{"id":204,"date":"2013-07-13T01:26:35","date_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:26:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/?p=204"},"modified":"2013-07-13T01:26:35","modified_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:26:35","slug":"37-prince-of-edur-act-2-sc-5-vol-07-collected-plays-part-ii-volume-07","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/01-works-of-sri-aurobindo\/01-sabcl\/07-collected-plays-part-ii-volume-07\/37-prince-of-edur-act-2-sc-5-vol-07-collected-plays-part-ii-volume-07","title":{"rendered":"-37_Prince of Edur Act-2 Sc-5.htm"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
\n

\n
\nSCENE V <\/font><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\nIn the forest.
\nPratap, Ruttan and Rajpoots.<\/i><\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tO<\/font>UTSIDE
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nBappa! Bappa! Ho, Sheva Ekling!<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nAn arrow descends and a Rajpoot\/alls.<\/i><\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tR<\/font>UTTAN<\/font><\/p>\n

\nStill upwards!<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tICHALGURH <\/font><\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nUpwards still! Death on the height
\nSeats crowned to meet us’,<\/i> downwards is to dishonour
\nAnd that’s no Rajpoot movement. Brother Ruttan,
\nWe’re strangled with a noose intangible.
\nO my brave Rajpoots, by my headlong folly
\nLed to an evil death!<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tR<\/font>UTTAN
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nWhat is this weakness,
\nChouhan of famous Ichalgurh ? Remember
\nThyself, my brother. But a little more
\nAnd we have reached their wasps’-nest on the hills.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tI<\/font>CHALGURH<\/font><\/p>\n

\nNot one alive.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nAnother arrow. A Rajpoot falls.<\/i><\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tR<\/font>UTTAN
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nI ask no better fate
\nBrother, than at thy side however slain,
\nVictorious or defeated.<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tI<\/font>CHALGURH
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nWe have acted<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 795<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\nLike heedless children, thinking we had to stamp<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nOur armoured heel on a mere swarm and rabble,<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nBut find ourselves at grip with skilful fighters<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nAnd a great brain of war. Safe under cover<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nThey pick us off; we battle blindly forwards<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nWithout objective, smiting at the wind,<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nStumbling as in a nightmare and transfixed<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nIgnobly by a foe invisible<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nOur falchions cannot reach, \u2014 like crows, like jackals,<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nNot like brave men and battle-famous warriors.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tR<\/font>UTTAN<\/font><\/p>\n

\nStill on!<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tICHALGURH <\/font><\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nYes, on, till the last man falls pierced
\nUpon the threshold that immures the sweetness
\nWe could not save. Forward the Chouhan!<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nEnter Kodal.<\/i><\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tK<\/font>ODAL<\/font><\/p>\n

\nHalt! <\/font><\/p>\n

\nA parley!<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tI<\/font>CHALGURH
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nSpeak, but talk not of surrender.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tK<\/font>ODAL
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\n‘Tis that I’ll talk of. I am Bappa’s mouthpiece.
\nRajpoots, you’re quite surrounded. If we choose,
\nOur arrows buzzing through your brains can end you
\nIn five swift minutes. Lay then at Bappa’s feet
\nYour humble heads; else like mad dogs be skewered
\nAnd yelp your lives out.<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tI<\/font>CHALGURH
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nReturn unpunished; the name<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 796<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\nOf envoy guards thy barbarous insolence.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nEnter Sungram.<\/i><\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tS<\/font>UNGRAM
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nYou speak too insolently your message, Kodal.
\nChouhan of Ichalgurh, thou art too great
\nTo die thus butchered. We demand a parley
\nFor courteous equal terms, not base surrender.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tI<\/font>CHALGURH<\/font><\/p>\n

\nThou art a Rajpoot; dost thou lead these arrows?<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tS<\/font>UNGRAM
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nI lead the shafts that wear thee out; another
\nSurrounds the Scythian; but we are the hands
\nOf one more godlike brain.<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tI<\/font>CHALGURH
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nWith him I’ll parley.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tS<\/font>UNGRAM<\/font><\/p>\n

\n"Tis well. <\/b>Go, Kodal, learn our chieftain’s will.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nExit Kodal.<\/i><\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tI<\/font>CHALGURH
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nYoung man, thou hast a Rajpoot form and bearing,<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nYet herd’st with the wild forest tribes, remote<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nFrom arms and culture. Dost thou hide thy name too ?<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tS<\/font>UNGRAM
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nI am a Chouhan like thyself, of birth
\nAs princely. Ask the warriors of Ajmere
\nWho valiant Martund was; his sons are we,
\nSungram and Prithuraj.<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tI<\/font>CHALGURH
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nO youth, thy father<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 797<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\nWas my great pattern and my guide in war.
\nBrother and enemy, embrace me.<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\nThey embrace.<\/i><\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nSungram,
\nWho is thy captain? For the sons of Martund
\nServe not a Bheel.<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tS<\/font>UNGRAM
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nThine eyes shall answer thee.<\/font><\/p>\n

