my　young　body　this　primal　injustice；　an　unattractive　plainness。
  For　a　single　day　make　me　superbly　beautiful；　even　as　beautiful　as
  was　the　sudden　blooming　of　love　in　my　heart。　　Give　me　but　one
  brief　day　of　perfect　beauty；　and　I　will　answer　for　the　days　that
  follow。
  Madana
  Lady；　I　grant　thy　prayer。
  Vasanta
  Not　for　the　short　span　of　a　day；　but　for　one　whole　year　the　charm
  of　spring　blossoms　shall　nestle　round　thy　limbs。
  SCENE　II
  Arjuna
  WAS　I　dreaming　or　was　what　I　saw　by　the　lake　truly　there？
  Sitting　on　the　mossy　turf；　I　mused　over　bygone　years　in　the
  sloping　shadows　of　the　evening；　when　slowly　there　came　out　from
  the　folding　darkness　of　foliage　an　apparition　of　beauty　in　the
  perfect　form　of　a　woman；　and　stood　on　a　white　slab　of　stone　at
  the　water's　brink。　　It　seemed　that　the　heart　of　the　earth　must
  heave　in　joy　under　her　bare　white　feet。　　Methought　the　vague
  veilings　of　her　body　should　melt　in　ecstasy　into　air　as　the
  golden　mist　of　dawn　melts　from　off　the　snowy　peak　of　the　eastern
  hill。　　She　bowed　herself　above　the　shining　mirror　of　the　lake　and
  saw　the　reflection　of　her　face。　　She　started　up　in　awe　and　stood
  still；　then　smiled；　and　with　a　careless　sweep　of　her　left　arm
  unloosed　her　hair　and　let　it　trail　on　the　earth　at　her　feet。　　She
  bared　her　bosom　and　looked　at　her　arms；　so　flawlessly　modelled；
  and　instinct　with　an　exquisite　caress。　　Bending　her　head　she
  saw　the　sweet　blossoming　of　her　youth　and　the　tender　bloom　and
  blush　of　her　skin。　　She　beamed　with　a　glad　surprise。　　So；　if　the
  white　lotus　bud　on　opening　her　eyes　in　the　morning　were　to　arch
  her　neck　and　see　her　shadow　in　the　water；　would　she　wonder　at
  herself　the　livelong　day。　　But　a　moment　after　the　smile　passed
  from　her　face　and　a　shade　of　sadness　crept　into　her　eyes。　　She
  bound　up　her　tresses；　drew　her　veil　over　her　arms；　and　sighing
  slowly；　walked　away　like　a　beauteous　evening　fading　into　the
  night。　　To　me　the　supreme　fulfilment　of　desire　seemed　to　have
  been　revealed　in　a　flash　and　then　to　have　vanished。　。　。　。　But　who
  is　it　that　pushes　the　door？
  Enter　CHITRA；　dressed　as　a　woman。
  Ah！　　it　is　she。　　Quiet；　my　heart！　。　。　。　Fear　me　not；　lady！　　I　am
  a　Kshatriya。
  Chitra
  Honoured　sir；　you　are　my　guest。　　I　live　in　this　temple。　　I　know
  not　in　what　way　I　can　show　you　hospitality。
  Arjuna
  Fair　lady；　the　very　sight　of　you　is　indeed　the　highest
  hospitality。　　If　you　will　not　take　it　amiss　I　would　ask　you　a
  question。
  Chitra
  You　have　permission。
  Arjuna
  What　stern　vow　keeps　you　immured　in　this　solitary　temple；
  depriving　all　mortals　of　a　vision　of　so　much　loveliness？
  Chitra
  I　harbour　a　secret　desire　in　my　heart；　for　the　fulfilment　of
  which　I　offer　daily　prayers　to　Lord　Shiva。
  Arjuna
  Alas；　what　can　you　desire；　you　who　are　the　desire　of　the　whole
  world！　　From　the　easternmost　hill　on　whose　summit　the　morning　sun
  first　prints　his　fiery　foot　to　the　end　of　the　sunset　land　have　I
  travelled。　　I　have　seen　whatever　is　most　precious；　beautiful　and
  great　on　the　earth。　　My　knowledge　shall　be　yours；　only　say　for
  what　or　for　whom　you　seek。
  Chitra
  He　whom　I　seek　is　known　to　all。
  Arjuna
  Indeed！　　Who　may　this　favourite　of　the　gods　be；　whose　fame　has
  captured　your　heart？
  Chitra
  Sprung　from　the　highest　of　all　royal　houses；　the　greatest　of　all
  heroes　is　he。
  Arjuna
  Lady；　offer　not　such　wealth　of　beauty　as　is　yours　on　the　altar　of
  false　reputation。　　Spurious　fame　spreads　from　tongue　to　tongue
  like　the　fog　of　the　early　dawn　before　the　sun　rises。　　Tell　me　who
  in　the　highest　of　kingly　lines　is　the　supreme　hero？
  Chitra
  Hermit；　you　are　jealous　of　other　men's　fame。　　Do　you　not　know
  that　all　over　the　world　the　royal　house　of　the　Kurus　is　the　most
  famous？
  Arjuna
  The　house　of　the　Kurus！
  Chitra
  And　have　you　never　heard　of　the　greatest　name　of　that　far…famed
  house？
  Arjuna
