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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






SECTION IX

"Dhritarashtra said, 'O holy one, I did not like this business of
gambling, but, O Muni, I think, I was made to consent to it drawn by
fate! Neither Bhishma, nor Drona, nor Vidura, nor Gandhari liked this
game at dice. No doubt, it was begot of folly. And, O thou who delightest
in the observance of vows, O illustrious one, knowing everything yet
influenced by paternal affection, I am unable to cast off my senseless
son, Duryodhana!'

"Vyasa said, 'O king, O son of Vichitravirya, what thou sayest is true!
We know it well that a son is the best of all things and that there is
nothing that is so good as a son. Instructed by the tears of Suravi,
Indra came to know that the son surpasseth in worth other valuable
possessions. O monarch, I will, in this connection, relate to thee that
excellent and best of stories, the conversation between Indra and Suravi.
In days of yore, Suravi, the mother of cows was once weeping in the
celestial regions. O child, Indra took compassion upon her, and asked
her, saying, 'O auspicious one! why dost thou weep? Is everything well
with the celestials? Hath any misfortune, ever so little, befallen the
world of men or serpents?' Suravi replied, 'No evil hath befallen thee
that I perceive. But I am aggrieved on account of my son, and it is
therefore, O Kausika, that I weep! See, O chief of the celestials, yonder
cruel husbandman is belabouring my weak son with the wooden stick, and
oppressing him with the (weight of the) plough, in consequence of which
my child agitated with agony is falling upon the ground and is at the
point of death. At sight of this, O lord of the celestials, I am filled
with compassion, and my mind is agitated! The one that is the stronger of
the pair is bearing his burthen of greater weight (with ease), but, O
Vasava, the other is lean, and weak and is a mass of veins and arteries!
He beareth his burthen with difficulty! And it is for him that I grieve.
See, O Vasava, sore inflicted with the whip, and harassed exceedingly, he
is unable to bear his burthen. And it is for him that, moved by grief, I
weep in heaviness of heart and these tears of compassion trickle down my
eyes!'

"Sakra said, 'O fair one, when thousands of thy son are (daily)
oppressed, why dost thou grieve for one under infliction?' Suravi
replied. 'Although I have a thousand offspring, yet my affections flow
equally towards all! But, O Sakra, I feel greater compassion for one that
is weak and innocent!'

"Vyasa continued, 'Then Indra having heard these words of Suravi, was
much surprised, and O thou of the Kuru race, he became convinced that a
son is dearer than one's life! And the illustrious chastiser of Paka
thereupon suddenly poured there a thick shower and caused obstruction to
the husbandman's work. And as Suravi said, thy affections, O king,
equally flow towards all thy sons. Let them be greater towards those that
are weak! And as my son Pandu is to me, so art thou, O son, and so also
Vidura of profound wisdom! It is out of affection that I tell you all
this! O Bharata, thou art possessed of a hundred and one sons, but Pandu
hath only five. And they are in a bad plight and passing their days in
sorrow. How may they save their lives, how may they thrive such thoughts
regarding the distressed sons of Pritha continually agitate my soul! O
king of the earth, if thou desirest all the Kauravas to live, let thy son
Duryodhana make peace with the Pandavas!'"



SECTION X

"Dhritarashtra said, 'O Muni of profound wisdom, it is even as thou
sayest! I know it well as do all these kings! Indeed, what thou
considerest to be beneficial for the Kurus was pointed out to me, O Muni,
by Vidura and Bhishma and Drona. And, if I deserve thy favour, and if
thou hast kindness for the Kurus, do thou exhort my wicked son
Duryodhana!'

"Vyasa said, 'O king, after having seen the Pandava brothers, here cometh
the holy Rishi Maitreya, with the desire of seeing us. That mighty Rishi,
O king, will admonish thy son for the welfare of this race. And, O
Kauravya, what he adviseth must be followed undoubtingly, for if what he
recommendeth is not done, the sage will curse thy son in anger.'

"Vaisampayana continued, 'Saying this, Vyasa departed, and Maitreya made
his appearance. And the king with his son respectfully received that
way-worn chief of Munis, with offerings of the Arghya and other rites.
And king Dhritarashtra, the son of Amvika, in words of respect thus
addressed the sage, 'O holy one, hath journey from the Kuru-jangala been
a pleasant one? Are those heroes, the five Pandavas living happily? Do
those bulls of the Kuru race intend to stay out their time? Will the
brotherly affection of the Kauravas ever be impaired?'

