Iarpakai Nayanar: A Play

BY K N. SUNDARESAN, M.A.

(Concluded from the previous issue)

[In the earlier part of the play, Siva, in the guise of a Sanyasi, has won the Nayanar's wife, Nalinai, as a gift from him.]

SAN: Most blessed I am by your gift, what a woman she is!

NAY: Speak not about her.

SAN: Why? How devoted she is to you! I spoke only innocent words! How stormily she took herself away, shining through it all a glorious wreath of lightning glare! O, how my heart rejoices–to know that a heart will anon beat for me with similar love and faith.

NAY: I will call her. You shall lead her away.

SAN: Go, tell her, slowly, softly, with care; don't put her out of her cheerful face!

NAY: I will not go and speak with her. She is no longer mine.

SAN: Bounty indeed! Yours is true bounty, only yours in all the world! Bounty, bounty! Call her, then.

NAY: Sarada, Sarada!

SAN: The girl went outside: perhaps to call others. Make the gift before your kinsmen's hands cut off yours with, their swords! Quick! Call Nalinai, quick.

NAY: Let the whole world stand guard over her, yet you shall have her. What! she has not come!–Nali . . . no, I will not call her by name! Sarada! Sarada!

(ENTER NALINAI)

NAL: Sarada is not within, I thought she was here.

NAY: Let her come. Meanwhile put on your rich dress of peacock-blue and green and gold! And all your jewels. Dress, come, return in a trice, you must plait your hair–ah! Where is Sarada gone?

NAL: It is not now seven days since our Sumanai lost her calf, –how can you ask me to dress as for festival? Have you forgotten the calf?

NAY: I have not forgotten–how can I?

NAL: –then–I obey! (Goes in)

SAN: I fear, she will prove too much for me–a good mother indeed, she would be, lulling my tongue to eternal slumber within my beard! Yet, me seems, she would make a good wife! How she obeys you!

NAY: What! Is such a thought thine?

SAN: Which?

NAY: To call her wife? Can you deign to that?

SAN: What for, then, do I wrest from you the boon?

NAY: No wresting or wringing! I give you of my own free will; me thought, she would only serve you like a servant, . . .

SAN: Never! She shall be a queen unto me, the queen of my heart.

NAY: Alas! then I am deceived–alas!

SAN: I don't want this gift of yours! I deceive you! I cheat you? and rob you? No, no, let me go!

NAY: Stay, stay!

SAN: I have not asked you for this earth's gold or for the crowns of kingdoms–a simple thing, your own, so easy to give–for this you speak so windily! What is a wife! an empty bubble!

NAY: I know it. You shall have her–but yours must be the care not to let it burst.

SAN: That is my concern!

(ENTER SARADA)

NAY: Sarada! where have you gone? Come.

SAR: Why? to sing that song!

SAN: She offers to sing, let us hear!

NAY: Not now. Go in, dress yourself in your fairest and best, return soon!

SAR: Mamma?

NAY: She will, too. Go soon!

SAR: I will return in a trice. Ah! Mamma is coming.

(EXIT SARADA INTO THE HOUSE)

SAN: She went out crying "Woe, woe!" Now she skips in a mood of delight!

NAY: She too knows the spoken word is gone, the self-same breath never to be recalled. She will bow to the inevitable!

SAN: Inevitable–not a sad one, I hope, for you!

NAY: I rejoice I have the strength to do this! But this human gift. . . .

(ENTER NALINAI)

NAL: Sarada too shall come! We will go to the temple with her.

SAN: She has not plaited her hair, yet she looks most fair! Better than the plait. . . . .

NAY: (FACE BENT DOWN) Has she not?

NAY: For this you have asked me to come here–to feed his doting, gloating glances?

NAL: I don’t hear, my lord! Lift up your face and speak–what did you say?

NAY: I must not see you. You are no more mine. Call him "My lord", him, him!

NAL: Woe, me! Has this wizard been working you to madness? Alas–alas!

SAN: You are the wizard, Nalinai–

NAY: I am not mad. Every guest goes with a gift–and you are his! Go with him.

NAL: Woe the day! Shame! My father! My kith and kin–oh–Sarada! go, call them, save me yet from the death of a shameless life! From the very first, his ogling glances eyed me. I knew! I know him!

(ENTER ANANTHAN)

ANA: Am I too late? My Nalinai! Has it been done?

