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Chitra
Sprung from the highest of all royal houses； the greatest of all heroes
is he。
Arjuna
Lady； offer not such wealth of beauty as is yours on the altar of false
reputation。 Spurious fame spreads from tongue to tongue like the fog of
the early dawn before the sun rises。 Tell me who in the highest of kingly
lines is the supreme hero？
Chitra
Hermit； you are jealous of other men's fame。 Do you not know that all
over the world the royal house of the Kurus is the most famous？
Arjuna
The house of the Kurus！
Chitra
And have you never heard of the greatest name of that far…famed
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CHITRA
house？
Arjuna
From your own lips let me hear it。
Chitra
Arjuna； the conqueror of the world。 I have culled from the mouths of
the multitude that imperishable name and hidden it with care in my
maiden heart。 Hermit； why do you look perturbed？ Has that name only a
deceitful glitter？ Say so； and I will not hesitate to break this casket of my
heart and throw the false gem to the dust。
Arjuna
Be his name and fame； his bravery and prowess false or true； for
mercy's sake do not banish him from your heartfor he kneels at your feet
even now。
Chitra
You； Arjuna！
Arjuna
Yes； I am he； the love…hungered guest at your door。
Chitra
Then it is not true that Arjuna has taken a vow of chastity for twelve
long years？
Arjuna
But you have dissolved my vow even as the moon dissolves the night's
vow of obscurity。
Chitra
Oh； shame upon you！ What have you seen in me that makes you false
to yourself？ Whom do you seek in these dark eyes； in these milk…white
arms； if you are ready to pay for her the price of your probity？ Not my true
self； I know。 Surely this cannot be love； this is not man's highest homage
to woman！ Alas； that this frail disguise； the body； should make one blind to
the light of the deathless spirit！ Yes； now indeed； I know； Arjuna； the fame
of your heroic manhood is false。
Arjuna
Ah； I feel how vain is fame； the pride of prowess！ Everything seems to
me a dream。 You alone are perfect； you are the wealth of the world； the
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CHITRA
end of all poverty； the goal of all efforts； the one woman！ Others there are
who can be but slowly known。 While to see you for a moment is to see
perfect completeness once and for ever。
Chitra
Alas； it is not I； not I； Arjuna！ It is the deceit of a god。 Go； go； my hero；
go。 Woo not falsehood； offer not your great heart to an illusion。 Go。
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CHITRA
SCENE III
Chitra
No； impossible。 To face that fervent gaze that almost grasps you like
clutching hands of the hungry spirit within； to feel his heart struggling to
break its bounds urging its passionate cry through the entire bodyand
then to send him away like a beggarno； impossible。
Enter MADANA and VASANTA。
Ah； god of love； what fearful flame is this with which thou hast
enveloped me！ I burn； and I burn whatever I touch。
Madana
I desire to know what happened last night。
Chitra
At evening I lay down on a grassy bed strewn with the petals of spring
flowers； and recollected the wonderful praise of my beauty I had heard
from Arjuna；drinking drop by drop the honey that I had stored during the
long day。 The history of my past life like that of my former existences was
forgotten。 I felt like a flower； which has but a few fleeting hours to listen
to all the humming flatteries and whispered murmurs of the woodlands
and then must lower its eyes from the Sky； bend its head and at a breath
give itself up to the dust without a cry； thus ending the short story of a
perfect moment that has neither past nor future。
Vasanta
A limitless life of glory can bloom and spend itself in a morning。
Madana
Like an endless meaning in the narrow span of a song。
Chitra
The southern breeze caressed me to sleep。 From the flowering Malati
bower overhead silent kisses dropped over my body。 On my hair； my
breast； my feet； each flower chose a bed to die on。 I slept。 And； suddenly
in the depth of my sleep； I felt as if some intense eager look； like tapering
fingers of flame； touched my slumbering body。 I started up and saw the
Hermit standing before me。 The moon had moved to the west； peering
through the leaves to espy this wonder of divine art wrought in a fragile
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CHITRA
human frame。 The air was heavy with perfume； the silence of the night
was vocal with the chirping of crickets； the reflections of the trees hung
motionless in the lake； and with his staff in his hand he stood； tall and
straight and still； like a forest tree。 It seemed to me that I had； on opening
my eyes； died to all realities of life and undergone a dream birth into a
shadow land。 Shame slipped to my feet like loosened clothes。 I heard his
call〃Beloved； my most beloved！〃 And all my forgotten lives united as
one and responded to it。 I said； 〃Take me； take all I am！〃 And I stretched
out my arms to him。 The moon set behind the trees。 One curtain of
darkness covered all。 Heaven and earth； time and space； pleasure and pain；
death and life merged together in an unbearable ecstasy。 。 。 。 With the first
gleam of light； the first twitter of birds； I rose up and sat leaning on my left
arm。 He lay asleep with a vague smile about his lips like the crescent
moon in the morning。 The rosy red glow of the dawn fell upon his noble
forehead。 I sighed and stood up。 I drew together the leafy lianas to screen
the streaming sun from his face。 I looked about me and saw the same old
earth。 I remembered what I used to be； and ran and ran like a deer afraid of
her own shadow； through the forest path strewn with shephali flowers。 I
found a lonely nook； and sitting down covered my face with both hands；
and tried to weep and cry。 But no tears came to my eyes。
Madana
Alas； thou daug