31:
315:
death and, following her testimony, Samsthānaka is arrested and the good Prince Āryaka deposes the wicked King Pālaka. His first acts as the newly declared sovereign is to restore Cārudatta’s fortune and make him the king of
Kusavati . Following this good will, Cārudatta demonstrates in the final act his enduring virtue and charity, appealing to the King for pardon on behalf of Samsthānaka who is subsequently declared free. And the Buddhist monk who saved the life of Vasantasenā is made the chief of all Vihars. Vasantasena is given the title of a wife. Everybody is happy, nobody has any grouse.
298:
Madanikā to marry. She then attempts to contact Cārudatta and inform him of the situation, but before she can make contact he panics and sends
Vasantasenā a rare pearl necklace that had belonged to his wife, a gift in great excess of the value of the stolen jewelry. In recognition of this, Cārudatta's friend, Maitreya, cautions the Brahmin against further association, fearing that Vasantasenā is, at worst, scheming to take from Cārudatta the few possessions he still has and, at best, a good-intentioned bastion of bad luck and disaster.
293:
she returns his affection, though the matter is complicated when
Vasantasenā finds herself pursued by Samsthānaka, a half-mad brother-in-law of King Pālaka, and his retinue. When the men threaten violence, Vasantasenā flees, seeking safety with Cārudatta. Their love blossoms following the clandestine
310:
Though Cārudatta proclaims his innocence, his presence in the park along with his son's possession of
Vasantasenā's jewels implicate the poverty-stricken man, and he is found guilty and condemned to death by King Pālaka. Unbeknownst to all, however, the body identified as Vasantasenā’s was actually
301:
Refusing to take this advice, Cārudatta makes
Vasantasenā his mistress and she eventually meets his young son. During the encounter, the boy is distressed because he has recently enjoyed playing with a friend's toy cart of solid gold and no longer wants his own clay cart that his nurse has made for
272:
Unlike other classical plays in
Sanskrit, the play does not borrow from epics or mythology. The characters of Śūdraka (Simuka) are drawn from the mundane world. It is peopled with gamblers, courtesans, thieves, and so on. The protagonist of the play, Cārudatta, does not belong to the noble class or
314:
Just as Cārudatta faces execution, Vasantasenā appears and, seeing the excited crowd, intervenes in time to save him from execution and his wife from throwing herself onto the funeral pyre. Together the three declare themselves a family. Reaching the courts, Vasantasenā tells the story of her near
306:
belonging to Samsthānaka, who remains enraged by her previous affront and is madly jealous of the love and favor she shows to Cārudatta. Unable to persuade his henchmen to kill her, Samsthānaka sends his retinue away and proceeds to strangle
Vasantasenā and hide her body beneath a pile of leaves.
302:
him. Taking pity on him in his sadness, Vasantasenā fills his little clay cart with her own jewelry, heaping his humble toy with a mound of gold before departing to meet Cārudatta in a park outside the city for a day’s outing. There she enters a fine carriage, but soon discovers that she is in a
297:
Her plan is thwarted, however, when a thief, Sarvilaka, enters Cārudatta’s home and steals the jewels in an elaborate scheme to buy the freedom of his lover, Madanikā, who is
Vasantasenā’s slave and confidante. The courtesan recognizes the jewelry, but she accepts the payment anyway and frees
281:
Cārudatta is a generous young brahmin who, through his charitable contributions to unlucky friends and the general public welfare, has severely impoverished himself and his family. Though deserted by most of his friends and embarrassed by deteriorating living conditions, he has maintained his
244:
remains one of the most widely celebrated and often-performed in the West. The work played a significant role in generating interest in Indian theatre among
European audiences following several successful nineteenth century translations and stage productions, most notably
216:
Life with romance, comedy, intrigue and a political subplot detailing the overthrow of the city's despotic ruler by a shepherd, the play is notable among extant
Sanskrit drama for its focus on a fictional scenario rather than on a classical tale or legend.
273:
royal lineage. Though Vasantasenā is a courtesan, her exemplary attitude and dignified behavior impress the audience. The nobility of the characters does not stem from their social conditioning but from their virtues and behaviour.
