Continued from the previous part ...
Virāṭa, Uttara, Pāṇḍavas and Abhimanyu constitute the third group of people. It is almost impossible to undertake an exclusive study of their characters, values, and the episodes associated with them; their nature and character are closely knit with each others. Abhimanyu’s character is noteworthy and here is a small extract from the drama.
Bhīma carries him to Virāṭa’s court and begins speaking about the boy with the words, “Abhimanyu!” The young prince is annoyed that his name was called without any honorifics attached to it; he says, “Abhimanyu? You merely call me Abhimanyu!” Arjuna also calls him by his name and the young prince again gets annoyed. Enraged, he says, “How dare these imbeciles address kṣattriyas by their names!” But Arjuna does not end the conversation by merely calling out the lad’s name.
Bṛhannalā (Arjuna): Abhimanyu, is your mother keeping well?
Abhimanyu: What? You ask about my mother? Are you Dharmarāja, Bhīmasena, or Arjuna ? You speak like a father asking his son about the well-being of his mother!
Bṛhannalā – Abhimanyu! Is Kṛṣṇa keeping well?
Abhimanyu – What! You refer even to the Bhagavān by his name? Oh yes yes! Your relative is doing well.
(Bhīma and Arjuna look at each other)
Abhimanyu – Well, well! You seem to be demeaning me! Are you trying to ridicule me?
Bṛhannalā – Not at all! Your father is Arjuna and maternal uncle is Janārdana; you are a young warrior skilled in the use of weapons. Is it right for you to have lost the battle?
Abhimanyu – Think before you speak! People of our clan don’t boast. But you may check whose arrows took the lives of the people in the battle; there cannot be a name other than mine on the arrows!
Bṛhannalā – Ah! Then, how did you get caught by a mere foot soldier?
Abhimanyu – He was weaponless when he came to me and I thus let myself be caught; being Arjuna’s son, should I slay a person who carries no weapons?
When he appears in front of King Virāṭa, Abhimanyu does not accept him as the Mahārāja; He asks “Whose king is he?”
Virāṭa – Alright, I will check his arrogance. Who brought him here?
Bhīma – That was me, O Mahārāja!
Abhimanyu – Tell him that you caught me when you were weaponless!
Bhīma – My powerful arms are my weapons. I fight using my arms. Only those who are physically weak fight with a bow
Abhimanyu – Are you my uncle? These words only befit him.
Dharmarāja – Who do you refer to as your uncle?
Abhimanyu – Alright, listen! Well, why should I speak to the brāhmaṇas. Someone else will answer you!
Finally, a dejected Abhimanyu says, “As I have been caught, you may chain my legs. That is the best you can do for me. I was caught in another’s arms; may Bhīma come and rescue me with his arms!”
Uttara then explains to Abhimanyu that Bṛhannalā is Arjuna. This resolves the matter and Abhimanyu is at peace.
This play does not have female characters at all.
To be continued ...
The current series of articles is an enlarged adaption of Prof. A. R. Krishnasastri's Kannada treatise Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka. They are presented along with additional information and footnotes by Arjun Bharadwaj.
