महावीरचरितम् (महाकवि भवभूति - वीररस-प्रधान रामकथा नाटक सम्पूर्ण ७ अङ्क सटीक)

9] Synoptic Analysis of the Play Scene 4 (iii. 15²⁰—iii. 49¹). Another part of Pañchavaṭī: At a distance, the river Godāvarī, with elephants fighting in the waters. Characters same as before. The elephant-fight has resulted in a victory for Sītā's pet (iii. 15²¹); all rejoice in consequence (iii. 16 ff.). Vāsantī now avails herself of the occasion to point out a number of other objects (iii. 19, 22, 37⁵, 38, 44) connected with their earlier life in Pañchavaṭī, as if casually, but really with a view to reprobate Rāma's conduct towards his wife. Rāma in reply lays his whole heart open to Vāsantī (iii. 27⁶ ff., 29, 32, 33, 34, 36, 37, 39), who is much moved by his sorrows and his sufferings and the sublime grandeur of his soul. All this takes place, of course, within the hearing of Sītā, though neither Rāma nor Vāsantī was aware of her presence. The result is that Sītā, who in Scene 2 (iii. 7⁶) was full of just resentment against her husband, gradually finds herself softening towards him,¹ until finally she absolves him from all wrong whatsoever (iii. 46¹³ ᶠ.). As it was getting late, Rāma rises to go to Ayodhyā and take part in the holy horse-sacrifice (iii. 48¹).² Exeunt all. ACT IV. KAUSALYĀ AND JANAKA Translation, pages 60–72. This Act is practically synchronous with the last two, and is partly meant as a humorous relief after the intense emotional excitement of Act iii. Scene 1, Interlude (iv. 0¹—iv. 2²). Vālmīki's hermitage on the Ganges: An open space near by. Enter two pupils. One of them admires the beauty of the hermitage, which is now putting on its best appearance (iv. 1) to welcome some venerable guests. The other—evidently a youngster³—is delighted at the thought that the guests bring with them also a holiday for the schools (iv. 1¹). In the course of their conversation it transpires that the guests are no other than Arundhatī, Vasishṭha, and the Queen-mothers, who, on the conclusion of Ṛishyaśṛiṅga's twelve-year sacrifice (cp. i. 3), not caring to return to Ayodhyā where Sītā was not, have repaired to Vālmīki's hermitage. Among the day's guests there is also Janaka (iv. 1²³), Sītā's father, come on a friendly visit to Vālmīki (iv. 1³³). The boys go off to play. ¹ The psychological moments in this process are described at length in the note to iii. 7⁶. They show the poet's thorough understanding of human passions, and a deft handling of them. ² For the nature of this sacrifice compare Introduction, § 18, P. ³ Who cannot yet speak his Sanskrit properly. 2 [H.O.S. 21]