Act Five  

 SCENE I

Outside the King's tents near Pratisthana. In the background the
confluence of the river Ganges and Yamuna.

-Manavaka alone.

MANAVAKA

After long pleasuring with Urvasie

In Nandan and all woodlands of the Gods,

Our King's at last returned, and he has entered

His city, by the jubilant people met

With splendid greetings, and resumed his toils.

Ah, were he but a father, nothing now

Were wanting to his fullness. This high day

At confluence of great Ganges with the stream

Dark Yamuna, he and his Queen have bathed.

Just now he passed into his tent, and surely

His girls adorn him. I will go exact

My first share of the ointments and the flowers.

MAIDS (within lamenting)

O me unfortunate! the jewel is lost
Accustomed to the noble head of her
Most intimate with the bosom of the King,
His loveliest playmate. I was carrying it
In palm-leaf basket on white cloth of silk;

A vulture doubting this some piece of flesh
Swoops down and soars away with it.

MANAVAKA

Unfortunate!
This was the Union, the crest-jewel, dear
O'er all things to the King. Look where he comes,
His dress half-worn just as he started up

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On hearing of his loss. I'll go to him.

He goes.

Then Pururavas enters with his Amazons of the Bactrian
Guard and other attendants in great excitement.

PURURAVAS

Huntress! huntress! Where is that robber bird
That snatches his own death ? He practises
His first bold pillage in the watchman's house.

HUNTRESS

Yonder, the golden thread within his beak!
Trailing the jewel how he wheels in air
Describing scarlet lines upon the sky!

PURURAVAS

I see him, dangling down the thread of gold

He wheels and dips in rapid circles vast.

The jewel like a whirling firebrand red

Goes round and round and with vermilion rings

Incarnadines the air. What shall we do

To rescue it?

MANAVAKA (coming up)

Why do you hesitate to slay him?
He is marked out for death, a criminal.

PURURAVAS

My bow! my bow!

AN AMAZON

I run to bring it!

She goes out.

PURURAVAS

Friend,

I cannot see the bird. Where has it fled ?

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MANAVAKA

Look! to the southern far horizon wings
The carrion-eating robber.

PURURAVAS (turns and looks)

Yes, I see him.
He speeds with the red jewel every way
Branching and shooting light, as 'twere a cluster
Of crimson roses in the southern sky
Or ruby pendant from the lobe of Heaven.

Enter Amazon with the bow.

AMAZON

Sire, I have brought the bow and leathern guard.

PURURAVAS

Too late you bring it. Yon eater of raw flesh
Goes winging far beyond an arrow's range,
And the bright jewel with the distant bird
Blazes like Mars the planet glaring red
Against a wild torn piece of cloud. Who's there ?
Noble Latavya?

LATAVYA

Your Highness ?

PURURAVAS

From me command
The chief of the police, at evening, when
Yon winged outlaw seeks his homing tree,
That he be hunted out.

LATAVYA

It shall be done

He goes out.

MANAVAKA

Sit down and rest. What place in all broad earth  

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This jewel-thief can hide in, shall elude
Your world-wide jurisdiction ?

PURURAVAS (sitting down with Manavaka)

It was not as a gem
Of lustre that I treasured yonder stone,
Now lost in the bird's beak, but 'twas my Union
And it united me with my dear love.

MANAVAKA

I know it, from your own lips heard the tale.

Chamberlain enters with the jewel and an arrow.

LATAVYA

Behold shot through that robber! Though he fled,
Thy anger darting in pursuit has slain him.
Plumb down he fell with fluttering wings from Heaven
And dropped the jewel bright.

All look at it in surprise.

Ill fate o'ertaking

Much worse offence! My lord, shall not this gem
Be washed in water pure and given — to whom!

PURURAVAS

Huntress, go, see it purified in fire,
Then to its case restore it.

HUNTRESS

As the King wills.

She goes out with the jewel.

PURURAVAS

Noble Latavya, came you not to know
The owner of this arrow ?

LATAVYA

Letters there are  

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Carved on the steel; my eyes grow old and feeble,
I could not read them.

PURURAVAS

Therefore give me the arrow.
I will spell out the writing.

The Chamberlain gives him the arrow and he reads.

LATAVYA

And I will fill my office.

He goes out.

MANAVAKA (seeing the King lost in thought)

What do you read there, sir ?

PURURAVAS

Hear, Manavaka, hear
The letters of this bowman's name.

MANAVAKA

I'm all

Attention; read.

PURURAVAS

O hearken then and wonder.

(reading)

"Ayus, the smiter of his foeman's lives,
The warrior Ilian's son by Urvasie,
This arrow loosed."

