A History of Sanskrit Literature c13.48

c13.48

Yet it is fair to admit Çrīharṣa's cleverness; his power of *double entendre* receives perfectly fair use in the recast of the famous scene in which Damayantī sees before her five men apparently exactly alike and cannot decide which is her lover. Sarasvatī, in Çrīharṣa's version, presents the five to her and describes each in words which on one reading do express his true identity, but on the other apply to Nala, thus setting the poor girl a still more distracting task. It is a consolation to reflect that, even had she known Sanskrit, she would not have been able without a comment to understand what was said by the goddess. Nor, again, is it possible to deny that the transition in the last canto from the description of night to that of the moon is gracefully effected; Nala exclaims that the moon has grown red with anger at the too prolonged celebration of the beauties of his friend, and then to appease his wrath he straightway hails the appearance of the moon rising in ruddy splendour.¹