"Maitreya said, 'Setting out on a pilgrimage to the different shrines, I
arrived at Kuru-jangala, and there I unexpectedly saw Yudhishthira the
just in the woods of Kamyaka. And, O exalted one, many Munis had come
there to behold the high-souled Yudhishthira, dwelling in an ascetic
asylum, clad in deer-skin and wearing matted locks. It was there, O king
of kings, that I heard of the grave error committed by thy sons and the
calamity and terrible danger arisen from dice that had overtaken them.
Therefore, it is that I have come to thee, for the good of the Kauravas,
since, O exalted one, my affection is great for thee and I am delighted
with thee! O king, it is not fit that thy sons should on any account
quarrel with one another, thyself and Bhishma living. Thou art, O king,
the stake at which bulls are tied (in treading cord), and thou art
competent to punish and reward! Why dost thou overlook then this great
evil that is about to overtake all? And, O descendant of the Kurus, for
those wrongs that have been perpetrated in thy court, which are even like
the acts of wretched outcasts, thou art not well-thought amongst the
ascetics!'

"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then turning to the wrathful prince Duryodhana,
the illustrious Rishi Maitreya addressed him in these soft words, 'O
mighty-armed Duryodhana, O best of all eloquent men, O illustrious one,
give heed unto the words I utter for my good! O king, seek not to quarrel
with the Pandavas! And, O bull among men, compass thou thy own good as
also of the Pandavas, of the Kurus and of the world! All those tigers
among men are heroes of high prowess in war, gifted with the strength of
ten thousand elephants, with bodies hard as the thunderbolt, holding fast
by their promises, and proud of their manliness! they have slain the
enemies of the celestials--those Rakshasas capable of assuming any form
at will, such as were headed by Hidimva and Kirmira! When those
high-souled ones went from hence that Rakshasa of fierce soul obstructed
their nocturnal path even like an immoveable hill. And even as a tiger
slayeth a little deer, Bhima, that foremost of all endued with strength,
and ever delighted in fight, slew that monster. Consider also, O king,
how while out on his campaign of conquest, Bhima slew in battle that
mighty warrior, Jarasandha, possessing the strength of ten thousand
elephants. Related to Vasudeva and having the sons of king Drupada as
their brothers-in-law, who that is subject to decrepitude and death would
undertake to cope with them in battle? O bull of the Bharata race, let
there be peace between thee and Pandavas! Follow thou my counsels and
surrender not thyself to anger!

'O king, thus admonished by Maitreya, Duryodhana began to slap his thigh
resembling the trunk of the elephant, and smilingly began to scratch the
ground with his foot. And the wicked wretch spake not a word, but hung
down his head. And, O monarch, beholding Duryodhana thus offer him a
slight by scratching the earth silently, Maitreya became angry. And, as
if commissioned by fate, Maitreya, the best of Munis, overwhelmed by
wrath, set his mind upon cursing Duryodhana! And then, with eyes red in
anger, Maitreya, touching water, caused the evil-minded son of
Dhritarashtra, saying, 'Since, slighting me thou declinest to act
according to my words, thou shalt speedily reap the fruit of this thy
insolence! In the great war which shall spring out of the wrongs
perpetrated by thee, the mighty Bhima shall smash that thigh of thine
with a stroke of his mace!

'When the Muni had spoken so, king Dhritarashtra began to pacify the
sage, in order that what he had said might not happen. But Maitreya said,
'O king, if thy son concludeth peace with the Pandavas, this curse of
mine, O child, will not take effect, otherwise it must be as I have said!'

"Vaisampayana said, 'Desirous of ascertaining the might of Bhima, that
foremost of kings, the father of Duryodhana, then asked Maitreya, saying,
'How was Kirmira slain by Bhima?'

"Maitreya said, 'I shall not speak again unto thee, O king, for my words
are not regarded by thy son. After I have gone away, Vidura will relate
everything unto thee!' And saying this, Maitreya went away to the place
whence he had come. And Duryodhana also went out perturbed at the tidings
of Kirmira's death (at the hand of Bhima).'"



