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or objects which are endowed with magic power. In the third act
sixth act of KAliddsa's gakuntalA and the second act of his VikramorvasL3 Here the celestial nymphs put on magic veils (tiraskarini) when they are upon earth and do not wish to be seen.
110
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In the Madhyama Vyayoga4 of Bhasa Ghatotkaca binds Bhlmasena with a magic fetter (mayapas'a) which had been given him
by his ogress mother, but before he can effect the charm he must
have water to sip. As he has none at hand he calls upon the
mountain to supply it and the water flows to him. Bhlmasena,
however, knows a counter-charm to break the magic fetter. He,
too, needs water, but this does not have to be produced magically,
as it is given to him by a Brahman boy near by. Another instance
Harsha's PriyadarSikd,5 where the king calls for water before beginning his incantation to counteract the effect of the poison taken
the heroine, Mdlavikd, in order to keep her out of the king's sight.
She has entrusted a maid with the key to the prison, telling her
that she must unlock the door only when she is shown the queen's
ring. The vidiisaka knows, of course, that the ring has the image
of a snake on it, and he also knows what magic ceremonies are
likely to be performed in the case of a snake bite. So he pretends
to be bitten, and when the physician is called upon he sends word
that he wishes something with the image of a snake on it, so that
the uda-kumbha-vidhdna (water-jar ceremony) might be performed. Of course the queen, greatly grieved at the imminent
death of the vidfisaka, hastily gives him her ring. This is just
what he expected would happen, and he straightway uses the ring
to effect the release of Mdlavikd.
' Ed. T. Gan. apati Slistri, pp. 20-21 (Trivandrum Skt. Series 22); tr.
Rev. E. P. Janvier, pp. 31-32, Mysore, 1921. (Thesis, University of
Pennsylvania.)
6Vikram., ed. G. Bh. Vaidya, pp. 75-76; tr. pp. 57-58. Bombay, 1894.
7Malav., ed. Shankar Pandurang Pandit, 2d ed., Act 4, p. 104. Bombay,
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dripping from her tresses. This is not merely an image, but the
flesh-and-blood girl who remains at the court and marries the king.
shows in the sky, for the entertainment of the king and queen, all
the gods and their wives, and the celestial maidens. This marvel
is interrupted by the arrival of the Prime Minister of the King of
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rescue. Then follows the queen, the jester, the Ceylon minister,
and the chamberlain. They all plunge into the fire. Suddenly the
flames disappear and it is realised that there has been no fire at all.
This apparent conflagration is just the other piece of magic promised by the magician as he left the presence of the king. But this
trick has served to bring the heroine before the Ceylon minister,
who believed that she had been drowned. Of course he recognises
her, and announces that she is the cousin of the queen. As the
queen has no objections to her cousin as a rival wife the girl's
marriage to the king is brought about.
usually magical in its effect. We find the curse and its fulfilment
the king. In the Karpfiramafijarl the girl not only touches the
asoka but embraces the amaranth and gazes upon the tilaka tree,
in order to bring about the desired blossoming. All three trees
burst into bloom on the instant.12
In Bhavabhfiti's Midatimddhava 13 one character is spoken of as
possessing magic power, and through it she rescues MalatI from a
terrible priest of Cdmundi, but it is not told what special rites
were performed.
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15 Karp., op. cit. Text p. 42. Ratn., op. cit. Text pp. 115-16; 120.
MahAviracarita of Bhavabhati, ed. T. R. R. Aiyar, pp. 8, 30. Bombay,
1892. Mudrdrakshasa of Vi~Akhadatta, beginning of Act 2.
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