NAL: Not yet! There is yet time! Save me!

ANA: What, villain! Out with thee!

(ENTER SARADA)

SAN: Draw not your sword upon me! I only asked! Turn to the man who would give, of himself!

NAY: Leave him alone!

ANA: But thou hadst the hardihood to ask, thou foul-lipped Rakshasa!

SAN: He urged me to request him–I was going away in peace–away from an insolent door!

SAR: He persists in that! I thought he had consented to take me instead!

ANA: Is that why you are in your wedding dress–not even expecting it from the bridegroom's hands. Sarada, you are a fool, you are mad too!

SAR: Why did papa ask me to come dressed thus?

SAN: Poor girl! poor girl! her heart will break with grief.

NAY: She is not sick with love for you! Come, my dear! you wanted to save mamma! Weep not, child, weep not, go in. Let me wipe your eyes.

NAL: Oh! how she sobs! Sarada, Sarada!

SAR: Nothing, mamma! when you go–what shall we do? That is why I weep.

ANA: Mamma goes? Not while I live or the city-lamps burn to-night!

SAN: Why should he urge me to request him–I was going away in peace from an insolent door! I repeat!

ANA: Insolent door! –I know it. Sarada has told us all–thou throwest longing eyes on guileless faces! The city must hang thee at the entrance gate–thy eyes will come out of their sockets then, to look upon the many mocking eyes! And you, brother! what folly is yours? Your madness still rages wild! What are you but a taunted merchant, and you would turn the taunt to a praise.

NAY: It has become a vow with me. I could not give it up today.

ANA: Vow! Vow!

SAN: You are a good actor! You bark well for a dog!! (Laughs)

ANA: And can bite too! (Springs upon him, Nayanar holds him and speaking gently)

NAY: None is mine, none is yours, none is his! I mind not if men come, take and drink at this great Ocean of milk–this world. All are His, who, for our sake, drank the poison Himself. . .

ANA: Vow! what vow is more inviolate than that sworn seven times before the fire, chanting the eternal bonds of man and wife?

NAY: That is not more sacred.

ANA: And to hear profanation is more sacred! And to do this more sacred!!

NAY: It is not profanation to keep one's word!

ANA: And the seven-times chanted words?

SAN: He might have refused. I promised to go away, but he offered the gift.

NAL: Now he seems to feel that wife is dearer than soul! Thank Heaven, I am saved!

NAY: Surely, what folly was mine! There is a limit to bounty–and this was not mine! She is above and beyond me.

SAN: Say so, and I shall put out the light in my heart somehow! How she shone there! How I clothed her with my fond longings–how the bare white clouds were lit as a golden canopy for us both!!

ANA: Silence, rogue! you speak of my sister thus!

NAL: Brother, avenge him!

NAY: Let him enjoy his sin! I will deny him vengeange!

ANA: Sister! give me leave–I will silence the mind that thinks evil thoughts about you! Come, shall I?

NAL: No, no, we will not murder a guest.

SAN: You would kill the mind? In death too, she will, for me,-

NAY: Swami! Uma is half Siva–sooner can Siva tear him-self from Uma than I could hand thee my Nalinai.

SAN: What do you know? Siva is wholly himself, as I am! A fair excuse yours! I will go.

NAY: I cannot give her. God is against it. Ask anything else.

SAN: Arid you will as cunningly refuse, quoting all the Vedas against me.

NAY: Take my Sarada!

ANA: Are you mad? The villain to take her!

SAN: Hug that ugliness to yourself!

ANA: Thy shadow falls fairer on these walls than thy tottering deformed self!

SAN: I go!

ANA: None asked you to come, you may go.

SAN: Say what you will, behind my –I curse none of you for it. But I will keep my promise. This base mean house shall not have my blessings. I recall whatever I have blessed you with.

NAY: Will you not ask of me anything? Anything that I can grant under the smiling, approving eye of God?

SAN: Grant that I may go away, and that you debase me no more with other boons. It has pleased the Most High that I should live through such a day of insult, of dishonour, of shame! (GOES OUT).

ANA: We praise Him the more lustily, because He has saved us from you.

SAR: At last we have escaped! Mamma! Mamma! Baby sleeps, what does she know of our abysmal fears, now past!–poor thing!!

