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The Bhagavata
Devadatta is one of the two heroes of the play’s main storyline. His name means “god-given,” and the Bhagavata describes him as “fair in colour” (the actor who portrays him wears a white mask) and “unrivalled in intelligence.” He is the son of a Brahmin (i.e., a religious teacher) and he is unrivaled in his skill as a poet and pundit. He and Kapila start the play as close friends, but when he falls in love with Padmini, a rivalry starts between the two men. After he and Padmini marry, he grows jealous of the affection she shows toward Kapila, which drives him to cut off his head. When his head is swapped with Kapila’s, he is happy to have his mind, Kapila’s strength, and Padmini by his side. But when his body begins to revert to its old form (i.e., soft and weak), he once again feels dissatisfied and worried that Padmini feels that something is lacking in their relationship. Ultimately, he realizes that he will always be incomplete, and he attempts to end his cycle of frustration by ending both his and Kapila’s lives. The two of them kill each other with swords as an act of mercy, forgiving each other for their rivalry in the process.
Devadatta Quotes in Hayavadana
The Hayavadana quotes below are all either spoken by Devadatta or refer to Devadatta. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Act 1 Quotes
Two friends there were—one mind, one heart. They saw a girl and forgot themselves. But they could not understand the song she sang.
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After Hayavadana goes off to try to get rid of his horse’s head, the Bhagavata launches into the story he had been meaning to tell. He introduces the two main characters and summarizes their conflict. His repetition of the phrase “one mind, one heart,” which he had also used before Hayavadana’s interruption, is thematically important, and has two meanings. The two friends initially share a very close friendship, and thus they are said to be of one mind and one heart. They know each other’s mind and care for each other. But in their rivalry, one of them (Devadatta) comes Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor
[Devadatta enters and sits on the chair. He is a slender, delicate-looking person and is wearing a pale-coloured mask. He is lost in thought. Kapila enters. He is powerfully built and wears a dark mask.]
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Even though the Bhagavata introduces the men with short descriptions that distill their characters, this stage direction gives an even more simplistic and direct view of the two men. They are immediately placed in opposition to one another: Devadatta is thin, delicate and intellectual; Kapila is powerful and muscular. In defining the two exclusively by these attributes Karnad renders them as symbolic figures, representing the mind and body. Their symbolic nature is made even more apparent through the use of the masks, as the colors of the masks (light versus dark) put the two characters in opposition to one another.
DEVADATTA: Kapila, with you as my witness I swear, if I ever get her as my wife, I’ll sacrifice my two arms to the goddess Kali. I’ll sacrifice my head to Lord Rudra…
KAPILA: Ts! Ts! [Aside.] This is a serious situation.
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When Devadatta explains to Kapila how much he is in love with Padmini and how much he would sacrifice if he could marry her, Kapila is skeptical. It is at this point, however, that Kapila realizes that Devadatta may care more about Padmini than he has about other women in the past. The vow that Devadatta makes is a serious one, and foreshadows how he will eventually cut off his head. This will become a particularly appropriate way for Devadatta to sacrifice himself, because it eliminates the part of him that comprised his whole identity – his head and his Dolorem et qua
Devadatta, my friend, I confess to you I’m feeling uneasy. You are a gentle soul. You can’t bear a bitter word or an evil thought. But this one is fast as lightning—and as sharp. She is not for the likes of you. What she needs is a man of steel.
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After Kapila goes to knock on Padmini’s door and she outwits him several times—not letting him enter her house until she gets a satisfactory answer as to why he is there—Kapila wonders how Devadatta will fare in a relationship with Padmini. Up until this point, the scene between him and Devadatta underscored their difference in intelligence, but here Kapila focuses on the difference in their constitutions. Kapila predicts correctly that Devadatta is too sensitive for Padmini and believes that she instead needs someone stronger and sturdier, like him. As Kapila has also fallen in love with Padmini at first sight, Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam el
Why do you tremble, heart? Why do you cringe like a touch-me-not bush through which a snake has passed?
The sun rests his head on the Fortunate Lady’s flower.
And the head is bidding good-bye to the heart.
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When Padmini changes her mind again and decides to travel to the fair so as not to disappoint Kapila, both men are confused and Devadatta is especially hurt. In the transition between packing the cart and setting off for the fair, the Bhagavata recites these poetic lines in the style of traditional Sanskrit verse. The Bhagavata hints at what’s to come through his reference to the Fortunate Lady’s flower, which represents Padmini’s thoughts of infidelity and her unhappiness in her own marriage. The fact that the “sun rests his head” on this flower implies this shift in Padmini’s affections from Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam conseq
What a good mix!
