153 
H I N D O 
In his fufpicions ; and Sacontala, as (lie retreats in tears, 
is fnatched away by a body of light in a female form. Soon 
after, the ring, which had fallen into a brook, is brought 
to the king, who inftantly recognizes his wife, and afflicts 
himfelf greatly for her lofs. He is, at length, in conl'e- 
quence of fupernatural afflftance, reftored to her, with 
the additional fatisfafiion of finding her delivered of a fon, 
of whom it was predicted, that ‘ before he had paffed the 
ocean of mortal life, he fflould rule, unequalled in com¬ 
bat, this earth with feven peninfulas; and that, as he was 
then called Servademana, becaul’e he tamed even in child¬ 
hood the fiercell animals, fo in his riper years, he fflould 
acquire the name of Bharata, becaule he fflould fufcain and 
nouuiffl the world.’ 
The following beautiful fcene takes place at the parting 
of Sacontala, when (he quits the holy foreft for the palace 
of her hufband : 
Anufuya. The fflades of night are difperfed ; and I am 
hardly awake ; but were I ever lb perfectly in my fenfes, 
what could I now do ? My hands move not readily to 
the ufual occupations of the morning.—Let the blame be 
call on love, on love only, by whom our friend has been 
reduced to her prefent condition, through a monarch who 
has broken his word.—Or does the imprecation of Dur- 
vafas already prevail ?—How elle could a virtuous king, 
who made fo folemn an engagement, have buffered fo long 
a time to elaple without lending even a melfage ?—Shall 
we convey the fatal ring to him ?—Or what expedient 
can be fuggefted for the relief of this incomparable girl, 
who mourns without cealing ?—Yet what fault has ffle 
committed ?—With all my zeal for her happinefs, I can¬ 
not fummon courage enough to inform our lather Canna 
that ffle is pregnant.—What then, oh ! what Hep can I 
take to relieve her anxiety. 
Priyamvada enters. 
Pri. Come, Anufuya, come quickly. They are making 
fuitable preparations for conducting Sacontala to her hul- 
band’s palace. 
Auit. [ With furprife.] What fay you, my friend ? 
Pri. Hear me. I went juft now to Sacontala, meaning 
only to afk if (lie had flept well- 
Ami. W hat then ? oh ? what then ? 
Pri. She was fitting with her head bent on her knee, 
when our father Canna, entering her apartment, em¬ 
braced and congratulated her.—“ My fweet child,” faid 
he, “ there has been a happy omen: the young Brahmin 
who officiated in our morning facrifice, though his fight 
was impeded by clouds of fmoke, dropped the clarified 
butter into the very centre of the adorable flame.—Now, 
fince the pious aft of my pupil has profpered, my fofter- 
child mull not be buffered any longer to [anguibh in bor¬ 
row ; and this day I am determined to fend thee from 
the cottage of the old hermit who bred thee up, to the 
palace of the monarch who has taken thee by the hand.” 
Anu. My friend, who told Canna what paffed in his 
ab le nee ? 
Pri. When he entered the place where the holy fire was 
blazing, he heard a voice from heaven pronouncing di¬ 
vine meafures- 
Anu. [ Amazed .] Ah ! you aftoniffl me. 
Pri. Hear the celeftial verfe :—“ Know that thy adopt¬ 
ed daughter, O pious Brahmin, has received from Dulh- 
manta a ray of glory deftined to rule the world ; as the 
wood Sami becomes pregnant with myfterious fire.” 
Anu. [ Embracing Priyamvada.] I am delighted, my be¬ 
loved ; I am tranfported with joy. But—fince they mean 
to deprive us of our friend fo loon as to-day, I feel that 
my delight is at leaft equalled by my forrow. 
Pri. Oh ! we muff fubmit patiently to the anguiffl of 
parting. Our beloved friend will now be happy; and 
that fflould confole us. 
Anu.. Let us now make hafte to drefs her in. bridal ar¬ 
ray. I have already, for that purpofe, 'filled the fnell of 
a cocoa-nut, which you fee fixed on an Amra tree, with 
the fragrant dull of Nagacelaras 5 take it down and keep 
O S T A N. 
it in a frefh lotos-leaf, whilft I colleft borne Gorachana 
from the forehead of a (acred cow, fome earth from con- 
fecrated ground, and fome frelh cufa grabs, of which I 
will make a pafte to enfure good fortune. 