ANA: Nalinai, I must go and tell father–He was coming–though unable to stir from the bed, Such is a daughter's name to a father –I will tell him. You too must come to see him and assure him with your presence.

NAL: I will come anon.

ANA: And brother, beware! Even God cannot part you both. Only by death he can sunder, and then the dead wakes to double life in the living! Watch her, zealously! She is thine own! (GOES OUT)

NAY: Mine own! Mine own! Never!

NAL: Why not, my lord! Why not yours?

NAY: Because I cannnot dispose of you as I wish!

NAL: I am ever at your command!

NAY: But why did the Sanyasi go empty-handed today with anger in his eyes? Could I grant his desire? Something ill brews in the air, I scent it now.

SAR: Papa! Just now you confessed to uncle repenting your folly! Do you retract now?

NAY: I have retracted enough–its doom will not fail to seek out my head. My vow is broken–not my pride but my piety gone! Why? Because I could not command as I wish! Nalinai, from today let us expect the home to sink to its ruin.

NAL: I can never bear that you should complain thus of your wife. Go–bring him. I will away with him!

NAY: Sanyasi?

NAL: Yes. Bring the Sanyasi, or shall I go to meet him there? He could not have gone far! Quick, haste!

SAR: Mamma! Mamma!

NAL: Do you come for a last embrace? God bless you!

NAY: Now, now, you are my own!

NAL: I have a will, and a heart and a head–I will go with him to return to you one day! If not, we know where to meet. Haste, my lord!

NAY: He has not turned the corner of the street! I will make the Danam with due ceremony! I will run. (GOES OUT)

SAR: Because uncle has gone, you begin thus again!

NAL: Let him come, still I will do this!

SAR: I will go and call him !

NAL: You must not! Let this pass in peace! Already it is good fortune that the street has not gathered in rage at our door!

SAR: It will, now! Grandpapa, uncle, all–all shall come and witness your crime and papa's!

NAL: You will undo our will? and spill the holy alms? Silly–mischievous girl! You were ever thus!

SAR: If you love us less, I love you more. Your name will become a byword! Nalinam will no more be sacred for worship: it will desecrate our poetry! And Sarada must hang her head down, struck by the arrowy finger of public scorn! The morning shall not see me deck the portico with kolam and with golden parangi blossom! The spider's cobweb will throw its sepulchral veil over my uncombed locks! Mother, will you do it?

NAL: Perhaps the Swami has gone away rapidly. He may not return. Then there is hope. Let us wait.

SAR: But papa will seek him out!

NAL: No, no, it is night–he may not trace his footsteps. Methinks, even if found, the Swami will not consent to return!

SAR: So may it be!

NAL: (Beaming) Is it not papa's voice?

SAR: (Sadly) Alas, alas!

NAL: They come!

(ENTER NAYANAR AND SANYASI)

SAN: I wonder if you mean it! The other fellow would insult me again!

NAY: He has gone home. There is none here.

SAN: Is she willing?

NAY: It was she who asked me to bring you here! It is Siva's pleasure that you have returned to honour me again.

SAN: Quick: the street will assemble–don't put me to public shame, to vociferous clamour and scandal!

SAR: He knows it is a sin and still does it! How far is knowing from doing, alas! in this naughty world.

NAY: None will come!

SAN: If they come! You will give me up to their tongues!

Nay: There she is ready! Daughter; come, prepare!

SAR: Why? What to prepare?

SAN: She comes forward! She: for this you called me!

NAY: Why, my Swami, this rage? Is not another's wife my daughter? Hence I addressed her thus. It was Nalinai I meant!

SAN: A fair excuse! So fair of you!

SAR: The last hope is fled! Alas! (GOES OUT INTO THE STREET)

NAY: That sounds like a wail! Not a good music at a wedding!

NAL: Swami: forgive him–he is still not dead to honour. He gives me to you.

NAY: Pour water from your jar! With this Arghya of water I give her to thee.

(POURS THE WATER INTO THE SANYASI'S HANDS)

SAN: She shall be dearer to me than myself, enthroned on my soul. I take her by the hand.

NAL: Why, I would not escape from you! I would follow behind, as constant as a shadow!

SAN: Look! she refuses already!

NAL: My lord! Must I do this?

NAY: Give your hand into his!

SAN: She still calls you "lord"–not me!

NAL: Forgive me, I have changed hands too Suddenly, I forgot!