No more tricks!
Is this one that
or that one this?
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After Padmini has switched Devadatta and Kapila’s heads, all three of them become amused at their unlikely situation. They sing this rhyme over and over again, holding hands and spinning in circles as they go. Though their relationships will quickly turn sour, here they share a brief moment of unbridled joy and laughter. This moment comes just before the end of the first act, and in a way it mirrors the laughter that Padmini’s son will find in Hayavadana at the very end of the play. The difference between the two moments, however, is that Devadatta and Kapila are locked Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligen
KAPILA. [Raising his right hand.] This is the hand that accepted her at the wedding. This is the body she’s lived with all these months. And the child she’s carrying is the seed of this body.
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When Padmini starts to refer to the person with Devadatta’s head as Devadatta, the man with Kapila’s head starts to argue that he is in fact Devadatta because he has Devadatta’s body. This argument establishes the newfound conflict between the three of them, after the men’s heads have been switched. Between the two of them, Kapila’s hybridity is seemingly more upsetting because he has lost the thing that defined him: his body. He tries to argue that he is Devadatta in order to latch onto the only other thing that really gave him an identity: his love for Padmini. This Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia a
Of all the human limbs the topmost—in position as well as in importance—is the head. I have Devadatta’s head, and it follows that I am Devadatta.
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When Kapila begins to argue that he is Devadatta because he has Devadatta’s body, Devadatta naturally starts to make the opposite argument. Unlike with Kapila’s argument, however, Devadatta’s argument has a lot of prior textual merit. The Bhagavata says something similar when he tells Hayavadana that one cannot alter what is written on one’s forehead, and even Kapila acknowledges this later in the play after their bodies slowly begin to change to reflect the personalities of the heads now attached to them. But even in light of this argument, the body also has its effect on personality, as much of Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicab
Act 2 Quotes
You know, I’d always thought one had to use one’s brains while wrestling or fencing or swimming. But this body just doesn’t wait for thoughts—it acts!
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At the beginning of the second act, as Devadatta is getting used to his new, strong body, he tells Padmini how on his way to the fair he saw a wrestler and was immediately prompted to challenge him, and remarks that the body’s impulses can be just as strong as any logical intention. Though much of the play’s text seems to argue that the head is the primary part of a being, throughout the second act the play demonstrates that the body can be just as important in determining selfhood and the course of one’s actions. The fact that the Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntu
Kapila? What could he be doing now? Where could he be? Could his body be fair still, and his face dark? [Long pause.] Devadatta changes. Kapila changes. And me?
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As the second act goes on and Devadatta’s body begins to return to its original state, Padmini begins to dream of Kapila. One day after a long overdue workout, Devadatta becomes angry that he is losing his muscles. Padmini says he shouldn’t care and that Kapila is out of her life, but no sooner has she said this than she begins to wonder where Kapila is. As Devadatta reverts to his original self, Padmini becomes unhappy and wonders whether she has changed at all from the time she felt so split in her love for the two men. With this Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Opti
KAPILA: The moment it came to me, a war started between us.
PADMINI: And who won?
KAPILA: I did.
PADMINI: The head always wins, doesn’t it?
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When Padmini goes to find Kapila in the forest, she discovers that he, like Kapila, has largely reverted to his original self. He describes how his body rebelled when he tried to work back into shape, but that ultimately, he won the battle between his head and Devadatta’s body. With this development, Kapila seems to realize that the head does in fact rule the body and that he is, undeniably, Kapila—something that he had argued against when their heads were switched initially. But as Devadatta had illustrated earlier, and as Kapila explains shortly after this quote occurs, the body that Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam vo
Isn’t that surprising? That the body should have its own ghosts—its own memories?
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After describing how he conquered Devadatta’s body and, in doing so, returned himself to his original form, Kapila admits to Padmini that his body still has experiences and senses of which he has no conscious knowledge—sensations leftover from Devadatta’s body. Devadatta feels this earlier as well when he impulsively challenges the wrestler, but Kapila’s situation is more difficult as he describes how his body remembers the intimacy that Devadatta and Padmini had shared without having the memories to match. It is this incongruity which haunts him most of all as he tries to sort through his own identity, and which Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt
I know it in my blood you couldn’t have lived together. Because you knew death you died in each other’s arms. You could only have lived ripping each other to pieces. I had to drive you to death. You forgave each other, but again—left me out.