815:"The Greatest Show on Earth: The First Indian Play Performed at UC Berkeley -- And Anywhere in the United States -- Took the Stage of the Greek Theater in 1907, Along with Elephants, Zebras, and a Cast of Hundreds"
289:
Though happily married and the recent father of a young son, Rohasena, Cārudatta is enamored of Vasantasenā, a courtesan of great wealth and reputation. At a chance encounter at the temple of
213:. Despite their mutual affection, however, the couple's lives and love are threatened when a vulgar courtier, Samsthānaka, also known as Shakara, begins to aggressively pursue Vasantasenā.
963:"A lobby card for Girish Karnad's #Utsav (1984), featuring #FaceOfTheWeek #ShankarNag. The film was based on popular #Sanskrit play #Mrichakatika, written by Sudraka"
882:
250:
863:
258:
814:
711:
Richmond, Farley P. (1990). "Characteristics of Sanskrit Theatre and Drama". In Farley P. Richmond; Darius L. Swann; Phillip B. Zarrilli (eds.).
844:
225:
that specify that dramas should focus on the lives of the nobility and instead incorporates many peasant characters who speak a wide range of
491:
864:"Story of a Determined Lady: Terese Hayden, Sponsor of New Play Series at Theatre de Lys, Is Undaunted Despite Disappointments in the Past"
1078:
1033:
311:
another woman. Vasantasenā had been revived and befriended by a Buddhist monk who nursed her back to health in a nearby village.
942:
915:
1083:
890:
1043:
294:
meeting, and the courtesan entrusts her new lover with a casket of jewelry in an attempt to ensure a future meeting.
187:
that made up the first quarter of the fifth century BCE. The central story is that of a noble but impoverished young
549:. The play has been adapted in several Indian languages and performed by various theatre groups and directors, like
1073:
958:
775:
722:
286:
as an honest and upright man with a rare gift of wisdom and many important men continue to seek his counsel.
171:), an ancient playwright who is possibly from the 5th century CE, and who is identified by the prologue as a
845:"Prof. A. W. Ryder, of Sanskrit Fame; Head of That Department at University of California Dies in Classroom"
266:
1023:
822:
1028:
641:
905:
30:
581:
1058:
1038:
612:
257:
that premiered in Paris in 1850, as well as a critically acclaimed "anarchist" interpretation by
1068:
1063:
1048:
619:
530:
522:
1053:
932:
966:
514:
510:
8:
962:
794:"Mṛcchakaṭikā, The Little Clay Cart: A Drama in Ten Acts Attributed to King Sūdraka." in
246:
1007:
1001:
995:
938:
911:
771:
718:
605:
204:
192:
130:
35:
An oleographic print depicting the female protagonist Vasantasenā, a rich courtesan.
625:
571:
184:
987:
712:
542:
538:
498:
601:
585:
160:
103:
791:Śūdraka. Revilo Pendelton Oliver; Rozelle Parker Johnson; Ernst Krenn (eds.).
1017:
741:
Oliver, Revilo Pendelton (1938). Rozelle Parker Johnson; Ernst Krenn (eds.).
676:
669:
631:
518:
222:
635:
550:
526:
662:
647:
546:
534:
335:
229:
dialects. The story is thought to be derived from an earlier work called
209:
65:
685:
665:
200:
179:
who lived for above 110 years. The play is set in the ancient city of
164:
44:
681:
307:
Still seeking vengeance, he promptly accuses Cārudatta of the crime.
172:
992:
by Shudraka, full text of translation by Horace Hayman Wilson (1826)
290:
283:
180:
114:
93:
234:
1004:, with Sanskrit and Hindi commentary by Jaya Shankar Lal Tripathi
970:
497:
Play adaptions: The play was translated into English, notably by
226:
188:
903:
303:
168:
48:
957:
883:"'Clay-Cart' Hero Wins: 'Twas Ever Thus—Even in the Sanskrit"
659:
654:
176:
183:
during the reign of the King Pālaka, near the end of the
934:
Indian Literature and Popular Cinema: Recasting Classics
802:. Urbana: University of Illinois Press. pp. 45–210.
717:. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. pp. 55–62.
464:
Former masseur of Cārudatta who becomes a Buddhist monk
998:, Sanskrit text edited by M. R. Kale, with translation
751:. Urbana: University of Illinois Press. pp. 9–44.
