Welcome to ” Abhisara : The Tryst Workbook Answer: ISC Rhapsody (Evergreen) ,” where we delve into the captivating verses of ISC English Literature’s Rhapsody by Evergreen Publications. In these pages, we explore the poetic essence of “Abhisara: The Tryst” through meticulous workbook solutions. This post provides comprehensive answers to multiple-choice and contextual questions, deepening your understanding of this enchanting poem. Immerse yourself in the rich imagery and symbolism, and explore the nuances of character development and thematic exploration. Each question serves as a gateway to dissecting the poem, urging readers to analyze subtle nuances and extract deeper meanings. Contextual inquiries broaden our canvas for exploration, encouraging critical engagement with cultural backdrops and universal themes of love, longing, and nature’s beauty. Through this examination, readers sharpen analytical skills and develop a profound appreciation for poetic craftsmanship. Whether you are a student navigating ISC English Literature or an avid reader enchanted by timeless poetry, “ISC Rhapsody: Abhisara: The Tryst Workbook Solutions” promises valuable insights. Join us on this poetic journey as we illuminate the path to understanding, one workbook solution at a time.
Table of Contents
Poem In Details :
The poem is about a Buddhist monk. Upagupta, a disciple of Lord Buddha and the the dancing girl of Mathura. Vasavadatta was the most beautiful dancer. She was proud of her beauty, youth and her wealth. Upagupta was an ascetic, and epitome of kindness, wisdom and selflessness. One dark night Upagupta was sleeping on the dusty road by the city wall of Mathura city. It was the month of August. There was no light around and the atmosphere was calm and quiet. People of Mathura had already slept there and doors of all the houses were shut. Stars in the sky were hidden in the dark clouds. A dancing girl appeared with a lamp in her hand. Without noticing down on the ground, she stumbled over the body of Upagupta who was sleeping on the ground. All of a sudden he woke up and was extremely surprised. The light from woman’s lamp fell on his merciful eyes and he saw the young beautiful woman standing before him.
The woman was shining with jewels. She had put on a beautiful dress. She seemed to be proud of her youth and appearance. The moment she lowered her lamp, she saw a young man in front of her. She felt fascinated by his austerity. The woman begged pardon for stumbling over his body without noticing his presence in the darkness. She, at the same time, requested him to visit her home, saying that the dirty ground was not a fit bed for him. Upagupta told her to go back to her home and said that he would visit her when the right time would come. Suddenly, the storm began to blow with a flash of lightning in the dark sky. The terrible storm arose from one side of the sky and made a long roaring sound. The woman trembled in fear of some mysterious danger. She hurried towards her home.
A year had not yet passed. It was the evening of a day in April. The branches of the trees on the wayside were heavy with flowers due to the onset of spring season. The light-hearted musical notes of flute came floating from far away. Upagupta passed through the city gates again. He stood on the base of the city-wall built for protection and noticed a woman lying on the dusty ground at his feet. She was suffering with a deadly epidemic. Her body was spotted with sores of smallpox. She had been driven out from the city to prevent the spread of the disease through her contact. Upagupta sat by her side and took her head on his knees. He made her lips wet with water and applied sandal balm over her body to provide her relief. The woman then asked him who the merciful man was. In response to her question, the monk replied that at last the time had come to visit her and he was there. He addressed her as Vasavadatta. which implies that he had recognized the woman whom he had met earlier.
Line Wise Explanation :
Lines 1-4
Upagupta, a disciple of Buddha, slept out on a dusty path beside Mathura’s city wall on a pitch-black night. It was peaceful and quiet around, and there was no light from any lamps. All doors were shut. Each person had gone to sleep. Everything was gloomy. The stars were completely obscured by clouds in the sky.
Lines 5-8
A dancing woman Vasavadatta appeared with a lamp in her hand. She tripped over Upagupta’s body on the dusty pavement. He awoke abruptly and gasped in surprise. He saw a lovely woman standing in from of him as the light from the woman’s lamp shone on his compassionate eyes.
Lines 9-11
The woman was wearing a blue dress and dazzled with jewellery. She was pretty and youthful. She was proud of her beauty and youth she possessed. In the light of the lamp she noticed the young man whose face reflected that he led a simple yet austere life.
