Hail Vardhaman – Act III

The article "Hail Vardhaman – Act III" is a dramatic scene set in the dressing room of Queen Trishala during the evening. The subject of the scene is the selection of a bride for Prince Vardhaman, which leads to a profound philosophical discussion on the nature of beauty, the human body, and the inevitability of renunciation. The main argument presented by Queen Trishala is that while physical beauty is a transient and superficial quality, as evidenced by the numerous portraits of princesses from various kingdoms such as Koshal, Malava, Avanti, Kukkuta, Champa, Mandaleshvar, and Kalinga, the human body itself is merely a temporary vessel. She argues that this physical form is a "tabernacle" and the "abode of five serpents" representing the five senses, ultimately subject to decay and loss of shape and colour. The evidence for this argument is drawn from the dialogue and the descriptions of the paintings. Trishala and her maid Sunita evaluate the princesses based on their physical attributes, with Trishala ultimately selecting the Princess from Kalinga, the daughter of Shatrujit, named Yashoda, as the most suitable. However, when Prince Vardhaman enters, he dismisses the discussion of physical portraits, stating that none are everlasting and that the human form loses its divine shape and colour faster than any painting. He criticizes the talk of renunciation as ill-befitting a dressing room, comparing it to a serpent in a vanity-box. In response, Trishala counters by asserting that the human body is a receptacle for the senses and that eternal truth is beyond the limitations of time. She concludes by stating that she is not engaging in polemics but speaking the language of maternal love and ardent desire.

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