives to explain to
the satisfaction of all the plan he has devised to secure Udayana’s
ends.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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