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The Mahabharata of Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 3 by or: Kisari Mohan Ganguli

o >> or: Kisari Mohan Ganguli >> The Mahabharata of Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 3






44

"'Shalya said, "These, O Karna, are ravings that thou utterest regarding
the foe. As regards myself without a 1,000 Karnas I am able to vanquish
the foe in battle.'"

"Sanjaya continued, 'Unto the ruler of Madras, of harsh features, who was
saying such disagreeable things unto Karna, the latter once more said
words that were twice bitter.

"'Karna said, "Listen with devoted attention to this, O ruler of the
Madras, that was heard by me while it was recited in the presence of
Dhritarashtra. In Dhritarashtra's abode the brahmanas used to narrate the
accounts of diverse delightful regions and many kings of ancient times. A
foremost one among brahmanas, venerable in years while reciting old
histories, said these words, blaming the Vahikas and Madrakas, 'One
should always avoid the Vahikas, those impure people that are out of the
pale of virtue, and that live away from the Himavat and the Ganga and
Sarasvati and Yamuna and Kurukshetra and the Sindhu and its five
tributary rivers. I remember from the days of my youth that a
slaughter-ground for kine and a space for storing intoxicating spirits
always distinguish the entrances of the abodes of the (Vahika) kings. On
some very secret mission I had to live among the Vahikas. In consequence
of such residence the conduct of these people is well known to me. There
is a town of the name of Sakala, a river of the name of Apaga, and a clan
of the Vahikas known by the name of the Jarttikas. The practices of these
people are very censurable. They drink the liquor called Gauda, and eat
fried barley with it. They also eat beef with garlic. They also eat cakes
of flour mixed with meat, and boiled rice that is bought from others. Of
righteous practices they have none. Their women, intoxicated with drink
and divested of robes, laugh and dance outside the walls of the houses in
cities, without garlands and unguents, singing while drunk obscene songs
of diverse kinds that are as musical as the bray of the ass or the bleat
of the camel. In intercourse they are absolutely without any restraint,
and in all other matters they act as they like. Maddened with drink, they
call upon one another, using many endearing epithets. Addressing many
drunken exclamations to their husbands and lords, the fallen women among
the Vahikas, without observing restrictions even on sacred days, give
themselves up to dancing. One of those wicked Vahikas,--one that is, that
lived amongst those arrogant women,--who happened to live for some days
in Kurujangala, burst out with cheerless heart, saying, "Alas, that
(Vahika) maiden of large proportions, dressed in thin blankets, is
thinking of me,--her Vahika lover--that is now passing his days in
Kurujangala, at the hour of her going to bed." Crossing the Sutlej and
the delightful Iravati, and arriving at my own country, when shall I cast
my eyes upon those beautiful women with thick frontal bones, with blazing
circlets of red arsenic on their foreheads, with streaks of jet black
collyrium on their eyes, and their beautiful forms attired in blankets
and skins and themselves uttering shrill cries! When shall I be happy, in
the company of those intoxicated ladies amid the music of drums and
kettle-drums and conchs sweet as the cries of asses and camels and mules!
When shall I be amongst those ladies eating cakes of flour and meat and
balls of pounded barley mixed with skimmed milk, in the forests, having
many pleasant paths of Sami and Pilu and Karira! When shall I, amid my
own countrymen, mustering in strength on the high-roads, fall upon
passengers, and snatching their robes and attires beat them repeatedly!
What man is there that would willingly dwell, even for a moment amongst
