Vikrama and Urvasi Or The Hero and The Nymph - A Drama Translated From The Original Sanskrit

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Vikrama and urvasi is one of the three plays attributed to kalidasa, already advantageously known to the western world, It is corroborated by the correspondence of these two compositions, in many of their characteristic merits and defects: the subject of each is taken from heroic mythology and a royal demigod and nymph of more than human mould are the hero and heroine of either there is the same vivacity of description and tenderness of feeling treme elegance in the style, it may be difficult to decide to which the palm belongs but the story of the present play is perhaps more skilfully woven and the incidents rise out of each other more naturally than in sakuntala.

Horace Hayman Wilson (26th September 1786 - 8th May 1860) was an English orientalist who was elected the first Boden Professor of Sanskrit at Oxford University. He acted for many years as secretary to the committee of public instruction, and superintended the studies of the Sanskrit College in Calcutta. He was one of the staunchest opponents of the proposal that English should be made the sole medium of instruction in native schools, and became for a time the object of bitter attacks. In 1832 Oxford University selected Dr. Wilson to be the first occupant of the newly founded Boden chair of Sanskrit: he had placed a column length advertisement in The Times on 6 March 1832 p 3, giving a list of his achievements and intended activities, along with testimonials, including one from a rival candidate, as to his suitability for the post. In 1836 he was appointed librarian to the East India Company. He also taught at the East India Company College.

The drama of VIKRAMA and URVASI is one of the three plays attributed to KALIDABA, already advantageously known to the western world, as the Author of Sakuntalá-the introductory observation of the Manager in the prelude is our evidence to this effect, and it is corroborated by the correspondence of these two compositions, in many of their characteristic merits and defects: the subject of each is taken from heroic mythology, and a royal demigod and nymph of more than human mould are the hero and heroine of either; there is the same vivacity of description, and tenderness of feeling in both; the like delicate beauty in the thoughts, and extreme elegance in the style: it may be difficult to decide to which the palm belongs but the story of the present play is perhaps more skilfully woven, and the incidents rise out of each other more naturally than in Sakuntala, while on the other hand, there is perhaps no one personage in it so interesting as the heroine of that drama.