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

[Header] INTRODUCTION xxiii

at the risk of his own life and brought out Ságariká uninjured from fire which was the illusory creation of the magician. Vasubhuti recognized Ságariká who was also identified to be a cousin of Vásavadattá. The latter regretted her cruel treatment towards her. Then Yaugandharáyana entered and explained how he manipulated the whole state of affairs from the beginning up to the performance of the magician who was sent by him for effecting the release of Ságariká confined in the Queen's apartment. Then the whole atmosphere of tension was cleared up and the Queen approved of the marriage of Ságariká with Udayana who was destined to be the paramount monarch of the world. **The Title of the Drama—**The title of the play is after the name of the heroine, Ratnávali the daughter of the king of Simhala. But throughout the progress of the action of the drama up to the out-break of fire she is nowhere represented in her real name, but all through she appears under the name of Ságariká (as she was rescued from the sea) until she was finally recognized by Vasubhuti, the minister of the king of Simhala ( आश्चर्यति खलु राजपुत्री रत्नावली त्वमेनामवस्थामुपागता—IV). For this reason some hold that the title of the drama is after the necklace ( Ratnávali ) the importance of which can by no means be ignored ; and the necklace has been a sort of अभिज्ञान that helped Ságariká to be recognized twice in the drama. When Ságariká was made over to Yaugandharáyana by the merchant who rescued the princess from the sea, it was at the sight of the necklace on her person that he could recognize her as the princess of Simhala and then took particular care in handing her over to the care of Queen Vásavadattá. Again in the last act this necklace which was worn by the Vidushaka as a gift from Ságariká, helped Vasubhuti to surmise correctly that the princess was living and finally on the strange coincidence of the sight of the necklace and the name Ságariká as explained by Vásavadattá