432:
a Brahmin who became a thief to free his love Madanikā
764:
The Little Clay Cart: An English Translation of the
904:Ashish Rajadhyaksha; Paul Willemen (10 July 2014).
821:. University of California Berkeley. Archived from
930:
616:, a Kannada film by Ramayyar Shirur made in 1941.
594:, a film by Jagatrai Pesumal Advani made in 1934.
454:captains of the civil guard, friends to Sarvilaka
1015:
1010:, Sanskrit text published by Nirnaya Sagar Press
880:
199:, who falls in love with a wealthy courtesan or
861:
426:a herdsman and prince in exile who becomes king
237:, though that work survives only in fragments.
221:also departs from traditions enumerated in the
770:. Albany: State University of New York Press.
744:"Introduction to 'The Little Clay Cart.' " in
564:, a silent film by Suchet Singh made in 1920.
533:in 1953, and at the Potboiler Art Theater in
513:in 1826.) Ryder's version was enacted at the
492:List of Sanskrit plays in English translation
253:highly romanticised French adaptation titled
796:Illinois Studies in Language and Literature
746:Illinois Studies in Language and Literature
989:The Mrichchakati; Or, The Toy Cart: A Drama
762:Basham, A. L (1994). Arvind Sharma (ed.).
706:
704:
29:
714:Indian Theatre: Traditions of Performance
537:in 1926, when it featured actors such as
874:
736:
734:
710:
505:. (It had previously been translated as
931:Heidi R.M. Pauwels (17 December 2007).
837:
812:
784:
701:
407:Brother to one of the King's concubines
382:Vasantasenā’s maidservant and confidant
1016:
855:
806:
761:
740:
755:
731:
910:. Taylor & Francis. p. 24.
881:Schallert, Edwin (9 December 1926).
768:of Śūdraka, As Adapted for the Stage
414:a courtier in service of Samsthānaka
399:Bastard pages in Vasantasenā's house
376:a courtier in service of Vasantasenā
323:
790:
24:Mṛcchakatika (The Little Clay Cart)
16:Sanskrit play attributed to Śūdraka
13:
346:a poor Brahmin, Cārudatta’s friend
340:a courtesan in love with Cārudatta
14:
1095:
981:
473:Citizens, slaves, and attendants
1079:5th-century Sanskrit literature
1034:Indian plays adapted into films
951:
924:
862:Bracker, Milton (7 June 1953).
276:
1008:The Mrichchhakatika of Sudraka
996:The Mrichchhakatika of Sudraka
959:National Film Archive of India
897:
448:a gambler, friend to Sarvilaka
352:a servant in Cārudatta's house
1:
907:Encyclopedia of Indian Cinema
517:in Berkeley in 1907, and in
331:an impoverished young Brahmin
318:
175:king as well as a devotee of
889:. p. A9. Archived from
393:Karnapūraka and Kumbhīlaka,
240:Of all the Sanskrit dramas,
7:
358:a maid in Cārudatta's house
137:मृच्छकटिकम्), also spelled
10:
1100:
489:
1084:Indian books on courtesan
937:. Routledge. p. 80.
265:that was produced by the
263:Le Chariot de terre cuite
208:
196:
134:
109:
99:
89:
55:
40:
28:
23:
1044:Plays about prostitution
813:Wohlsen, Marcus (2005).
694:
582:Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay
485:
1002:Mrcchakatika of Sudraka
584:, first silent film of
452:Vīraka and Chandanaka,
523:Neighborhood Playhouse
395:Vasantasenā's servants
1074:Ancient Indian dramas
490:Further information:
420:Samsthānaka's servant
390:Mother of Vasantasenā
525:, which was then an
515:Hearst Greek Theatre
511:Horace Hayman Wilson
503:The Little Clay Cart
231:Cārudatta in Poverty
156:The Little Clay Cart
961:(8 November 2019).
825:on 16 February 2012
646:, a Telugu film by
570:, a silent film by
409:also called sakaara
255:Le Chariot d'enfant
634:, a Hindi film by
624:, a Hindi film by
558:Film adaptations:
267:Théâtre de l'Œuvre
233:by the playwright
1024:5th-century books
944:978-1-134-06255-3
917:978-1-135-94325-7
887:Los Angeles Times
482:
481:
458:Gōha and Ahīnta,
442:a gambling-master
364:wife of Cārudatta
122:
121:
90:Original language
1091:
1029:History of Patna
975:
974:
955:
949:
948:
928:
922:
921:
901:
895:
894:
878:
872:
871:
859:
853:
852:
851:. 22 March 1938.
