The King of the Dark Chamber | Page 8

me in the dark?
KING. Yes, I can.
SUDARSHANA. What do you see?
KING. I see that the darkness of the infinite heavens, whirled into life
and being by the power of my love, has drawn the light of a myriad
stars into itself, and incarnated itself in a form of flesh and blood. And
in that form, what aeons of thought and striving, untold yearnings of
limitless skies, the countless gifts of unnumbered seasons!
SUDARSHANA. Am I so wonderful, so beautiful? When I hear you
speak so, my heart swells with gladness and pride. But how can I
believe the wonderful things you tell me? I cannot find them in myself!
KING. Your own mirror will not reflect them--it lessens you, limits
you, makes you look small and insignificant. But could you see
yourself mirrored in my own mind, how grand would you appear! In
my own heart you are no longer the daily individual which you think
you are--you are verily my second self.
SUDARSHANA. Oh, do show me for an instant how to see with your
eyes! Is there nothing at all like darkness to you? I am afraid when I
think of this. This darkness which is to me real and strong as death--is
this simply nothing to you? Then how can there be any union at all
between us, in a place like this? No, no--it is impossible: there is a
barrier betwixt us two: not here, no, not in this place. I want to find you

and see you where I see trees and animals, birds and stones and the
earth
KING. Very well, you can try to find me--but none will point me out to
you. You will have to recognise me, if you can, yourself. And even if
anybody professes to show me to you, how can you be sure he is
speaking the truth?
SUDARSHANA. I shall know you; I shall recognise you. I shall find
you out among a million men. I cannot be mistaken.
KING. Very well, then, to-night, during the festival of the full moon of
the spring, you will try to find me out from the high turret of my
palace--search for me with your own eyes amongst the crowd of
people.
SUDARSHANA. Wilt thou be there among them?
KING. I shall show myself again and again, from every side of the
crowd. Surangama!
[Enter SURANGAMA]
SURANGAMA. What is thy pleasure, lord?
KING. To-night is the full moon festival of the spring.
SURANGAMA. What have I to do to-night?
KING. To-day is a festive day, not a day of work. The pleasure gardens
are in their full bloom--you will join in my festivities there.
SURANGAMA. I shall do as thou desirest, lord.
KING. The Queen wants to see me to-night with her own eyes.
SURANGAMA. Where will the Queen see you?
KING. Where the music will play at its sweetest, where the air will be
heavy with the dust of flowers--there in the pleasure grove of silver
light and mellow gloom.
SURANGAMA. What can be seen in the hide-and-seek of darkness
and light? There the wind is wild and restless, everything is dance and
swift movement--will it not puzzle the eyes?
KING. The Queen is curious to search me out.
SURANGAMA. Curiosity will have to come back baffled and in tears!
SONG.
/* Ah, they would fly away, the restless vagrant eyes, the wild birds of
the forest! But the time of their surrender will come, their flights hither
and thither will be ended when The music of enchantment will pursue
them and pierce their hearts. Alas, the wild birds would fly to the

wilderness! */

III
[Before the Pleasure Gardens. Enter AVANTI, KOSHALA, KANCHI,
and other KINGS]
AVANTI. Will the King of this place not receive us?
KANCHI. What manner of governing a country is this? The King is
having a festival in a forest, where even the meanest and commonest
people can have easy access!
KOSHALA. We ought to have had a separate place set apart and ready
for our reception.
KANCHI. If he has not prepared such a place yet, we shall compel him
to have one erected for us.
KOSHALA. All this makes one naturally suspect if these people have
really got any King at all--it looks as if an unfounded rumour has led us
astray.
AVANTI. It may be so with regard to the King, but the Queen
Sudarshana of this place isn't at all an unfounded rumour.
KOSHALA. It is only for her sake that I have cared to come at all. I
don't mind omitting to see one who never makes himself visible, but it
would be a stupid mistake if we were to go away without a sight of one
who is eminently worth a visit.
KANCHI. Let us make