SECTION XI

(Kirmirabadha Parva)

"Dhritarashtra said, 'O Kshatta, I am desirous to hear of the destruction
of Kirmira! Do thou tell me how the encounter took place between the
Rakshasa and Bhimasena!'

"Vidura said, 'Listen to the story of that feat of Bhimasena of super
human achievements! I have often heard of it in course of my conversation
with the Pandavas (while I was with them)

'O foremost of kings, defeated at dice the Pandavas departed from hence
and travelling for three days and nights they at length reached those
woods that go by the name of Kamyaka. O king, just after the dreadful
hour of midnight when all nature is asleep, when man-eating Rakshasas of
terrible deeds begin to wander, the ascetics and the cowherds and other
rangers of the forest used to shun the woods of Kamyaka and fly to a
distance from fear of cannibals. And, O Bharata, as the Pandavas were at
this hour entering those woods a fearful Rakshasa of flaming eyes
appeared before them with a lighted brand, obstructing their path. And
with outstretched arms and terrible face, he stood obstructing the way on
which those perpetuators of the Kuru race were proceeding. With eight
teeth standing out, with eyes of coppery hue, and with the hair of his
head blazing and standing erect, the fiend looked like a mass of clouds
reflecting the rays of the sun or mingled with lightning flashes and
graced with flocks of cranes underneath on their wings. And uttering
frightful yells and roaring like a mass of clouds charged with rain, the
fiend began to spread the illusion proper to his species. Hearing that
terrible roar, birds along with other creatures that live on land or in
water, began to drop down in all directions, uttering cries of fear. And
in consequence of the deer and the leopards and the buffaloes and the
bears flying about in all directions, it seemed as if the forest itself
was in motion. And swayed by the wind raised by the sighs of the
Rakshasa, creepers growing at a great distance seemed to embrace the
trees with their arms of coppery leaves. And at that moment, a violent
wind began to blow, and the sky became darkened with the dust that
covered it. And as grief is the greatest enemy of the object of the five
senses, even so appeared before the Pandavas that unknown foe of theirs.
And beholding the Pandavas from a distance clad in black deer-skins, the
Rakshasa obstructed their passage through the forest even like the
Mainaka mountain. And at the sight of him never seen before the
lotus-eyed Krishna, agitated with fear, closed her eyes. And she whose
braids had been dishevelled by the hand of Dussasana, stationed in the
midst of the five Pandavas, looked like a stream chafing amid five hills.
And seeing her overwhelmed with fear the five Pandavas supported her as
the five senses influenced by desire adhere to the pleasures relating to
their objects. And Dhaumya of great (ascetic) energy, in the presence of
the sons of Pandu, destroyed the fearful illusion that had been spread by
the Rakshasa, by applying various mantras, calculated to destroy the
Rakshasa. And beholding his illusion dispelled, the mighty Rakshasa of
crooked ways, capable of assuming any form at will, expanded his eyes in
wrath and seemed like death himself. Then king Yudhishthira, endued with
great wisdom, addressed him saying, 'Who art thou, and whose (son)? Tell
us what we should do for thee.' The Rakshasa thus addressed, answered
Yudhishthira the just, saying, 'I am the brother of Vaka, the celebrated
Kirmira. I live at ease in these deserted woods of Kamyaka, daily
procuring my food by vanquishing men in fight. Who are ye that have come
near me in the shape of my food? Defeating ye all in fight, I will eat ye
with pleasure.'

"Vaisampayana continued, 'O Bharata, hearing these words of the wretch,
Yudhishthira announced his own name and lineage, saying, 'I am king
Yudhishthira the just, the son of Pandu, of whom thou mayst have heard.
Deprived of my kingdom, I have with my brothers Bhimasena and Arjuna and
the others, in course of my wanderings, come into this terrible forest
which is thy dominion, desirous of passing my period of exile here!'