841:
835:
834:
832:
830:
810:
804:
803:
788:
782:
781:
759:
753:
752:
738:
729:
728:
708:
626:Gajanan Jagirdar
606:Raja Sandow P.K.
572:Dadasaheb Phalke
529:theatre, at the
324:
259:Victor Barrucand
247:Gérard de Nerval
212:
198:
185:Pradyota dynasty
136:
118:Fifth century BC
113:Ancient city of
33:
21:
20:
1099:
1098:
1094:
1093:
1092:
1090:
1089:
1088:
1014:
1013:
984:
979:
978:
956:
952:
945:
929:
925:
918:
902:
898:
893:on 30 May 2009.
879:
875:
860:
856:
843:
842:
838:
828:
826:
811:
807:
789:
785:
778:
760:
756:
739:
732:
725:
709:
702:
697:
588:, made in 1931.
543:Symona Boniface
539:James A. Marcus
521:in 1924 at the
499:Arthur W. Ryder
494:
488:
483:
370:Cārudatta's son
321:
279:
159:) is a ten-act
151:Mrichchhakatika
117:
85:
36:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1097:
1087:
1086:
1081:
1076:
1071:
1066:
1061:
1059:Comedy theatre
1056:
1051:
1046:
1041:
1039:Sanskrit plays
1036:
1031:
1026:
1012:
1011:
1005:
999:
993:
983:
982:External links
980:
977:
976:
969:) – via
950:
943:
923:
916:
896:
873:
868:New York Times
854:
849:New York Times
836:
805:
783:
776:
754:
730:
723:
699:
698:
696:
693:
692:
691:
690:
689:
673:
651:
639:
629:
617:
609:
595:
589:
586:Kannada cinema
575:
565:
562:Mrichha Katika
555:
554:
531:Theater de Lys
487:
484:
480:
479:
475:
474:
471:
468:
465:
462:
456:
450:
444:
436:
435:
434:
428:
422:
416:
410:
403:
400:
397:
391:
386:
385:
384:
378:
372:
366:
360:
354:
350:Vardhamānaka,
348:
342:
333:
322:
320:
317:
282:reputation in
278:
275:
163:attributed to
161:Sanskrit drama
143:Mrchchhakatika
120:
119:
111:
107:
106:
104:Sanskrit drama
101:
97:
96:
91:
87:
86:
84:
83:
80:
77:
74:
71:
68:
63:
59:
57:
53:
52:
42:
38:
37:
34:
26:
25:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1096:
1085:
1082:
1080:
1077:
1075:
1072:
1070:
1069:Indian humour
1067:
1065:
1064:Indian comedy
1062:
1060:
1057:
1055:
1052:
1050:
1049:Indian satire
1047:
1045:
1042:
1040:
1037:
1035:
1032:
1030:
1027:
1025:
1022:
1021:
1019:
1009:
1006:
1003:
1000:
997:
994:
991:
990:
986:
985:
972:
968:
964:
960:
954:
946:
940:
936:
935:
927:
919:
913:
909:
908:
900:
892:
888:
884:
877:
870:. p. X3.
869:
865:
858:
850:
846:
840:
824:
820:
819:Illuminations
816:
809:
801:
797:
793:
787:
779:
773:
769:
765:
758:
750:
747:
743:
737:
735:
726:
720:
716:
715:
707:
705:
700:
687:
683:
679:
678:
677:Vasantha Sena
674:
671:
670:Girish Karnad
667:
664:
661:
657:
656:
652:
649:
645:
644:
643:Vasantha Sena
640:
637:
633:
630:
627:
623:
622:
618:
615:
614:
613:Vasantha Sena
610:
608:made in 1936.
607:
603:
599:
596:
593:
590:
587:
583:
579:
576:
574:made in 1929.
