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The Mahabharata of Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 1 by or: Kisari Mohan Ganguli

o >> or: Kisari Mohan Ganguli >> The Mahabharata of Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 1




"Sauti continued, 'I will now speak of the undying flowery and fruitful
productions of this tree, possessed of pure and pleasant taste, and not
to be destroyed even by the immortals. Formerly, the spirited and
virtuous Krishna-Dwaipayana, by the injunctions of Bhishma, the wise son
of Ganga and of his own mother, became the father of three boys who were
like the three fires by the two wives of Vichitra-virya; and having thus
raised up Dhritarashtra, Pandu and Vidura, he returned to his recluse
abode to prosecute his religious exercise.

It was not till after these were born, grown up, and departed on the
supreme journey, that the great Rishi Vyasa published the Bharata in this
region of mankind; when being solicited by Janamejaya and thousands of
Brahmanas, he instructed his disciple Vaisampayana, who was seated near
him; and he, sitting together with the Sadasyas, recited the Bharata,
during the intervals of the ceremonies of the sacrifice, being repeatedly
urged to proceed.

Vyasa hath fully represented the greatness of the house of Kuru, the
virtuous principles of Gandhari, the wisdom of Vidura, and the constancy
of Kunti. The noble Rishi hath also described the divinity of Vasudeva,
the rectitude of the sons of Pandu, and the evil practices of the sons
and partisans of Dhritarashtra.

Vyasa executed the compilation of the Bharata, exclusive of the episodes
originally in twenty-four thousand verses; and so much only is called by
the learned as the Bharata. Afterwards, he composed an epitome in one
hundred and fifty verses, consisting of the introduction with the chapter
of contents. This he first taught to his son Suka; and afterwards he gave
it to others of his disciples who were possessed of the same
qualifications. After that he executed another compilation, consisting of
six hundred thousand verses. Of those, thirty hundred thousand are known
in the world of the Devas; fifteen hundred thousand in the world of the
Pitris: fourteen hundred thousand among the Gandharvas, and one hundred
thousand in the regions of mankind. Narada recited them to the Devas,
Devala to the Pitris, and Suka published them to the Gandharvas, Yakshas,
and Rakshasas: and in this world they were recited by Vaisampayana, one
of the disciples of Vyasa, a man of just principles and the first among
all those acquainted with the Vedas. Know that I, Sauti, have also
repeated one hundred thousand verses.

Yudhishthira is a vast tree, formed of religion and virtue; Arjuna is its
trunk; Bhimasena, its branches; the two sons of Madri are its full-grown
fruit and flowers; and its roots are Krishna, Brahma, and the Brahmanas.

Pandu, after having subdued many countries by his wisdom and prowess,
took up his abode with the Munis in a certain forest as a sportsman,
where he brought upon himself a very severe misfortune for having killed
a stag coupling with its mate, which served as a warning for the conduct
of the princes of his house as long as they lived. Their mothers, in
order that the ordinances of the law might be fulfilled, admitted as
substitutes to their embraces the gods Dharma, Vayu, Sakra, and the
divinities the twin Aswins. And when their offspring grew up, under the
care of their two mothers, in the society of ascetics, in the midst of
sacred groves and holy recluse-abodes of religious men, they were
conducted by Rishis into the presence of Dhritarashtra and his sons,
following as students in the habit of Brahmacharis, having their hair
tied in knots on their heads. 'These our pupils', said they, 'are as your
sons, your brothers, and your friends; they are Pandavas.' Saying this,
the Munis disappeared.

When the Kauravas saw them introduced as the sons of Pandu, the
distinguished class of citizens shouted exceedingly for joy. Some,
however, said, they were not the sons of Pandu; others said, they were;
while a few asked how they could be his offspring, seeing he had been so
long dead. Still on all sides voices were heard crying, 'They are on all
accounts welcome! Through divine Providence we behold the family of
Pandu! Let their welcome be proclaimed!' As these acclamations ceased,
the plaudits of invisible spirits, causing every point of the heavens to
resound, were tremendous. There were showers of sweet-scented flowers,
and the sound of shells and kettle-drums. Such were the wonders that
happened on the arrival of the young princes. The joyful noise of all the
citizens, in expression of their satisfaction on the occasion, was so
great that it reached the very heavens in magnifying plaudits.

