CHITRA
A PLAY IN ONE ACT
BY RABINDRANATH TAGORE
New York
THE MACMILLAN COMPANY
1926
All rights
reserved
Copyright 1914
by THE MACMILLAN
COMPANY
Set up and electrotyped Published February, 1914
Reprinted March, twice, June, 1914; October, 1914;
February, June,
1915; March, October, 1916; March, 1917;
December, 1926.
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA BY
THE BERWICK &
SMITH CO.
TO
MRS. WILLIAM VAUGHN MOODY
PREFACE
THIS lyrical drama was written about twenty-five years ago. It is based on
the following story from the Mahabharata.
In the course of his wanderings, in fulfilment of a vow of penance, Arjuna
came to Manipur. There he saw Chitrangada, the beautiful daughter of
Chitravahana, the king of the country. Smitten with her charms, he asked
the king for the hand of his daughter in marriage. Chitravahana asked him
who he was, and learning that he was Arjuna the Pandara, told him that
Prabhanjana, one of his ancestors in the kingly line of Manipur, had long
been childless. In order to obtain an heir, he performed severe penances.
Pleased with these austerities, the god Shiva gave him this boon, that he
and his successors should each have one child. It so happened that the
promised child had invariably been a son. He, Chitravahana, was the first
to have only a daughter Chitrangada to perpetuate the race. He had,
therefore, always treated her as a son and had made her his heir.
Continuing, the king said:
“The one son that will be born to her must be the perpetuator of my race.
That son will be the price that I shall demand for this marriage. You can
take her, if you like, on this condition.”
Arjuna promised and took Chitrangada to wife, and lived in her father’s
capital for three years. When a son was born to them, he embraced her with
affection, and taking leave of her and her father, set out again on his
travels.