CHAPTER VI. gupta, and carried prisoner to the capital, where the whole army falls into the hands of Chanakya. Meantime Rákshasa hastens to Patali-putra, and is just in time to prevent the execution of his friend by surrendering himself to Chandragupta. Conclusion of the play. Dark side of Hindú character. The strangest part of the drama is that all the bewildering plots of Chanakya have but one simple object in view. He is supposed to be so deeply impressed with the loyalty of Rákshasa towards the deceased dynasty, that he is anxious that Rákshasa should become the hereditary minister of Chandragupta, whilst he himself retires from the post. It must seem to a European that such an object might easily have been effected by negotiation; but amongst orientals such an attempt would have been regarded as an artifice, and Rákshasa would have suspected that the only object in making the offer was to obtain possession of his person. At the conclusion of the play Rakshasa is informed that unless he accepts the dagger of office, the life of Chandana Dás cannot be saved. Accordingly he takes the dagger and obtains the release of Malayaketu, whilst Chanakya the Bráhman retires from the scene. It is unnecessary to criticize the plot of such a play. The only redeeming incident throughout is the faithfulness of Chandana Dás to his former patron, the hereditary minister. The drama is valuable as an illustration of the more prominent defects in the Hindú character; but as a picture of life and manners it is comparatively worthless. It should, however, be added that these defects are chiefly to be found in courts and cities, and that they ought not to be charged against the masses of the Hindú population. the Lost Ring." A far more pleasing drama, although less his- CHAPTER VI. torical, is that of "Sakúntalá, or the Lost Ring." 12 "Sakúntalá, or This drama furnishes a pretty picture of ancient India, and is far more natural and emotional than the "Signet of the Minister," but there is no diversity or depth of character. The simplicity of ancient times is reproduced by the imagination of the poet in a Brahmanical form, but there is more sentiment than passion, and indeed the play is more of an idyl than a drama. The first act opens in the forest with a hunt- Hunting scene. ing scene, which is borrowed from the heroic age. Raja Dushyanta stands in his chariot with bow and arrows in his hand, whilst his charioteer is driving through the jungle in chase of an antelope. The Raja fixes an arrow to his string, and is about to draw, when some Bráhmans rush from a neighbouring hermitage and entreat him not to kill the deer. He returns the arrow to his quiver, and receives the blessing of the Bráhmans. He learns that Kanwa, the holy sage who is head of the hermitage, is absent on a religious pilgrimage; but he is told that Sakúntalá, the daughter of the sage, has been commissioned to entertain all visitors. Accordingly, at the request of the Brahmans, he alights from his chariot and proceeds towards the hermitage. According to Greek travellers the Bráhmans 12 The drama of Sakúntalá is perhaps better known to European readers than any other Sanskrit composition. It was composed by the poet Kálidása, and to this day is held by the Hindús in the highest estimation. It was translated into English in the last century by Sir William Jones, and elicited the unbounded praise of Goëthe, Schlegel, and Humboldt. It has more recently been translated into graceful verse and prose by Professor Monier Williams, and adorned with charming illustrations drawn from real life and scenery in India. A Brahman hermitage. CHAPTER VI. dwelt in groves in the neighbourhood of cities, where they led lives of abstinence and celibacy, and disdained the use of clothing. The scene in the play accords with the Greek descriptions, excepting that there is no nakedness. Again, the Greek travellers mention the presence of women in Bráhman hermitages, but state that they led lives of piety and celibacy like the hermits. It will be seen that Sakúntalá, with two companions of her own age, live after a somewhat different fashion; but all three, and indeed all the women of the hermitage, are under the religious charge of a holy matron, or lady superior, named Gautamí. The Raja enters the hermitage, and sees Sakúntalá and her two companions in the distance, carrying water-pots to water the shrubs. She is everything that is lovely in a Hindú woman; fair and graceful, full-bosomed, and slender-waisted. The Raja conceals himself behind a tree to overhear their conversation, but he is rapidly becoming enamoured. The damsels are talking gaily. They see a jasmine creeper clinging to a mango tree, like a young bride clinging to her husband. Sakúntalá is rallied with looking at the jasmine, as if she too wanted a bridegroom. She replies that the thought exists only in the mind of the speaker. The Raja now advances. He represents himself as the royal officer appointed to see that the Bráhmans of the hermitage are not hindered in the performance of their sacrificial rites. He inquires after Sakúntalá, and is told by her companions that she is only an adopted daughter of Kanwa; that she is the offspring of an amour between a Kshatriya and a celestial nymph, that she had been abandoned in infancy, and brought up in the hermitage. He also CHAPTER VI. learns that although Sakúntalá performs religious rites, she is bound by no vows, and that in due course Kanwa will give her to a husband. Sakúntalá pretends to be angry at these disclosures, and proposes to lay a complaint before Gautamí; but she is evidently unwilling to leave the handsome stranger. A little by-play occurs, sufficient to indicate to the audience that Sakúntalá and the Raja have fallen in love with each other. Meantime the quiet of the hermitage is disturbed by the royal retinue; and the Raja goes out to direct his attendants to encamp in the neighbourhood. jester. The second act opens in a plain on the skirt of the The Brahman jungle. A Bráhman enters, named Máthavya, who is even more of a jester than Maitreya. He has accompanied the Raja in his hunting expedition, and is full of serio-comic complaints. He is tired out with wandering from jungle to jungle, doing nothing but hunt deer, boars, and tigers. He has had nothing to drink but bad water, and nothing to eat but roast game. At night he is too weary to sleep; and should he at last fall into a slumber, he is awakened at early dawn by the din of beaters and huntsmen. Meantime the Raja has fallen in love with a hermit's daughter, and shows no signs of leaving the jungle and returning to his capital. his Amazons. Raja Dushyanta now enters, followed by a The Raja and retinue of Yavana women, after the fashion described by the Greeks, with bows in their hands, and wearing garlands of wild flowers. He is entreated by Máthavya to cease from hunting for a day, and he gladly complies. He orders the beaters to be recalled, and prohibits any noise or disturbance in CHAPTER VI.: the neighbourhood of the hermitage. Finally he dismisses the women, and talks to Máthavya respecting Sakúntalá. Two hermits now appear to ask his protection against certain demons, who are obstructing their sacrificial rites. The Raja orders his chariot, but at this moment he receives a summons from his mother to return to his capital. He The Gandharva marriage. directs Máthavya to go in his stead. He remembers, however, that the queens in his palace would be inquisitive respecting his proceedings, and assures the Brahman that he had only jested in speaking of his love for Sakúntalá. The third act opens in a grove. Raja Dushyanta has compelled the demons to retreat, and is now pondering over his love for Sakúntalá. He sees her in a fainting state, attended by her two companions; and he hears her confess to the other girls that she is in love with himself. An explanation ensues, in which Sakúntalá is considerably assisted by the two damsels. The Raja promises that his other queens shall never rival her in his affections. He presses for an immediate marriage, like the Gandharva marriages in the heaven of Indra, in which no rites are performed, but the pair simply vow mutual allegiance. She pleads the necessity for consulting her companions. In the interval between the third and fourth acts the union is supposed to have taken place. The Raja has given Sakúntalá a marriage-ring, on which his name is engraved. But the companions of Sakúntalá have their doubts. The Raja has returned to his capital, promising to send his minister for Sakúntalá; but he may forget her altogether in the society of his other consorts. They expect, how |