Having studied the whole of the Vedas and sundry other shastras, the
Pandavas resided there, respected by all and without apprehension from
any one.

The principal men were pleased with the purity of Yudhishthira, the
courage of Arjuna, the submissive attention of Kunti to her superiors,
and the humility of the twins, Nakula and Sahadeva; and all the people
rejoiced in their heroic virtues.

After a while, Arjuna obtained the virgin Krishna at the swayamvara, in
the midst of a concourse of Rajas, by performing a very difficult feat of
archery. And from this time he became very much respected in this world
among all bowmen; and in fields of battle also, like the sun, he was hard
to behold by foe-men. And having vanquished all the neighbouring princes
and every considerable tribe, he accomplished all that was necessary for
the Raja (his eldest brother) to perform the great sacrifice called
Rajasuya.

Yudhishthira, after having, through the wise counsels of Vasudeva and by
the valour of Bhimasena and Arjuna, slain Jarasandha (the king of
Magadha) and the proud Chaidya, acquired the right to perform the grand
sacrifice of Rajasuya abounding in provisions and offering and fraught
with transcendent merits. And Duryodhana came to this sacrifice; and when
he beheld the vast wealth of the Pandavas scattered all around, the
offerings, the precious stones, gold and jewels; the wealth in cows,
elephants, and horses; the curious textures, garments, and mantles; the
precious shawls and furs and carpets made of the skin of the Ranku; he
was filled with envy and became exceedingly displeased. And when he
beheld the hall of assembly elegantly constructed by Maya (the Asura
architect) after the fashion of a celestial court, he was inflamed with
rage. And having started in confusion at certain architectural deceptions
within this building, he was derided by Bhimasena in the presence of
Vasudeva, like one of mean descent.

And it was represented to Dhritarashtra that his son, while partaking of
various objects of enjoyment and diverse precious things, was becoming
meagre, wan, and pale. And Dhritarashtra, some time after, out of
affection for his son, gave his consent to their playing (with the
Pandavas) at dice. And Vasudeva coming to know of this, became
exceedingly wroth. And being dissatisfied, he did nothing to prevent the
disputes, but overlooked the gaming and sundry other horried
unjustifiable transactions arising therefrom: and in spite of Vidura,
Bhishma, Drona, and Kripa, the son of Saradwan, he made the Kshatriyas
kill each other in the terrific war that ensued.'

"And Dhritarashtra hearing the ill news of the success of the Pandavas
and recollecting the resolutions of Duryodhana, Kama, and Sakuni,
pondered for a while and addressed to Sanjaya the following speech:--

'Attend, O Sanjaya, to all I am about to say, and it will not become thee
to treat me with contempt. Thou art well-versed in the shastras,
intelligent and endowed with wisdom. My inclination was never to war, not
did I delight in the destruction of my race. I made no distinction
between my own children and the children of Pandu. My own sons were prone
to wilfulness and despised me because I am old. Blind as I am, because of
my miserable plight and through paternal affection, I bore it all. I was
foolish alter the thoughtless Duryodhana ever growing in folly. Having
been a spectator of the riches of the mighty sons of Pandu, my son was
derided for his awkwardness while ascending the hall. Unable to bear it
all and unable himself to overcome the sons of Pandu in the field, and
though a soldier, unwilling yet to obtain good fortune by his own
exertion, with the help of the king of Gandhara he concerted an unfair
game at dice.

