nd 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.

CHITRA

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 scenery--the 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 friend--Vasanta--the 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 chang