the Vahikas that are so fallen and wicked, and so depraved in their
practises?' Even thus did that brahmana describe the Vahikas of base
behaviour, a sixth of whose merits and demerits is thine, O Shalya.
Having said this, that pious brahmana began once more to say what I am
about to repeat respecting the wicked Vahikas. Listen to what I say, 'In
the large and populous town of Sakala, a Rakshasa woman used to sing on
every fourteenth day of the dark fortnight, in accompaniment with a drum,
"When shall I next sing the songs of the Vahikas in this Sakala town,
having gorged myself with beef and drunk the Gauda liquor? When shall I
again, decked in ornaments, and with those maidens and ladies of large
proportions, gorge upon a large number of sheep and large quantities of
pork and beef and the meat of fowls and asses and camels? They who do not
eat sheep live in vain!"' Even thus, O Shalya, the young and old, among
the inhabitants of Sakala, intoxicated with spirits, sing and cry. How
can virtue be met with among such a people? Thou shouldst know this. I
must, however, speak again to thee about what another brahmana had said
unto us in the Kuru court, 'There where forests of Pilus stand, and those
five rivers flow, viz., the Satadru, the Vipasa, the Iravati, the
Candrabhaga, and the Vitasa and which have the Sindhu for their sixth,
there in those regions removed from the Himavat, are the countries called
by the name of the Arattas. Those regions are without virtue and
religion. No one should go thither. The gods, the pitris, and the
brahmanas, never accept gifts from those that are fallen, or those that
are begotten by Shudras on the girls of other castes, or the Vahikas who
never perform sacrifices and are exceedingly irreligious.' That learned
brahmana had also said in the Kuru court, 'The Vahikas, without any
feelings of revulsion, eat of wooden vessels having deep stomachs and
earthen plates and vessels that have been licked by dogs and that are
stained with pounded barley and other corn. The Vahikas drink the milk of
sheep and camels and asses and eat curds and other preparations from
those different kinds of milk. Those degraded people number many bastards
among them. There is no food and no milk that they do not take. The
Aratta-Vahikas that are steeped in ignorance, should be avoided.' Thou
shouldst know this, O Shalya. I must, however, again speak to thee about
what another brahmana had said unto me in the Kuru court, 'How can one go
to heaven, having drunk milk in the town called Yugandhara, and resided
in the place called Acyutasthala, and bathed in the spot called
Bhutilaya? There where the five rivers flow just after issuing from the
mountains, there among the Aratta-Vahikas, no respectable person should
dwell even for two days. There are two Pishacas named Vahi and Hika in
the river Vipasa. The Vahikas are the offspring of those two Pishacas.
They are not creatures created by the Creator. Being of such low origin,
how can they be conversant with the duties ordained in the scriptures?
The Karashakas, the Mahishakas, the Kalingas, the Keralas, the
Karkotakas, the Virakas, and other peoples of no religion, one should
always avoid.' Even thus did a Rakshasa woman of gigantic hips speak unto
a brahmana who on a certain occasion went to that country for bathing in
a sacred water and passed a single night there. The regions are called by
the name of Arattas. The people residing there are called the Vahikas.
The lowest of brahmanas also are residing there from very remote times.
They are without the Veda and without knowledge, without sacrifice and
without the power to assist at other's sacrifices. They are all fallen
and many amongst them have been begotten by Shudras upon other peoples'
girls. The gods never accept any gifts from them. The Prasthalas, the
Madras, the Gandharas, the Arattas, those called Khasas, the Vasatis, the
Sindhus and the Sauviras are almost as blamable in their practices.'"



