SRI AUROBINDO
Collected Plays and Short Stories
Part One
A dramatic romance
A room in the royal apartments.
Ungarica, Vasavadutta.
Thou singest well; a cry of Vuthsa's art
Has stolen into thy song.
She takes Vasavadutta on her lap.
My daughter, let me gaze into thy eyes
And from their silence learn thy treasured thoughts.
Thou knowest I can read 'twixt human lids
The secrets of the throbbing heart? I search
In Vasavadutta's eyes by what strange skill
Vuthsa has crept into my daughter's voice.
Thou keepst thy lashes lowered? thou wilt not let me look?
O mother, mother mine,
Plague me not; thou know'st all things; comfort me.
Thou needest comfort?
Yes, against myself
Who trouble my own heart.
Why? though I know.
Thou wilt not speak? I'll speak then for thee.
Vasavadutta alarmed puts her hand 
over Ungarica's mouth.
It is because thou canst not here control
What thy immortal part with rapture wills
And the mortal longingly desires; for yet
Thy proud heart cannot find the way to yield.
If thou knew'st, mother.
No, thou hast the will
But not the art, Love's learner. O my proud
Sweet ignorance, 'tis he shall find the way
And thou shalt know the joy of being forced
To what thy heart desires. Is it enough?
O mother!
She hides her face in Ungarica's bosom.
Thou hast done thy father's will?
Thy husband shall be vassal to thy sire?
Have I a father or a house? O none,
O none, O none exists but only he.
Let none exist for thee but the dear all thou lov'st.
I charge thee, Vasavadutta, when thou rul'st
In far Cowsambie, let this be thy reign
To heap on him delight and seek his good.
Raise his high fortunes, shelter from grief his heart,
Even with thy own tears buy his joy and peace,
Nor let one clamorous thought of self revolt 
Against him.
Mother, thou canst see my heart;
Is this not there? Can it do otherwise,
Being thus conquered, even if it willed?
Child, 'tis my care to give thy heart a voice
And bind it to its nobler loving self.
It is, it is.
But, mother, it is very sweet to rule,
And if I rule him for his good, not mine?
Thou canst not be corrected! Queenling, rule.
Vasavadutta escapes towards her own apartments;
Vicurna enters from the outer door.
A darkness?
Wherefore was King Vuthsa brought
Into Ujjayinie? why is captive kept?
Thy father's will, who knows?
But I would know.
Him ask.
Vicurna (taking her face between his hands)
To wed
Thy sister.
Let him wed and be released.
Our fame is smirched; the city murmurs. War
Threatens from Vuthsa's nation and our cause
Is evil.
Wedding her he must consent
To be our vassal.
Thus are vassals made?
Thus empires built? This is a shameful thing.
Release him first, then with proud war subdue.
Thou knowest thy father's stern, unbending will
Whom we must all obey.
Not I, or not
In evil things.
Will not, unsatisfied, release his foe.
I will release him then.
Him by what right who is thy house's peril?
He is a hero and he is my friend.
Didst thou not help to bring him captive here?
For Vasavadutta. I will bear them both
Out from the city in my chariot far
Into the freedom of the hills. I will hew down
All who oppose me.
Rash and violent boy,
So wilt thou make bad worse. Await the hour
When Vuthsa shall himself demand thy aid.
The hour will come?
He will be free.
Then soon,
Or I myself will act.
This too is well
And most that the proud chivalries of old
Are not yet dead in all men's hearts. O God
Shiva, thou mak'st me fortunate in my sons.
Vasavadutta's chamber.
Vuthsa, Vasavadutta.
Thy hands have yet no cunning with the strings.
'Tis not the touch alone but manner of the touch
That calls the murmuring spirit forth, — as thus.
I cannot manage it; my hand rebels.
I will compel it then.
I am weary of chiding; and how rule a boy
Who takes delight in being chidden? And then
'Twas only my hand. What dost thou?
Vuthsa takes her by the arms and
draws her towards him.
What thy eyes
Commanded me and what for many days
My heart has clamoured for in hungry pain.
Presumptuous! wilt thou not immediately
Release me?
Not till thy heart's will is done.
He draws her down on his knees, resisting. 
What will? I did not bid. What will? Vuthsa!
Vuthsa! I did not bid. This is not well.
He masters her and holds her on his bosom.
Her head falls on his shoulder.
O my desire, why should we still deny
Delight that calls to us? Strive not with joy,
But yield me the sweet mortal privilege
That makes me equal with the happiest god
In all the heavens of fulfilled desire.
O on thy sweet averted cheek! My queen,
My wilful empress, all in vain thou striv'st
To keep from me the treasure of thy lips
I have deserved so long.
He forces her lips up to his and kisses her.
O honey of thy mouth! The joy, the joy
Was sweeter. I have drunk in heaven at last,
Let what will happen.
Vasavadutta escapes and stands
quivering at a distance.
Stand there! approach me not.
I thought 'twould be enough for many ages;
But 'tis not so.
Go from me, seek thy room. 
Have I so much offended? I will go.
Vuthsa, I am not angry; do not go.
Sit; I must chide thee. Was this well to abuse
My kindness, to mistake indulgence? — No,
I am not angry; thou art only a boy.
I have permitted thee to love because
Thou saidst thou couldst not help it. This again
Thou must not do, — not thus.
Then teach me how.
Vasavadutta (with a troubled smile)
I never had so importunate a slave.
I must think out some punishment for thee.
She comes to him suddenly, takes him to her
bosom and kisses him with passion.