'Hear, O Sanjaya, all that happened thereupon and came to my knowledge.
And when thou hast heard all I say, recollecting everything as it fell
out, thou shall then know me for one with a prophetic eye. When I heard
that Arjuna, having bent the bow, had pierced the curious mark and
brought it down to the ground, and bore away in triumph the maiden
Krishna, in the sight of the assembled princes, then, O Sanjaya I had no
hope of success. When I heard that Subhadra of the race of Madhu had,
after forcible seizure been married by Arjuna in the city of Dwaraka, and
that the two heroes of the race of Vrishni (Krishna and Balarama the
brothers of Subhadra) without resenting it had entered Indraprastha as
friends, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that
Arjuna, by his celestial arrow preventing the downpour by Indra the king
of the gods, had gratified Agni by making over to him the forest of
Khandava, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that
the five Pandavas with their mother Kunti had escaped from the house of
lac, and that Vidura was engaged in the accomplishment of their designs,
then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that Arjuna,
after having pierced the mark in the arena had won Draupadi, and that the
brave Panchalas had joined the Pandavas, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope
of success. When I heard that Jarasandha, the foremost of the royal line
of Magadha, and blazing in the midst of the Kshatriyas, had been slain by
Bhima with his bare arms alone, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of
success. When I heard that in their general campaign the sons of Pandu
had conquered the chiefs of the land and performed the grand sacrifice of
the Rajasuya, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard
that Draupadi, her voice choked with tears and heart full of agony, in
the season of impurity and with but one raiment on, had been dragged into
court and though she had protectors, she had been treated as if she had
none, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that the
wicked wretch Duhsasana, was striving to strip her of that single
garment, had only drawn from her person a large heap of cloth without
being able to arrive at its end, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of
success. When I heard that Yudhishthira, beaten by Saubala at the game of
dice and deprived of his kingdom as a consequence thereof, had still been
attended upon by his brothers of incomparable prowess, then, O Sanjaya, I
had no hope of success. When I heard that the virtuous Pandavas weeping
with affliction had followed their elder brother to the wilderness and
exerted themselves variously for the mitigation of his discomforts, then,
O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success.