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After Kapila and Devadatta have killed each other at the end of the play, Padmini wonders whether they would still be alive if she had said that all three of them could live together. It is unclear whether Padmini would have found fulfilment in such an arrangement, but she makes it clear that she doesn’t think it would have worked for Devadatta and Kapila. She acknowledges that the conflict between the two men’s warring heads and bodies, there was no room for her, and she echoes earlier sentiments that she feels alone and unchanged by the events that have transpired. Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at
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Devadatta Character Timeline in Hayavadana
The timeline below shows where the character Devadatta appears in Hayavadana. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Act 1
...He first introduces the setting, the kingdom of Dharmapura. He then introduces the two heroes, Devadatta and Kapila. Devadatta, who is fair and handsome, is the son of a Brahmin and...
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...providing a short summary of the plot that is about to unfold: the two friends, Devadatta and Kapila, who are of “one mind, one heart,” met a girl (Padmini) and “forgot...
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Devadatta and Kapila then enter the stage. Devadatta is described as a “slender, delicate-looking person” and...
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Kapila asks his friend why he didn’t come to the gymnasium the night before. Devadatta is distracted and responds that he was working. As Kapila describes a wrestling match that...
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Devadatta, convinced that his friend actually does understand him, tries to explain his love further. When...
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Kapila offers to try to find the girl for him. Devadatta tells him that he had followed her home from the market the previous evening, so...
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Kapila eventually asks Padmini if she knows of Devadatta. She asks what Devadatta is to Kapila, to which Kapila replies that he is the...
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The Bhagavata explains that a match between Padmini and Devadatta had no obstacles because both families were of high status: her family was very wealthy,...
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The plot skips forwards six months. Padmini is pregnant and she, Devadatta, and Kapila are taking a trip to Ujjain. Devadatta reveals that he is he is...
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As they talk, Devadatta reveals his jealousy of Kapila and of the attention Padmini gives him. He thinks that...
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Padmini tries to appease Devadatta and suggests that they cancel the trip and spend the day together instead, assuring Devadatta...
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...Kapila drives the cart. She relates an anecdote about how, soon after they were married, Devadatta tried to drive her to a lake outside the city, but failed to steer the...
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...of the flowers for her. She remarks to herself how muscular Kapila’s body is, and Devadatta notices Padmini staring at Kapila. He burns with jealousy as he observes her, but doesn’t...
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...the parting of her hair, and dots that look like a necklace. Padmini turns to Devadatta and says that he should use those descriptions in his poetry. Devadatta tries to shift...
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Kapila and Padmini decide to visit the temple of Rudra, but Devadatta, still upset, says that he doesn’t want to go and will watch the cart. Kapila...
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Devadatta says goodbye to Padmini and Kapila, and says to himself that he hopes they live...
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Padmini and Kapila return from the temple of Rudra. They begin to worry about Devadatta when they cannot find him, and so Kapila follows his footprints to Kali’s temple. When...
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...if Padmini places their heads back on their bodies. Padmini, in her excitement, accidentally switches Devadatta’s and Kapila’s heads (in the play, this is accomplished with the masks).
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When Kali revives Devadatta and Kapila, they (along with Padmini) quickly realize that something is wrong. Padmini explains what...
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The argument between the two men begins to heat up. When Devadatta pushes Kapila aside to take Padmini home, Kapila asks Padmini if Devadatta would ever have...
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Act 2
...question about the solution to the problem of the mixed-up heads. He describes how Padmini, Devadatta, and Kapila consult a rishi (i.e., a sage) about their problem. The rishi tells them...
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Back at Padmini and Devadatta’s house, the two are happier than ever. Devadatta buys dolls for their unborn child at...
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...children stared at them at the fair with desire. They also comment on how rough Devadatta’s hands are, and say that he doesn’t deserve the dolls.
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Time passes and Devadatta and Padmini’s baby is born. Devadatta addresses the Bhagavata directly for the first time, inviting...
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...comment on how ugly she looked, though they remark that she is not ugly to Devadatta.
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Another six months pass, and Padmini and Devadatta are fighting over how to treat their son. Padmini wants to take him to the...
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More time has passed, and Devadatta has returned to his original form: soft-bodied and lacking muscle. A stage direction notes that...
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While Devadatta travels to get new dolls, Padmini goes into the forest with her son. She imagines...
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...back into shape, almost torturing himself. He is also haunted by memories that belonged to Devadatta’s body—memories of things he never experienced, like being intimate with Padmini. He is distressed that...
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Devadatta, who has returned with new dolls, searches for Padmini and runs into the Bhagavata. The...
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Devadatta finds Padmini and Kapila, and the three are forced to confront their situation together. Kapila...
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...once again left behind. She wonders whether she should have said she would live with Devadatta and Kapila both, but acknowledges that they could not have lived together. She decides to...
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