O if 'tis this, I will again offend.
She clings to him, kisses him again,
then puts him away from her.
Go from me, go. Wilt thou not go? Munjoolica!
She is not here to help thee against thy heart.
But I will go; thou willst it.
Wilt thou leave me?
Never! thus, thus into my bosom grow,
O Vasavadutta.
O my happiness!
O Vuthsa, only name that's sweet on earth
I have murmured to the silence of the hours,
Give me delight, let me endure thy clasp
For ever. O loveliest head on all the earth!
If we could thus remain through many ages,
Nor Time grow weary ever of such bliss,
O Vasavadutta!
I have loved thee always
Even when I knew it not. Was't not the love
Secret between us, drew thee here by force,
Vuthsa?
Thou wilt not now refuse thy lips?
Nothing to thee.
Yes, thou shalt be my queen
Surrendered henceforth, I thy slave enthroned.
Give me the largess of thyself that I may be
The constant vassal of thy tyrant eyes
And captive of thy beauty all my days
And homage pay to thy sweet sovereign soul.
I accept, my king,
Thy service and thy homage and thy love.
If in return the bounty of myself
I lavish on thee, will it be enough?
Can it hold thy life as thou wilt fill all mine?
Weave thyself into morn and noon and eve.
We will not be as man and woman are
Who are with partial oneness satisfied,
Divided in our works, but one large soul
Parted in two dear bodies for more bliss.
For all my occupations thou shalt rule,
And those that take me from thy blissful shadow
Still with thy sweet remembrance shall inspired
Be done by thee.
If thy heart strays from me, —
Never my heart...
If thy eyes stray from me,
O Vuthsa, —
If I view all beautiful things
With natural delight, thou wilt pardon that,
Because thou wilt share the joy.
Then must I find
Thy beauty there.
Tonight, my love, my love,
Shall we not linger heart on heart tonight?
Ah, Vuthsa, no.
Does not thy heart cry, yes?
Are we not wedded? Shall we dally, love,
Upon heaven's outskirts, nor all Paradise
This hour compel?
Beloved, thy eyes
Beseech me to overcome thee with my will.
Munjoolica entering Vuthsa releases Vasavadutta.
Princess!
Calledst thou not?
'Tis forgotten. Oh, I remember.
'Twas to lead Vuthsa to his prison. (low) Smile,
And I will beat thee! It was all thy fault.
Oh, very little.
Come, the hour is late;
The Princess' maidens will come trooping in.
Turn not reluctant eyes behind but come.
She takes Vuthsa by both wrists
and leads him out.
There is a fire within me and a cry.
My longings have all broken in a flood
And I am the tossed spray! O my desire
That criest for the beauty of his limbs
And to feel all his body with thyself
And lose thy soul in his sweet answering soul,
Wilt thou not all this night be silent? I
Will walk upon the terrace in moonlight;
Perhaps the large, silent night will give me peace
For now 'twere vain to sleep. O in his arms!
His arms about me and the world expunged!
The tower-room by the terrace.
Vuthsa asleep on a couch; Munjoolica.
He sleeps and now to lure my victim here.
Vasavadutta (approaching at the doorway)
Yes, to come in from moonlight to the moon.
Thou hast never seen him yet asleep.
He sleeps!
His curls are pillowed on one golden arm
Like clouds upon the moon. Wilt thou not see?
I dare not. I will stand here and will see.
Thou shalt not. Either pass or enter in.
Thou playst the tyrant? I will stand and see.
Munjoolica (pushing her suddenly in)
Munjoolica!
Hush, wake him not!
She drags her to the couch-side.
a moment goes quietly out and
closes the door.
Oh, now I feel
My mother's heart when over me she bowed
Wakeful at midnight! He has never had
Since his strange birth a mother's, sister's love.
O sleeping soul of my beloved, hear
My vow that while thy Vasavadutta lives,
Thou shalt not lack again one heart's desire,
One tender bodily want. All things at once,
Wife, mother, sister, lover, playmate, friend,
Queen, comrade, counsellor I will be to thee.
Self shall not chill my heart with wedded strife,
Nor age nor custom pale my fire of love.
I have that strength in me, the strength to love of gods.
A tress of her hair falls on his
face and awakens him.
O Vasavadutta, thou hast come to me!
It was not I! Munjoolica dragged me in.
She hastens to the door and finds
it bolted from outside.
What is this jest?
I shall be angry.
Open. 
Munjoolica (outside, solemnly)
For pity, sweet Munjoolica!
I settle my accounts. Be happy. I
Am gone.
Go not, go not, Munjoolica.
She's gone, the thrice-blessed mischief, and tonight
This happy prison thou gav'st me is thine too.
Goddess! thou art shut in with thy delight.
Why wouldst thou flee then through the doors of heaven?
O not tonight! Be patient! I will ask
My father; he will give me as thy wife.
Thou thinkst I'll take thee from thy father's hands
Like a poor Brahmin begging for a dole?
Not so do heroes' children wed, nor they
Who from the loins of puissant princes sprang.
With the free interchange of looks and hearts
Nobly self-given, heaven for the priest
And the heart's answers for the holy verse,
They are wedded or by wished-for violence torn
Consenting, yet resisting from the midst
Of many armèd men. So will I wed thee,
O Vasavadutta, so wilt bear by force
Out of the house and city of my foes 
Breaking through hostile gates. By a long kiss
I'll seal thy lips that vainly would forbid.
Let thy heart speak instead the word of joy,
O Vasavadutta.
Do with me what thou wilt, for I am thine.
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