Mallikamakarandanatakam

Author(s): Ramchandra Mahakavi, Punyavijay
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 27

18
Mallikāmakaranda
Characters There are in all twenty-four characters in the play but only five of them arrest our attention prominently as they have their own marked individuality. The rest of them, although they exhibit one or the other individual trait, do not make any lasting impression on our mind. Although Makaranda's character is not attractive in the extreme like Cārudatta's, still it is quite attractive. Like the conventional hero he is not a paragon of virtue. He is a perfect man of the world. Although born of a wealthy and highly pious merchant he squanders away all his inherited wealth by gambling. In the prime of youth he starts visiting prostitutes. He frankly speaks of these vices before others including Tāpasa Kumāra whom he takes to be Mallika's brother (but who, in fact, is Mallika in disguise). He is however full of repentance and resolves to lead a virtuous life afresh. He is the milk of buman kindness, ever ready to help people in distress. On being separated from his beloved he is ready to end his life. When he learns of his beloved's sad plight and her tortures at the hands of her own mother and finds himself helpless to rescue her he is again ready to kill himself hoping to be united with her in heaven at least. These incidents demonstrate how true and deep his love for Mallika is. He is bold, resourceful and readywitted. He is more than a match for Citrāngada in their verbal contests. He is a devout Jain remembering Lord Jina whenever faced with unsurmountable difficulties.
Not less attractive is Mallikā. Mortally afraid of being abducted by some unknown agency, she wishes to commit suicide. By mere chance Makaranda saves her. The two fall in love with each other at first sight. Mallikā strongly hates her mother, refers to her (mother's) misconduct even to her face as she (her mother) insists on getting her (Mallikā) married to Citrāngada, a Vidyādhara prince. Her love for Makaranda is true and profound for even after knowing that he was in his early life given to gambling and in the prime of youth he was visiting prostitutes, she continues to love him with the same intensity as before. She is outspoken, sarcastic, when occasion demands, and witty in her conversation with her mother or Citrāngada. She outright repulses Citrāngada's advances and overtures. When he threatens to kill Makaranda she intervenes and asks him to kill her first. She does not mince words and fearlessly and candidly tells Citrāngada that she is determined not to marry him but Makaranda. At the bidding of Gandhamūşikā (a Parivrājikā-nun) she only pretends to love Citrāngada and outwardly shows readiness to marry him. Gandhamūşikā dupes him and Candralekhā (the mother of Mallika) and succeeds in her plans to marry Mallika to Makaranda.