-54_Vikramorvasie Act-4 Sc-1.htm

Act Four  

 SCENE I

The sky near the doors of the sunrise; clouds everywhere.
Chitralekha and Sahajanya.

SAHAJANYA

Dear Chitralekha, like a fading flower
The beauty of thy face all marred reveals
Sorrow of heart. Tell me thy melancholy;

I would be sad with thee.

CHITRALEKHA (sorrowfully)

O Sahajanya!
Sister, by rule of our vicissitude,
I serving at the feet of the great Sun
Was troubled at heart for want of Urvasie.

SAHAJANYA

I know your mutual passion of sisterliness.
What after?

CHITRALEKHA

I had heard no news of her
So many days. Then I collected vision
Divine into myself to know of her.
O miserable knowledge!

SAHAJANYA

Sister, sister!

CHITRALEKHA (still sorrowfully)

I saw that Urvasie
Taking with her Pururavas and love—
For he had on his ministers imposed

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His heavy yoke of kingship — went to sport
Amorously in Gandhamadan green.

SAHAJANYA (proudly)

O love is joy indeed, when in such spots
Tasted. And there ?

CHITRALEKHA

And there upon the strands
Of heavenly Ganges, one, a lovely child
Of spirits musical, Udayavatie,
Was playing, making little forts of sand;

On her with all his soul the monarch gazed.
This angered Urvasie.

SAHAJANYA

O natural!
Deep passion always is intolerant.
Afterwards?

CHITRALEKHA

She pushed aside her pleading husband,
Perplexed by the Preceptor's curse forgot
The War-God's vow and entered in that grove
Avoidable of women; but no sooner
Had trod its green, most suddenly she was
A creeper rooted to that fatal verge.

SAHAJANYA (in a voice of grief)

Now do I know that Fate's indeed a thing
Inexorable, spares no one, when such love
Has such an ending; O all too suddenly!
How must it be then with Pururavas ?

CHITRALEKHA

All day and night he passions in that grove
Seeking her. And this cool advent of cloud

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That turns even happy hearts to yearning pain
Will surely kill him.

SAHAJANYA

Sister, not long can grief
Have privilege over, such beautiful beings.
Some God will surely pity them, some cause
Unite once more.

(looking towards the east)

Come, sister. Our lord the Sun
Is rising in the east. Quick, to our service.

They go.

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