MANAVAKA (with satisfaction)

Hail, King! now dost thou prosper,
Who hast a son.

PURURAVAS

How should this be ? Except
By the great ritual once, never was I.

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Parted from that beloved; nor have I witnessed

One sign of pregnancy. How could my Goddess

Have borne a son ? True, I remember once

For certain days her paps were dark and stained,

And all her fair complexion to the hue

Of that wan creeper paled, and languid-large

Her eyes were. Nothing more.

MANAVAKA

Do not affect
With mortal attributes the living Gods.
For holiness is as a veil to them
Concealing their affections.

PURURAVAS .

This is true.
But why should she conceal her motherhood ?

MANAVAKA

Plainly, she thought, "If the King sees me old
And matron, he'll be off with some young hussy."

PURURAVAS

No mockery, think it over.

MANAVAKA

Who shall guess
The riddles of the Gods ?

(enter Latavya)

LATAVYA

Hail to the King!
A holy dame from Chyavan's hermitage
Leading a boy would see my lord.

PURURAVAS

Latavya,

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Admit them instantly.

LATAVYA

As the King wills.

He goes out, then re-enters with Ayus

bow in hand and a hermitess.

Come, holy lady/to the King.

They approach the King.

MANAVAKA

How say you,
Should not this noble boy be very he,
The young and high-born archer with whose name
Was lettered yon half-moon of steel that pierced
The vulture? His features imitate my lord's.

PURURAVAS

It must be so. The moment that I saw him,
My eyes became a mist of tears, my spirit
Lightened with joy, and surely 'twas a father
That stirred within my bosom. O Heaven! I lose
Religious calm; shudderings surprise me; I long
To feel him with my limbs, pressed with my love.

LATAVYA (to the hermitess)

Here deign to stand.

PURURAVAS

Mother, I bow to thee.

SATYAVATIE

High-natured! may thy line by thee increase!

(aside)

Lo, all untold this father knows his son.

(aloud)

My child,
Bow down to thy begetter.

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Ayus bows down, folding his hands over his bow.

PURURAVAS

Live long, dear son.

AYUS (aside)

O how must children on their father's knees
Grown great be melted with a filial sweetness,
When only hearing that this is my father
I feel I love him!

PURURAVAS

Vouchsafe me, reverend lady,
Thy need of coming.

SATYAVATIE

Listen then, O King;

This Ayus at his birth was in my hand

By Urvasie, I know not why, delivered,

A dear deposit. Every perfect rite

And holiness unmaimed that princely boys

Must grow through, Chyavan's self, the mighty Sage,

Performed, and taught him letters, scripture, arts—

Last, every warlike science.

PURURAVAS

O fortunate
In such a teacher!

HERMITESS

The children fared a field
Today for flowers, dry fuel, sacred grass,
And Ayus faring with them violated
The morals of the hermitage.

PURURAVAS (in alarm)

O how?

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SATYAVATIE

A vulture with a jag of flesh was merging
Into a tree-top when the boy levelled
His arrow at the bird.

PURURAVAS (anxiously)

And then?

SATYAVATIE

And then
The holy Sage, instructed of that slaughter,
Called me and bade, "Give back thy youthful trust
Into his mother's keeping." Therefore, sir,
Let me have audience with the lady.

PURURAVAS

Mother,
Deign to sit down one moment.

The hermitess takes the seat brought for her.

Noble Latavya,
Let Urvasie be summoned.

LATAVYA

It is done.

He goes out.

PURURAVAS

Child of thy mother, come, O come to me!
Let me feel my son! The touch of his own child,
They say, thrills all the father; let me know it.,
Gladden me as the moonbeam melts the moonstone.

SATYAVATIE

Go, child, and gratify thy father's heart.

Ayus goes to the King and clasps his feet.

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PURURAVAS (embracing the boy and seating him on his footstool)

This Brahmin is thy father's friend. Salute him,
And have no fear.

MANAVAKA

Why should he fear ? I think
He grew up in the wood and must have seen
A mort of monkeys in the trees.

AYUS (smiling)

Hail, father.

MANAVAKA

Peace and prosperity walk with thee ever.

Latavya returns with Urvasie.

LATAVYA

This way, my lady.

URVASIE

Who is this quivered youth
Set on the footstool of the King? Himself
My monarch binds his curls into a crest!
Who should this be so highly favoured ?

(seeing Satyavatie)

Ah!
Satyavatie beside him tells me; it is
My Ayus. How he has grown!

