42:
326:
death and, following her testimony, Samsthānaka is arrested and the good Prince Āryaka deposes the wicked King Pālaka. His first acts as the newly declared sovereign is to restore Cārudatta’s fortune and make him the king of
Kusavati . Following this good will, Cārudatta demonstrates in the final act his enduring virtue and charity, appealing to the King for pardon on behalf of Samsthānaka who is subsequently declared free. And the Buddhist monk who saved the life of Vasantasenā is made the chief of all Vihars. Vasantasena is given the title of a wife. Everybody is happy, nobody has any grouse.
309:
Madanikā to marry. She then attempts to contact Cārudatta and inform him of the situation, but before she can make contact he panics and sends
Vasantasenā a rare pearl necklace that had belonged to his wife, a gift in great excess of the value of the stolen jewelry. In recognition of this, Cārudatta's friend, Maitreya, cautions the Brahmin against further association, fearing that Vasantasenā is, at worst, scheming to take from Cārudatta the few possessions he still has and, at best, a good-intentioned bastion of bad luck and disaster.
304:
she returns his affection, though the matter is complicated when
Vasantasenā finds herself pursued by Samsthānaka, a half-mad brother-in-law of King Pālaka, and his retinue. When the men threaten violence, Vasantasenā flees, seeking safety with Cārudatta. Their love blossoms following the clandestine
321:
Though Cārudatta proclaims his innocence, his presence in the park along with his son's possession of
Vasantasenā's jewels implicate the poverty-stricken man, and he is found guilty and condemned to death by King Pālaka. Unbeknownst to all, however, the body identified as Vasantasenā’s was actually
312:
Refusing to take this advice, Cārudatta makes
Vasantasenā his mistress and she eventually meets his young son. During the encounter, the boy is distressed because he has recently enjoyed playing with a friend's toy cart of solid gold and no longer wants his own clay cart that his nurse has made for
283:
Unlike other classical plays in
Sanskrit, the play does not borrow from epics or mythology. The characters of Śūdraka (Simuka) are drawn from the mundane world. It is peopled with gamblers, courtesans, thieves, and so on. The protagonist of the play, Cārudatta, does not belong to the noble class or
325:
Just as Cārudatta faces execution, Vasantasenā appears and, seeing the excited crowd, intervenes in time to save him from execution and his wife from throwing herself onto the funeral pyre. Together the three declare themselves a family. Reaching the courts, Vasantasenā tells the story of her near
317:
belonging to Samsthānaka, who remains enraged by her previous affront and is madly jealous of the love and favor she shows to Cārudatta. Unable to persuade his henchmen to kill her, Samsthānaka sends his retinue away and proceeds to strangle
Vasantasenā and hide her body beneath a pile of leaves.
313:
him. Taking pity on him in his sadness, Vasantasenā fills his little clay cart with her own jewelry, heaping his humble toy with a mound of gold before departing to meet Cārudatta in a park outside the city for a day’s outing. There she enters a fine carriage, but soon discovers that she is in a
308:
Her plan is thwarted, however, when a thief, Sarvilaka, enters Cārudatta’s home and steals the jewels in an elaborate scheme to buy the freedom of his lover, Madanikā, who is
Vasantasenā’s slave and confidante. The courtesan recognizes the jewelry, but she accepts the payment anyway and frees
292:
Cārudatta is a generous young brahmin who, through his charitable contributions to unlucky friends and the general public welfare, has severely impoverished himself and his family. Though deserted by most of his friends and embarrassed by deteriorating living conditions, he has maintained his
255:
remains one of the most widely celebrated and often-performed in the West. The work played a significant role in generating interest in Indian theatre among
European audiences following several successful nineteenth century translations and stage productions, most notably
227:
Life with romance, comedy, intrigue and a political subplot detailing the overthrow of the city's despotic ruler by a shepherd, the play is notable among extant
Sanskrit drama for its focus on a fictional scenario rather than on a classical tale or legend.
284:
royal lineage. Though Vasantasenā is a courtesan, her exemplary attitude and dignified behavior impress the audience. The nobility of the characters does not stem from their social conditioning but from their virtues and behaviour.
