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Zal clutches hold of the tress and kisses it:
Zal rubbed the musk secured tress and kiss it; sound of kiss is heard by the bride.
Zal ascended the rampart and reached the top of the balcony and addressing Rudaba he expressed his apprehension of the emperor and his father Sam. He says:
The General said to the moonfaced lady
Oh, silver-like deodar, you are a mask scented being.
When emperor Manucheher will hear the story
He will not honor it,
Neither Sam Nariman approves the same.
Rather, he will furiously stretch out his hand to seize me.
But I don’t care for my life
Wearing of shroud is an insignificant face to be,
I will bow down to the will of God alone,
And when He approves, I will take hold of your hand.
Rudaba gives her consent and agrees to the proposal.
Rudaba replies that I too accept
The proposal according to religion and nature.
No one else can be my master,
May the creator of universe be witness to my words.
Influence of Iranian literature even on a rustic poet of Bengal as so interesting. The difference remains only of national characteristic. Where Rudaba asserts her love, Mohua only softly condescends. Guardians of both the couples were bostile. Distance in both the cases was of religious belief. In the case of Zal and Rudaba, commenting factor is surrender to the Will of God and in the case of Mohua, it is malice that takes upper hand.
Episodic tradition of human interest introduced in Bengali literature by the influence of Iran was very important. So, in our literature the technique and finer sentiments of aesthetics became so high. Even our rustic poets displayed such fine sentiments in our episodes. ‘Mohua’ presents such an example. Let us see.
Mohua fled away with Nadiarchand and wandered different places to have a place for habitation. After all, they got a place. Nadiarchand informs Mohua and says:
La’ a beautiful liver ripples here,
This is the place where we will make habitation of our own,
Red flowers are around and ripe fruits in trees.
Of my live, here are springs of sweet water too.
But one day the hostile band of gypsies found them out. One evening Mahua heard the sound of a lute. She recognized it to be the beckoning of her companion and confident, Palong. Mohua said her love that:
The lute that you have heard in distance wood,
Is nothing but the sign of gypsies.
My friend and confident Palong
Have alerted with the sound of lute.
So, my master, sleep on my bosom for the night,
Tomorrow morning I will not see you again.
The night is over; stars vanish in the sky,
Both of them came out and stand on the courtyard.
They saw around themselves the gypsies like hunting dogs. Homra, the leader stands in front of them and asks Mohua to stab the enemy of the gypsies. He entreats her to murder him and marry Sujon, a young man of his group and come with them. Mohua denies that it is impossible to stab her husband. Sujon is in comparison like a glow warm in front of the Sun and moon. Furious leader Homra hands over a poisonous dagger to Mohua and ordered her to stab Nadiarchand to death. Taking the dagger in her hands Mohua addresses her husband Nadiarchand and her friend, a confident Palong:
Oh my dear husband, hear me,
And give Mohua permission of departure for good
And oh my friend Palong listen to me.
After the address Mohua stabbed herself to death with the poisonous dagger, gypsies then fell upon Nadiarchand and murdered him.
The leader of the group, Homra at the end realized the inhuman crime he had committed and addressing the gypsies he lamented the death of Mohua, whom he reared as a six month’s child and fostered her to youth. He also lamented for Nadiarchand who loved so dearly his child Mohua.
He then seeks the permission for his perpetual departure from the band of gypsies and ordered followers to bury the lovers.
The companion Palong could not leave the dead lovers. She stayed near their tomb and wept for long.
Our rustic poet concludes thus:
The earth softens with tears of friend Palong,
And here we conclude our story of Nadiarchand.
‘Mohua’ is a great episodic tragedy. It can be compared with Iranian masterpieces of ‘Shireen-Khusro’ and ‘Laila-Majnun’ written by great epic poet Nizami. n
(Iranian influence on the aesthetic aspects of our life)
