Svapna-Vasavadattam (The Vision of Vasavadatta)

 Svapna-Vasavadattam (The Vision of Vasavadatta)

Dr Swati Joshi

Gujarat 

 The Vision of Vasavadatta is the second part of The Minister’s Vow or can be said that the continuation of it. The Play is divided into six Acts. Most of the major characters of The Minister’s Vow are the chief part of The Vision of Vasavadatta. The play is based on the legend king and his queen Vasavdatta and chief character Yougandharayana and there is a description of new character of Padmavati who compels us to see the play on the political perspective. But on the other side the character of Vasavdatta and Udayana forces us to see the play from their love, emotional, sacrificial point of view where as Yougandharayana throw new challenges to the reading class that this play has politics, sustainability, emotions, dedications, and understanding between the characters, a reader has to accept and then to have critical perspective. The Vision of Vasavadatta is a play of full of emotions and feeling, the emotion of Yougandharayana as the minister and his dedication and loyalty towards his king Udayana. The over whelmed love of Udayan for Vasavadatta is to be found where he forgets all his responsibility as the king. There is the description of sacrificial love of Vasavadatta for Udayana; having the sense of responsibility selfless love and loyalty towards kingdom being the Queen of Vasta. All the qualities make her character dominating in the play. Another love can be identified as facet of the character of understanding which is represented by Padmavati who after knowing everything decides to go with Udayana along with Vasavadatta. The other minor characters are in the assistance to present the different emotions, conflict and struggle in the play.

“Svapnavasavadatta is a play of tender love, in both its phases of union and separation. Here we see gay girls playing with bolls, Sephalika plants in rich florescent with jolly girls gazing at their beauty, betrothals, and wedding portrait vina melodies a dreaming lover whispering his love in a weird sleep taking scene. Touching elopements with the beloved’s tears washing the lover’s breasts; heart rending cries of a man tearing his soul at the tragic death of his wife the apple of his eyes; the mighty sacrifice of self effacing wife for her husband’s weal et hoc genus omne.”25

 The title of the play ‘The Vision of Vasavadatta’ itself suggest the story outline in a direct way. The Svapana means dream or vision and Vasavadatta, the name of the lady. Vasavadatta has seen a dream that some other has seen Vasavadatta in the dream or in a vision. According to the plot of the story the second is more appropriate as Udayana feel in the play he has the vision of Vasavadatta. The Play is about Udayana who was in deep love of Vasavadatta and neglecting the responsibility of king. The other characters are Stage Manager who has the responsibility to begin the play by remembering God. Here the stage manager recalls the name of Balarma by saying that –

“May the arms of Balarama protect thee, arms as fair as the young moon at its rising given their full vigour by wine full of Beauty incarnate, and lovely as spring.”26

 The other characters are two guards who are protecting Padmavati. Yougandharayana the minister of Udayana, Vasavadatta daughter of Mahasena and princess of Ujjain but at the end of the play she came out as the wife of Udayana and queen of Vatsa. Next character is chamberlain maid, in the service of Padmavati. Padmavati is the princess of Magadha and the sister of King Darsaka and perform the role at the end of the play as the second wife of Udayana. The other minor characters are Jester, Lady Hermit, student of theology Padminika and Madhukarika both are the attendant of the prince of Magadha. Raibhya chamberlain of Avanti court at Ujjain and three characters are from the side of Udayana – Chamberlain, Vijaya the portress from Kosambi and Vasundhara – a nurse for Vasavadatta.

 Stage Manager as usual begins with prologue and calls the name of Udayana. The entry of Yougandharayana and Vasavadatta in the guise of religious mendicant and the maid Avanti gives clear indication to the reading class that there is again a smell of conspiracy like the previous part The Minister’s Vow. Padmavati is presented as the soft hearted person with good conduct in the play.

“Her words are as sweet as her looks.”27

 Almost all the characters of this play are presented by Bhasa with some special quality in their personality as Padmavati as very noble from the heart and looks. The intention of Bhasa to give the certain and particular qualities to particular person is to fulfill the demand of drama and Bhasa proves that he became successful in it.

 The structure of the play is conquered by Vasavdatta, Udayana and Yougandharayana but it is important to note that Yougandharayana can be easily seen in the first part of the play and become invisible during the act II, III, IV and become noticeable in the last act only. Vasavdatta is observable but in the disguise of maid hiding her original identity and showing her individual personality with the Yougandharayana as her brother. The other characters of the play are unaware about the disguise of Yougandharayana and Vasavdatta.

“This is my sister. Her husband has gone abroad; my wish is that her Highness would take my sister under her protection for some time.”28

 Every character of The Vision of Vasavadatta deals with the notion of common emotions and relationship. Vasavdatta got the permission to be with Padmavati in the disguise of royal maid. Vasavadatta shows sisterly love for Padmavati when she encounters with her for the first time.

“Hearing she is a princess, I too feel for her sisterly affection.”29

 Even Padmavati feels about Vasavadatta that she has the noble heart and royal appearance. A student of theology comes there and talks about the incident of Kosambi where there is a terrible fire when the king was not in the palace and because of the fire the Queen Vasavdatta died and the loyal minister also dies in the process to rescue her queen. Bhasa wanted to send the message to Padmavati and for this purpose he created the character of research student of theology. This shows Bhasa’s brilliant work of art and power of narratives.

 Padmavati and Vasavatta discuss about Udayana with each other. Bhasa tries to show two different emotions that come together by two different characters. Vasavdatta feels sad and ignored and Padmavati feels new life and feeling of love when they talk about king Udayana. Bhasa has given beautiful touch to various emotions in the dialogue through narrative pattern.

 Vasavdatta has to plait the wedding garment of Padmavati where she becomes disturbed because she is helping the woman to whom her love Udayana will marry soon. It was great embarrassing situation for her to handle. She was badly hurt.

“Vasavadatta- (Aside) Must I do even this? The Gods are indeed cruel.”30

 Vasavadatta represents another side of love in shape of sacrifice. Her love for Udayana and her liabilities towards her kingdom are incredibly created by Bhasa. She has to go under the process of agony and severe pain when she becomes ready for the marriage of Udayana and Padmavati.

“Bhasa gives a model format for a play with the theme of love. He chooses the story of Udayana and Vasavadatta for dramatic presentation, emphasizing not only the depths of their romantic love but also the agonies and troubles that it generates.”31

 All these emotions and feeling are very usual and the reader can easily relate with character. If person who reads are able to attach with the characters then it can be measured that the author becomes winning in generating and relating characters with living human being.

Dr Swati Joshi

Gujarat