PURURAVAS (seeing Urvasie)

O child, look up.
Lo, she who bore thee, with her whole rapt gaze
Grown mother, the veiled bosom heaving towards thee
And wet with sacred milk!

SATYAVATIE

Rise, son, and greet

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Thy parent.

She goes with the boy to Urvasie.

URVASIE

I touch thy feet.

SATYAVATIE  

Ever be near
Thy husband's heart.

AYUS

Mother, I bow to thee.

URVASIE

Child, be thy sire's delight. My lord and husband!

PURURAVAS

O welcome to the mother! sit thee here.

He makes her sit beside him.

SATYAVATIE

My daughter, lo, thine Ayus. He has learned

All lore, heroic armour now can wear.

I yield thee back before thy husband's eyes,

Thy sacred trust. Discharge me. Each idle moment

Is a religious duty left undone.

URVASIE

It is so long since I beheld you, mother,

I have not satisfied my thirst of you,

And cannot let you go. And yet 'twere wrong

To keep you. Therefore go for further meeting.

PURURAVAS

Say to the Sage, I fall down at his feet.

SATYAVATIE

'Tis well.

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AYUS

Are you going to the forest, mother ?
Will you not take me with you ?

PURURAVAS

Over, son,
Thy studies in the woods. Thou must be now
A man, know the great world.

SATYAVATIE

Child, hear thy father.

AYUS

Then, mother, let me have when he has got
His plumes, my little peacock, jewel-crest,
Who'ld sleep upon my lap and let me stroke
His crest and pet him.

SATYAVATIE

Surely, I will send him.

URVASIE

Mother, I touch thy feet.

PURURAVAS

I bow to thee,

Mother.

SATYAVATIE

Peace be upon you both, my children.

She goes.

PURURAVAS

O blessed lady! Now I am grown through thee
A glorious father in this boy, our son;

Not Indra, hurler down of cities, more
In his Jayanta of Paulomie born.

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Urvasie weeps.

MANAVAKA

Why is my lady suddenly all tears ?

PURURAVAS

My own beloved! How art thou full of tears
While I am swayed with the great joy of princes
Who see their line secured ? Why do these drops
On these high peaks of beauty raining down,
O sad sweet prodigal, turn thy bright necklace
To repetition vain of costlier pearls ?

He wipes the tears from her eyes.

URVASIE

Alas, my lord! I had forgot my doom
In a mother's joy. But now thy utterance
Of that great name of Indra brings to me
Cruel remembrance torturing the heart
Of my sad limit.

PURURAVAS

Tell me, my love, what limit.

URVASIE

O King, my heart held captive in thy hands,

I stood bewildered by the curse; then Indra

Uttered his high command: "When my great soldier,

Earth's monarch, sees the face that keeps his line

Made in thy womb, to Eden thou returnest."

So when I knew my issue, sick with the terror

Of being torn from thee, all hidden haste,

I gave to noble Satyavatie the child,

In Chyavan's forest to be trained. Today

This my beloved son returns to me;

No doubt she thought that he was grown and able
To gratify his father's heart. This then

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Is the last hour of that sweet life with thee,
Which goes not farther.

Pururavas swoons.

MANAVAKA

Help, help!

URVASIE

Return to me, my King!

PURURAVAS (reviving)

O love, how jealous are the Gods in Heaven

Of human gladness! I was comforted

With getting of a son — at once this blow!

O small sweet waist, I am divorced from thee!

So has a poplar from one equal cloud

Received the shower that cooled and fire of Heaven

That kills it.

MANAVAKA

O sudden evil out of good!
For I suppose you now will don the bark
And live with hermit trees.

URVASIE

I too unhappy!
For now my King who sees that I no sooner
Behold my son reared up than to my Heavens
I soar, will think that I have all my need
And go with glad heart from his side.

PURURAVAS

Beloved,
Do not believe it. How can one be free
To do his will who's subject to a master ?
He when he's bid, must cast his heart aside
And dwell in exile from the face he loves.

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Therefore obey King Indra. On this thy son
I too my kingdom will repose and dwell
In forests where the antlered peoples roam.

AYUS

My father should not on an untrained steer
Impose the yoke that asks a neck of iron.

PURURAVAS

Child, say not so! The ichorous elephant
Not yet full-grown tames all the trumpetings
Of older rivals; and the young snake's tooth
With energy of virulent poison stored
Strikes deadly. So is it with the ruler born:

His boyish hand inarms the sceptred world.
The force that rises with its task, springs not
From years, but is a self and inborn greatness.
Therefore, Latavya!

LATAVYA

Let my lord command me.

PURURAVAS

Direct from me the council to make ready
The coronation of my son.

