Authors: Kalidasa
Malavikagnimitram (8 page)
MALAVIKA
(
to herself
): Hmm, what will the king say now?
AGNIMITRA
: Oh, disasters cause disgraces!
This lady,
who ought be addressed with the title of queen,
was treated as a servant,
like using woven silk for a bathing towel. //12//
DHARINI
: Sister, it was wrong of you not to tell me of Malavika's noble birth.
KAUSHIKI
: Oh no, heaven forbid!
97
I kept things secret for a good reason.
DHARINI
: And what was the reason?
AGNIMITRA
: Do tell us if you can.
KAUSHIKI
: Listen. When Malavika's father was still alive, an old sage travelling with a temple festival made a prediction about her:
98
âAfter a year of experiencing the life of a servant, she will be united with a worthy husband.' Seeing this fated prediction realized in humble service to you, I bided my time and waited for the right moment.
AGNIMITRA
: Waiting was a good idea.
MAUDGALYA
(
entering
): My lord, excuse the interruption,
99
but the minister sends a message: âWe have agreed on a course of action in regard to Vidarbha, but we'd like to hear the king's opinion.'
AGNIMITRA
: Maudgalya, I wish to appoint the noble brothers Yajnasena and Madhavasena as joint rulers.
Let them govern separately,
from the north and south banks of the Varada
divided like the warm sun and cool moon,
who rule both night and day. //13//
MAUDGALYA
: My lord, I will inform the council of ministers.
Agnimitra raises a finger in approval. Maudgalya exits.
JYOTSNIKA
(
aside
): Lucky for the prince, he'll get command over half the kingdom.
MALAVIKA
: Better than that, he'll be spared life's uncertainty.
MAUDGALYA
(
entering
): Long live the king! The minister says: âThe king has a brilliant intellect.' And the council of ministers holds the same view.
Sustaining prosperity by dividing it in two,
like horses yoked by a charioteer,
brings both kings under your command,
each unhindered by the other's restraints. //14//
AGNIMITRA
: Then tell the council of ministers they should put this into writing for General Virasena.
MAUDGALYA
: As you command, my lord. (
Exits and returns again holding a letter and a gift
) The king's command is done. But now this letter, along with a gift, has come from the commander-in-chief, King Pushyamitra. May the king see it.
Agnimitra quickly gets up, respectfully touches the gift to his head and passes it to an attendant. Then he gestures for the letter to be opened.
DHARINI
: Oh my, my heart is on edge! After hearing of the well-being of our elders,
100
I'll get news of my son, Vasumitra. Surely the commander-in-chief has entrusted my dear boy with a serious responsibility.
AGNIMITRA
(
sits down and reads
): Salutations from the sacrificial grounds. The commander-in-chief Pushyamitra lovingly embraces his mighty
101
son Agnimitra in the Vidisha country and says: âLet it be known: I consecrated the Rajasuya rite
102
and released a stallion to roam unchecked for a year. I appointed Vasumitra as its guardian and surrounded him with a hundred princes. When the horse wandered onto the south bank of the Sindhu, it was attacked by a Greek
103
cavalry contingent. And then a fierce battle ensued between the two armies.'
Dharini appears distressed.
AGNIMITRA
: How could this come to pass?
(
Reads more of the letter
)
âThen Vasumitra the archer fought off the foes
and returned the royal steed that was taken by force.'//15//
DHARINI
: That eases my heart.
AGNIMITRA
(
reads the rest of the letter
): âNow I will continue with the rite, for my grandson has returned the horse, just as Anshuman did for Sagara.
104
Without losing any time, and with your mind free of anger,
105
you must come with my dear daughter-in-law to be part of the rite.'
AGNIMITRA
: I am honoured.
KAUSHIKI
: Congratulations to the couple for their son's fortunate victory.
(
Looking at the queen
)
The king makes you
the most respected among the wives of heroes,
but your son,
he inspires your name as mother of heroes!
