The Little Clay Cart by Sudraka (best classic romance novels TXT) 📕
But a spirit so powerful as that of King Shudraka could not be confined within the strait-jacket of the minute, and sometimes puerile, rules of the technical works. In the very title of the drama, he has disregarded the rule[11] that the name of a drama of invention should be formed by compounding the names of heroine and hero.[12] Again, the books prescribe[13] that the hero shall appear in every act; yet Charudatta does not appear in acts ii., iv., vi., and viii. And further, various characters, Vasantasena, Maitreya, the courtier, and others, have vastly gained because they do not conform too closely to the technical definitions.
The characters of The Little Clay Cart are living men and women. Even when the type makes no strong appeal to Western minds, as in the case of Charudatta, the character lives, in a sense in which Dushyanta[14] or even Rama[15] can
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[He looks before him.] Ah! There he will be found, where the people are thus gathered together. Oh, that this deed of King Aryaka might be crowned with the rescued life of noble Chārudatta! [He quickens his steps.] Make way, you rascals! [He discovers Chārudatta. Joyfully.] Is Chārudatta yet living, and Vasantasenā? Truly, our sovereign's wishes are fulfilled.
I see him saved by her he loved, set free
By that sweet bark, that knew her course to steer
With virtue's tackle and with goodness' gear.
He seems the moon, whose light shines clear at last,
When all the sad eclipse is overpast.48
Yet how shall I approach him, who have so grievously sinned against him? But no! Honesty is always honorable. [He approaches and folds his hands. Aloud.] O noble Chārudatta!
Chārudatta. Who are you, sir?
[174.13. S.
Sharvilaka.
And stole the gems there left behind;
But though this sin oppress my mind,
I throw myself upon your grace.49
Chārudatta. Not so, my friend. Thereby you showed your faith in me. [He embraces him.]
Sharvilaka. And one thing more:
To save his family and name,
Has slain the wretched Pālaka,
A victim at the altar's flame.50
Chārudatta. What say you?
Sharvilaka.
Who sought the shelter of your name;
He slew King Pālaka to-day,
A victim at the altar's flame.51
Chārudatta. Sharvilaka, did you set free that Aryaka, whom Pālaka took from his hamlet, and confined without cause in the tower?
Sharvilaka. I did.
Chārudatta. This is indeed most welcome tidings.
Sharvilaka. Scarcely was your friend Aryaka established in Ujjayinī, when he bestowed upon you the throne of Kushāvatī, on the bank of the Venā. May you graciously receive this first token of his love. [He turns around.] Come, lead hither that rascal, that villain, the brother-in-law of the king!
Voices behind the scenes. We will, Sharvilaka.
Sharvilaka. Sir, King Aryaka declares that he won this kingdom through your virtues, and that you are therefore to have some benefit from it.
Chārudatta. The kingdom won through my virtues?
Voices behind the scenes. Come on, brother-in-law of the king, and reap the reward of your insolence. [Enter Sansthānaka, guarded, with his hands tied behind his back.]
P. 285.18]
Sansthānaka. Goodnessh gracious!
Like any ass, and had my day.
They drag me round, a prishoner,
As if they 'd found a naughty cur.52
[He looks about him.] They crowd around me, though I 'm a relative of the king's. To whom shall I go for help in my helplesshnessh? [He reflects.] Good! I 'll go to the man who gives help and shows mercy to the shuppliant. [He approaches.] Noble Chārudatta, protect me, protect me! [He falls at his feet.]
Voices behind the scenes. Noble Chārudatta, leave him to us! let us kill him!
Sansthānaka. [To Chārudatta.] O helper of the helplessh, protect me!
Chārudatta. [Mercifully.] Yes, yes. He who seeks protection shall be safe.
Sharvilaka. [Impatiently.] Confound him! Take him away from Chārudatta! [To Chārudatta.] Tell me. What shall be done with the wretch?
Shall dogs devour the scoundrel as he lies?
If he should be impaled, 't would be no blunder,
Nor if we had the rascal sawn asunder.53
Chārudatta. Will you do as I say?
Sharvilaka. How can you doubt it?
Sansthānaka. Chārudatta! Mashter! I sheek your protection. Protect me, protect me! Do shomething worthy of yourshelf. I 'll never do it again!
Voices of citizens behind the scenes. Kill him! Why should the wretch be allowed to live?
[176.8. S.
[Vasantasenā takes the garland of death from Chārudatta's neck, and throws it upon Sansthānaka.]
Sansthānaka. You shlave-wench, be merciful, be merciful! I 'll never murder you again. Protect me!
Sharvilaka. Come, take him away! Noble Chārudatta, say what shall be done with the wretch.
Chārudatta. Will you do as I say?
Sharvilaka. How can you doubt it?
Chārudatta. Really?
Sharvilaka. Really.
Chārudatta. Then let him be immediately—
Sharvilaka. Killed?