Pri. By all means. 
[S/;« takes down the perfume. -Anufuya goes out. 
[ Behind the feenes.] O Gautami, bid the two Mifras,Sarn- 
garava and Saradwata, make ready to accompany my child 
Sacontala. 
Pri. [Lifning.] Lobe no time, Anufuya-, lobe no time. 
Our father Canna is giving orders for the intended jour¬ 
ney to Haiti napura. 
Anufuya re-enters mth the ingredients of her charm. 
Anu. I am here : let us go, my Priyamvada. [ They both 
advance. 
Pri. [ Looking .] There (lands our Sacontala, after her 
bath at fun-rife, while many holy women, who are con¬ 
gratulating her, carry balkets of hallowed grain.-Let 
us haften to greet her. 
Enter Sacontala, Gautami, and female Hermits. 
Sac. I proftrate myfelf before the goddefs. 
Gaut. My child, thou canft not pronounce too often 
the word, goddefs : thus wilt thou procure great felicity 
for thy lord 
Herm. Mayft thou, O royal bride, be. delivered of a hero 1 
[ The Hermits go out r 
Both damfcls. [ Approaching Sacontala.] Beloved friend, 
was your bath pleafant ? 
Sac: O ! my friends, you are welcome : let us fit awhile 
together. [ They feat therfelves. 
Anu. Now you mv.ft be patient, whillt I bind on a charm 
to fecure your happinefs. 
Sac. That is kind.-Much-has been decided this- 
day : and the pleafure of being thus attended by my fweet 
friends will not boon return. [ Wiping off her tears, 
Pri. Beloved, it is unbecoming to weep at a time when 
you are going to be bo happy.— [ Both damfels burji into tears 
as they drefs her.'] Your elegant perl’on deferves richer ap¬ 
parel : it is now decorated with luch rude dowers as we 
could procure in the foreft. 
Canna’s Pupil enters with rich clothes. 
Pup. Here is a complete drefs. Let the queen wear it 
aubpicioully ; and may her life be long ! [ The women look, 
with afionifnment. 
Gaut. My fon, Harita, whence came this apparel ? 
Pup. From the devotion of our father Canna,. 
Gaut. What doft thou mean ? 
Pup. Be attentive. The venerable fage gave this order: 
“ Bring freffl flowers for Sadontala from the moft beauti¬ 
ful trees :” and fuddenly- the wood-nymphs appeared,, 
railing their hands, which rivalled new leaves in beauty 
and foftnefs. Some of them wove a lower mantle bright 
as the moon, the prefage of her felicity ; another prelfed- 
the juice of laeffla to itain her feet exquilitely red; the¬ 
rd! were bulled in forming the gayelt ornaments; and! 
they eagerly fflowered their gifts on us. 
Pri. [Looking ai'Sacontala.] Thus it is, that even the 
bee, whofe neft is within the hollow trunk, does homage 
to the honey of the lotos-flower. 
Gaut. The nymphs mult have been commiffoned by 
the goddefs of the king’s , fortune, to preel iff the accellioiv 
of brighter ornaments in his palace. [Sacontala looks modejl 
Pup. I mult haften to Canna, who is gone to bathe in. 
the Malini, and lei him know the fignal kindnefs of the 
wood-nymphs.. [He gees out. 
Anu. My fweet frend, I little expeffed fo fplendid a drefs : 
—how (hall I adjuft it properly ?— [Confidering] —Oh ! my 
(kill in painting will fupply me with fome hints ; and I 
will difpofe the drapery according to art. 
Sac. I know well your affe&ion for him. 
Canna entersmeditating 
Can. [Af de.] This day muft Sacontala depart : that is 
rrifolved ; yetrny foul is (mitten.with anguilh,—My bpeech 
is interrupted by a torrent of tears, which my reafon (up- 
prelbes and turns inward ; my very fight is dimmed — 
Strange 