Lines 12-16
She asked for forgiveness for tripping over his body as she could not see him in the darkness. She politely invited him to her house, stating that the dusty ground was inappropriate bed to sleep for him. She was gently told by Upagupta to return to her house, and promised to see her when the time was right. The dark night abruptly revealed its jaws in flash of lightning. From one corner of the sky, a violent storm appeared and lightning flashed in the sky. The woman trembled in fear and hurried home.
Lines 17-20
A year had passed and it was now the spring season. It was the night of an April day. Flowers weighed heavily on the branches of the trees beside the roadside. From a great distance, the cheerful melodic tunes of a flute were heard in the warm spring air. The residents of the city had gone to the forest to attend the festival of flowers.
Lines 21-28
Upagupta entered the city through the gates passed through a lonely street and stopped at the base of the city walls. He unexpectedly encountered a lady laying at his feet in the grove’s shadows. She was afficted with a fatal epidemic. Her body was covered with painful sores, for which, she had been expelled from the city.
Lines 29-32
As he sat her side, Upagupta placed her forehead on his knee. Using sandal balm, he massaged her body. He applied water to her dried lips. The woman asked him who he was. Upagupta remarked that the right time had come and he was there. He addressed the woman as Vasavadatta, which meant that he had recognized the woman whom he had met earlier.
Workbook MCQs :
(i) In what month did Upagupta come into contact with the dancing gril?
(a) July
(b) August
(c) April
(d) January
Answer :- (b) August
(iI) What impression did the dancing girl leave on her meeting with Upagupta?
(a) that she was very humble
(b) that she was selfless
(c) that she was proud of her youth and beauty
(d) that she was selfless
Answer :- (c) that she was proud of her youth and beauty
(iII) ‘Woman, go on your way’. What does ‘your way’ suggest here?
(a) the way to her house
(b) the way she was leading her life in material comforts and physical pleasures
(c) the way out of Mathura
(d) none of the above
Answer :- (b) the way she was leading her life in material comforts and physical pleasures
(iV) Why did the woman tremble on listening to the thunder?
(a) because she was weak-hearted
(b) because she feared something wrong was going to happen
(c) because she had nowhere to take shelter
(d) because she feared her life was in danger
Answer :- (b) because she feared something wrong was going to happen
(v) Why was the street ‘lonely’ in the spring season?
(a) because it was spring time
(b) because no one wanted to catch the epidemic
(c) because the city dwellers had abandoned the city
(d) because the city dwellers had gone to the woods
Answer :- (d) because the city dwellers had gone to the woods
(vI) The dancing girl was suffering from
(a) cancer
(b) smallpox
(c) a disease like smallpox
(d) flu
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(vII) Which of these statements is NOT true?
(a) Upagupta was a true ascetic
(b) An ascetic cannot go to enjoy worldly pleasures
(c) Upagupta did not find the dancing girl really beautiful
(d) The dancing girl was vain and proud.
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(vIII) Upagupta tried to comfort and treat the dancing girl afflicted with an epidemic. What quality of his character is revealed ?
(a) his courage
(b) his kindness and fearlessness
(c) his humility
(d) his timidity
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(iX) Which birds are described as ‘love-sick’ in the poem
(a) cuckoos
(b) koels
(c) sparrows
(d) parrots
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(x) Suddenly the black night ‘showed its teeth’. In which mood was the night?
(a) calm
(b) furious
(c) serene
(d) listlesss
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(xI) The poem makes us realize that …………
(a) youth and beauty are not to be proud of
(b) youth and beauty decline in old age
(c) nothing is permanent
(d) ascetic cannot be tempted
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Logic Based Questions :
(i) In the poem, Upagupta was sleeping in the dust by the city wall of Mathura because he did not mind lying or sleeping at any place, whether it is comfortable or uncomfortable.
(iI) Upagupta did not accept the invitation from the girl because he knew that the intentions of the girl were not pure and selfless.
(iII) The ascetic woke up in shock because he was in deep sleep
(iV) The dancing girl was proud of her youth because she was unaware of the impermanence of her youth and beauty.