LATAVYA (sorrowfully)

It is

Your will, sire.

He goes out. Suddenly all act as if dazzled.

PURURAVAS

What lightning leaps from cloudless Heavens?

URVASIE (gazing up)

'Tis the Lord Narad.

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PURURAVAS

Narad? Yes 'tis he.
His hair is matted all a tawny yellow
Like ochre-streaks, his holy thread is white
And brilliant like a digit of the moon.
He looks as if the faery-tree of Heaven .
Came moving, shooting twigs all gold, and twinkling
Pearl splendours for its leaves, its tendrils pearl.
Guest-offering for the Sage!

Narad enters: all rise to greet him.

URVASIE

Here is guest-offering.

NARAD

Hail, the great guardian of the middle world!

PURURAVAS

Greeting, Lord Narad.

URVASIE

Lord, I bow to thee.

NARAD

Unsundered live in sweetness conjugal.

PURURAVAS (aside)

O that it might be so!

(aloud to Ayus)

Child, greet the Sage.

AYUS

Urvasiean Ayus bows down to thee.

NARAD

Live long, be prosperous.

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PURURAVAS

Deign to take this seat.

Narad sits, after which all take their seats.
What brings the holy Narad?

NARAD

Hear the message

Of mighty Indra.

PURURAVAS

I listen.

NARAD

Maghavan,
Whose soul can see across the world, to thee
Intending loneliness in woods —

PURURAVAS

Command me.

NARAD

The seers to whom the present, past and future
Are three wide-open pictures, these divulge
Advent of battle and the near uprise
Of Titans warring against Gods. Heaven needs
Thee, her great soldier; thou shouldst not lay down
Thy warlike arms. All thy allotted days
This Urvasie is given thee for wife
And lovely helpmeet.

URVASIE

Oh, a sword is taken
Out of my heart.

PURURAVAS

In all I am Indra's servant.

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NARAD

'Tis fitting. Thou for Indra, he for thee,
With interchange of lordly offices.
So sun illumes the fire, fire the great sun
Ekes out with heat and puissance.

He looks up into the sky.

Rambha, descend

And with thee bring the high investiture
Heaven's King has furnished to crown Ayus, heir
Of great Pururavas.

Apsaras enter with the articles of investiture.

NYMPHS

Lo! Holiness,
That store!

NARAD

Set down the boy upon the chair
Of the anointing.

RAMBHA

Come to me, my child.

She seats the boy.

NARAD (pouring the cruse of holy oil on the boy's head)

Complete the ritual.

RAMBHA (after so doing)

Bow before the Sage,
My child, and touch thy parents' feet.

Ayus obeys.

NARAD

Be happy.

PURURAVAS

Son, be a hero and thy line's upholder.

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URVASIE

Son, please thy father.

BARDS (within)

Victory to Empire's heir.

Ode

First the immortal seer of Brahma's kind
And had the soul of Brahma; Atri's then
The Moon his child; and from the Moon again
Sprang Budha-Hermes, moonlike was his mind.
Pururavas was Budha's son and had
Like starry brightness. Be in thee displayed
Thy father's kindly gifts. All things that bless
Mortals, descend in thy surpassing race.

Epode

Thy father like Himaloy highest stands
Of all the high, but thou all steadfast be,
Unchangeable and grandiose like the sea,
Fearless, surrounding Earth with godlike hands.
Let Empire by division brighter shine;

For so the sacred Ganges snow and pine
Favours, yet the same waters she divides
To Ocean and his vast and heaving tides.

NYMPHS (approaching Urvasie)

O thou art blest, our sister, in thy son
Crowned heir to Empire, in thy husband blest
From whom thou shalt not part.

URVASIE

My happiness
Is common to you all, sweet sisters: such
Our love was always.

She takes Ayus by the hand.

Come with me, dear child,

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To fall down at thy elder mother's feet.

PURURAVAS

Stay yet; we all attend you to the Queen.

NARAD

Thy son's great coronation mindeth me
Of yet another proud investiture —
Kartikeya crowned by Maghavan, to lead
Heaven's armies.

PURURAVAS

Highly has the King of Heaven
Favoured him, Narad; how should he not be
Most great and fortunate ?

NARAD

What more shall Indra do
For King Pururavas ?

PURURAVAS

Heaven's King being pleased,
What further can I need? Yet this I'll ask.

He comes forward and speaks towards the audience.

Learning and fortune. Goddesses that stand
In endless opposition, dwellers rare
Under one roof, in kindly union join
To bless for glory and for ease the good.
This too; may every man find his own good,
And every man be merry of his mind,
And all men in all lands taste all desire.

Curtain 

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