Chitra；　a　Play　in　One　Act
  by　Rabindranath　Tagore
  TO
  MRS。　WILLIAM　VAUGHN　MOODY
  PREFACE
  THIS　lyrical　drama　was　written　about　twenty…five　years　ago。　It　is
  based　on　the　following　story　from　the　Mahabharata。
  In　the　course　of　his　wanderings；　in　fulfilment　of　a　vow　of
  penance；　Arjuna　came　to　Manipur。　　There　he　saw　Chitrangada；　the
  beautiful　daughter　of　Chitravahana；　the　king　of　the　country。
  Smitten　with　her　charms；　he　asked　the　king　for　the　hand　of　his
  daughter　in　marriage。　　Chitravahana　asked　him　who　he　was；　and
  learning　that　he　was　Arjuna　the　Pandara；　told　him　that
  Prabhanjana；　one　of　his　ancestors　in　the　kingly　line　of　Manipur；
  had　long　been　childless。　　In　order　to　obtain　an　heir；　he
  performed　severe　penances。　　Pleased　with　these　austerities；　the
  god　Shiva　gave　him　this　boon；　that　he　and　his　successors　should
  each　have　one　child。　　It　so　happened　that　the　promised　child　had
  invariably　been　a　son。　　He；　Chitravahana；　was　the　first　to　have
  only　a　daughter　Chitrangada　to　perpetuate　the　race。　　He　had；
  therefore；　always　treated　her　as　a　son　and　had　made　her　his　heir。
  Continuing；　the　king　said：
  〃The　one　son　that　will　be　born　to　her　must　be　the　perpetuator　of
  my　race。　　That　son　will　be　the　price　that　I　shall　demand　for　this
  marriage。　　You　can　take　her；　if　you　like；　on　this　condition。〃
  Arjuna　promised　and　took　Chitrangada　to　wife；　and　lived　in　her
  father's　capital　for　three　years。　　When　a　son　was　born　to　them；
  he　embraced　her　with　affection；　and　taking　leave　of　her　and　her
  father；　set　out　again　on　his　travels。
  THE　CHARACTERS
  GODS：
  MADANA　（Eros）。
  VASANTA　（Lycoris）。
  MORTALS：
  CHITRA；　daughter　of　the　King　of　Manipur。
  ARJUNA；　a　prince　of　the　house　of　the　Kurus。　　He　is　of　the
  Kshatriya　or　〃warrior　caste；〃　and　during　the　action　is　living　as
  a　Hermit　retired　in　the　forest。
  VILLAGERS　from　an　outlying　district　of　Manipur。
  NOTE。The　dramatic　poem　〃Chitra〃　has　been　performed　in　India
  without　scenerythe　actors　being　surrounded　by　the　audience。
  Proposals　for　its　production　here　having　been　made　to　him；　he
  went　through　this　translation　and　provided　stage　directions；　but
  wished　these　omitted　if　it　were　printed　as　a　book。
  SCENE　I
  Chitra
  ART　thou　the　god　with　the　five　darts；　the　Lord　of　Love？
  Madana
  I　am　he　who　was　the　first　born　in　the　heart　of　the　Creator。　　I
  bind　in　bonds　of　pain　and　bliss　the　lives　of　men　and　women！
  Chitra
  I　know；　I　know　what　that　pain　is　and　those　bonds。And　who　art
  thou；　my　lord？
  Vasanta
  I　am　his　friendVasantathe　King　of　the　Seasons。　　Death　and
  decrepitude　would　wear　the　world　to　the　bone　but　that　I　follow
  them　and　constantly　attack　them。　　I　am　Eternal　Youth。
  Chitra
  I　bow　to　thee；　Lord　Vasanta。
  Madana
  But　what　stern　vow　is　thine；　fair　stranger？　　Why　dost　thou　wither
  thy　fresh　youth　with　penance　and　mortification？　　Such　a　sacrifice
  is　not　fit　for　the　worship　of　love。　　Who　art　thou　and　what　is　thy
  prayer？
  Chitra
  I　am　Chitra；　the　daughter　of　the　kingly　house　of　Manipur。　　With
  godlike　grace　Lord　Shiva　promised　to　my　royal　grandsire　an
  unbroken　line　of　male　descent。　　Nevertheless；　the　divine　word
  proved　powerless　to　change　the　spark　of　life　in　my　mother's　womb
  so　invincible　was　my　nature；　woman　though　I　be。
  Madana
  I　know；　that　is　why　thy　father　brings　thee　up　as　his　son。　　He　has
  taught　thee　the　use　of　the　bow　and　all　the　duties　of　a　king。
  Chitra
  Yes；　that　is　why　I　am　dressed　in　man's　attire　and　have　left　the
  seclusion　of　a　woman's　chamber。　　I　know　no　feminine　wiles　for
  winning　hearts。　　My　hands　are　strong　to　bend　the　bow；　but　I　have
  never　learnt　Cupid's　archery；　the　play　of　eyes。
  Madana
  That　requires　no　schooling；　fair　one。　　The　eye　does　its　work
  untaught；　and　he　knows　how　well；　who　is　struck　in　the　heart。
  Chitra
  One　day　in　search　of　game　I　roved　alone　to　the　forest　on　the　bank
  of　the　Purna　river。　　Tying　my　horse　to　a　tree　trunk　I　entered　a
  dense　thicket　on　the　track　of　a　deer。　　I　found　a　narrow　sinuous
  path　meandering　through　the　dusk　of　the　entangled　boughs；　the
  foliage　vibrated　with　the　chirping　of　crickets；　when　of　a　sudden
