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

XXXVI
days, as is clear from the remark in the प्रस्तावना of the play,
“लोके हारि च वत्सराजचरितं ।” Hence there are no references to his
great deeds in this play save one adventure, viz., his escape
from his captivity, in which he was kept by the powerful
monarch, Mahasena Pradyota, of Avanti, and his carrying off the
latter’s daughter and making her his Queen. And since the
poet chose to write a Nāṭikā it was not his object also to
present his hero in any of the serious aspects of his character.
Bound by the hard and fast rules of Sans. Dramaturgy he
has cast his characters in the conventional mould. He has
taken care to show his hero in the enjoyment of courtly life,
the stirring events of his public life having already won for
him great popularity. We cannot, therefore, compare him with
Agnimitra, the hero of the Mālavikāgnimitra. But compar-
atively speaking the character of Vatsa is not so well
developed in this play as it is in the Ratnavali. He belongs
to the class of heroes called धीरललित,—‘Firm, gay, and tender-
hearted.’ He is courteous and affectionate to his Queen while
engaged in a new love adventure. As soon as he sees a
charming young maiden, he falls in love with her and thinks
of nothing but meeting her again and making love to her.
He is helped in his love intrigue by his companion, the
Vidushaka, and Manorama an attendant of the Queen. In the
Mimic play in which by a cunning device he is given an
opportunity of meeting Āraṇyikā, he proceeds to act towards
her in such an ardent manner that he rouses the suspicion of
his queen Vāsavadatta. When the Queen knows the whole
truth and breaks up the play in anger, he apologises to her in all
humility and even falls at her feet. Though his Queen
does not accept his apology or relent, he tries his utmost to
conciliate her. And when the Queen knowing that Āraṇyikā
is her cousin Priyadarsika, places the latter’s hand in the
King’s hand, he with delicacy withdraws his hand saying
that he is satisfied that his Queen is reconciled. One noble
trait of his character, however, is brought out when he
appreciates the valour of his fallen enemy and ungrudgingly
bestows praise on him in the words—शोभितं विन्ध्यकेतुना। साधु
विन्ध्यकेतो साधु । राजपुत्रोचितं मार्गमनुगच्छतो समाश्वासिता एव वयं विन्ध्य-
केतोर्गुणेन (Act I).