826:"The Greatest Show on Earth: The First Indian Play Performed at UC Berkeley -- And Anywhere in the United States -- Took the Stage of the Greek Theater in 1907, Along with Elephants, Zebras, and a Cast of Hundreds"
300:
Though happily married and the recent father of a young son, Rohasena, Cārudatta is enamored of Vasantasenā, a courtesan of great wealth and reputation. At a chance encounter at the temple of
224:. Despite their mutual affection, however, the couple's lives and love are threatened when a vulgar courtier, Samsthānaka, also known as Shakara, begins to aggressively pursue Vasantasenā.
974:"A lobby card for Girish Karnad's #Utsav (1984), featuring #FaceOfTheWeek #ShankarNag. The film was based on popular #Sanskrit play #Mrichakatika, written by Sudraka"
893:
261:
874:
269:
825:
722:
Richmond, Farley P. (1990). "Characteristics of Sanskrit Theatre and Drama". In Farley P. Richmond; Darius L. Swann; Phillip B. Zarrilli (eds.).
855:
236:
that specify that dramas should focus on the lives of the nobility and instead incorporates many peasant characters who speak a wide range of
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875:"Story of a Determined Lady: Terese Hayden, Sponsor of New Play Series at Theatre de Lys, Is Undaunted Despite Disappointments in the Past"
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another woman. Vasantasenā had been revived and befriended by a Buddhist monk who nursed her back to health in a nearby village.
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meeting, and the courtesan entrusts her new lover with a casket of jewelry in an attempt to ensure a future meeting.
198:
that made up the first quarter of the fifth century BCE. The central story is that of a noble but impoverished young
560:. The play has been adapted in several Indian languages and performed by various theatre groups and directors, like
1084:
969:
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733:
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as an honest and upright man with a rare gift of wisdom and many important men continue to seek his counsel.
182:), an ancient playwright who is possibly from the 5th century CE, and who is identified by the prologue as a
17:
856:"Prof. A. W. Ryder, of Sanskrit Fame; Head of That Department at University of California Dies in Classroom"
277:
1034:
833:
1039:
652:
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41:
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that premiered in Paris in 1850, as well as a critically acclaimed "anarchist" interpretation by
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1074:
1059:
630:
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533:
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525:
521:
8:
973:
805:"Mṛcchakaṭikā, The Little Clay Cart: A Drama in Ten Acts Attributed to King Sūdraka." in
257:
1018:
1012:
1006:
949:
922:
782:
729:
616:
215:
203:
141:
46:
An oleographic print depicting the female protagonist Vasantasenā, a rich courtesan.
636:
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195:
998:
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553:
549:
509:
612:
596:
171:
114:
802:Śūdraka. Revilo Pendelton Oliver; Rozelle Parker Johnson; Ernst Krenn (eds.).
1028:
752:
Oliver, Revilo Pendelton (1938). Rozelle Parker Johnson; Ernst Krenn (eds.).
687:
680:
642:
529:
233:
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561:
537:
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545:
346:
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dialects. The story is thought to be derived from an earlier work called
220:
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who lived for above 110 years. The play is set in the ancient city of
175:
55:
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Still seeking vengeance, he promptly accuses Cārudatta of the crime.
183:
1003:
by Shudraka, full text of translation by Horace Hayman Wilson (1826)
301:
294:
191:
125:
104:
245:
1015:, with Sanskrit and Hindi commentary by Jaya Shankar Lal Tripathi
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Play adaptions: The play was translated into English, notably by
237:
199:
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314:
179:
59:
968:
894:"'Clay-Cart' Hero Wins: 'Twas Ever Thus—Even in the Sanskrit"
670:
665:
187:
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during the reign of the King Pālaka, near the end of the
945:
Indian Literature and Popular Cinema: Recasting Classics
813:. Urbana: University of Illinois Press. pp. 45–210.
728:. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. pp. 55–62.
475:
Former masseur of Cārudatta who becomes a Buddhist monk
1009:, Sanskrit text edited by M. R. Kale, with translation
762:. Urbana: University of Illinois Press. pp. 9–44.
443:
a Brahmin who became a thief to free his love Madanikā
775:
The Little Clay Cart: An English Translation of the
915:Ashish Rajadhyaksha; Paul Willemen (10 July 2014).
832:. University of California Berkeley. Archived from
941:
627:, a Kannada film by Ramayyar Shirur made in 1941.
605:, a film by Jagatrai Pesumal Advani made in 1934.