Chārudatta. No, no! Set free.
Sharvilaka. What for?
Chārud.
Thou mayst not smite with steely blade—
Sharvilaka. All right. We will have the dogs eat him alive.
Chārudatta. No, no!
Sharvilaka. Wonderful! What shall I do? Tell me, sir.
Chārudatta. Why, set him free.
Sharvilaka. It shall be done.
Sansthānaka. Hooray! I breathe again.[Exit, with the guards.
Sharvilaka. Mistress Vasantasenā, the king is pleased to bestow upon you the title "wedded wife."
Vasantasenā. Sir, I desire no more.
Sharvilaka. [Places the veil[88] upon Vasantasenā. To Chārudatta.] Sir, what shall be done for this monk?
Chārudatta. Monk, what do you most desire?
Monk. When I see this example of the uncertainty of all things, I am twice content to be a monk.
P. 292.16]
Chārudatta. His purpose is not to be changed, my friend. Let him be appointed spiritual father over all the monasteries in the land.
Sharvilaka. It shall be done.
Monk. It is all that I desire.
Vasantasenā. Now I am indeed brought back to life.
Sharvilaka. What shall be done for Sthāvaraka?
Chārudatta. Let the good fellow be given his freedom. Let those headsmen be appointed chiefs of all the headsmen. Let Chandanaka be appointed chief of all the police in the land. Let the brother-in-law of the king continue to act exactly as he acted in the past.
Sharvilaka. It shall be done. Only that man—leave him to me, and I 'll kill him.
Chārudatta.
The humbled foe who seeks thine aid,
Thou mayst not smite with steely blade.
Be cruelty with kindness paid.(54)
Sharvilaka. Then tell me what I may yet do for you.
Chārudatta. Can there be more than this?
Granted my enemy his abject suit;
Friend Aryaka destroyed his foeman's root,
And rules a king o'er all the steadfast earth.
And you united with me as a friend.
And shall I ask for further mercies, shown
To me, who cannot sound these mercies' end?58
Where one is filled, and one an empty shell,
Where one is rising, while another falls;
And shows how life is change—now heaven, now hell.59
Yet may the wishes of our epilogue be fulfilled.
[85] That is, the lightning.
[86] Rohasena is himself conceived as the receptacle of the water which a son must pour as a drink-offering to his dead father.
[87] The Manes or spirits of the blessèd dead.
[88] A token of honorable marriage. Compare page 66.
EPILOGUE[178.9. S.
And may the heaven give never-failing rain,
The winds waft happiness to all that breathes,
And all that lives, live free from every pain.
And high esteem their high deserving wed;
May kings in justice' ways be ever led,
And earth, submissive, bend her grateful head.60
[Exeunt omnes.]
A LIST OF PASSAGESIN WHICH THE TRANSLATION DEPARTS FROM PARAB'S TEXT
35.15: Here nirmitāḥ is apparently a mere misprint for nirjitāḥ. 45.11: The addition of uṭṭhedha tti seems almost necessary. 53.10; 54.9; 55.11; 62.7; 66.7: In these passages I have substituted "shampooer" for "gambler," to prevent confusion of the shampooer with the unnamed gambler. 57.13: I have added the stage-direction dyūtakaramaṇḍalīṁ kṛtvā. 67.5: Read kaṁ for kiṁ. 72.9: Read ajjo bandhuaṇaṁ samassāsiduṁ for Parab's ajja bandhuaṇo samassasadu. 73.5: We should probably read bīhacchaṁ (bībhatsam) for vīhatthaṁ. 87.3: The words cikitsāṁ kṛtvā seem to be part of the text, not of the stage-direction. 97.13: I regard nayasya as one word, not two (na yasya). 100.12: Read rakṣān for rakṣyān. 114.5: Read ṇaaraṇārī- for ṇaraṇārī-. 125.8-11: These lines I have omitted. 126.4: Read accharīa- (āçcarya-) for accharīdi-. 170.8: Read eka- for ekā-. 178.11: Read vaḍḍhamāṇao for vaḍḍhamāṇaa. 184.9: Read a (ca) for ka. 217.15: Whatever çavoḍiaṁ may be, I have translated it in accordance with Lallādīkṣita's gloss, saveṣṭikam. 226.2: Apparently khala- is a misprint for khaṇa-. 238.10: Read -ruciram for -racitam. 259.16: Read udvīkṣya for udvījya. 262.4: Read -bhājanam for -bhojanam. 262.14: Read paḍicchidaṁ (pratīṣṭam) for paḍicchiduṁ. 265.6: Read tvayā for mayā. 284.14: The words atha vā plainly belong to the text, not to the stage-direction. 287.2: I take paurāḥ as part of the stage-direction. 288.3-292.9: This passage I have omitted: compare page xii.End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Little Clay Cart, by
(Attributed To) King Shudraka
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