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keep guard at night at the entrance of his tent； and help him in all the great
duties of a Kshatriya； rescuing the weak； and meting out justice where it is
due。 Surely at last the day would have come for him to look at me and
wonder； 〃What boy is this？ Has one of my slaves in a former life followed
me like my good deeds into this？〃 I am not the woman who nourishes her
despair in lonely silence； feeding it with nightly tears and covering it with
the daily patient smile； a widow from her birth。 The flower of my desire
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shall never drop into the dust before it has ripened to fruit。 But it is the
labour of a life time to make one's true self known and honoured。
Therefore I have come to thy door； thou world…vanquishing Love； and
thou； Vasanta； youthful Lord of the Seasons； take from my young body
this primal injustice； an unattractive plainness。 For a single day make me
superbly beautiful； even as beautiful as was the sudden blooming of love
in my heart。 Give me but one brief day of perfect beauty； and I will answer
for the days that follow。
Madana
Lady； I grant thy prayer。
Vasanta
Not for the short span of a day； but for one whole year the charm of
spring blossoms shall nestle round thy limbs。
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SCENE II
Arjuna
WAS I dreaming or was what I saw by the lake truly there？ Sitting on
the mossy turf； I mused over bygone years in the sloping shadows of the
evening； when slowly there came out from the folding darkness of foliage
an apparition of beauty in the perfect form of a woman； and stood on a
white slab of stone at the water's brink。 It seemed that the heart of the
earth must heave in joy under her bare white feet。 Methought the vague
veilings of her body should melt in ecstasy into air as the golden mist of
dawn melts from off the snowy peak of the eastern hill。 She bowed herself
above the shining mirror of the lake and saw the reflection of her face。 She
started up in awe and stood still； then smiled； and with a careless sweep of
her left arm unloosed her hair and let it trail on the earth at her feet。 She
bared her bosom and looked at her arms； so flawlessly modelled； and
instinct with an exquisite caress。 Bending her head she saw the sweet
blossoming of her youth and the tender bloom and blush of her skin。 She
beamed with a glad surprise。 So； if the white lotus bud on opening her
eyes in the morning were to arch her neck and see her shadow in the water；
would she wonder at herself the livelong day。 But a moment after the
smile passed from her face and a shade of sadness crept into her eyes。 She
bound up her tresses； drew her veil over her arms； and sighing slowly；
walked away like a beauteous evening fading into the night。 To me the
supreme fulfilment of desire seemed to have been revealed in a flash and
then to have vanished。 。 。 。 But who is it that pushes the door？
Enter CHITRA； dressed as a woman。
Ah！ it is she。 Quiet； my heart！ 。 。 。 Fear me not； lady！ I am a Kshatriya。
Chitra
Honoured sir； you are my guest。 I live in this temple。 I know not in
what way I can show you hospitality。
Arjuna
Fair lady； the very sight of you is indeed the highest hospitality。 If you
will not take it amiss I would ask you a question。
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CHITRA
Chitra
You have permission。
Arjuna
What stern vow keeps you immured in this solitary temple； depriving
all mortals of a vision of so much loveliness？
Chitra
I harbour a secret desire in my heart； for the fulfilment of which I offer
daily prayers to Lord Shiva。
Arjuna
Alas； what can you desire； you who are the desire of the whole world！
From the easternmost hill on whose summit the morning sun first prints
his fiery foot to the end of the sunset land have I travelled。 I have seen
whatever is most precious； beautiful and great on the earth。 My knowledge
shall be yours； only say for what or for whom you seek。
Chitra
He whom I seek is known to all。
Arjuna
Indeed！ Who may this favourite of the gods be； whose fame has
captured your heart？
Chitra
Sprung from the highest of all royal houses； the greatest of all heroes
is he。
Arjuna
Lady； offer not such wealth of beauty as is yours on the altar of false
reputation。 Spurious fame spreads from tongue to tongue like the fog of
the early dawn before the sun rises。 Tell me who in the highest of kingly
lines is the supreme hero？
Chitra
Hermit； you are jealous of other men's fame。 Do you not know that all
over the world the royal house of the Kurus is the most famous？
Arjuna
The house of the Kurus！
Chitra
And have you never heard of the greatest name of that far…famed
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CHITRA
house？
Arjuna
From your own lips let me hear it。
Chitra
Arjuna； the conqueror of the world。 I have culled from the mouths of
the multitude that imperishable name and hidden it with care in my
maiden heart。 Hermit； why do you look perturbed？ Has that name only a
deceitful glitter？ Say so； and I will not hesitate to break this casket of my
heart and throw the false gem to the dust。
Arjuna
Be his name and fame； his bravery and prowess false or true； for
mercy's sake do not banish him from your heartfor he kneels at your feet
even now。
Chitra
You； Arjuna！
Arjuna
Yes； I am he； the love…hungered guest at your door。
Chitra
Then it is not true that Arjuna has taken a vow of chastity for twelve
long years？
Arjuna
But you have dissolved my vow even as the moon dissolves the night's
vow of obscurity。
Chitra
Oh； shame upon you！ What have you seen in me that makes you false
to yourself？ Whom do you seek in these dark eyes； in these milk…white
arms； if you are ready to pay for her the price of your probity？ Not my true
self； I know。 Surely this cannot be love； this is not man's highest homage
to woman！ Alas； that this frail disguise； the body； should make one blind to
the light of the deathless spirit！ Yes； now indeed； I know； Arjuna； the fame
of your heroic manhood is false。
Arjuna
Ah； I feel how vain is fame； the pride of prowess！ Everything seems to
me a dream。 You alone are perfect； you are the wealth of the world； the
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CHITRA
end of all poverty； the goal of all efforts； the one woman！ Others there are
who can be but slowly known。 While to see you for a moment is to see
perfect completeness once and for ever。
Chitra
Alas； it is not I； not I； Arjuna！ It is the deceit of a god。 Go； go； my hero；
go。 Woo not falsehood； offer not your great heart to an illusion。 Go。
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CHITRA
SCENE III
Chitra
No； impossible。 To face that fervent gaze that almost grasps you like
clutching hands of the hungry spirit within； to feel his heart struggling to
break its bounds urging its passionate cry through the entire bodyand
then to send him away like a beggarno； impossible。
Enter MADANA and VASANTA。
Ah； god of love； what fearful flame is this with which thou hast
enveloped me！ I burn； and I burn whatever I touch。
Madana
I desire to know what happened last night。
Chitra
At evening I lay down on a grassy bed strewn with the petals of spring
flowers； and recollected the wonderful praise of my beauty I had heard
from Arjuna；drinking drop by drop the honey that I had stored during the
long day。 The history of my past life like that of my former existences wa