N.B.-In the Summer of 1923, I read at the university institute an essay in Bengali on the "Fame of Bhavabhuti." The late lamented Sir Asutosh Mukhopadhyaya felt interested to such an extent that he wanted to forward, for an expression of opinion, a copy of the essay to Dr. Winternitz who then at Bolepur and he asked me to translate it into English, the translation was begun, but at its very commencement, I was laid up for nearly two months with a serve attack of Pluerisy+. The malady left me prostrate. As soon as I recovered a little I got Influenza and was down with it for nearly a month.
For these reasons, I could not resume the work of translation during the lifetime of my honored friend. Lately, on taking up the work again I found reasons for the extensive additions and alterations I have now, however, the melancholy satisfaction of having finished the task set me by the illustrious dead. The translation now appears as Introduction to this volume.
The Uttararamacarita-One of the most popular Sanskrit dramatists is Bhavabhuti, He is better knows and the author of the Uttararamacarita.
The Uttararamacarita is usually considered by competent critics to be one of the best writers of Sanskrit dramas It is in seven Acts and is based on the later history of Rama commencing with his coronation after his return from Lanka.
(i) The first Act tells us that soon after the coronation, people commence talking recklessly about Sita concerning her stay in the house of Ravana. The news reaches Rama’s ears and the king banishes his queen.
(ii) The second act opens with incidents that happen after a lapse of twelve years.
Rama commences the Asvamedha sacrifice. While preparation is going on for the sacrifice he is obliged to go out personally in quest of a certain Sudra ascetic practicing penance in the forest of Dandaka. At the sight of the place, old association woke up the thoroughly over whelm the king.
This Act and the Acts that follow describe events that take place within a day or two of one another.
(iii) In the third Act we learn that Sita is still alive though practically dead to the world. Delivered of twins (named Kusa and Lava) on the day of her banishment she has been staying in the nether regions these twelve years with Prithvi and Ganga. The boys were made over to Valmiki by Ganga herself for their training and education.
Ganga knew that on his way back after meeting the Sudra ascetic, Rama would have to pass over the Panchavati the sight of which was bound to recall extremely painful memories. To relieve the shock she came over with Sita to meet Godavari. From there she sent Sita to gather flowers-a mere pretext from the Panchavati making her invisible to morals.
As expected Rama enters the Panchvati, meets Sita there, and feels her presence, but, being unable to see her, takes all this as a delusion, and with a heavy heart hastens towards his capital to get ready for the Asvamedha.
(iv) Here commences the fourth Act. The sacrificial horse wanders into Valmiki’s hermitage and is seized by Lava.
(v) In the fifth Act, Chandraketu, Laksmana’s son, the guardian of the horse, meets Lava and forthwith the boys are attracted to each other and become friends. Lava, however, makes certain remarks regarding Rama and a regular fight follows.
(vi) The sixth act introduces Rama again who notices the battle from the Puspaka, his aerial car, while proceeding towards his capital, comes down and prohibits the fight. Lava is then introduced to Rama by Chandraketu. Next Kusa arrives and is introduced by Lava. Hovering between hope and despair, Rama notices the startling resemblance of the features of the boys with his own and those of Sita.
(vii) Forthwith, in the seventh Act, Valmiki comes to the rescue of the bewildered monarch. The sage invites the whole creation to witness the staging, by celestial nymphs under the guidance of the sage Bharata, of a certain drama written by himself on the later history of Rama, Laksmana prepares a theatre and seats the audience. Rama himself is present at the performance.
The performance discloses that Sita was delivered twins on the very day of her exile and is still alive in Patiala under the care of Prithvi and Bhagirathi, Her boys are with the sage Valmiki. All see that they are no other than Kusa and Lava.
The nymphs now retire, the acting ceases, and Valmiki appears personally. He arranges for a declaration of Sita’s innocence and at his command Sita herself emerges out of the waters of the Ganges led by Prthvi and Ganga. Arundhati now delivers a well-merited snub to the people of Ayodhya and the villages and asks Rama to take back his spouse. The whole creation joins in the request, the people stand abashed and re-union follows.
