चतुर्थोङ्क:
FOURTH ACT
विष्कम्भ/VISHKAMBHA
{VISHKAMBHA- An interlude between the acts of a drama and
performed by one or more characters, middling or inferior, who connect the
story of the drama and the subdivisions of the plot by briefly explaining to
the audience what has occurred at the intervals of the acts or what is likely
to happen later.}
{Shraddhaa has
been recued from the jaws of MahaaBhairavee by VishnuBhakti. As per her orders
she is on her way to meet King Viveka to deliver the instructions of Vishnu
Bhakti. She meets her close friend Maitree on her way and relates the
horrifying experiences she had with MahaaBhairavee.}
{MAITREE
(Friendship towards all), KARUNAA (compassion to all), MUDITAA (Cheerfulness),
UPEKSHAA (Indifference to the objects of senses) – these are the four virtues
to be developed by the ‘seeker after liberation’.}
MAITREE –
“I heard from
MUDITAA (Cheerfulness) that our dear friend Shraddhaa was saved by VishnuBhakti
from the danger of getting abducted by MahaaBhairavee.
I am apprehensive
in my heart about her well-being.”
(moves here and
there)
(Then enters Shraddhaa)
SHRADDHAA- (trembling in fear)
घोरां नारकपालकुण्डलवतीं विद्युच्छटाम् दृष्टिभिर्मुञ्चन्तीं
विकरालमूर्तिमनलज्वालापिशङ्गै: कचैः
दंष्ट्राचन्द्रकलाङ्कुरान्तरललज्जिह्वाम् महाभैरवीं पश्यन्त्या इव
मे मनः कदलिकेवाद्याप्यहो वेपते [1]
“Terrifying in looks;
wearing human skulls as ear ornaments;
releasing a whole
collection of sparkling lightning through her eyes;
of horrifying form;
hairs like the orange hued flames of the blazing fire;
blood-hued tongue rolling inside the teeth
which look like sprouts of crescent moons;
my mind trembles even
now like a plantain leaf as if
I am still seeing that
MahaaBhairavee!”
MAITREE- (to herself)
“Oho! This is my dear friend Shraddhaa coming here! Her heart is still
apprehensive with fear! Her limbs are trembling yet! She is talking to herself
something! Though I am just in front of her she is not able to see me! I will
call her name loudly.”
SHRADDHAA- (sees Maitree) (breathing heavily) “Oh! This is my dear friend
Maitree!
कालरात्रिकरालास्य दन्तान्तर्गतया मया
दृष्टासि सखि सैव त्वं पुनरत्रैव जन्मनि [2]
‘That very you’, has seen by me again in this
very birth my friend,
after I have been inside the teeth
within the mouth
terrifying like the dark night!
So come, embrace me tightly.”
MAITREE- (embraces her)
“Friend! How your limbs are trembling even now though VishnuBhakti has
subdued the power of MahaaBhairavee!”
SHRADDHAA-
घोरां नारकपालकुण्डलवतीं विद्युच्छटाम् दृष्टिभिर्मुञ्चन्तीं
विकरालमूर्तिमनलज्वालापिशङ्गै: कचैः
दंष्ट्राचन्द्रकलाङ्कुरान्तरललज्जिह्वाम् महाभैरवीं पश्यन्त्या इव
मे मनः कदलिकेवाद्याप्यहो वेपते ||
“Terrifying in looks;
wearing human skulls as ear ornaments;
releasing a whole
collection of sparkling lightning through her eyes;
of horrifying form; hairs
like the orange hued flames of the blazing fire;
blood-hued tongue rolling inside the teeth
which look like sprouts of crescent moons;
my mind trembles even
now like a plantain leaf as if
I am still seeing that
MahaaBhairavee!”
MAITREE- (showing fear)
“Aho! That evil one must be really terrifying to look at! When she came,
what did she do?”
SHRADDHAA-
श्येनावपातमवपत्य पदद्वये मामादाय धर्ममपरेण
करेण घोरा
वेगेन सा गगनमुत्पतिता नखाग्रकोटिस्फुरत्पिशितपिण्डयुगेव गृध्री [3]
“That terrifying evil
one-
pouncing suddenly like
a hawk,
caught me by my feet
in one hand,
held Dharma in her other
hand,
and rose up in the sky
fast.
She was looking like a
female vulture flying up
holding two pieces of
meat at the edge of her nails.”