106
//16//
GAUTAMA
: I'm delighted, your grace. Our dear boy takes after his father.
AGNIMITRA
: Maudgalya, the young elephant rightly follows the leader of the herd.
MAUDGALYA
:
Even such a display of bravery cannot shock our minds,
for you, his maker, are both tall and mighty,
like thigh-born Aurva
who made the fire that burns in water!
107
//17//
AGNIMITRA
: Maudgalya, as promised, grant amnesty to Yajnasena's brother-in-law along with all the other prisoners.
MAUDGALYA
: As you command, my lord.
(
Exits.
)
DHARINI
: Jayasena, go and announce the news of my son's victory to Iravati and others of the harem.
JAYASENA
: Very well.
(
Starts to go.
)
DHARINI
: Wait, come here.
JAYASENA
(
turning back
): Yes, your majesty?
DHARINI
(
aside
): Tell Iravati about Malavika's noble birth, and about what I promised her for tending to the ashoka tree. Then tell her, in friendly terms, that she mustn't allow me to stray from the truth.
JAYASENA
: As the queen commands.
(
Exits and re-enters
)
My queen, all the women of the harem are delighted by your son's victory! I've become a jewellery box, carrying all their gifted gems!
108
DHARINI
: Why so surprised? This triumph is as much theirs as it is mine.
JAYASENA
(
aside
): My queen, Iravati says: âYou've given your word, and as the all-powerful queen, it wouldn't be right to do something different.'
DHARINI
: With your permission, Sister, I want to give Malavika to my husband, for the noble Sumati had already betrothed her to him.
KAUSHIKI
: Even now, you'll be her senior.
109
DHARINI
(
taking Malavika's hand
): Let my husband accept her as a gift for our good news.
The king is embarrassed and silent.
DHARINI
(
smiling
): What? Would my husband deny me?
GAUTAMA
: This is quite common, your highness, all new bridegrooms are quick to feel shy.
The king looks over at Gautama.
Or perhaps his majesty would accept Malavika if Queen Dharini were to honour her with the title of queen.
DHARINI
: She is the daughter of a king, and her noble birth gives her the title of queen. What more can be said?
KAUSHIKI
: No, not so.
A diamond is unpolished when dug up from a mine,
it's not ready, noble lady, to be fitted with gold. //18//
DHARINI
: Forgive me, Sister, I forgot about that while hearing of the victory. Go, Jayasena, quickly bring her a fine silk veil.
JAYASENA
: As the queen commands.
(
Exits and returns holding a silk veil.
) My queen, here it is.
DHARINI
(
draping Malavika with the veil
): May the noble king accept her now.
AGNIMITRA
: My queen, I can't challenge your command.
KAUSHIKI
: Oh, she's been accepted!
GAUTAMA
: Ah, the queen is most gracious!
Dharini looks at her attendants.
ATTENDANTS
(
approaching Malavika
): Long live the queen!
Dharini looks closely at Kaushiki.
KAUSHIKI
: This shouldn't be strange for you. For
though rivals,
faithful and devoted wives serve their husbands
just as rivers
bring hundreds of other streams to the ocean. //19//
NIPUNIKA
(
entering
): Long live the king! Iravati says: âI displeased the king when I erred and overstepped the bounds of civility. But now that his heart's desire has been fulfilled, he should treat me with a bit of kindness as well.'
DHARINI
: Nipunika, my husband will surely try to oblige.
NIPUNIKA
: As the queen commands.
(
Exits.
)
KAUSHIKI
: With your permission, my lord, I wish to pay my respects to Madhavasena who has officially
110
become your relative.
DHARINI
: Sister, it's not right for you to leave us.
AGNIMITRA
: On your behalf, Sister, I will convey your warm regards
111
to him in my letter.
KAUSHIKI
: Your affection makes me your dependent.
DHARINI
: Tell me, my husband, what more can I do to please you?