465:captains of the civil guard, friends to Sarvilaka
1026:
1021:, Sanskrit text published by Nirnaya Sagar Press
891:
210:, who falls in love with a wealthy courtesan or
872:
437:a herdsman and prince in exile who becomes king
248:, though that work survives only in fragments.
232:also departs from traditions enumerated in the
781:. Albany: State University of New York Press.
755:"Introduction to 'The Little Clay Cart.' " in
575:, a silent film by Suchet Singh made in 1920.
544:in 1953, and at the Potboiler Art Theater in
524:in 1826.) Ryder's version was enacted at the
503:List of Sanskrit plays in English translation
264:highly romanticised French adaptation titled
807:Illinois Studies in Language and Literature
757:Illinois Studies in Language and Literature
1000:The Mrichchakati; Or, The Toy Cart: A Drama
773:Basham, A. L (1994). Arvind Sharma (ed.).
717:
715:
40:
725:Indian Theatre: Traditions of Performance
548:in 1926, when it featured actors such as
885:
747:
745:
721:
516:. (It had previously been translated as
942:Heidi R.M. Pauwels (17 December 2007).
848:
823:
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712:
418:Brother to one of the King's concubines
393:Vasantasenā’s maidservant and confidant
14:
1027:
866:
817:
772:
751:
766:
742:
921:. Taylor & Francis. p. 24.
892:Schallert, Edwin (9 December 1926).
779:of Śūdraka, As Adapted for the Stage
425:a courtier in service of Samsthānaka
410:Bastard pages in Vasantasenā's house
387:a courtier in service of Vasantasenā
334:
801:
35:Mṛcchakatika (The Little Clay Cart)
27:Sanskrit play attributed to Śūdraka
24:
357:a poor Brahmin, Cārudatta’s friend
351:a courtesan in love with Cārudatta
25:
1106:
992:
484:Citizens, slaves, and attendants
1090:5th-century Sanskrit literature
1045:Indian plays adapted into films
962:
935:
873:Bracker, Milton (7 June 1953).
287:
1019:The Mrichchhakatika of Sudraka
1007:The Mrichchhakatika of Sudraka
970:National Film Archive of India
908:
459:a gambler, friend to Sarvilaka
363:a servant in Cārudatta's house
13:
1:
918:Encyclopedia of Indian Cinema
528:in Berkeley in 1907, and in
342:an impoverished young Brahmin
329:
186:king as well as a devotee of
900:. p. A9. Archived from
404:Karnapūraka and Kumbhīlaka,
251:Of all the Sanskrit dramas,
7:
369:a maid in Cārudatta's house
148:मृच्छकटिकम्), also spelled
10:
1111:
500:
1095:Indian books on courtesan
948:. Routledge. p. 80.
276:that was produced by the
274:Le Chariot de terre cuite
219:
207:
145:
120:
110:
100:
66:
51:
39:
34:
1055:Plays about prostitution
824:Wohlsen, Marcus (2005).
705:
593:Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay
496:
1013:Mrcchakatika of Sudraka
595:, first silent film of
463:Vīraka and Chandanaka,
534:Neighborhood Playhouse
406:Vasantasenā's servants
1085:Ancient Indian dramas
501:Further information:
431:Samsthānaka's servant
401:Mother of Vasantasenā
536:, which was then an
526:Hearst Greek Theatre
522:Horace Hayman Wilson
514:The Little Clay Cart
242:Cārudatta in Poverty
167:The Little Clay Cart
972:(8 November 2019).
836:on 16 February 2012
657:, a Telugu film by
581:, a silent film by
420:also called sakaara
266:Le Chariot d'enfant
645:, a Hindi film by
635:, a Hindi film by
569:Film adaptations:
278:Théâtre de l'Œuvre
244:by the playwright
1035:5th-century books
955:978-1-134-06255-3
928:978-1-135-94325-7
898:Los Angeles Times
493:
492:
469:Gōha and Ahīnta,
453:a gambling-master
375:wife of Cārudatta
133:
132:
101:Original language
16:(Redirected from
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1040:History of Patna
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862:. 22 March 1938.
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763:
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740:
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637:Gajanan Jagirdar
617:Raja Sandow P.K.
583:Dadasaheb Phalke
540:theatre, at the
335:
270:Victor Barrucand
258:Gérard de Nerval
223:
209:
196:Pradyota dynasty
147:
129:Fifth century BC
124:Ancient city of
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904:on 30 May 2009.
