Scene 2
(The following day, Harish Chandra is seated on his supremely beautiful throne. Behind him are seated Shaivya and the little Prince, Rohitashwa. Right in front of the King are seated his ministers and the commander-in-chief. Vishwamitra rushes in.)VISHWAMITRA: Harish Chandra, give me your kingdom! Leave it with me now and forever. This is my kingdom. You must immediately leave my palace and my kingdom. Today if you break your promise of yesterday, your life and your kingdom’s life will be doomed all at once. Yesterday I wanted to destroy you and your kingdom. But today I just want to have your kingdom. That’s all.
HARISH CHANDRA: O most venerable Sir, to you I offer my kingdom, my kingdom’s heart and soul. My eyes and feet shall now proceed towards an uncharted land.
SHAIVYA (to King): My Lord, you can never go alone. You cannot deny the breath of my heart. You cannot deny our fondest child Rohitashwa. Your son and I shall follow you. You are our all. You are sincerity’s all. You are truth’s all.
(Shaivya sings the farewell song to the palace.)
O Lord, where is the Truth?
“Where your Beloved is.”
Who is my Beloved, who?
“In whom your life is peace.”
(The King, the Queen and the little Prince bow down to the sage Vishwamitra and are ready to leave the palace. The helpless ministers and the commander-in-chief offer their heartfelt and soulful affection, love, appreciation, admiration and adoration to their beloved King.)
PRIME MINISTER: Your Majesty, you will always be remembered with highest praise, deepest fondness and mightiest adoration.
VISHWAMITRA: Enough! Shut up!
MINISTER OF EDUCATION: Your Majesty, without any hyperbolical encomiums, you are a King in the highest degree amiable and adorable.
VISHWAMITRA: Enough! Shut up!
MINISTER OF FINANCE: Your Majesty, I have served you with transcendental joy and pride.
VISHWAMITRA: Enough! Shut up!
MINISTER OF COMMERCE: Your Majesty, your supremely devoted life may now pass in penury, but never in obscurity.
VISHWAMITRA: Enough! Shut up!
COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF: Your Majesty, we shall, before long, thunder against this heartless brute. We shall without fail bring you back to your kingdom.
VISHWAMITRA: Enough, enough, enough! Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! You feeble heart, you insignificant creature! (Turning towards Harish Chandra.) Harish Chandra, delay not! My indomitable will shall brook no delay. Leave my palace. Leave my kingdom.
(The King, the Queen and the Prince leave the palace. On the way, innumerable subjects pay their last homage in silence to the royal family. Pure love wells forth from the inmost recesses of their hearts.)