AGNIMITRA
: But what could be better than this? May it be just so.
(
Benediction
)
112
My lady, you always keep a calm and beautiful visage
and the same I seek, for reason of your rival.
For as long as Agnimitra is protector of the people
there shall be no suffering, no desire unfulfilled. //20//
All exit.
END ACT V
The
MÄlavikÄgnimitram
of KÄlidÄsa: The Making of a MahÄkavi
1
Free translation of BÄá¹abhaá¹á¹a's
Hará¹£a-carita
I.16.
2
An archetypal character who speaks in Prakrit and typically represents the mundane and practical aspects of art, in contrast to the director, or
sÅ«tra-dhÄra,
who embodies the high tradition of classicism in Sanskrit.
3
He refers to himself in a similar third person context in the prologues of his other two plays as well.
4
MÄlavikÄgnimitram
I.2.
5
Devadhar,
MÄlavikÄgnimitram of KÄlidÄsa,
p. vii.
6
AbhijñÄnaÅÄkuntalam
I.1 (Miller,
Theater of Memory,
p. 7).
7
MÄlavikÄgnimitram
I.1. The eighth form in the
AbhijñÄnaÅÄkuntalam
verse is interpreted by Miller to be the priest
(
hotrī
), while in
MÄlavikÄgnimitram
it is considered to be PaÅupati. See n. 1 of translation.
8
There are also other mentions of Puá¹£yamitra and Chandragupta in Patañjali's text. The exact reference to the Åuá¹
gas in Buddhist sources has not been traced. See Houben, âVedic Ritual as Medium in Ancient and Pre-colonial South Asia', p. 31.
9
See Devadhar,
MÄlavikÄgnimitram of KÄlidÄsa,
p. 303.
10
Miller,
Theater of Memory,
p. 12.
11
See
sarva-jña, nirvÄá¹a
and
tathÄ-gata
at I.18+, III.1, V.9+, and nn. 48 and 96 in the translation.
12
See
MÄlavikÄgnimitram
IV.4.
13
MÄlavikÄgnimitram
IV.1.
14
MÄlavikÄgnimitram
III.5.
15
MÄlavikÄgnimitram
I.4.
16
MÄlavikÄgnimitram
II.8.
17
See Miller,
Theater of Memory,
p. 14 for more detailed information.
18
Goodwin, âKÄlidÄsa's Metadrama', p. 119.
19
MÄlavikÄgnimitram
III.15.
20
Mitchell,
Language, Emotion, and Politics
', p. 120.
21
MÄlavikÄgnimitram
I.15+.
22
Aurobindo,
Early Cultural Writings,
p. 240.
23
Nakul Krishna, âReading the Small Print',
Caravan,
1 August 2013, http://caravanmagazine.in/reportage/ reading-small-print?page=0,6.
24
Aurobindo,
Early Cultural Writings,
p. 240.
1
The âeight forms' are: the five elements (water, earth, fire, air and space); the sun and moon; and Åiva's form as
paÅupati,
Lord of Animals.
2
Translation based on the edited text of
MÄlavikÄgnimitram
by Devadhar (1986).
3
âproduction' is
saá¹
gītam,
a composite term referring to dance, song and instrumental music.
4
Reading
grastam
(with) rather than
viÅrÄntam
(without) as the qualifier of
viveka
(judgement).
5
âplayers' are attendants
(
parijanaḥ
), employed here to highlight the verse's reference to the actors in the forthcoming play.
6
chalikam
or
calita
is a particular dance form that includes a four-part song recited with gesticulation. See Apte,
Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary,
p. 719.
7
âthat comment' is
tava upalambha,
literally âyour reproach'.
8
The verb here is
tiá¹£á¹hati,
literally she stands.
9
âfamily knowledge' is
kula-vidyÄ,
traditional forms of knowledge passed down through family lineages.
10
âliving' is
cÄká¹£uá¹£a,
literally âvisible'.
