Character of
Vasantasena
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 Vasantasena. Sakuntala,
Sita, Draupadi and others are undoubtedly ideal women and worthy patterns for
the woman-kind, but their self-sacrifice and self denial do not produce any
sensational wonder. Sudraka was well versed in the art of characterization. In
his prakarana play Mrichchhakatika he has presented all sorts of characters high
and low and it was indeed a daring task for Sudraka to present
onstage, in a rigid patriarchal ancient Indian society the consummation of a
love affair between a respected Brahmin merchant Charudatta with the courtesan
Vasantasena. In the ancient Indian society women were classified into three
classes, viz. ‘Prakasanari’ or ganika, ‘Aprakasanari’ or Kulavadhu and
‘Bhujisya’ or slave girls. Vasantasena a ganika of Ujjayini has been elevated
to the rank of a lady by Sudraka owing to her rare virtues which distinguishes
her from a typical courtesan.
Vasantasena is the
most beautiful and the wealthiest courtesan of Ujjayini. A host of young
handsome men woo her with presents of ornaments and gold coins. Even Sakara,
the King’s brother-in-law falls madly in love with her. But Vasantasena,
has fallen in love with Charudatta after seeing him in the Garden of Lord Kama.
The love in her heart is further triggered when pursued by the King’s lusty
brother-in-law, she secretly slips into Charudatta’s dilapidated old house by
extinguishing the lamp “with the hem of her garment.” On meeting Charudatta,
whose poverty does not allow her to stay with him as a courtesan, she asks for
the favour of leaving her ornaments “as a deposit” in his house. When he
protests that his house is not fit for keeping deposits she reminds him that
deposits are entrusted not to houses but to persons. In the second
act, in conversation with her maid Madanika, Vasantsena reveals how she is love
sick. She tells her that she deposited the ornaments so as to have a reason to
visit Charudatta again, and so, in a sense, what she deposits with Charudatta
are not her ornaments but her love. Vasantasena's boldness is also
highlighted when she is seen talking comfortably to her maid about how she
wants to enjoy the pleasure of youth and true love instead of serving some king
who needs to be served for the sake of his money. Charudatta opens before her
an impossible chasm, a chasm that can only be leapt over by the radical and
excessive emotion of love. It is as if the courtesan, the traditional
gold-digger, has found an opportunity to discover a heart of gold within her;
and it is only by letting go of her greedy ways that she can make the
liberating leap of unconditional love.
Vasantasena
has all the qualities of an ideal noble lady- her nobility of heart, her
fondness for children and above all her immortal love for the poor Brahmana
Charudatta. Her love for Charudatta is a sort of religion to her. She loves him
so intensely that she considers any object associated with him as most sacred
and holy. She is eager to get the ‘Parvaraka’ only because it was worn by
Charudatta. She gives a warm welcome to Samavakha and pays off his debt only
because he was a former employee of Charudatta. When Sakara insults her lover
and calls him poor and wretched she becomes almost mad with anger and kicks him
away. She even faces death with the sacred name of her lover on her lips.
Vasantasena’s
actions towards Charudatta’s wife Dhuta till the end is praise worthy. She does
not hesitate to consider herself the servant of Dhuta, she loves Rohasena the
son of Charudatta as a mother loves her own child. She gives all her ornaments
to Radanika to console the child who is crying just for the sake of a golden
cart. Vasantasena is skilled artist, intelligent and learned woman. She has the
sharpness of understanding even the symbolic words. She understood the words of
Rohasena and removes all her ornaments so as to become the mother of
Rohasena.She releases Madanika from the services only because of her wisdom and
love for Sarvilaka. She is so kind hearted that she is ready to release all the
servants without any ransom. The picture which Vasantasena shows to Madanika
was drawn by herself. She explains the rain inthe poem which she has written.
She has the knowledge ofSanskrit, the language of the scholarly people, apart
from the colloquial Prakrit. She talked with Maitreya in Sanskrit only. She is
full of humour and playfulness which make her all the more attractive. For
instance while returning the same ornaments giver to her by Sharvilaka, she
humorously repeats Charudatta’s own words; “Please accept these ornaments as
substitute to those which I have lost in gambling.” Vasantasena’s frank and
jovial nature wins the heart of almost all the characters in the play as well
as that of the audience.
Thus, Vasantasena is beyond comparison in the midst of
the singing and languishing heroines of Sanskrit plays. She is neither a
beautiful doll like Bhavbhuta’sMalati, nor a mere idol of innocence like
Kalidasa’sSakuntala, but one that possesses force and strength of character.
Vasantasena emerges as one whose life blazes into heroic glory in the face of
death, her noble nature and selfless love gets rewarded by being elevated to
the status of a ‘vadhu’ from a ‘ganika’.
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