MAHABRATA
According
to custom, a king with a grown up daughter looks for a good match
by holding a contest. At Dewi Siti Sundari's own request, the king
announces that whoever brings two beautiful twin girls as a wedding-gift
will be Dewi Siti Sundari's husband.
Abimayu, Arjuna's son, is attracted by Dewi Siti Sundari and proposes
to her, saying that fie will look for the beautiful twin girls.
powers.
First Arjuna is tempted by beautiful nymphs from heaven, including
Dewi Supraba, but he is insensitive to all their temptations.
Then a wild boar (disguise of Mamangmurka, commander-in-chief of
Newatakawaca) destroys the plants around Arjuna, who is in meditation,
and being startled lie takes his bow and arrow and shoots it. To
his surprise the boar,is shot at the same time by Kilatawarna.
The two quarrel and a violent fight ensues. Kilatnwarna is beaten
and changes into Batara Guru.
Batara
Guru conveys to Arjuna the real purpose of his visit, which is to
ask his help in killing Newatakawaca. Arjuna. is willing to do so
and Batara Guru gives him a magic arrow called Pasupati.
Newatakawaca has received no answer from the gods to his proposal
and is impatient and angry. When Arjuna approaches him, Newatakawaca
stabs him with his weapon called limpung (a short lance). Arjuna
pretends that he has been killed, and Supraba comes to tease Newatakawaca,
who is delighted and bursts into hilarious laughter. Arjuna uses
this opportunaty to shoot the Pasupati arrow at the root of Newatakawaca's
tongue, which is vulnerable spot. Newatakawaca is killed instantly
and as a reward the gods marry Arjuna to Dewi Supraba and the other
heavenly nymphs. arjuna is also crowned as king of the heaven for
seven days.
LANGEN
DRIYA
The
Javanese dance-opera called langen driya, Surakarta. style, has
always been very popular. Its great attraction and high aesthetic
value lie in the harmonious combination of drarna acted, dialogue
sung by means of Javanese tembangs (songs) and dancing, and it is
still danced by women. Because the protagonists in this classic
Javanese dance-opera'' are Damarwulan and Menakjingga, the dance
opera is better known by the name of Langen Driya Damarwalan menakjingga.
The
langen driya has been very well cultivated in Surakarta. A leading
langen driya figure from before the period of independence, Nyi
Bei Mardusari, is still Actively training the younger generation.
The contents of the langen driya Damarwulan-Menakjingga is as follows:
There
was once a queen called Prabu Kenya or Ratu Kencanawungu (in history,
Queen Tribhuwanatunggadewa who reigned over the kingdom of Majapahit
from 1329 to 1350). She had a vizier called Patih Logender who had
two sons and one very beautiful daughter.
One day Damarwulan, a warrior disguised as an ordinary man, comes
to offer his services to Patih Logender. Damarwulan is accepted
as a stableboy, and his work is to fetch grass and clean the stable.
Though but a stableboy, he is so handsome that the vizier's daughter,
Anjasmara, falls in love with him. Of course Patih Logender and
his two sons, Seta and Kumitir, do not like to see Anjasmara flirt
with Damarwulan; but Anjasmara persists in her love, which even
becomes stronger because Damarwulan responds to it.
One
day an Adipadi (vassal) from Blambangan, East Java called Menakjingga
rebels against Majapahit. Prabu Kenya holds a contest, announcing
that she will take as a husband anyone able to beat Menakjingga
and bring his head before her.
Sera and Kumitir, hear about the contest, and wish to participate
in it. Damarwulan also wants to take part in it, though his main
purpose is to save Majapahit from the threat of the rebel Menakjingga,
becoming Prabu Kenya's husband is only of secondary importance,
because his heart already belongs to Anjasmara. His wish
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