'When I heard that Yudhishthira had been followed into the wilderness by
Snatakas and noble-minded Brahmanas who live upon alms, then, O Sanjaya,
I had no hope of success. When I heard that Arjuna, having, in combat,
pleased the god of gods, Tryambaka (the three-eyed) in the disguise of a
hunter, obtained the great weapon Pasupata, then O Sanjaya, I had no hope
of success. When I heard that the just and renowned Arjuna after having
been to the celestial regions, had there obtained celestial weapons from
Indra himself then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard
that afterwards Arjuna had vanquished the Kalakeyas and the Paulomas
proud with the boon they had obtained and which had rendered them
invulnerable even to the celestials, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of
success. When I heard that Arjuna, the chastiser of enemies, having gone
to the regions of Indra for the destruction of the Asuras, had returned
thence successful, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I
heard that Bhima and the other sons of Pritha (Kunti) accompanied by
Vaisravana had arrived at that country which is inaccessible to man then,
O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that my sons, guided by
the counsels of Karna, while on their journey of Ghoshayatra, had been
taken prisoners by the Gandharvas and were set free by Arjuna, then, O
Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that Dharma (the god of
justice) having come under the form of a Yaksha had proposed certain
questions to Yudhishthira then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When
I heard that my sons had failed to discover the Pandavas under their
disguise while residing with Draupadi in the dominions of Virata, then, O
Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that the principal men of
my side had all been vanquished by the noble Arjuna with a single chariot
while residing in the dominions of Virata, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope
of success. When I heard that Vasudeva of the race of Madhu, who covered
this whole earth by one foot, was heartily interested in the welfare of
the Pandavas, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard
that the king of Matsya, had offered his virtuous daughter Uttara to
Arjuna and that Arjuna had accepted her for his son, then, O Sanjaya, I
had no hope of success. When I heard that Yudhishthira, beaten at dice,
deprived of wealth, exiled and separated from his connections, had
assembled yet an army of seven Akshauhinis, then, O Sanjaya, I had no
hope of success. When I heard Narada, declare that Krishna and Arjuna
were Nara and Narayana and he (Narada) had seen them together in the
regions of Brahma, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I
heard that Krishna, anxious to bring about peace, for the welfare of
mankind had repaired to the Kurus, and went away without having been able
to effect his purpose, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I
heard that Kama and Duryodhana resolved upon imprisoning Krishna
displayed in himself the whole universe, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope
of success. Then I heard that at the time of his departure, Pritha
(Kunti) standing, full of sorrow, near his chariot received consolation
from Krishna, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard
that Vasudeva and Bhishma the son of Santanu were the counsellors of the
Pandavas and Drona the son of Bharadwaja pronounced blessings on them,
then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When Kama said unto Bhishma--I
will not fight when thou art fighting--and, quitting the army, went away,
then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that Vasudeva and
Arjuna and the bow Gandiva of immeasurable prowess, these three of
dreadful energy had come together, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of
success. When I heard that upon Arjuna having been seized with
compunction on his chariot and ready to sink, Krishna showed him all the
worlds within his body, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I
heard that Bhishma, the desolator of foes, killing ten thousand
charioteers every day in the field of battle, had not slain any amongst
the Pandavas then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that
Bhishma, the righteous son of Ganga, had himself indicated the means of
his defeat in the field of battle and that the same were accomplished by
the Pandavas with joyfulness, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success.
When I heard that Arjuna, having placed Sikhandin before himself in his
chariot, had wounded Bhishma of infinite courage and invincible in
battle, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that the
aged hero Bhishma, having reduced the numbers of the race of shomaka to a
few, overcome with various wounds was lying on a bed of arrows, then, O
Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that upon Bhishma's lying
on the ground with thirst for water, Arjuna, being requested, had pierced
the ground and allayed his thirst, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of
success. When Bayu together with Indra and Suryya united as allies for
the success of the sons of Kunti, and the beasts of prey (by their
inauspicious presence) were putting us in fear, then, O Sanjaya, I had no
hope of success. When the wonderful warrior Drona, displaying various
modes of fight in the field, did not slay any of the superior Pandavas,
then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that the