NAY: Father, stay here with us tonight or as long as you wish.

SAN: Not a moment more! A clever man indeed! claim her presence no more!

NAL: (ASIDE) How revolting! How cruelly they fall on my ears!

NAY: Shall I have music brought to lead you out of the street?

SAN: That would wake up the street: I tell you truly I would be ashamed to meet them. So, give us leave–let us go. Come, Nalinai! We have to walk a good distance before we can rest for the night.

NAL: Farewell, my lord! a long farewell! To Sarada, to all!

SAN: I forgive the word again. Farewell, good Nayanar. Take another wife. Live not a desolate life–I have known how desolate. Come Nalinai! Slowly, mind the steps!

(DESCENDING THE STEPS)

NAY: Forgive all my sins: forgive my words!

NAL: Farewell, home! farewell! How silent lies the street in the faint moonlight which faintly shows the unwilling path! (ABOUT TO GO)

(CRYING OF CHILD WITHIN)

NAY: Nalinai! the child cries! it has waked! go, quick.

SAN: What is this? Do you mock me?

NAY: Alas! alas! I forgot!

NAL: I will bring the child too.

SAN: You must not step across that door! Even after the ‘arghyam’! It was a simple wedding ceremony–no long slave's rope and five days together–still a wedding–you shall not go!

NAL: But who will nurse and suckle the child? I must take her too.

SAN: Leave her her own fingers to suck, which will be sweeter far than milk.

NAY: In the name of motherless children I fall at your feet, –take the child too with you, let her be your child. She brings with her a choir of celestial lullabies to make more beautiful the starry night! If wife be light, a child is a fragrance–what can I do with a child? Woman's is the soft coaxing voice and soothing touch to still a baby's cries!

SAN: She is not my child. I will not have a burden on my shoulders. Yours for you, and mine own for me!

NAL: Be it so! let us go–her cries will not pierce your ears nor pierce the calm night for long, Sarada will return soon.

SAN: So we must speed fast!

NAY: I will go to the child! farewell both! Nalinai: I need not tell you–He is your God. Attend him with reverent love.

SAN: One word more! I fear the street, I fear assault and attack. You too must accompany us till we reach the sheltering cocoanut grove by the temple.

(CRYING OF THE CHILD)

NAY: Who dare touch you! Ha! she cries; let me go.

SAN: Come with your sword, and keep guard as we pass,

NAY: Let every long-drawn cocoanut leaf in the grove be forged to a sword by the bright glancing moonlight–under them you shall pass on, sound, safe. I will return presently . . .

NAL: Give a good swing to the cradle ere you come.

(NAYANAR GOES WITHIN)

SAN: Come dear, my Nalinai–at last I am with you, alone–the crescent moon shines not your face.

NAL: He saves my good name still–He throws the veil on me and on thy blind old eyes.

SAN: Will you not give me your hand? Let us go. He will come behind.

(THEY SLOWLY MOVE AWAY)

NAL: Let him come. I will be as long with him as I can. Your cowardice delights me.

SAN: Then you are ashamed of me.

NAL: No,I am proud of you. I longed to accompany you; holiness commands more respect than wealth–He who commanded me so far–I rejoice that he will be a servant now to obey every whisper of yours and therefore mine.

SAN: A queen indeed!

NAL: Yet a servant to her king–the great sage who sits on his throne!

SAN: Oh! My choice–I am blessed for ever! Don't lag behind. There is no fear now–Let us go. He will come behind.

(A VOICE): - Yes; coming sooner than you wish.

SAN: He comes running, I never thought so well of him!

(ANOTHER VOICE): - Ananta! Ananta! touch them not!

ANA: The sword must have been at work earlier. It will, now. Nalinai! Ah! They have gone.

SAN: Anantan is dashing at me! Oh! my life, my life! Nalinai, run away! Nayanar! protect us–catch him, fell him down.

(NAY'S VOICE): - It is done! Wail no more. Let them go! I will not leave my hold on thee.

NAL: He holds him. –Let us pass the corner soon.

SAN: It is Sarada, she has done this.

NAL: A daughter, she is a daughter. A daughter indeed!

SAN: Let me never have such an one for me.

NAL: I prophesy you will never have.

SAN: Come, let us speed. We want no guard to guard our obscure lives!

