Vaishampāyana said:—Thereupon king Vajramābha ordered the Asuras living
in their own cities, "Give them most excellent rooms (1). Treat them as
guests, give them various jewels and various raiments which please
people (2)." Receiving the order of their Chief they did all this. And
arriving there, the actors too, heard of before, excited their curiosity
(3). With great delight they welcomed the actor with presents of jewels
(4). Thereupon the actor, who had obtained the boon, pleased highly the
citizens of Supura with his dancing (5). They gave a performance of the
great epic Rāmāyana: the birth of the incomparable Vishnu for the
destruction of the king of Rakshasas (Ravana) (6). How Lomapāda and
Dasharatha had brought for Shānta, the Muni Rishwashringa through
prostitutes (7). In that performance the actors so perfectly personated
the characters of Rāma, Lakshmana, Shatrughna, Bharata, Rishwashringa
and Sānta, that even the elderly Dānavas were startled and spoke
repeatedly of the similarity of their appearances (8–9). Seeing their
dresses, acting, entrance and introduction the Dānavas were filled with
wonder. With particular parts of the performance the Asuras were so much
pleased and attracted that they repeatedly rose up, expressed their
appreciation and gave away charming necklaces of gold and Vaidurja,
bracelets and cloths. After receiving their remuneration the actors,
with separate slokas, eulogised the Asuras in order of their family and
birth (9-13). O king, afterwards the inhabitants of the dependant cities
communicated to Vajra nābha the arrival of the beautiful actors (14). O
Bhārata, the king of Daityas had already heard of it. Now pleased he
sent a messenger to bring the actor. At the mandate of the king of
Dānavas, the Daityas, living in branch cities, took the Yadavas,
disguised as actors, to the charming city of Vajra (15-16). For their
accomodation, a beautiful house, built by the celestial architect, was
offered, and necessary articles, by hundreds, were given them (17).
There upon having set up a beautiful pandal the great Asura, Vajranābha,
made a great festival with the actors (18). After they had been relieved
of toil the highly powerful Vajranābha gave profuse jems and requested
them to begin the play (19). O king, having kept the women of his family
behind a screen at a place from which they could see all, the great
Asura himself sat with his kinsmen (20). Then dressing themselves as
actors, and arranging for the concert the Bhaimas, of dreadful deeds,
went on with the performance (21). They first played various tunes on
musical instruments, as Kansya, Venu, Muraja etc. Afterwards the women,
brought by the Bhaimas, sang the Gandharva song _Chhalikya_, delightful
to the mind and ears (22–23). Then with seven scales, _Gāndhāra_ and
others, three _Grāmas_, and with _Rāgas_, _Vasanta_ and others, they
sang sweetly the song of the sacred discension of Ganga (24). Hearing
that sweet song of the coming down of Gangā set in time and tune Asuras
rose up again and again and pleased the actors (25). For some business
the powerful Pradyumna, who had assumed the guise of an actor, Gada and
Shāmva conducted the Nāndi.³⁰⁶ After the termination of the Prologue
Rukshmini’s son sang the hymn, accompanied with beautiful gestures, of
the descension of Gangā. Afterwards they began the performance of the
drama Rambhābhisara,³⁰⁷ Shura acted the part of Rāvana, Monovati
represented Rambhā, Pradyumna Nalakuvara and Shāmva his Vidushaka³⁰⁸ By
their illusory powers the Yādavas represented the scene of Kailāsha
(26-29). They acted how the wicked Rāvana was imprecated by Nalakuvara,
worked up with anger and how Rambhā was consoled (30). After the
performance of this drama, the glory of the high-souled Nārada by the
heroic Yādavas, the Dānavas were pleased with the dancing of the highly
powerful Bhaimas. They gave them costly apparels, jewelleries, necklaces
set with costly jems, beautiful balloons, cars ranging in the sky,
elephants coursing in the etherial region, cool and celestial sandal,
Agura, and other scents and the valuable jem Chintāmani which gives all
that is thought of. Giving away presents in this way at every scene
those Dānavas were deprived of their riches and jewels. Even the women
of the Danava-Chiefs shared the same fate (31–37).
On the other hand, Prabhāvati’s friend Suchimukhi said to her:—"O you of
fair beauty, I had gone to the charming city of Dwārakā protected by the
Bhaimas. O you of sweet smiles and beautiful eyes, I saw Pradyumna there
secretly and told him about your love for him, O you having lotus eyes.
Pleased he has appointed this evening for meeting you (38–40). O you of
a beautiful waist, the Bhaimas never speak an untruth; verily to-day you
will meet your love" (41). Hearing it Prabhāvati, filled with joy, said
to the goose:—"O fair lady, to-day wait in my room and sleep here. If
you live by me I do not fear any body. With you I wish to see Keshava’s
son." The goose said to her lotus eyed friend Prabhāvati "So it will
be." Afterwards with Prabhāvati, she went up to her quarters (42–44).
Thereupon in the upper storey of that house constructed by the celestial
Architect, Prabhāvati began to make arrangements against Pradyumna’s
arrival. After the completion of the arrangements, the goose, with
Prabhāvati’s permission, went away speedily like air for bringing Kāma.
Going to Kāma who was living in the guise of an actor that one of sweet
smiles said "You will see her to night". And returning speedily she said
to Prabhāvati, "O you of expansive eyes, console yourself; Rukshmini’s
son is coming" (45–48). Thereupon seeing a fragrant garland filled with
bees carried for Prabhāvati, the highly powerful and self-controlled
hero, Pradyumna, the slayer of his enemies, sat there on assuming the
form of a bee. That garland, covered with black-bees, was taken by the
maid servants to the inner appartment and kept near Prabhāvati. O gentle
king, when gradually evening set in, the other bees fled away. Then
having none to follow him the heroic Bhaima chief slowly sat on
Prabhāvati’s ear (49-53).
Thereupon beholding the highly charming full moon arise there
Prabhāvati, a clever speaker, said to the goose, "O friend, my limbs are
burning, my mouth is being dried up and my heart is filled with
curiosity. What is the name of this disease? The newly-risen full moon
of cool-rays is liked by all. It is still creating anxiety in me as if
it is not liked by me. Oh fie on the nature of a woman! I have not seen
him—I have wanted him after only hearing of him—still my limbs are
burning. I am saying so of my own accord lest my love may not come.
Alas! If he does not come I will meet the same fate with the silly lily.
Alas! Although I am self-controlled still I have been bitten by
serpent-like Cupid (54–58). The rays of the moon are by nature cool,
delightful and charming. But, wonder, they are scorching my body. The
wind, carrying the filaments of various flowers, is cool by nature,
still it is scorching my beautiful frame like forest-fire (59–60). I am
thinking of being patient, but my weak mind, shattering my resolution,
does not allow me to do so. Forsooth, losing control over my mind, I
will run mad and be killed, for my heart is trembling and I am looking
again and again wildly (61–62)".
³⁰⁶ Eulogium of a king or praise of a deity recited in benedictory
verses at the commencement of a religious ceremony or the opening
of a drama.
³⁰⁷ A drama describing the going away of Rambha in search of her
lover.
³⁰⁸ Something like a fool attached to the Royal Courts.