45

"'Karna continued, "Thou shouldst know all this, O Shalya. I shall
however, again speak unto thee. Listen with close attention to what I
say. Once on a time a brahmana came to our house as a guest. Observing
our practices he became highly gratified and said unto us, 'I dwelt for a
long time on a peak of the Himavat quite alone. Since then I have seen
diverse countries following diverse religions. Never, however, have I
seen all the people of a country act unrighteously. All the races I have
met will admit that to be true religion which has been declared by
persons conversant with the Vedas. Travelling through various countries
following various religions, I at last, O king, came among the Vahikas.
There I heard that one at first becomes a brahmana and then he becomes a
kshatriya. Indeed, a Vahika would, after that, become a Vaishya, and then
a Shudra, and then a barber. Having become a barber, he would then again
become a brahmana. Returning to the status of a brahmana, he would again
become a slave. One person in a family becomes a brahmana: all the
others, falling off from virtue, act as they like. The Gandharas, the
Madrakas, and the Vahikas of little understanding are even such. Having
travelled through the whole world I heard of these practices, destructive
of virtue, of these sinful irregularities amongst the Vahikas.' Thou
shouldst know all this, O Shalya. I shall, however, again speak to thee
about those ugly words that another said unto me regarding the Vahikas.
In former days a chaste woman was abducted by robbers (hailing) from
Aratta. Sinfully was she violated by them, upon which she cursed them,
saying, 'Since ye have sinfully violated a helpless girl who am not
without a husband, therefore, the women of your families shall all become
unchaste. Ye lowest of men, never shall ye escape from the consequences
of this dreadful sin.' It is for this, O Shalya, that the sisters' sons
of the Arattas, and not their own sons, become their heirs. The Kauravas
with the Pancalas, the Salwas, the Matsyas, the Naimishas, the Koshalas,
the Kasapaundras, the Kalingas, the Magadhas, and the Cedis who are all
highly blessed, know what the eternal religion is. The wicked even of
these various countries know what religion is. The Vahikas, however, live
without righteousness. Beginning with the Matsyas, the residents of the
Kuru and the Pancala countries, the Naimishas as well and the other
respectable peoples, the pious among all races are conversant with the
eternal truths of religion. This cannot be said of the Madrakas and the
crooked-hearted race that resides in the country of the five rivers.
Knowing all these things, O king, hold thy tongue, O Shalya, like one
deprived of utterance, in all matters connected with religion and virtue.
Thou art the protector and king of that people, and, therefore, the
partaker of sixth part of their merits and demerits. Or perhaps, thou art
the partaker of a sixth part of their demerits only, for thou never
protectest them. A king that protects is a sharer in the merits of his
subjects. Thou art not a sharer in their merits. In days of yore, when
the eternal religion was reverenced in all countries, the Grandsire,
observing the practices of the country of the five rivers, cried fie on
them. When even in the krita age, Brahman had censured the practices of
those fallen people of evil deeds who were begotten by Shudras on others'
wives, what would you now say to men in the world? Even thus did the
Grandsire condemn the practices of the country of the five waters. When
all people were observant of the duties of their respective orders, the
Grandsire had to find fault with these men. Thou shouldst know all this,
O Shalya. I shall, however, again speak to thee. A Rakshasa of the name
of Kalmashapada, while plunging in a tank, said, 'Eleemosynation is a
kshatriya's dirt, while the non-observance of vows is a brahmana's dirt.
The Vahikas are the dirt of the Earth, and the Madra women are the dirt
of the whole female sex. While sinking in the stream, a king rescued the
Rakshasa. Asked by the former, the latter gave this answer. I will recite
it to you. Listen to me. 'The mlecchas are the dirt of mankind: the
oilmen are the dirt of the Mlecchas; eunuchs are the dirt of oilmen; they
who avail of the priestly ministrations of Kshatriyas, in their
sacrifices, are the dirt of eunuchs. The sin of those again that have the
last-named persons for their priests, of also of the Madrakas, shall be
thine if thou do not abandon me.' Even this was declared by the Rakshasa
to be the formula that should be used for curing a person possessed by a
Rakshasa or one killed by the energy of a poison. The words that follow
are all very true. The Pancalas observe the duties enjoined in the Vedas;
the Kauravas observe truth; the Matsyas and the Surasenas perform
sacrifices, the Easterners follow the practices of the Shudras; the
Southerners are fallen; the Vahikas are thieves; the Saurashtras are
bastards. They that are defiled by ingratitude, theft, drunkenness,
adultery with the wives of their preceptors, harshness of speech,
slaughter of kine, lustful wanderings during the night out of home, and
the wearing of other people's ornaments,--what sin is there that they do
not incur? Fie on the Arattas and the people of the country of the five
rivers! Commencing with the Pancalas, the Kauravas, the Naimishas, the
Matsyas,--all these,--know what religion is. The old men among the
Northerners, the Angas, the Magadhas, (without themselves knowing what
virtue is) follow the practices of the pious. Many gods, headed by Agni,
dwell in the East. The pitris dwell in the South that is presided over by
Yama of righteous deeds. The West is protected by the mighty Varuna who
overlooks the other gods there. The north is protected by the divine Soma
along with the Brahmanas. So Rakshasas and Pishacas protect the Himavat,
the best of mountains. The Guhyakas, O great king, protect the mountains
of Gandhamadana. Without doubt, Vishnu, otherwise, called Janardana,
protects all creatures. (For all that the Vahikas have no especial
protectors among the gods). The Magadhas are comprehenders of signs; the
Koshalas comprehend from what they see; the Kurus and the Pancalas
comprehend from a half-uttered speech; the Salwas cannot comprehend till
the whole speech is uttered. The Mountaineers, like the Sivis, are very
stupid. The Yavanas, O king, are omniscient; the Suras are particularly
so. The mlecchas are wedded to the creations of their own fancy. Other
peoples cannot understand. The Vahikas resent beneficial counsels; as
regards the Madrakas there are none amongst those (mentioned above.)
Thou, O Shalya, art so. Thou shouldst not reply to me. The Madrakas are
regarded on Earth as the dirt of every nation. So the Madra woman is
called the dirt of the whole female sex. They that have for their
practices the drinking of spirits, the violation of the beds of their
preceptors, the destruction of the embryo by procuring miscarriage, and
the robbing of other people's wealth, there is no sin that they have not.
Fie on the Arattas and the people of the country of the five rivers.
Knowing this, be silent. Do not seek to oppose me. Do not let me slay
Keshava and Arjuna, having slain thee first.'"

