Nagananda (Boyd 1872)/Prologue
DRAMATIS PERSONÆ.
MEN.
Jímútaváhana, the hero, a prince of the Vidyádharas or celestial choristers.
Jímútaketu, his father, king of the Vidyádharas.
Viśvávasu, king of the Siddhas.
Mitrávasu, his son.
Śankhachúda, a prince of the Nágas or snake deities.
Garuda, king of the birds and mortal foe of the Nágas.
Átreya, a Brahman, the vidúshaka or king’s jester.
The Vita, or parasite.
Sunanda, the doorkeeper.
The Chamberlain.
A Slave.
A Nága attendant.
WOMEN.
The Goddess Gaurí.
The Queen of the Vidyádharas, mother of Jímútaváhana.
Malayavatí, daughter of Viśvávasu.
Chaturiká, her attendant.
Śankhachúda's mother.
Several female attendants.
The scene lies partly in the Palace of the Siddha King, and partly
on the Mountains of Malabar.
THE NÁGÁNANDA.
Prologue.
NÁNDÍ, OR OPENING BENEDICTION.[1]
"Of whom dost thou think, putting on a pretence of religious abstraction, yet opening for an instant thine eyes? See! saviour though thou art, thou dost not protect us, sick with the shafts of Love. Falsely art thou compassionate. Who is more cruel than thou?"
May Buddha, the conqueror, who was thus jealously addressed by the nymphs of Mára,[2] protect you!
Again,
May the Lord of Munis protect you! who, lost in reflection, and filled with transcendent knowledge, was seen to be utterly unmoved by Indra,[3] whose every hair was on end through astonishment; by the Siddhas,[4] their heads bent low in obeisance; by the nymphs, whose eyes quivered, as they alternately smiled, yawned, trembled, and frowned; by the heroes of Mára, dancing with harshly-beaten drums; and by Mára himself, who had drawn his bow to the full!
(At the conclusion of the benediction)—
Stage Manager.
Enough of this prolixity. To-day, at the feast of Indra, I was thus addressed by the company of kings, who have arrived from various countries, dependants on the lotus feet of the noble King Śrí-harsha-deva, after they had summoned me respectfully, "That play named Nágánanda, connected with the sovereign of the celestial choristers,[5] and adorned with a new arrangement of the incidents by our Lord, Śrí-harsha-deva, has been heard of by us through successive report, but has never been seen by us on the stage; therefore you should perform it to-day with suitable dramatic appliances, both through your respect for that great king, who rejoices the hearts of all people, and through your willingness to oblige us." Therefore, after I have adjusted my attire, I will carry out this request. (Walking and looking about.) I have no doubt that I have won the hearts of all the spectators, since Śrí-harsha-deva is a clever poet; and this assembly are good judges of merit. The history of the king of the Siddhas is very attractive in the world, and we ourselves are skilful actors. Each of these things by itself would be sufficient for success; how much more the whole assemblage of them, brought together by my accumulation of good luck! So, after I have gone to my house and called my wife, I will commence the entertainment. (Walking about, looking towards the tiring room.) Here is my house. I will enter. (After entering.) O lady, come here a moment!
An Actress (entering in tears).
My lord, here am I, unlucky one that I am, let the son of my lord say what is to be done.
Manager (looking at Actress).
O lady, why do you thus weep unreasonably, when the Nágánanda is to be performed?
Actress.
Sir, how should I not weep, since just now my father, having discovered that he is old, and influenced by a sudden disgust for the world, saying to himself, "Art thou fit to support the duties of a household?" is gone with his wife to a sacred grove?
Manager (in distraction).
What! How! My two parents, leaving me, are gone to a sacred grove? What is now seemly to be done? (After thinking.) But how shall I remain at home, giving up the pleasure of attendance on my father? For, in order to perform the service of my father, I will quit the possessions fallen to my lot, and go off this day to the forest, as did Jímútaváhana.[6]
END OF PROLOGUE.
- ↑ Every Sanskrit play opens with one or more Nándís, or benedictions, in which the blessing of some deity is invoked upon the audience. This is the only instance in Sanskrit literature where the power thus invoked is Buddha.
- ↑ One of the most celebrated scenes in the mythic history of Buddha is his temptation under the Bodhi tree by Mára, the Buddhist Eros, corresponding to the Hindu Káma. Mára at first attempted to frighten him by legions of armed warriors; failing in this, he tried to seduce him by his daughters, the Apsarasas. The sage, however, endures both temptations with unruffled equanimity, and eventually the tempter retires utterly baffled.—See Lalita-Vistara, ch. xxi.
- ↑ In the Buddhist mythology, Indra is the king of the lowest heaven but one; Mára being located in the sixth or highest, and having more or less influence over all the beings beneath him.
- ↑ Siddha, a divine person of undefined attributes and character—a sort of demigod or spirit, inhabiting, together with the Vidyádharas, Munis, &c., the region between the earth and the sun.—See Wilson’s Dictionary.
- ↑ i.e. Vidyádharas.
- ↑ The Hindu dramatists always endeavour to connect the business of the prologue with that of the main action. The spectator thus gradually passes from the real world in which the actors live, to the imaginary one in which the personages of the drama move.