11
The two forms of dance are
lÄsyam,
the delicate, graceful dance of PÄrvatÄ«, and
tÄá¹davam,
the vigorous dance of Åiva.
12
The designation here is
vará¹a avara,
literally of inferior caste, implying that he was born to a low-caste mother.
13
âbirth' is
vastukÄm,
relating to one's nature.
14
abhinaya,
from the root
ni
to lead, is a technical term that refers to the art of expression. Often it is divided into four categories: acting conveyed through the body
(
Äá¹
gika
), speech
(
vÄcika
), accessories
(
ÄhÄrya
) and emotions (
sÄttvika
). Other classifications include the five types of acting:
ná¹tta, kaivÄra, dharmara, vÄgada
and
gīta
; or the five-limbed acting that utilizes the mind, eyes, eyebrows, hands and feet. See Devadhar,
MÄlavikÄgnimitram of KÄlidÄsa,
p. 185.
15
âInterlude' is
miÅra-viá¹£kambhaka,
a mixed or extended passage that connects sections of a play.
16
No verb is supplied here so âhe has sealed' has been added. The English pun is not evident in the original.
17
pitá¹vya-putraḥ
is the son of a paternal uncle.
18
This initial portion of the letter is framed by the Vidarbha king as a quote from Agnimitra's previous letter. I have rephrased it for more clarity.
19
âpolicy' is
ÅÄstram.
20
Kauá¹ilya, referred to here as
tantra-kÄra,
is the celebrated author of the
Artha-ÅÄstra,
a seminal Sanskrit treatise on political science and just governance. The author is also known as CÄá¹akya, the brilliant adviser who led Candragupta Maurya to power.
21
âclever eye' is
prajñÄ-caká¹£uḥ,
a possible pun as this term also means a blind man, literally and figuratively; literally one whose knowledge is limited to what is seen.
22
Literally âthe tree of your clever plan'.
23
Sister KauÅikÄ« is referred to as a
parivrÄjikÄ,
a wandering renouncer, in this case a nun of unknown denomination; also, âreverend'.
24
âfavour' is here
parigraha,
also a wife, a pun that is doubled in the following verse.
25
Technically âthe title of queen',
rajñī-Åabda.
26
Alternative rendering by reading
parigraha
as queen: A queen enhances the great splendour of a king, for as the sun grows in brilliance, the moon is enveloped by night.
27
âcompanion' is
pÄ«á¹ham-ardikÄ,
âa lady who assists the heroine in securing her lover', see Apte,
Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary,
p. 124.
28
maá¹
galÄ
here refers to ornaments related to her wifehood.
29
âembarrassment' is actually
upÄlambha,
a taunt or censure.
30
âimpartial' is
paá¹á¸ita,
elsewhere translated as âlearned'.
31
Literally
urabhra-saá¹vÄdam,
a debate between rams.
32
Sweet ritual offerings are
modaka.
33
âresponsible' is
prabhavati,
literally to have control or power over. See also, DhÄriá¹Ä«'s repetition of this verb next.
34
âsimple' is
virala
meaning thin, referring to basic undergarments perhaps.
35
tasyīḥ
, included in some recensions, is a double entendre that can refer to MÄlavikÄ or the play.
36
âbright eyes' is the stock phrase
dÄ«rghÄká¹£a,
literally meaning long or wide eyes.
37
This song is written in Prakrit and is the only instance in the play of a non-Sanskrit verse form.
38
Literally âAnd so too my own heart'.
39
âorder of things' is
krama-bheda,
technically the division or sequence of steps.
40
paá¹
kacchidaḥ phalasya
is the fruit of the clearing-nut tree that has the special ability to clarify turbid water.
41
âerror' is krama-bhedah, earlier translated as âorder of things'. See n. 39 above.
42
âdramatic observation' is KauÅikÄ«'s sarcastic
prayoga-abhyantaraḥ praÅnaḥ,
literally a question critical to the performance.