  I　came　upon　a　man　lying　on　a　bed　of　dried　leaves；　across　my　path。
  I　asked　him　haughtily　to　move　aside；　but　he　heeded　not。　　Then
  with　the　sharp　end　of　my　bow　I　pricked　him　in　contempt。
  Instantly　he　leapt　up　with　straight；　tall　limbs；　like　a　sudden
  tongue　of　fire　from　a　heap　of　ashes。　　An　amused　smile　flickered
  round　the　corners　of　his　mouth；　perhaps　at　the　sight　of　my　boyish
  countenance。　　Then　for　the　first　time　in　my　life　I　felt　myself　a
  woman；　and　knew　that　a　man　was　before　me。
  Madana
  At　the　auspicious　hour　I　teach　the　man　and　the　woman　this　supreme
  lesson　to　know　themselves。　　What　happened　after　that？
  Chitra
  With　fear　and　wonder　I　asked　him　〃Who　are　you？〃　〃I　am　Arjuna；〃　he
  said；　〃of　the　great　Kuru　clan。〃　　I　stood　petrified　like　a　statue；
  and　forgot　to　do　him　obeisance。　　Was　this　indeed　Arjuna；　the　one
  great　idol　of　my　dreams！　　Yes；　I　had　long　ago　heard　how　he　had
  vowed　a　twelve…years'　celibacy。　　Many　a　day　my　young　ambition　had
  spurred　me　on　to　break　my　lance　with　him；　to　challenge　him　in
  disguise　to　single　combat；　and　prove　my　skill　in　arms　against
  him。　　Ah；　foolish　heart；　whither　fled　thy　presumption？　　Could　I
  but　exchange　my　youth　with　all　its　aspirations　for　the　clod　of
  earth　under　his　feet；　I　should　deem　it　a　most　precious　grace。　　I
  know　not　in　what　whirlpool　of　thought　I　was　lost；　when　suddenly　I
  saw　him　vanish　through　the　trees。　　O　foolish　woman；　neither　didst
  thou　greet　him；　nor　speak　a　word；　nor　beg　forgiveness；　but
  stoodest　like　a　barbarian　boor　while　he　contemptuously　walked
  away！　。　。　。　Next　morning　I　laid　aside　my　man's　clothing。　　I
  donned　bracelets；　anklets；　waist…chain；　and　a　gown　of　purple　red
  silk。　The　unaccustomed　dress　clung　about　my　shrinking　shame；　but
  I　hastened　on　my　quest；　and　found　Arjuna　in　the　forest　temple　of
  Shiva。
  Madana
  Tell　me　the　story　to　the　end。　　I　am　the　heart…born　god；　and　I
  understand　the　mystery　of　these　impulses。
  Chitra
  Only　vaguely　can　I　remember　what　things　I　said；　and　what　answer　I
  got。　　Do　not　ask　me　to　tell　you　all。　　Shame　fell　on　me　like　a
  thunderbolt；　yet　could　not　break　me　to　pieces；　so　utterly　hard；
  so　like　a　man　am　I。　　His　last　words　as　I　walked　home　pricked　my
  ears　like　red　hot　needles。　　〃I　have　taken　the　vow　of　celibacy。　　I
  am　not　fit　to　be　thy　husband！〃　　Oh；　the　vow　of　a　man！　　Surely
  thou　knowest；　thou　god　of　love；　that　unnumbered　saints　and　sages
  have　surrendered　the　merits　of　their　life…long　penance　at　the
  feet　of　a　woman。　　I　broke　my　bow　in　two　and　burnt　my　arrows　in
  the　fire。　I　hated　my　strong；　lithe　arm；　scored　by　drawing　the
  bowstring。　　O　Love；　god　Love；　thou　hast　laid　low　in　the　dust　the
  vain　pride　of　my　manlike　strength；　and　all　my　man's　training　lies
  crushed　under　thy　feet。　　Now　teach　me　thy　lessons；　give　me　the
  power　of　the　weak　and　the　weapon　of　the　unarmed　hand。
  Madana
  I　will　be　thy　friend。　　I　will　bring　the　world…conquering　Arjuna　a
  captive　before　thee；　to　accept　his　rebellion's　sentence　at　thy
  hand。
  Chitra
  Had　I　but　the　time　needed；　I　could　win　his　heart　by　slow　degrees；
  and　ask　no　help　of　the　gods。　　I　would　stand　by　his　side　as　a
  comrade；　drive　the　fierce　horses　of　his　war…chariot；　attend　him
  in　the　pleasures　of　the　chase；　keep　guard　at　night　at　the
  entrance　of　his　tent；　and　help　him　in　all　the　great　duties　of　a
  Kshatriya；　rescuing　the　weak；　and　meting　out　justice　where　it　is
  due。　　Surely　at　last　the　day　would　have　come　for　him　to　look　at
  me　and　wonder；　〃What　boy　is　this？　　Has　one　of　my　slaves　in　a
  former　life　followed　me　like　my　good　deeds　into　this？〃　　I　am　not
  the　woman　who　nourishes　her　despair　in　lonely　silence；　feeding　it
  with　nightly　tears　and　covering　it　with　the　daily　patient　smile；
  a　widow　from　her　birth。　　The　flower　of　my　desire　shall　never　drop
  into　the　dust　before　it　has　ripened　to　fruit。　　But　it　is　the
  labour　of　a　life　time　to　make　one's　true　self　known　and　honoured。
  Therefore　I　have　come　to　thy　door；　thou　world…vanquishing　Love；
  and　thou；　Vasanta；　youthful　Lord　of　the　Seasons；　take　from
  my　young　body　this　primal　injustice；　an