रत्नावली नाटिका (सम्राट हर्षवर्धन - शास्त्रीय नाटिका रत्न सम्पूर्ण ४ अङ्क सान्वय सटीक)

INTRODUCTION xix quite sufficient for the theory of Mr. S'ástri to collapse down. Secondly the uniformly simple style in the thirteen dramas of Bhása shows that Ratnávali of which style is decidedly condensed and artificial cannot be the production of Bhása. Thus the fact that S'ri Harsha the king of Thaneswar wrote these three dramas is provisionally proved at least for the present, and this is established until some other theory more intrinsic in its merit and solid in its argument can turn it down. Story of the play Act I Vikramabáhu the king of Simhala had a daughter named Ratnávali whose lot was forecast by the astrologers that the king marrying the girl would be the paramount monarch of the world. Yaugandharáyana the clever minister of Udayana the king of Kaus'ámbi, got the scent of this rumour and being bent on doing the utmost good to his master, proposed the marriage of Ratnávali with Udayana to her father ; but Vikramabáhu being afraid of incurring the displeasure of the chief queen Vásavadattá the wife of Udayana refused at first. And Yaugandharáyana in order to remove the obstacle of the marriage spread a false report that Vásadadattá died in a fire which broke out in Lávánaka, a village of Kaus'ámbi. Now the obstacle being removed, the king of Simhala gave his consent to the proposed marriage and Yaugandharáyana sent the Kanchuki to Simhala. While Ratnávali sent by her father was coming to Kaus'ámbi being escorted by Bábhravya (Udayana's chamberlain) and Vasubhuti (the minister of Vikramabáhu) on board a ship, the ship got wrecked. Ratnávali was taken out of water by a merchant of Kaus'ámbi and was presented to Yaugandharáyana. who recognised her by the jewel-necklace which she always wore. Without disclosing the matter to any one Yaugandharáyana put Ratnaváli in the apartment of Vásavadattá as her handmaid