Maharatha Sansaptakas of our army appointed for the overthrow of Arjuna
were all slain by Arjuna himself, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of
success. When I heard that our disposition of forces, impenetrable by
others, and defended by Bharadwaja himself well-armed, had been singly
forced and entered by the brave son of Subhadra, then, O Sanjaya, I had
no hope of success. When I heard that our Maharathas, unable to overcome
Arjuna, with jubilant faces after having jointly surrounded and slain the
boy Abhimanyu, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard
that the blind Kauravas were shouting for joy after having slain
Abhimanyu and that thereupon Arjuna in anger made his celebrated speech
referring to Saindhava, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I
heard that Arjuna had vowed the death of Saindhava and fulfilled his vow
in the presence of his enemies, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of
success. When I heard that upon the horses of Arjuna being fatigued,
Vasudeva releasing them made them drink water and bringing them back and
reharnessing them continued to guide them as before, then, O Sanjaya, I
had no hope of success. When I heard that while his horses were fatigued,
Arjuna staying in his chariot checked all his assailants, then, O
Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that Yuyudhana of the
race of Vrishni, after having thrown into confusion the army of Drona
rendered unbearable in prowess owing to the presence of elephants,
retired to where Krishna and Arjuna were, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope
of success. When I heard that Karna even though he had got Bhima within
his power allowed him to escape after only addressing him in contemptuous
terms and dragging him with the end of his bow, then, O Sanjaya, I had no
hope of success. When I heard that Drona, Kritavarma, Kripa, Karna, the
son of Drona, and the valiant king of Madra (Salya) suffered Saindhava to
be slain, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that
the celestial Sakti given by Indra (to Karna) was by Madhava's
machinations caused to be hurled upon Rakshasa Ghatotkacha of frightful
countenance, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that
in the encounter between Karna and Ghatotkacha, that Sakti was hurled
against Ghatotkacha by Karna, the same which was certainly to have slain
Arjuna in battle, then, O Sanjaya. I had no hope of success. When I heard
that Dhristadyumna, transgressing the laws of battle, slew Drona while
alone in his chariot and resolved on death, then, O Sanjaya, I had no
hope of success. When I heard that Nakula. the son of Madri, having in
the presence of the whole army engaged in single combat with the son of
Drona and showing himself equal to him drove his chariot in circles
around, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When upon the death of
Drona, his son misused the weapon called Narayana but failed to achieve
the destruction of the Pandavas, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of
success. When I heard that Bhimasena drank the blood of his brother
Duhsasana in the field of battle without anybody being able to prevent
him, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that the
infinitely brave Karna, invincible in battle, was slain by Arjuna in that
war of brothers mysterious even to the gods, then, O Sanjaya, I had no
hope of success. When I heard that Yudhishthira, the Just, overcame the
heroic son of Drona, Duhsasana, and the fierce Kritavarman, then, O
Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that the brave king of
Madra who ever dared Krishna in battle was slain by Yudhishthira, then, O
Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that the wicked Suvala of
magic power, the root of the gaming and the feud, was slain in battle by
Sahadeva, the son of Pandu, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success.
When I heard that Duryodhana, spent with fatigue, having gone to a lake
and made a refuge for himself within its waters, was lying there alone,
his strength gone and without a chariot, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope
of success. When I heard that the Pandavas having gone to that lake
accompanied by Vasudeva and standing on its beach began to address
contemptuously my son who was incapable of putting up with affronts,
then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that while,
displaying in circles a variety of curious modes (of attack and defence)
in an encounter with clubs, he was unfairly slain according to the
counsels of Krishna, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I
heard the son of Drona and others by slaying the Panchalas and the sons
of Draupadi in their sleep, perpetrated a horrible and infamous deed,
then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that Aswatthaman
while being pursued by Bhimasena had discharged the first of weapons
called Aishika, by which the embryo in the womb (of Uttara) was wounded,
then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that the weapon
Brahmashira (discharged by Aswatthaman) was repelled by Arjuna with
another weapon over which he had pronounced the word "Sasti" and that
Aswatthaman had to give up the jewel-like excrescence on his head, then,
O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that upon the embryo in
the womb of Virata's daughter being wounded by Aswatthaman with a mighty
weapon, Dwaipayana and Krishna pronounced curses on him, then, O Sanjaya,
I had no hope of success.