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736:
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599:, made in 1931.
554:Symona Boniface
550:James A. Marcus
532:in 1924 at the
510:Arthur W. Ryder
505:
499:
494:
381:Cārudatta's son
332:
290:
170:) is a ten-act
162:Mrichchhakatika
128:
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47:
28:
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12:
11:
5:
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1070:Comedy theatre
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1052:
1050:Sanskrit plays
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1042:
1037:
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1016:
1010:
1004:
994:
993:External links
991:
988:
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980:) – via
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879:New York Times
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860:New York Times
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597:Kannada cinema
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573:Mrichha Katika
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542:Theater de Lys
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361:Vardhamānaka,
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293:reputation in
289:
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174:attributed to
172:Sanskrit drama
154:Mrchchhakatika
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115:Sanskrit drama
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1080:Indian humour
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1075:Indian comedy
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1060:Indian satire
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881:. p. X3.
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830:Illuminations
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688:Vasantha Sena
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681:Girish Karnad
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654:Vasantha Sena
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624:Vasantha Sena
621:
619:made in 1936.
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585:made in 1929.
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262:Joseph Méry's
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234:Natya Shastra
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158:Mricchakatika
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146:Mṛcchakaṭikam
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18:Mricchakatika
1065:Comedy plays
999:
964:
944:
937:
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902:the original
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868:
859:
850:
838:. Retrieved
834:the original
829:
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810:
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803:
797:
778:
777:Mṛcchakaṭika
774:
768:
760:
756:
753:
724:
686:
664:
653:
647:B. R. Chopra
631:
622:
611:, an Indian
608:
602:
588:
578:
572:
562:Habib Tanvir
538:off-Broadway
518:The Toy Cart
517:
513:
487:
471:executioners
470:
464:
458:
452:
442:
436:
430:
429:Sthāvaraka,
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320:
311:
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291:
288:Plot summary
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273:
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253:Mṛcchakaṭika
252:
250:
241:
230:Mṛcchakaṭika
229:
226:
166:
165:
161:
157:
153:
150:Mṛcchakaṭikā
149:
137:Mṛcchakatika
136:
135:
134:
29:
659:B. S. Ranga
609:Vasantasena
591:, starring
589:Vasantasena
558:Gale Gordon
546:Los Angeles
512:in 1905 as
457:Darduraka,
441:Sarvilaka,
413:King Pālaka
347:Vasantasenā
340:Cārudatta,
221:Vasantasenā
84:Samsthānaka
77:Vasantasenā
1029:Categories
788:0791417255
735:0824811909
697:K. Vijayan
677:drama film
632:Vasantsena
603:Vasantsena
579:Vasantsena
391:Madanikā,
379:Rohasena,
367:Radanikā,
355:Maitreya,
330:Characters
212:nagarvadhu
67:Characters
52:Written by
693:Malayalam
691:, a 1985
669:, a 1984
451:Māthura,
280:in 1895.
208:Cārudatta
184:Kshatriya
90:Sarvilaka
73:Cārudatta
695:film by
661:in 1967.
649:in 1958.
639:in 1942.
615:film by
435:Āryaka,
295:Ujjayini
216:Sanskrit
204:Sanskrit
192:Ujjayini
142:Sanskrit
126:Ujjayini
105:Sanskrit
93:Madanikā
81:Maitreya
982:Twitter
840:17 July
373:Dhuta,
272:called
238:Prakrit
200:Brahmin
176:Śūdraka
121:Setting
56:Śūdraka
952:
925:
785:
732:
674:erotic
643:Sadhna
488:
481:Scribe
423:Vita,
385:Viṭa,
315:gharry
180:Simuka
87:Āryaka
60:Simuka
978:Tweet
811:=1938
706:Notes
671:Hindi
666:Utsav
613:Tamil
497:Media
478:Judge
246:Bhāsa
188:Shiva
160:, or
111:Genre
950:ISBN
923:ISBN
842:2012
783:ISBN
730:ISBN
556:and
302:Kāma
260:and
679:by
520:by
1031::
896:.
877:.
858:.
828:.
809:23
759:23
744:^
714:^
552:,
349:,
218::
214:,
206::
202:,
156:,
152:,
144::
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976:(
958:.
931:.
844:.
791:.
738:.
699:.
683:.
564:.
178:(
164:(
140:(
62:)
58:(
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
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