43
Gautama has a line here that has been omitted in some manuscripts. It is a humorous though critical retort at KauÅikÄ« that evidences some of the underlying religious tensions at court and is likely a later interpolation. The dialogue reads:
ai paá¹á¸itammaá¹á¹e kim aá¹á¹am. modakhaá¹á¸aá¹e vi asamatthÄ tumam kim jÄá¹Äsi. pasaá¹á¹candapÄdasarisehim kesapÄsehim edÄá¹am bhÄ«siasi.
âOh, of course, you think you're a pandit! What would you know? You can't even have ritual offerings. You just scare people with your thick white hair, bright as moonlight!' See n. 32.
44
The
cÄtaka
bird is believed to live only on raindrops.
45
âSeven Horses' is
sapta-saptiḥ,
an epithet of the Sun.
46
âsweet lime' is
bīja-pūraka,
a citron plant.
47
dohada
is âthe desire of plants at budding time (as, for instance, of the Ashoka to be kicked by young ladies)': Apte,
Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary,
p. 839.
48
âultimate happiness' is
nirvÄá¹a,
reinforcing the Buddhist elements in the work.
49
âsure-fire' is
viÅvasanÄ«yam,
that which inspires confidence.
50
âtaking it in' is
avalokayÄmi.
âwith wonder' has been omitted.
51
kurabaka
is a type of citrus fruit/amaranth bush.
52
âsimply' is
na atiparyÄpta
ânot very fully'.
53
ucchvasitam,
literally âbreathless'.
54
taru-vá¹tam
is surrounded by trees in regard to the water.
55
âbright eyes' is
atyÄyatam nayanoḥ,
literally very big eyes.
56
The Malaya mountains in south India are believed to be filled with fragrant flora, and poets often describe the scented breeze that wafts from their peaks.
57
yogyatayÄ
literally âon account of fitness'.
58
Literally âmaybe this (anklet) will adorn my dead body'.
59
Hara or Lord Åiva once burnt to death KÄma the god of love who tried to shoot him with an arrow of love. The scene is powerfully depicted in KÄlidÄsa's
mahÄkÄvya KumÄrasaá¹bhavam.
60
âplainly' is
madhya-sthatÄm gá¹hÄ«tvÄ,
literally âhaving embraced a neutral position'.
61
âfidgeting' is
avasthÄ sadá¹Åam parikramya,
literally moving around in accordance with her condition.
62
âisn't allowed here' is
abhūmiḥ,
literally a ânon-land' or restricted area for MÄlavikÄ.
63
ârewards of teaching' is
guru-daká¹£iá¹Ä,
the customary offering given to a teacher after the completion of a student's education.
64
Actually a breath,
mukha-mÄrutah,
literally the wind from the mouth.
65
âking's heart' is
bhartur-aá¹
ka,
a conventional phrase literally meaning the king's lap.
66
anantaram
(without break) has been omitted.
67
âunion of lovers' is
samÄgamena ratiḥ,
literally sexual union.
68
âunhealthy' is
nirguá¹a
or low-quality.
69
âbeautiful' here is
vÄmoru,
literally having voluptuous thighs, possibly in contrast to the tree trunk, which, in the case of a banana tree, is a stock metaphor used for women's thighs. The verse ends with the sound-play
vÄmasya vÄmoru.
70
These stage notes have been supplied.
71
The actual term used here is the stock phrase
kuá¹ila-keÅi,
one with curly locks.
72
âMars in retrograde' is the Prakrit
aá¹
gÄro rÄsim via sÄ aá¹uvakkam á¹a karei.
73
âpits' is
sÄra-bhÄá¹á¸a-bhÅ«mi-gá¹he,
literally a storage vessel kept in a hole in the ground.
74
âfiery-eyed' is
piá¹
galÄká¹£i,
an epithet of Lord Åiva but here a reference to the angry queen.