573:
569:
566:
563:
560:
559:
557:
556:
552:
548:
544:
540:
536:
532:
528:
524:
520:
519:New York City
516:
512:
508:
504:
500:
496:
495:
493:
478:
472:
469:
466:
463:
461:
457:
455:
451:
449:
445:
443:
439:
438:
437:
433:
429:
427:
423:
421:
417:
415:
411:
408:
405:Samsthānaka,
404:
401:
398:
396:
392:
389:
388:
387:
383:
379:
377:
373:
371:
367:
365:
361:
359:
355:
353:
349:
347:
343:
341:
337:
334:
332:
328:
327:
326:
325:
316:
312:
308:
305:
299:
295:
292:
287:
285:
274:
270:
268:
264:
260:
256:
252:
251:Joseph Méry's
248:
243:
238:
236:
232:
228:
224:
223:Natya Shastra
220:
214:
211:
206:
202:
194:
190:
186:
182:
178:
174:
170:
166:
162:
158:
157:
152:
148:
147:Mricchakatika
144:
140:
135:Mṛcchakaṭikam
132:
128:
127:
116:
112:
108:
105:
102:
98:
95:
92:
88:
81:
78:
75:
72:
69:
67:
64:
61:
60:
58:
54:
50:
46:
43:
39:
32:
27:
22:
19:
1054:Comedy plays
988:
953:
933:
926:
906:
899:
891:the original
886:
876:
867:
857:
848:
839:
827:. Retrieved
823:the original
818:
808:
799:
795:
792:
786:
767:
766:Mṛcchakaṭika
763:
757:
749:
745:
742:
713:
675:
653:
642:
636:B. R. Chopra
620:
611:
600:, an Indian
597:
591:
577:
567:
561:
551:Habib Tanvir
527:off-Broadway
507:The Toy Cart
506:
502:
476:
460:executioners
459:
453:
447:
441:
431:
425:
419:
418:Sthāvaraka,
413:
406:
394:
381:
375:
369:
363:
357:
351:
345:
339:
330:
313:
309:
300:
296:
288:
280:
277:Plot summary
271:
262:
254:
242:Mṛcchakaṭika
241:
239:
230:
219:Mṛcchakaṭika
218:
215:
155:
154:
150:
146:
142:
139:Mṛcchakaṭikā
138:
126:Mṛcchakatika
125:
124:
123:
18:
648:B. S. Ranga
598:Vasantasena
580:, starring
578:Vasantasena
547:Gale Gordon
535:Los Angeles
501:in 1905 as
446:Darduraka,
430:Sarvilaka,
402:King Pālaka
336:Vasantasenā
329:Cārudatta,
210:Vasantasenā
73:Samsthānaka
66:Vasantasenā
1018:Categories
777:0791417255
724:0824811909
686:K. Vijayan
666:drama film
621:Vasantsena
592:Vasantsena
568:Vasantsena
380:Madanikā,
368:Rohasena,
356:Radanikā,
344:Maitreya,
319:Characters
201:nagarvadhu
56:Characters
41:Written by
682:Malayalam
680:, a 1985
658:, a 1984
440:Māthura,
269:in 1895.
197:Cārudatta
173:Kshatriya
79:Sarvilaka
62:Cārudatta
684:film by
650:in 1967.
638:in 1958.
628:in 1942.
604:film by
424:Āryaka,
284:Ujjayini
205:Sanskrit
193:Sanskrit
181:Ujjayini
131:Sanskrit
115:Ujjayini
94:Sanskrit
82:Madanikā
70:Maitreya
971:Twitter
829:17 July
362:Dhuta,
261:called
227:Prakrit
189:Brahmin
165:Śūdraka
110:Setting
45:Śūdraka
941:
914:
774:
721:
663:erotic
632:Sadhna
477:
470:Scribe
412:Vita,
374:Viṭa,
304:gharry
169:Simuka
76:Āryaka
49:Simuka
967:Tweet
800:=1938
695:Notes
660:Hindi
655:Utsav
602:Tamil
486:Media
467:Judge
235:Bhāsa
177:Shiva
149:, or
100:Genre
939:ISBN
912:ISBN
831:2012
772:ISBN
719:ISBN
545:and
291:Kāma
249:and
668:by
509:by
1020::
885:.
866:.
847:.
817:.
798:23
748:23
733:^
703:^
541:,
338:,
207::
203:,
195::
191:,
145:,
141:,
133::
973:.
965:(
947:.
920:.
833:.
780:.
727:.
688:.
672:.
553:.
167:(
153:(
129:(
51:)
47:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
.jpg)