रत्नावली नाटिका (सम्राट हर्षवर्धन - शास्त्रीय नाटिका रत्न सम्पूर्ण ४ अङ्क सान्वय सटीक)

of a lady of noble birth and steady character. In the third act
when she comes to know the plot hatched by Vidushaka and
Susangatá she shows her ill temper but subsequently she repents
her own attitude towards the King and comes back to be reconciled
with him. (cf: हञ्जे काञ्चनमाले, तथा चरणनिपतितमार्यपुत्रमवधीय्यागच्छन्त्या
मयातिनिष्ठुरं कृतम्। तदिदानीं स्वयमेव नामार्यपुत्रमनुनेष्यामि—III)
This shows her nobility of character and unswerving love for
her lord. She imprisoned Ságariká so that she might not come
to the view of the king, but she never adopted the attitude quite
in contrary to her tender nature. When the fire broke out she
screamed out that Ságariká was within the palace and got anxious
for her rescue so that she might not perish in the fire. Ságariká
was her rival, she could easily see her perish in the fire, but
her noble birth and tender heart did not allow her to maintain that
inhuman attitude. Her magnaninity is further testified by her
attitude when she handed over Ságariká to the king for marriage.
By that she shows her utmost affectionate feeling towards Ságariká
when the latter was in the position of truly being her rival.
(4) Sagarika.—She is the heroine of the drama. Her original
name Ratnávali was disgnised by the trick of the minister
under the name of Ságariká as she was rescued from the sea. She
was being brought from Simhala for marriage with the king of the
Vatsas, but in the way she fell a victim to the accident. She was
embarassed at such an adverse fortune and being made over to
Vásavadattá she lived there as a docile, amiable and humble girl
utterly resigned to the sweet will of the Queen. The noticeable
thing in her character is her intense love for the King at the very
first sight and being unable to fulfil her object tried even to put
an•end to her life (सर्व्वथा मरणमेव मम मन्दभागिन्या उपेक्षितम्). As a lady
of high birth, simple nature, susceptible to a keen sense of self-
prestige it is quite likely that she should be despondent of her life
under the adverse circumtances—quite in contrary to the situation
under which she was born and brought up. She could have