  From　your　own　lips　let　me　hear　it。
  Chitra
  Arjuna；　the　conqueror　of　the　world。　　I　have　culled　from　the
  mouths　of　the　multitude　that　imperishable　name　and　hidden　it　with
  care　in　my　maiden　heart。　　Hermit；　why　do　you　look　perturbed？　　Has
  that　name　only　a　deceitful　glitter？　　Say　so；　and　I　will　not
  hesitate　to　break　this　casket　of　my　heart　and　throw　the　false　gem
  to　the　dust。
  Arjuna
  Be　his　name　and　fame；　his　bravery　and　prowess　false　or　true；　for
  mercy's　sake　do　not　banish　him　from　your　heartfor　he　kneels　at
  your　feet　even　now。
  Chitra
  You；　Arjuna！
  Arjuna
  Yes；　I　am　he；　the　love…hungered　guest　at　your　door。
  Chitra
  Then　it　is　not　true　that　Arjuna　has　taken　a　vow　of　chastity　for
  twelve　long　years？
  Arjuna
  But　you　have　dissolved　my　vow　even　as　the　moon　dissolves　the
  night's　vow　of　obscurity。
  Chitra
  Oh；　shame　upon　you！　　What　have　you　seen　in　me　that　makes　you
  false　to　yourself？　　Whom　do　you　seek　in　these　dark　eyes；　in　these
  milk…white　arms；　if　you　are　ready　to　pay　for　her　the　price　of
  your　probity？　　Not　my　true　self；　I　know。　　Surely　this　cannot　be
  love；　this　is　not　man's　highest　homage　to　woman！　　Alas；　that　this
  frail　disguise；　the　body；　should　make　one　blind　to　the　light　of
  the　deathless　spirit！　　Yes；　now　indeed；　I　know；　Arjuna；　the　fame
  of　your　heroic　manhood　is　false。
  Arjuna
  Ah；　I　feel　how　vain　is　fame；　the　pride　of　prowess！　　Everything
  seems　to　me　a　dream。　　You　alone　are　perfect；　you　are　the　wealth
  of　the　world；　the　end　of　all　poverty；　the　goal　of　all　efforts；
  the　one　woman！　　Others　there　are　who　can　be　but　slowly　known。
  While　to　see　you　for　a　moment　is　to　see　perfect　completeness
  once　and　for　ever。
  Chitra
  Alas；　it　is　not　I；　not　I；　Arjuna！　　It　is　the　deceit　of　a　god。
  Go；　go；　my　hero；　go。　　Woo　not　falsehood；　offer　not　your　great
  heart　to　an　illusion。　　Go。
  SCENE　III
  Chitra
  No；　impossible。　　To　face　that　fervent　gaze　that　almost　grasps　you
  like　clutching　hands　of　the　hungry　spirit　within；　to　feel　his
  heart　struggling　to　break　its　bounds　urging　its　passionate　cry
  through　the　entire　bodyand　then　to　send　him　away　like　a
  beggarno；　impossible。
  Enter　MADANA　and　VASANTA。
  Ah；　god　of　love；　what　fearful　flame　is　this　with　which　thou　hast
  enveloped　me！　　I　burn；　and　I　burn　whatever　I　touch。
  Madana
  I　desire　to　know　what　happened　last　night。
  Chitra
  At　evening　I　lay　down　on　a　grassy　bed　strewn　with　the　petals　of
  spring　flowers；　and　recollected　the　wonderful　praise　of　my　beauty
  I　had　heard　from　Arjuna；drinking　drop　by　drop　the　honey　that　I
  had　stored　during　the　long　day。　　The　history　of　my　past　life　like
  that　of　my　former　existences　was　forgotten。　　I　felt　like　a
  flower；　which　has　but　a　few　fleeting　hours　to　listen　to　all　the
  humming　flatteries　and　whispered　murmurs　of　the　woodlands　and
  then　must　lower　its　eyes　from　the　Sky；　bend　its　head　and　at　a
  breath　give　itself　up　to　the　dust　without　a　cry；　thus　ending　the
  short　story　of　a　perfect　moment　that　has　neither　past　nor　future。
  Vasanta
  A　limitless　life　of　glory　can　bloom　and　spend　itself　in　a
  morning。
  Madana
  Like　an　endless　meaning　in　the　narrow　span　of　a　song。
  Chitra
  The　southern　breeze　caressed　me　to　sleep。　　From　the　flowering
  Malati　bower　overhead　silent　kisses　dropped　over　my　body。
  On　my　hair；　my　breast；　my　feet；　each　flower　chose　a　bed　to　die
  on。　　I　slept。　　And；　suddenly　in　the　depth　of　my　sleep；　I　felt　as
  if　some　intense　eager　look；　like　tapering　fingers　of　flame；
  touched　my　slumbering　body。　　I　started　up　and　saw　the　Hermit
  standing　before　me。　　The　moon　had　moved　to　the　west；　peering
  through　the　leaves　to　espy　this　wonder　of　divine　art　wrought　in　a
  fragile　human　frame。　　The　air　was　heavy　with　perfume；　the　silence
  of　the　night　was　vocal　with　the　chirping　of　crickets；　the
  reflections　of　the　trees　hung　motionless　in　the　lake；　and　with
  his　staff　in　his　hand