प्रियदर्शिका नाटिका (सम्राट हर्षवर्धन - चतुरङ्क शास्त्रीय नाटिका सान्वय सटीक)

XXVIII to Kauśambî with Vâsavadattâ We learn from this conver- sation that Vatsarâja was incensed when he heard that Drdhavarman was taken prisoner and kept in custody by the King of Kalinga. So the news of Dṛhavarman's captivity must have reached Kaus'ambî by the time the Kanchuki in the Viṣkambhaka reaches Vindhyaketu's capital. Again in the same scene when Vijayasena narrates the account of his conquest and utter destruction of Vindhyaketu, we are told that he reached the abode of Vindhyaketu after a forced march of three days and that the attack was made at day- break. And we know from the speech of the Kanchuki in the Vis'kambhaka that all was over by the time‘he returned to Vindyketu's place from Agastya-tirtha where he had gone to bathe and that no trace of the attackers was found. So it follows that the battle was of short duration and Vijayasena, had left the place by or shortly after noon.; for when the Kanchukî arrived on the scene the sun was still very hot. Now Vijayasena must have taken at least three days to return to Kaus'ambî, so that he must have reached it on the seventh day from his starting from it. So the events mentioned in the Viskambhaka, viz. Vindhyaketu's destruction, the loss of the princess and the Chamberlain's resolve to go back to his captive master, must have taken place four days before the events of the first act. Act II An interval of at least one year (or more) separates the events of the first Act from those of the second; and for the following reasons. ( 1 ) It is clearly said in the Praves'aka of the fourth Act that Dṛḍhavarman was in custody for more than one year, and this interval can only be placed between the first two Acts, as the third and the fourth Acts follow pretty closely upon the second. (2) From the conversation between Indîvarikâ and A'raṇyikâ we learn that a great intimacy had grown up between them. Again from the same conversation we further learn of the Queen's intention to inform the King that A'raṇyikâ had reached marriageable age, in accordance with his own bidding that he should be reminded when she reached that age. And in the same scene when the King sees A'raṇyikâ and discovers that she is Vindyketu's daughter he exclaims—" Oh we have long been robbed " All this points to a long interval. (3) From the King's description of the beautiful scene presented by the