\nEnter Bappa and Kodal.<\/i><\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tICHALGURH <\/font><\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nA noble-featured-youth! What son of Kings
\nLives secret in these rugged hills ?<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tB<\/font>APPA
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nChouhan
\nOf famous Ichalgurh, now if I’m slain
\nIn battle, I can tell the dead I’ve seen thee,
\nThou god of war. O let there be no hatred,
\nHero, between us, but only faith.<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tI<\/font>CHALGURH
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nYoung chieftain,
\nThou bear’st a godlike semblance, but thy deeds
\nAre less than noble. Hast thou not seized a princess
\nBy robber violence, forced her with thee
\nTo thy rude lair and threatenest her sweet body
\nWith shameful mastery?<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tB<\/font>APPA
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nWe are warriors, Rajpoot;<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nTwo ways of mating only fit for us,<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nBy mutual sweet attraction undented<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nTo grow to oneness as they do in heaven,<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nOr else with lion leap to seize our bride<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nAnd pluck her from the strong protecting spears<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 798<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\nTaking her heart by violence. We mate not
\nLike castes unwarlike, from a father’s hand
\nDrawing an innocent wide-eyed wondering child
\nLike cattle given or sold. This was the way
\nOf Rajpoots long before the earth grew aged;<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nAnd shall a Rajpoot blame it? Wherefore then rod’st thou
\nClanging last morn from Ichalgurh in arms,
\nPratap the Chouhan ?<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tI<\/font>CHALGURH
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nChieftain, I am pledged
\nTo save the girl from thee.<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tB<\/font>APPA
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nBut canst redeem
\nThe vow with thy dead body only. Hero,
\nI too am sworn to keep her ‘gainst the world.
\nLet us in the high knightly way decide it.
\nDeign to cross swords with me and let the victor
\nPossess the maiden.<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tI<\/font>CHALGURH
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nO thou springing stem
\nThat surely yet will rise to meet the sun!
\nAgreed. Let no man intervene betwixt us.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nBAPPA
\nKodal, restrain thy Bheels.<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\nExit Kodal. They fight.<\/i><\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tRUTTAN <\/font><\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nBold is thy chieftain
\nTo match his boyish arm against my brother!<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tS<\/font>UNGRAM
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nHe is a mighty warrior, but not age
\nNor bulk can measure strength; the exultant spirit<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 799<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\nFacing towards glory gives the arm a force
\nMightier than physical. <\/b> He’s down.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nIchalgurh falls wounded.<\/i><\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tRUTTAN <\/font><\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nGreat Ichalgurh!
\nWho is this godlike combatant?<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tB<\/font>APPA
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nSurrender<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nMy princess, Chouhan.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tI<\/font>CHALGURH
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nThou hast her who deserv’st
\nMuch more than her.<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\nHe rises.<\/i><\/font><\/p>\n

\nYoung hero who in thy first battle o’erbear’st
\nMaturer victors! Know Pratap the Chouhan
\nUnalterably thy friend. When thou shalt ask
\nMy sword, ’tis thine.<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tB<\/font>APPA
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nThou’rt wounded ?<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tI<\/font>CHALGURH
\n\t<\/font>(binding his wound)<\/i><\/font>
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nI have been worse
\nAnd ridden far to meet the foe. Another day
\nWe’ll share one rocky pillow on the hills
\nAnd talk of battles.<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tB<\/font>APPA
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nPratap, I could but offer
\nA rude and hill-side hospitality.
\nBut when I hold my court in mighty Edur
\nI will absolve thy morning’s debt.<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\nEnter Captain.<\/i><\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 800<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\n\tICHALGURH <\/font><\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nFarewell.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tB<\/font>APPA
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nEscort him, friend.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nExeunt Sungram, Ichalgurh, Ruttan and Rajpoots.<\/i><\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nHow speeds the battle; comrade,
\nThere with the Scythians ?<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tC<\/font>APTAIN
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nIt is finished, prince.
\nThey fell in slaughtered heaps.<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tB<\/font>APPA
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nPrince Toraman?<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tC<\/font>APTAIN
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nLay flat and bellowed. We’ld have taken him,<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nBut Prithuraj, mad for the joy of battle,<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nLeaped on their foremost; while he hewed them down,<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nLike an untiring woodman, one giant Scythian<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nCrashing through bush and boulder hurled himself<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nOut of thy net; with him a loyal handful<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nCarried this Toraman.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nEnter Prithuraj.<\/i><\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tP<\/font>RITHURAJ<\/font><\/p>\n

\nPardon my error,<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nBappa.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tB<\/font>APPA
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nIt was a noble fault, my soldier.
\nWe have done all we hoped. The amorous Scythian
\nWill not return in haste mid our green hills
\nTo woo a Rajpoot maiden. Let us go.
\nI wonder when great Edur moves upon us.
\nI long to hear his war assail our mountains.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nExeunt.<\/i><\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 801<\/font><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

SCENE V     In the forest. Pratap, Ruttan and Rajpoots. OUTSIDE Bappa! Bappa! Ho, Sheva Ekling! An arrow descends and a Rajpoot\/alls. RUTTAN Still…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-204","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-07-collected-plays-part-ii-volume-07","wpcat-6-id"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/204","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=204"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/204\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=204"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=204"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=204"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}