MAITREE-
“Aah! Aah! Fie on her! Fie on her!”
(faints)
SHRADDHAA-
“Friend! Console yourself! Console
yourself!
MAITREE- (consoled)
“Afterwards?”
SHRADDHAA-
“Afterwards, hearing our pathetic
screams, her heart melting with compassion, by
the Goddess
भ्रूभङ्गभीमपरिपाटलदृष्टिपातमुद्गाढकोपकुटिलं च तथा व्यलोकि
सा वज्रपातहतशैलशिलेव भूमौ व्याभुग्नजर्जरशिरोस्थि यथा पपात [4]
VishnuBhakti,
such a terrifying look
was flashed on the evil vampire,
with brows bent crookedly;
eyes turning red; and face contorted in anger,
that the terrifying
Bhairavee
fell down on the ground like a mountain hit by
the lightning weapon of Indra,
and the skull inside
her head shattered into pieces.”
MAITREE-
“I am indeed fortunate that I see you again! My dear friend is now safe and
alive like the female deer released from the mouth of an angry tiger!”
SHRADDHAA-
“Then the enraged Goddess told me –
‘I will completely destroy that deceitful and wicked MahaaMoha who has
dared to insult me also, like this.’
She has also ordered me-“Shraddhaa! Go now! Instruct
Viveka like this-‘Do whatever is possible to overthrow Kaama and Krodha! When
that is done, dispassion will arise! I too will grace your army enlivening the
practices of Praanaayaama (Breath-control), Pratyaahaara (Withdrawal from sense
objects) etc, at proper times.
Goddesses Ritambharaa (name of Prajnaa- the wisdom which rises in the
Nirvikalpa Samaadhi state by which pure knowledge manifests) and others, by
developing the efficiency of Shaanti and others, will make King Viveka unite
with Upanishat Devi and make possible the birth of Prabodha.(Awakening to the
state of the Self)’
Therefore I am now on my way to meet King Viveka. How are you going to
spend your days?”
MAITREE-
“As per the orders of VishnuBhakti, we four sisters (Maitree, Karunaa,
Muditaa, Upekshaa) will reside in the hearts of the noble, in order to make
Viveka succeed in his battle.
As it is-
ध्यायन्निमां सुखिनि दुःखिनि चानुकंपां पुण्यक्रियेषु मुदितां कुमतावुपेक्षां
एवं प्रसादमुपयाति हि रागलोभद्वेषादिदोषकलुषोsप्ययमन्तरात्मा [5]
Maintaining friendship
with happy ones,
compassion towards the suffering,
expressing joy when
meeting people of meritorious deeds,
and disregarding those
who do wrong actions,
the inner self attains a contented cheerful
state
even when tainted by
the feelings of likes and dislikes and greed.
{Practice of these four good qualities will gradually replace the bad qualities
like desire, hatred, greed etc.}
In this manner all of us four sisters will pass the days waiting for King
Viveka’s rise. Where is our dear friend meeting King Viveka?”
SHRADDHAA-
“The Goddess told me like this!
There is a country
known as Raddha (राढ) (populated with Ego-dominant
people).
In the
‘Chakra-Teertha’, with its lands adorned by the Ganges River, Viveka feeling
very apprehensive, somehow holding on to his life, is performing penance with
his wife Mati (intellect) who is engaged in the Meemaamsa thoughts, so that he
can unite with Upanishat Devi.”
{The Seeker- Purusha has not yet begun the study of
Upanishads. So far he was happy with the Meemaamsa or Karma -portion of the
Vedas which prescribe various rites for the fulfillment of various desires.
However his mind was not free from hatred and attachments. He had no knowledge
of the Brahman, the Supreme state of reality. For that he needed to understand
the abstract statements of the Upanishads. He was almost on the verge of
developing faith in other schools of thought, but fortunately for him, his
intense love for his Lord saves him. Without falling a prey for ordinary
religious cults prevalent at that time, he had to change his mind devoted to Meemaamsa School
Holding fast to the lotus-feet of the Lord to guide him in the right path,
he purifies his mind so that he can grasp the meanings of the Upanishads.
In the ‘Wheel of Samsaara’, surrounded by the Ganges
of purified thoughts, he practices discrimination and turns the intellect
steeped in the Karma-Kanda portion of Vedas towards the study of Upanishads.}
MAITREE-
“Then my dear friend, attend to your duties. I will also do what I was told
to do.”
(Both leave)
No comments:
Post a Comment