Character of Vasantsena:-

Character of Vasantsena:-

v Introduction:-

            Dr. Ryder rightly remarks, “Mrichchakatikam displays admirably three characteristic of its author, his variety, his skill in drawing to characters and his humour.

            Sudraka was well versed in the art of Characterization. Here he has given all sorts of chapters, high and low and they are undoubted living men and women. They represent different walks of life. They belonged to different classes and profession of the society. The real interest of this poetic drama lives in its very varied world of characters. We find people of different caste, clour and creed. We have a wide range of characters such as the Brahmin hero like Charudatta, Vadusaka like Maitreya, Villain like Sakara, revolutionary like Sharvilaka, Cultured men like the two Vitas and the three Ceteas as against the grumblers and drunkards like Mathusa, Barduraka, Dutakars and Samvahaka, loyal and diligent officers like Viraka and Candanaka and also the life like portraits of the heroines, Vasantsena, Madanika and Dhuta.

v Vasantsena; Different from other heroine:-

            No other heroine in Sanskrit literature can produce such a lasting effect on the mind of the reader as does this beautiful young jewel of a courtesan. Sakuntala, Sita, Parvati and others are undoubtedly Ideal women and worthy patterns for woman-kind, but their self-sacrifice and self denial do not produce any sensational wonder. Everyone expects them to behave nobly. But here the case is quite different. She is the most beautiful courtesan and also the wealthiest one. A host of young handsome men woo her with presents of ornaments and gold coins. Even Sakara, the king’s brother-in-laws falls madly in hove with her. We rub our eyes in wonder when every calls her Kulstree we ask ourselves a question whether such a thing could really happen. For his reason, no one can ever forget Vasantsena and her hearty love for a poor Brahman like Charudatta. He is a man whose only wealthy is his nobility of soul.

v  Her immortal love for Charudatta:-

            Vasantsena has all the qualities of an ideal lay, nobility of heart and fondness for children.. Here love for Charudatta is a sort religion to her. She worships him as a God. She has nothings to do with kings or ministers or Brahmana scholars or rich traders woo are always away from their homes. She prefers a poor Brahmana who has nobility of mind and should so that one could charge her with any low motives in loving him. She loves him so intensely that she considers any object associated with Charudatta as most sacred and holy. She is eager to get the “Parvaraka” from Karnampuraka because it is worn by Charudatta. She gives a warm welcome to Samvahaka and pays off his debt only because he is  very close to Charudatta. Vadusaka is escorted by her attendant because he comes to her as Charudatta’s messenger. She realizes the real nobility of Charudatta’ heart when Vadusaka offers her the ‘Ratnavalit’ as a substitute for the stolen ornaments. There and then she decides to offer herself to him. When Sakara insult her lover and call him poor Charudatta she becomes almost made with anger and kicks him away. She is ready to face any danger for the sake of her love for him. She faces death with the sacred name of hero lover on her lips.

v  Her presence of mind:-

            She never loses her balance of mind in the time of difficult. She is wise and cunning enough to find her own way cut of any difficult when Sakara, along with his companions, Vita and Ceta chase her in this late evening, she uses the presence of mind, puts off the flame which her garment and enters Charudatta’ house safely. Thus she overcomes a great risk by using her resourcefulness. This incident also shows the intensity o her love for him. No other heroine in Sanskrit literature except Sita has passed through such physical tortures. I do not agree with Dr. Ryder who says, “She can not be called a great character.” Really he fails to give justice to her character.

v  An ideal woman and full of humour:-

            Though she is a courtesan, she has all the qualities of an ideal woman. She always yearns to be an ideal wife of a gentleman. She hates to be at the end call of the rich. She never hankers after money. She does not want to sell her body for money only. If so, she might have married a rich prince, but She says that she wants love, not slavery. For this reason only, she falls head over the heels in love with Charudatta. The following ones of an English poet are fully applicable to her.

“Love is a part of a man’s life,

But for a woman it is her whole life.”

            She loves him eagerly and whole-heartedly. She loves everything that is associated with him. She is full humour and playfulness which make her all the more attractive. For example, while returning the same ornaments to her given to him by Sharvilaka, she humorously repeats Charudatta’s own words, “Please accept these ornaments as substitute to those which I have lost in gambling.” Both Charudatta and Vidusaka are put to shame when they they hear these wolds. Vidusak hesitatingly says, “ Yes, I have sen such ornaments’ before”. Do we ever find such a smart and lfie like- heroine anywhere else in Sanskrit literature?

v  Vasantsena’s frank nature

            Vasantsena’s frank nature wins the hearts of the almost all the charters in this play. She receives laudatory opinions of Charudatta’s household. She tries to win the hart of Charudatta’s wife also with sweet and charming words. She says, she also gives her the necklace which Charudatta’s wife Dhuia returns to her. She readily gives her ornaments Rhohasena, Charudatta’s son, to get a guldens toy-cart made out them. She introduced Madanika to Sharvilaka in a very jolly fashion. Vita offers the following tribute when he mistakes Vasantsena to be dead, “Alas ! Vasantsena! The river of courtesy ahs dwindled away. Rati has gone back to her country. The ornament of ornaments, possessing a charming face, river of noble nature poele lie, the storehouse of charm, the market of love ahs disappeared  ! Alas! oh! Alas!

v Conclusion( Immortal Character)

            Thus Vasantsena is beyond comparison in the midst of the sighing and languishing young heroines of Sanskrit play. She is not a beautiful doll like Bhavbhuta’s Malati. One possesses the initiative force and strength of character that Vasantsena display. There is a strong of beautiful young women whose patient endurance is matchless, but here is no one whose life blazes into heroic glory in the face of death. Really, Sudraka has immortalized Vasantsena on account of her noble nature and intense love on which even Gods themselves ought to throw incense.