"'Shalya said, "The abandonment of the afflicted and the sale of wives
and children are, O Karna, prevalent amongst the Angas whose king thou
art. Recollecting those faults of thine that Bhishma recited on the
occasion of the tale of Rathas and Atirathas, drive away thy wrath. Do
not be angry. Brahmanas may be found everywhere; Kshatriyas may be found
everywhere; so also Vaishyas and Shudras, O Karna, women of chastity and
excellent vows may also be found everywhere. Everywhere men take delight
in jesting with men and wounding one another. Lustful men also may be
found everywhere. Everyone on every occasion can command skill in
speaking of the faults of others. No one, however, knows his own faults,
or knowing them, feels shame. Everywhere are kings devoted to their
respective religions, and employed in chastising the wicked. Everywhere
may be found virtuous men. It cannot be, O Karna, that all the people of
a country are sinful. There are men in many countries that surpass the
very gods by their behaviour.'"

"Sanjaya continued, 'Then king Duryodhana stopped Karna and Shalya (from
going on with their wordy warfare), addressing the son of Radha as a
friend, and beseeching Shalya with joined hands, Karna, O sire, was
quieted by thy son and forbore saying anything more. Shalya also then
faced the enemy. Then Radha's son, smiling, once more urged Shalya,
saying, "Proceed."'"



46

"Sanjaya said, 'Beholding then that unrivalled array of the Parthas made
by Dhrishtadyumna which was capable of resisting all hostile armies,
Karna proceeded, uttering leonine shouts and causing his car to produce a
loud rattle. And he made the Earth to tremble with the loud din of
musical instruments. And that chastiser of foes, that hero in battle,
seemed to tremble in rage. Duly disposing his own troops in
counter-array, O bull of Bharata's race, that hero of great energy made a
great slaughter of the Pandava forces like Maghavat slaughtering the
Asura host. Striking Yudhishthira then with many arrows, he placed the
eldest son of Pandu to his right.'

"Dhritarashtra said, 'How, O Sanjaya, did the son of Radha dispose his
forces in counter array to all the Pandavas headed by Dhristadyumna and
protected by Bhimasena, viz., all those great bowmen invincible by the
very gods? Who, O Sanjaya, stood in the wings and the further wings of
our army? Dividing themselves properly, how were the warriors stationed?
How also did the sons of Pandu dispose their army in counter-array to
mine? How also did that great and awful battle commence? Where was
Vibhatsu when Karna proceeded against Yudhishthira? Who could succeed in
assailing Yudhishthira in the presence of Arjuna? That Arjuna who had
vanquished, single-handed in former days, all creatures at Khandava, who
else that is desirous of life, save the son of Radha, would fight with
him?'