'Alas! Gandhari, destitute of children, grand-children, parents,
brothers, and kindred, is to be pitied. Difficult is the task that hath
been performed by the Pandavas: by them hath a kingdom been recovered
without a rival.

'Alas! I have heard that the war hath left only ten alive: three of our
side, and the Pandavas, seven, in that dreadful conflict eighteen
Akshauhinis of Kshatriyas have been slain! All around me is utter
darkness, and a fit of swoon assaileth me: consciousness leaves me, O
Suta, and my mind is distracted."

"Sauti said, 'Dhritarashtra, bewailing his fate in these words, was
overcome with extreme anguish and for a time deprived of sense; but being
revived, he addressed Sanjaya in the following words.

"After what hath come to pass, O Sanjaya, I wish to put an end to my life
without delay; I do not find the least advantage in cherishing it any
longer."

"Sauti said, 'The wise son of Gavalgana (Sanjaya) then addressed the
distressed lord of Earth while thus talking and bewailing, sighing like a
serpent and repeatedly tainting, in words of deep import.

"Thou hast heard, O Raja, of the greatly powerful men of vast exertions,
spoken of by Vyasa and the wise Narada; men born of great royal families,
resplendent with worthy qualities, versed in the science of celestial
arms, and in glory emblems of Indra; men who having conquered the world
by justice and performed sacrifices with fit offerings (to the
Brahmanas), obtained renown in this world and at last succumbed to the
sway of time. Such were Saivya; the valiant Maharatha; Srinjaya, great
amongst conquerors. Suhotra; Rantideva, and Kakshivanta, great in glory;
Valhika, Damana, Saryati, Ajita, and Nala; Viswamitra the destroyer of
foes; Amvarisha, great in strength; Marutta, Manu, Ikshaku, Gaya, and
Bharata; Rama the son of Dasaratha; Sasavindu, and Bhagiratha;
Kritavirya, the greatly fortunate, and Janamejaya too; and Yayati of good
deeds who performed sacrifices, being assisted therein by the celestials
themselves, and by whose sacrificial altars and stakes this earth with
her habited and uninhabited regions hath been marked all over. These
twenty-four Rajas were formerly spoken of by the celestial Rishi Narada
unto Saivya when much afflicted for the loss of his children. Besides
these, other Rajas had gone before, still more powerful than they, mighty
charioteers noble in mind, and resplendent with every worthy quality.
These were Puru, Kuru, Yadu, Sura and Viswasrawa of great glory; Anuha,
Yuvanaswu, Kakutstha, Vikrami, and Raghu; Vijava, Virihorta, Anga, Bhava,
Sweta, and Vripadguru; Usinara, Sata-ratha, Kanka, Duliduha, and Druma;
Dambhodbhava, Para, Vena, Sagara, Sankriti, and Nimi; Ajeya, Parasu,
Pundra, Sambhu, and holy Deva-Vridha; Devahuya, Supratika, and
Vrihad-ratha; Mahatsaha, Vinitatma, Sukratu, and Nala, the king of the
Nishadas; Satyavrata, Santabhaya, Sumitra, and the chief Subala;
Janujangha, Anaranya, Arka, Priyabhritya, Chuchi-vrata, Balabandhu,
Nirmardda, Ketusringa, and Brhidbala; Dhrishtaketu, Brihatketu,
Driptaketu, and Niramaya; Abikshit, Chapala, Dhurta, Kritbandhu, and
Dridhe-shudhi; Mahapurana-sambhavya, Pratyanga, Paraha and Sruti. These,
O chief, and other Rajas, we hear enumerated by hundreds and by
thousands, and still others by millions, princes of great power and
wisdom, quitting very abundant enjoyments met death as thy sons have
done! Their heavenly deeds, valour, and generosity, their magnanimity,
faith, truth, purity, simplicity and mercy, are published to the world in
the records of former times by sacred bards of great learning. Though
endued with every noble virtue, these have yielded up their lives. Thy
sons were malevolent, inflamed with passion, avaricious, and of very
evil-disposition. Thou art versed in the Sastras, O Bharata, and art
intelligent and wise; they never sink under misfortunes whose
understandings are guided by the Sastras. Thou art acquainted, O prince,
with the lenity and severity of fate; this anxiety therefore for the
safety of thy children is unbecoming. Moreover, it behoveth thee not to
grieve for that which must happen: for who can avert, by his wisdom, the
decrees of fate? No one can leave the way marked out for him by
Providence. Existence and non-existence, pleasure and pain all have Time
for their root. Time createth all things and Time destroyeth all
creatures. It is Time that burneth creatures and it is Time that
extinguisheth the fire. All states, the good and the evil, in the three
worlds, are caused by Time. Time cutteth short all things and createth
them anew. Time alone is awake when all things are asleep: indeed, Time
is incapable of being overcome. Time passeth over all things without
being retarded. Knowing, as thou dost, that all things past and future
and all that exist at the present moment, are the offspring of Time, it
behoveth thee not to throw away thy reason.'

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We do not know the women's names, but their voices are quite distinct. All are pregnant. But while the first woman awaits the birth of her baby with a moon-like serenity, the other two are not so lucky. One, whose previous pregnancies have failed to go to term, is experiencing a heartbreaking late miscarriage; the other is a young student whose accidental pregnancy will end in her child being put up for adoption.

Sylvia Plath's only play was never intended for the stage, being broadcast instead on BBC radio in August 1962. Less than six months later, Plath killed herself, but not before the burst of astonishing creative energy that produced her extraordinary, terrifying Ariel poems.

Anyone who knows Plath's poetry will see the connection between Three Women and Plath's subsequent poems, particularly in the way she talks about the agony of childbirth, the rush of love for this tiny alien being, and both the wonder and wounded rawness of motherhood. It is a beautiful piece, full of startling imagery that draws you in through the sheer intensity of its femaleness, and because it so precisely articulates the emotions that are often thought but seldom voiced by women - certainly not in the early 1960s - about men, motherhood and our relationship to our bodies.

It's been 20 years since there has been an attempt at a professional stage version and - in a theatre world that happily accepts the poetic offerings of Sarah Kane and Debbie Tucker Green, or the staged possibilities of The Waves, one of Plath's own inspirations for the piece, I see no reason why it shouldn't be brought to life. Sadly, it doesn't breathe here, in a production by Robert Shaw that is clearly a labour of love, but which never finds a way to give the internal a physical reality. Plath's poetry, like most babies, is more robust than it appears - and won't break if treated with a little less reverence and considerably more grit.

Instead, what we are offered is tinkling piano music, mournful mood lighting, an innocuous pale setting, as well as three perfectly good but indisputably ladylike performances that capture none of the wounded redness of Plath's poetry, and do her the disservice of making her sound bleached and somewhat prissy. It's a pity. What might have been a wonder ends up a mere curiosity.

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