"Vidura continued, 'Kirmira said unto Yudhishthira, 'By good luck it is
that fate hath accomplished today my long-accomplished desire! With
weapons upraised have I been continually ranging the entire earth with
the object of slaying Bhima. But Bhima I had found not. By good luck it
is that slayer of my brother, whom I had been seeking so long, hath come
before me! It was he who in the disguise of a Brahmana slew my dear
brother Vaka in the Vetrakiya forest by virtue of his science. He hath
truly no strength of arms! It is also this one of wicked soul who
formerly slew my dear friend Hidimva, living in this forest and ravished
his sister! And that fool hath now come into this deep forest of mine,
when the night is half spent, even at the time when we wander about!
Today I will wreak my long-cherished vengeance upon him, and I will today
gratify (the manes of) Vaka with his blood in plenty! By slaying this
enemy of the Rakshasas, I shall today be freed from the debt I owe to my
friend and my brother, and thereby attain supreme happiness! If Bhimasena
was let free formerly by Vaka, today, I will devour him in thy sight, O
Yudhishthira! And even as Agastya ate up and digested the mighty Asura
(Vatapi) I will eat up and digest this Bhima!'

"Vidura continued, 'Thus addressed by the Rakshasa, the virtuous
Yudhishthira, steadfast in his pledges, said, 'It can never be so,--and
in anger rebuked the Rakshasa.' The mighty-armed Bhima then tore up in
haste a tree of the length of ten Vyasas and stripped it of its leaves.
And in the space of a moment the ever-victorious Arjuna stringed his bow
Gandiva possessing the force of the thunderbolt. And, O Bharata, making
Jishnu desist, Bhima approached that Rakshasa still roaring like the
clouds and said unto him, 'Stay! Stay!' And thus addressing the cannibal,
and tightening the cloth around his waist, and rubbing his palms, and
biting his nether lip with his teeth, and armed with the tree, the
powerful Bhima rushed towards the foe. And like unto Maghavat hurling his
thunderbolt, Bhima made that tree, resembling the mace of Yama himself
descend with force on the head of the cannibal. The Rakshasa, however,
was seen to remain unmoved at that blow, and wavered not in the conflict.
On the other hand, he hurled his lighted brand, flaming like lightning,
at Bhima. But that foremost of warriors turned it off with his left foot
in such a way that it went back towards the Rakshasa. Then the fierce
Kirmira on his part, all on a sudden uprooting a tree darted to the
encounter like unto the mace bearing Yama himself. And that fight, so
destructive of the trees, looked like the encounter in days of yore
between the brothers Vali and Sugriva for the possession of the same
woman. And the trees struck at the heads of the combatants, were broken
into shivers, like lotus-stalks thrown on the temples of infuriate
elephants. And in that great forest, innumerable trees, crushed like unto
reeds, lay scattered as rags. That encounter with trees between that
foremost of Rakshasas and that best of men, O thou bull of the Bharata
race, lasted but for a moment. Then taking up a crag, the angry Rakshasa
hurled it at Bhima standing before him, but the latter wavered not. Then
like unto Rahu going to devour the sun dispersing his rays with extended
arms, the Rakshasa with out-stretched arms darted towards Bhima, who had
remained firm under the blow inflicted with the crag. And tugging at and
grappling with each other in diverse ways they appeared like two
infuriate bulls struggling with each other. Or like unto two mighty
tigers armed with teeth and claws, the encounter between them waxed
fierce and hard. And remembering their (late) disgrace at the hands of
Duryodhana, and proud of the strength of his arms, and conscious also of
Krishna looking at him, Vrikodara began to swell in vigour. And fried
with anger, Bhima seized the Rakshasa with his arms, as one elephant in
rut seizeth another. And the powerful Rakshasa also in his turn seized
his adversary, but Bhimasena that foremost of all men endued with
strength, threw the cannibal down with violence. The sounds that in
consequence of those mighty combatants pressing each other's hands, were
frightful and resembled the sounds of splintering bamboos. And hurling
the Rakshasa down, seized him by the waist, and began to whirl him about,
even as fierce hurricane shaketh a tree. And thus seized by the mighty
Bhima, the fatigued Rakshasa, became faint, and trembling all over, he
still pressed the (Pandava) with all his strength. And finding him
fatigued, Vrikodara, twined his own arms round the foe, even as one
bindeth a beast with cord. And the monster thereupon began to roar
frightfully, as a trumpet out of order. And the mighty Vrikodara for a
long while whirled the Rakshasa till the latter appeared to be
insensible, and began to move convulsively. And finding the Rakshasa
exhausted, the son of Pandu without loss of time took him up in his arms,
and slew him like a beast. And placing his knee on the waist of that
wretch of Rakshasa, Vrikodara began to press the neck of the foe with his
hands. Then Bhima, dragging along the earth the bruised body of the
Rakshasa with the eye-lids about to close, said, 'O sinful wretch, thou
wilt no more have to wipe away the tears of Hidimva or Vaka, for thou too
art about to go to the mansions of Yama!' And saying this, that foremost
of men, his heart filled with wrath, beholding the Rakshasa destitute of
clothing and ornaments, and insensible, and undergoing convulsions, let
him dead. And after that Rakshasa of hue like the clouds had been slain,
the son of that best of kings (Pandu) praised Bhima for his many
qualities, and placing Krishna in their front, set out for the Dwaita
woods."