"Sanjaya said, 'Hear now of the formation of the arrays, the manner in
which Arjuna came and how the battle was fought by both sides surrounding
their respective kings. Sharadvata's son Kripa, O king, and the Magadhas
endued with great activity, and Kritavarma of Satwata race, took up their
position in the right wing. Shakuni, and the mighty car-warrior Uluka,
standing on the right of these, and accompanied by many fearless Gandhara
horsemen armed with bright lances, and many mountaineers difficult to
defeat, numerous as flights of locusts, and grimlooking as Pishacas,
protected the (Kaurava) army. 34,000 unreturning cars of the samsaptakas,
mad with desire of battle, with thy sons in their midst, and all desirous
of slaying Krishna and Arjuna, protected the left side (of the Kaurava
army). On their left, the Kambojas, the Sakas, and the Yavanas, with cars
and horse and foot, at the command of the Suta's son, stood, challenging
Arjuna and the mighty Keshava. In the centre, at the head of that host,
stood Karna, clad in armour with beautiful coat of mail and adorned with
Angadas and garlands, for protecting that point. Supported by his own
angry sons, that foremost of all wielders of weapons, that hero, shone
resplendent at the head of the army as he drew his bow repeatedly. The
mighty-armed Duhshasana, possessed of the effulgence of the sun or fire
with tawny eyes and handsome features, riding on the neck of a huge
elephant, surrounded by many troops, and stationed at the rear of the
army gradually approached for fight. Behind him came Duryodhana himself,
O monarch, protected by his uterine brothers riding on beautiful steeds
and cased in beautiful mail. Protected by the united Madrakas and the
Kekayas of exceeding energy, the king, O monarch, looked resplendent like
Indra of a hundred sacrifices when surrounded by the celestials.
Ashvatthama and the other foremost of mighty car-warriors, and many
ever-infuriate elephants shedding temporal secretions like the very
clouds and ridden by brave Mlecchas, followed behind that car-force.
Decked with triumphal standards and blazing weapons, those huge
creatures, ridden by warriors skilled in fighting from their backs,
looked beautiful like hills overgrown with trees. Many thousands of brave
and unreturning warriors, armed with axes and swords, became the
footguards of those elephants. Gorgeously decked with horsemen and
car-warriors and elephants, that foremost of arrays looked exceedingly
beautiful like the array of the celestials or of the Asuras. That great
array, formed according to the scheme of Brihaspati by its commander,
well-versed in ways of battle, seemed to dance (as it advanced) and
struck terror into the hearts of foes. Like ever-appearing clouds in the
season of rains, foot-soldiers and horsemen and car-warriors and
elephants, longing for battle began to issue from the wings and further
wings of that array. Then king Yudhishthira, beholding Karna at the head
of the (hostile) army, addressed Dhananjaya, that slayer of foes, that
one hero in the world, and said these words, "Behold, O Arjuna, the
mighty array formed by Karna in battle. The hostile force looks
resplendent with its wings and further wings. At sight of this vast
hostile force, let such measures be adopted that it may not vanquish us.'
Thus addressed by the king, Arjuna replied with joined hands, 'Everything
will be done as thou sayest. Nothing will be otherwise. I will, O
Bharata, do that by which the destruction of the enemy may be compassed.
By slaying their foremost of warriors, I will achieve their destruction."

"'Yudhishthira said, "With that view, do thou proceed against the son of
Radha, and let Bhimasena proceed against Suyodhana, Nakula against
Virshasena, Sahadeva against the son of Subala, Satanika against
Duhshasana, that bull amongst the Sinis, viz., Satyaki, against the son
of Hridika, and Pandya against the son of Drona. I myself will fight with
Kripa. Let the sons of Draupadi with Shikhandi amongst them, proceed
against the rest of the Dhartarashtras. Let the other warriors of our
army encounter our other foes.'"