NAL: Look, my lord comes running. My brother has returned home. All will be peace ever more.

(A VOICE) Nalinai! Nalinai!

NAL: Ananta! Is it you? Where is he?

(ANANTA RUSHES IN)

ANA: He drips here from the sword!

SAN: You have killed him!

ANA: I have cut down a shameless man. Now to you!

NAL: Alas! Alas! He is dead for this–let the floods go rush the dam that was broken! Let his purpose grow for which he shed his blood! Ananta!

ANA: You speak thus: Nalinai! you will live this life. My sword touches no woman; speak, thou Sanyasi, hypocrite!

NAL: Harm him not! Leave him free!

SAN: Lift not the sword against a woman!

ANA: Nalinai, you will not die; would rather live in hell, here and hereafter.

NAL: I would not die-never when this bosom is not dried of its milk and a mouth is hoarsened with thirst and cries. I must live!

ANA: Then, live! I go–let the dead walk to its own funeral pyre! Let vice call itself honour, and hypocrisy wear a beard, dye its black self in blood and call it Kashaya! Ye lips! seal yourselves on the shameless deed of this ashamed night!

(EXIT)

SAN: Let him pour a torrent and fill the feeble Kaveri, who cares?

NAL: My husband is dead. Come, sire, teach me the funeral rites to him; what holy mantrams are they which I should chant when I ascend the self-same pyre.

SAN: Speak no more about him; come, rise up!

NAL: Who do you think I am?

SAN : The Usha of my bright new days! Come, Rise!

NAL: You may lift the fourteen worlds with thy hands–heavier far than fourteen times these fourteen is a woman's heart–

SAN: Will you not follow me?

NAL: Beware, here is a fire that glows like burning gold that would beam on thee to ashy crumbling at a rude touch by thee! beware!

SAN: I must go and tell him this–he has given–but in vain! Alas!

NAL: I shall praise you. Go wake him to life, show your holiness in a chanting again, and make my prayer your own! Go–the wife asks you to wake him up. Husband, go!

SAN: Alas, I am deceived!

NAL: You wanted flesh and blood, not a picture–good Sanyasi! –you wanted a throat to speak with you! listen to the music.

SAN: Alas! Alas!

NAL: You wanted not lifeless clay, you wanted a heart whose beat you would feel with thy palm–it beats too fast for thee, kicking thee right to the ends of the sky.

SAN: He gave up his life and embraced death to fulfill the deathless vow. Will his good noble wife undo his will?

NAL: He fulfilled his, I will fulfill mine–as he asked!

SAN: He asked? Was there treachery?

NAL: Treachery against treachery on the very wedding day. Do you see this? (SHOWS HIM SOMETHING)

SAN: No, what is it? Ah! He must have cut it off before I touched thee.

NAL: Not he, not he!

SAN: It is the thali of his hand–your mangalyam! I will break it now.

NAL: It is the ready halter neck–my husband's gift and command.

SAN: I will give you mine!

NAL: Put yours round your own neck. Mine own for me!

SAN: I will tear it from off your neck!

NAL: Not before it tears away my neck also. You dare come and touch me! My heart's nearest! which I have worshipped day by day with ornament and jewels! Come, do your work! Come, my mangalyam, my noose.

SAN: It won't suffice ! It is too short! look, look, it is broken!

(VANISHES- A PAUSE)

NAL: Light! Is it so near the dark–does death wake so soon into moon-light on the other shore? Ah! No–it is the street. Alas, I live! I am not dead!

(ENTER NAYANAR)

NAY: Where is he?

NAL: Who are you?

NAY: I returned from Kailas. He is not there. He is come here in the guise of a sanyasi, they say. Where is He?

NAL: Who?

NAY: Swami, Swami! Where are you?

NAL: Is it you, my lord? my husband?

NAY: Is it you, Nalinai? Then, where is He? You must know!

NAL: He must have gone this way.

NAY: No–not to the east. Ah! There He is in the west. The crescent moon has set. Oh, me–He has vanished. But I will seek Him.

NAL: Alas, Alas! I stretch my hand to him in vain! In vain!

(A VOICE FROM ABOVE)–Nayanar!

NAY: The call has come! I know whence calls the voice, I go.

NAL: Why? Where?

NAY: To the forest, beyond the dark fringe of the horizon.

(RUNS OUT)

NAL: I come, too!

(THE END)