Vidura said, 'It was thus, O lord of men, that Kirmira was slain in
combat by Bhima, in obedience, O Kaurava, to the commands of Yudhishthira
the just! And having rid the forest of its pest, the victorious
Yudhishthira the just, began to live in that dwelling of theirs, with
Draupadi. And those bulls of the Bharata race comforting Draupadi began
to cheerfully extol Bhima with glad hearts. And after the Rakshasa had
been slain, borne down by the might of Bhima's arms, those heroes entered
into the peaceful forest freed from its annoyance. Passing through the
great forest I saw lying the body of the wicked and fearless Rakshasa
slain by Bhima's might. And, O Bharata, there I heard of this achievement
of Bhima from those Brahmanas who have assembled round the Pandavas.'

Vaisampayana continued, 'Hearing the account of the slaughter in combat
of Kirmira, that foremost of Rakshasas, the king sighed in sorrow and
became absorbed in thought.'"



SECTION XII

(Arjunabhigamana Parva)

Vaisampayana said, 'Hearing that the Pandavas had been banished, the
Bhojas, the Vrishnis, and the Andhakas went to those heroes residing in
affliction in the great forest. And the consanguineous relatives of
Panchala, and Dhrishtaketu the king of Chedi, and those celebrated and
powerful brothers--the Kaikeyas, their hearts fired with wrath, went to
the forest to see the sons of Pritha. And reproaching the sons of
Dhritarashtra, they said, 'What should we do?' And those bulls of the
Kshatriya race, with Vasudeva at their head, sat themselves down round
Yudhishthira the just. And respectfully saluting that foremost of the
Kurus, Kesava mournfully said, 'The earth shall drink the blood of
Duryodhana and Karna, of Dussasana and the wicked Sakuni! Slaying these
in battle and defeating their followers along with their royal allies,
will we all install Yudhishthira the just on the throne! The wicked
deserve to be slain! Verily, this is eternal morality.'

Vaisampayana continued, 'And when on account of the wrongs of Pritha's
sons, Janardana had thus got into a passion, and seemed bent upon
consuming all created things, Arjuna exerted himself to pacify him. And
beholding Kesava angry, Falguna began to recite the feats achieved in his
former lives by that soul of all things, himself immeasurable, the
eternal one, of infinite energy, the lord of Prajapati himself, the
supreme ruler of the worlds, Vishnu of profound wisdom!'