"Sanjaya continued, 'Thus addressed by Yudhishthira the just, Dhananjaya
saying, "So be it," ordered his troops (to do the needful) and himself
proceeded to the head of the army. That car for which the Leader of the
universe, viz., Agni, who derives his effulgence from Brahman, became the
steeds, that car which was known amongst the gods as belonging to Brahman
because it sprang first from Brahman himself, that car which in days of
old had successively borne Brahman and Ishana and Indra and Varuna one
after another, riding on that primeval car, Keshava and Arjuna now
proceeded to battle. Beholding that advancing car of wonderful aspect,
Shalya once more said unto Adhiratha's son, that warrior of great energy
in battle, these words "Yonder comes that car having white steeds yoked
unto it and owning Krishna for its driver, that vehicle incapable of
being resisted by all the troops, like the inevitable fruit of work.
There comes the son of Kunti, slaughtering his foes along the way,--he,
that is, about whom thou hadst been enquiring. Since tremendous is the
uproar that is being heard, deep as the roar of the clouds, it is,
without doubt, those high-souled ones, viz., Vasudeva and Dhananjaya.
Yonder ascends a cloud of dust that overspreads the welkin like a canopy.
The whole Earth, O Karna, seems to tremble, cut deep by the circumference
of Arjuna's wheels. These violent winds are blowing on both sides of thy
army. These carnivorous creatures are yelling aloud and these animals are
uttering fearful cries. Behold, O Karna, the terrible and portentous Ketu
of vapoury form, making the hair to stand on end, hath appeared, covering
the Sun. Behold, diverse kinds of animals, all around in large packs, and
many mighty wolves and tigers are looking at the Sun. Behold those
terrible Kankas and those vultures, assembled together in thousands,
sitting with faces towards one another, in seeming discourse. Those
coloured yak-tails attached to thy great car are waving unquietly. Thy
standard also is trembling. Behold these thy beautiful steeds, of huge
limbs and great speed resembling that of soaring birds, are also
quivering. From these portents, it is certain that kings, in hundreds and
thousands, O Karna, deprived of life, will lie down on the ground for
eternal sleep. The loud uproar of conchs, making the hair to stand on
end, is being heard. The sound also of drums and cymbals, O son of Radha,
is being heard on all sides, as also the whizz of diverse kinds of
arrows, and the din made by cars and steeds and men. Listen also, O
Karna, to the loud twang produced by the bow-strings of high-souled
warriors. Behold, O Karna, those banners of Arjuna, that are equipped
with rows of bells, and decked with golden moons and stars. Made by
skilful artists out of cloths embroidered with gold and of diverse hues,
they are blazing with resplendence on Arjuna's car as they are shaken by
the wind, like flashes of lightning in a mass of clouds. Behold those
(other) banners producing sharp sounds as they wave in the air. Those
car-warriors of the high-souled Pancalas, with flag-decked standards on
their vehicles, are looking resplendent, O Karna, like the very gods on
their celestial cars. Behold the heroic son of Kunti, the unvanquished
Vibhatsu (Arjuna) with that foremost of apes on his standard, advancing
for the destruction of the foe. There, on the top of Partha's standard,
is to be seen that terrible ape, that enhancer of the fears of foes,
attracting the gaze (of warriors) from every side. The discus, the mace,
the bow called Saranga and the conch (called Panchajanya) of the
intelligent Krishna, as also his gem Kaustubha, look exceedingly
beautiful in him. The wielder of Saranga and the mace, viz., Vasudeva, of
great energy, cometh, urging those white steeds endued with the fleetness
of the wind. Yonder twangs Gandiva, drawn by Savyasaci. Those whetted
shafts, sped by that strong-armed hero, are destroying his enemies. The
Earth is strewn with the heads of unretreating kings, with faces
beautiful as the moon at full, and decked with large and expansive eyes
of coppery hue. There the arms, looking like spiked maces, with weapons
in grasp, and smeared with excellent perfumes, of warriors delighting in
battle and contending with uplifted weapons, are falling. Steeds with
eyes, tongues, and entrails drawn out along with their riders, are
falling and fallen and deprived of life lie prostrate on the Earth. Those
lifeless elephants huge as mountain summits, torn, mangled, and pierced
by Partha, are falling down like veritable hills. Those cars, looking
like the changeful forms of vapour in the sky, with their royal riders
slain, are falling down like the celestial cars of the denizens of heaven
upon the exhaustion of the latter's merits. Behold, the army is
exceedingly agitated by the diadem-decked Arjuna, like herds of countless
cattle by a maned lion. There the Pandava heroes, advancing for the
attack, are slaying kings and large numbers of elephants and steeds and
car-warriors and foot-soldiers of thy army engaged in battle. There
Partha, shrouded (by friends and foes and weapons and dust) is not to be
seen, like the Sun shrouded by clouds. Only the top of his standard may
be seen and the twang of his bow-string may be heard. Thou art sure, O
Karna, to behold today that hero of white steed with Krishna for his
driver, engaged in slaughtering his foes in battle. Thou art sure of
beholding him about whom thou hadst been enquiring. Today, O Karna, thou
art sure to behold those two tigers among men, both of red eyes, both
chastisers of foes, viz., Vasudeva and Arjuna, stationed on the same car.
If, O son of Radha, thou succeedest in slaying him that hath Keshava for
his driver and Gandiva for his bow, then thou shalt be our king.
Challenged by the samsaptakas, Partha now proceedeth against them. That
mighty warrior is engaged in making a great slaughter of his foes in
battle." Unto the ruler of the Madras who was saying so, Karna, in rage,
said, "Behold, Partha is assailed on all sides by the angry samsaptakas.
Like the Sun shrouded by the clouds, Partha is no longer visible.
Plunged, into that ocean of warriors, O Shalya, Arjuna is sure to perish."

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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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