प्रियदर्शिका नाटिका (सम्राट हर्षवर्धन - चतुरङ्क शास्त्रीय नाटिका सान्वय सटीक)

XXIV
and at once orders her to be brought before the king who with
his knowledge of magic spells, will save her life. Āraṇyikā
is then brought on the stage in a dying condition. The Cham-
berlain recognizes her and tells Vāsavadattā that she
is the lost Priyadarśikā the daughter of his master, king
Dṛḍhavarman. King Vatsa repeats his magic formulas
which counteract the effect of the poison and Āraṇyikā is
gradually restored to life. Vāsavadattā is delighted to find
that Āraṇyikā, who is no other than her cousin Priyadarśikā,
also called Priyadarśanā is restored to life. She then places
her cousin's hand in the hand of the King to indicate that she
is his lawful wife, in accordance with the promise of Dṛḍha-
varman. The play thus ends happily with the customary
benedictory stanza, praying for universal peace, prosperity
and contentment.
———
(2) THE SOURCES OF THE PLOT OF THE PLAY
The plot of the Priyadarśikā, in its general outline, is
derived from the semi-legendary life of King Udayana as
given in the Bṛhatkathā of Guṇāḍhya. The story of the loves
of Udayana, king of Kauśambī also called Vatsarāja, and
Vāsavadattā and of his romantic adventures, seems to have
been exceedingly popular in ancient India judging from the fact
that it has been referred to and turned to literary account by
many Sanskrit poets. It is referred to by Kālidāsa in his
Meghadūta — प्राप्यावन्तीनुदयनकथाकोविदग्रामवृद्धान् and प्रद्योतस्य प्रियदुहितरं
वत्सराजोऽत्र जह्रे and by Śūdraka in his Mṛcchakaṭika
—यौगन्धरायण इवोदयनस्य राज्ञः. Bhāsa, one of the earlier poets, has
taken the love intrigues of Udayana for the theme of two of
his plays—स्वप्नवासवदत्त and प्रतिज्ञायौगन्धरायण. Subandhu in his well-
known Vāsavadattā deals with the adventures of Udayana in
the acquisition of Vāsavadattā. In the कथासरित्सागर of सोमदेवभट्ट
who lived in the 11th century, the story of उदयन is related at
length. Udayana was the son of Sahasrānīka (see note on
Vatsarāja p. 3). Sahasrānīka married Mṛgāvatī the
daughter of Kṛtavarman king of Ayodhyā. When Mṛgā-
vatī was pregnant she had a desire to bathe in a pond
of blood-water. While bathing she was snatched away by a
bird of the race of Garuḍa and left on the Rising mountain.
A young sage saw her there lamenting and took her to