"Arjuna said, 'In days of old, thou, O Krishna, hadst wandered on the
Gandhamadana mountains for ten thousand years as a Muni having his home
where evening fell! Living upon water alone, thou hadst, in days of old,
O Krishna, also dwelt for full eleven thousand years by the lake of
Pushkara! And, O slayer of Madhu, with arms upraised and standing on one
leg, thou hadst passed a hundred years on the high hills of Vadari,[16]
living all the while upon air! And leaving aside thy upper garment, with
body emaciated and looking like a bundle of veins, thou hadst lived on
the banks of the Saraswati, employed in thy sacrifice extending for
twelve years! And, O Krishna of mighty energy, in observance of thy vow
thou hadst stood on one leg for the length of a thousand years of the
celestials, on the plains of Prabhasa which it behoveth the virtuous to
visit! Vyasa hath told me that thou art the cause of the creation and its
course! And, O Kesava, the lord of Kshetra,[17] thou art the mover of all
minds, and the beginning and end of all things! All asceticism resteth in
thee, and thou too art the embodiment of all sacrifices, and the eternal
one! Slaying the Asura Naraka, offspring of the Earth-first begotten,
thou hadst obtained his ear-rings, and performed, O Krishna, the first
horse-sacrifice (offering up that Asura as the sacrificial horse)! And, O
bull of all the worlds, having performed that feat, thou hast become
victorious over all! Thou hadst slain all the Daityas and Danavas
mustered in battle, and giving the lord of Sachi (Indra) the sovereignty
of the universe, thou hast, O Kesava of mighty arms, taken thy birth
among men! O slayer of all foes, having floated on the primordial waters,
thou subsequently becamest Hari,[18] and Brahma and Surya and Dharma, and
Dhatri and Yama and Anala and Vasu, and Vaisravana, and Rudra, and Kala
and the firmament the earth, and the ten directions! Thyself increate,
thou art the lord of the mobile and the immobile universe, the Creator of
all, O thou foremost of all existences! And, O slayer of Madhu, O thou of
abundant energy, in the forest of Chitraratha thou didst, O Krishna,
gratify with thy sacrifice the chief of all the gods, the highest of the
high! O Janardana, at each sacrifice thou didst offer, according to
shares, gold by hundreds and thousands. And, O son of the Yadava race,
becoming the son of Aditi, O exalted one of the supreme attributes, thou
hast been known as the younger brother of Indra! And, O thou chastiser of
foes, even while a child thou didst, O Krishna, in consequence of thy
energy, fill by three steps only the heaven, the firmament, and the
earth! And, O thou soul of all covering the heaven and the firmament
(while thou wert thus transformed), thou didst dwell in the body of the
sun and afflict him with thy own splendour! And, O exalted one, in thy
incarnations on those thousand occasions, thou hadst slain, O Krishna,
sinful Asuras by hundreds! By destroying the Mauravas and the Pashas, and
slaying Nisunda and Naraka. Thou hast again rendered safe the road to
Pragjyotisha! Thou hast slain Ahvriti at Jaruthi, and Kratha and Sisupala
with his adherents, and Jarasandha and Saivya and Satadhanwan! And on thy
car roaring like unto clouds and effulgent like the sun, thou didst
obtain for thy queen the daughter of Bhoja, defeating Rukmi in battle!
Thou didst in fury slay Indradyumna and the Yavana called Kaseruman! And
slaying Salwa the lord of Saubha, thou didst destroy that city of Saubha
itself! These have all been slain in battle; listen to me as I speak of
others (also slain by thee)! At Iravati thou hast slain king Bhoja equal
unto Karttavirya in battle, and both Gopati and Talaketu also have been
slain by thee! And, O Janardana, thou hast also appropriate unto thyself
the sacred city of Dwarka, abounding in wealth and agreeable unto the
Rishi themselves, and thou wilt submerge it at the end within the ocean!
O slayer of Madhu, how can crookedness be in thee, devoid as thou art, O
thou of the Dasarha race, of anger and envy and untruth and cruelty? O
thou who knowest no deterioration, all the Rishis, coming unto thee
seated in thy glory on the sacrificial ground, seek protection of thee!
And, O slayer of Madhu, thou stayest at the end of the Yuga, contracting
all things and withdrawing this universe into thy own self, thou
repressor of all foes! O thou of the Vrishni race, at the beginning of
the Yuga, there sprang from thy lotus-like navel, Brahma himself, and
lord of all mobile and immobile things, and whose is this entire
universe! When the dreadful Danavas Madhu and Kaitava were bent on
slaying Brahma, beholding their impious endeavour thou wert angry, and
from thy forehead, O Hari, sprang Sambhu, the holder of the trident. Thus
these two foremost of the deities have sprung from thy body in order to
do thy work! Even Narada it was who hath told me this! O Narayana, thou
didst, in the forest of Chaitraratha, celebrate with plentiful gifts a
grand sacrifice consisting of a multitude of rites! O God, O thou of eyes
like lotus leaves, the deeds thou hast performed while still a boy,
having recourse to thy might and aided by Baladeva, have never been done
by others, nor are they capable of being achieved by others in the
future! Thou didst even dwell in Kailasa, accompanied by Brahmanas!'

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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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