DHAARINI

DHAARINI

Dhaarini was a queen of the king Agnimitra in the play Malavika-Agnimitram in Sanskrit written by the great poet Kalidasa.

Kalidasa’s skill in characterisation comes out best in the female characters of this play.  He presents two opposite types of womanly character, the magnanimous Dhaarini (the queen and the first wife of Agnimitra) and the jealous Iraavati (the queen and the second wife of Agnimitra) whose traits are gradually revealed with the progress of the plot.

No doubt at the outset Dhaarini jealously guards the impressive personality of Malavika (the heroine of the play Malavika-Agnimtram) from the sight of the king (the hero Agnimitra).  She even tries to prevent the scheme of Vidhushaka (jester) to display the dance of Malavika before the king from being carried out, but yields eventually.  As the plot progress, her yields eventually. 

As the plot progresses, her magnanimity asserts itself.  She forgives the faults of the king.  She promises Malavika her desired object if the Asoka tree puts forth blossom in five days.  She is charitable to the Vidhushaka, though conscious of his complicity in the love-intrigues of the king.  She id moved to pity when a snake is supposed to have bitten him and offers him her signet-ring for effecting his cure from poison readily with a demur.  She is tolerant when the misuse of her signet-ring comes to light, and actually sends word to Iravati that she imprisoned Malavika and Bakulavalika (servant maid to Dhaarini) only to respect her wishes, but that she would like to fulfil the desire of the king.

As an ideal Hindu wife, Dhaarini subordinates her interests to those of her husband (the hero and the king Agnimitra).  She is ever cordial and respectful towards his despite his vagaries.  She does not utter a harsh word towards him even under great provocation.  Her utmost hard behaviour towards her erring husband consists in a mere passing thought- “Aho avinaya Aaryaputrasya means alas, the audacity of my lord”.

When the noble heredity of Princess Malavika, comes to her notice, she sincerely repents of having treated her as a maid-servant.  Genial in temper, cordial in words and acts, dignified in behaviour and stately in her manners.

Dhaarini is quite an impressive character.  In her association with the learned Kausiki and gifts to Brahmanic-scholars on hearing her son’s expedition for the steering of the sacrificial horse comes out her religious temperament.  Her attititude towards Malavika beginning from the initiation in dance down to her admittance in the royal harem reveals her kindliness.  Her nobility of character comes out in her acquaintance in the advent of a rival wife, a featurepraised by the learned Kausiki thus “Pratipakshenaapi patim sevanthe bharthruvatsalaah saadhvyah means chaste wives to whom husbands are dear serve their lords even by consenting to the admission of a rival wife”.

In the result Dhaarini remains without a parallel among female characters, perhaps in the whole range

of Sanskrit drama.

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