(v) The young ascetic told the dancing girl to move on her own way because [ For Full Workbook Answers , Get The Full E-Book Access – View ]
(vI) The woman trembles in fear because [ For Full Workbook Answers , Get The Full E-Book Access – View ]
(vII) The branches of trees blossom because [ For Full Workbook Answers , Get The Full E-Book Access – View ]
(vIII) The woman had been hurriedly removed from the town because [ For Full Workbook Answers , Get The Full E-Book Access – View ]
(iX) The young ascetic applied sandal balm to the woman’s body because [ For Full Workbook Answers , Get The Full E-Book Access – View ]
(x) Upagupta was a true ascetic because [ For Full Workbook Answers , Get The Full E-Book Access – View ]
Short Answer Questions :
(i) What aspects of nature are described in the poem ?
Answer :- The poet uses nature as an essential background in the poem. The first meeting of the monk, Upagupta, with the dancing girl, Vasavadatta, takes place on a dark, cloudy night in the month of August, during the monsoon. The darkness is symbolic of darkness in the mind of the dancing girl, though she is proud of the light of her beauty. This meeting ends on an indefinite note. Both Upagupta and the girl go on their respective ways. The second meeting between the two takes places again on a dark night, but now it is the month of April in the spring season. The girl is stricken with a pestilence. She is treated humanely by Upagupta. The girl’s ‘youthful’ light has vanished, though the inner light of the ascetic is intact, as it was.
(iI) Describe the first meeting between Upagupta and the young dancing girl.
Answer :- Upagupta was a young ascetic, a follower of Lord Buddha. Vasavadatta was renowned dancing girl. They first met in the month of August. Vasavadatta tripped over the body of Upagupta sleeping in the dust by the city wall of Mathura. This awakened Upagupta. The girl asked for forgiveness as she could not see him lying there in the dark. She asked him to come to her house and have a nice bed to sleep. Upagupta declined her invitaiton, saying he would come to her when the time was ripe.
(iII) Comment on the concluding line of the poem ‘I am here’ in the context.
Answer :- Upagupta had already met the dancing girl, Vasavadatta. He had given her the promise to come to her when the time was ripe. Now when the girl, stricken with a pestilence and abandoned by all, needs someone’s help badly, he has come. Unlike other human beings, he is fearless. He places the girl’s head on his knees, applies balm to her body and moistens her dry lips with water. He has recognized her. As a true follower of Buddha, he does his humanitarian duty selflessly and fearlessly. He had turned down the girl’s invitation earlier because then she needed no help and was proud of her beauty and youth. Thus, he proves himself to be a true devotee of Buddha.
(iV) Briefly discuss the role played by nature in the poem.
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(v) Youth and beauty do not last long. Discuss with close reference to the poem.
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(vI) What does the following line depict about the personality of the dancing girl?
Wearing a pale blue mantle, drunk with the wine of her youth.
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Long Answer Questions :
(i) ‘Selfless service is the religion of the ascetics’. Discuss the statement with close reference to the text of the poem.
Answer :- Ascetics are those who give up all worldly pleasures and comforts. They devote themselves to the service of humanity selflessly. In the poem Upagupta, a Buddhist monk, is a true ascetic. He is young and handsome. He has inner beauty of soul. So his young face is described as ‘austerely beautiful’. It reveals about his austere life.
A dancing girl named Vasavadatta comes across Upagupta when she trips over his body in the darkness of night, one day in the month of August. Upagupta has been lying asleep in the dust by the city wall of Mathura. Vasavadatta fails to notice him. Upagupta wakes up abruptly and looks at the young beautiful girl in surprise in the dim light of a lamp in her hand. The girl seems to be proud of her youth and beauty. She politely invites the young monk to her home where he can sleep on a comfortable bed. He turns down her invitation saying that he will come to her when the time is ripe. Obviously, he does not get tempted as he has renounced all worldly comforts and sensual pleasures which, according to his religion, are the source of human grief and misery.
About a year passes. It is spring time. Upagupta finds the same dancing girl lying at his feet near the city wall in the dark shadow of a grove. In the moonlight he recognises her. He finds her whole body covered with sores. She has been abandoned and driven out of the city, as she is stricken with a contagious disease.
Upagupta, without any fear of being infected, places the girl’s head on his knees. He applies balm to her body. Then he moistens her dry lips with water. The girl who feels somewhat comforted asks him who he was.
He says:
“The time, at last, has come to visit you, and I am
here, Vasavadatta’
This comment of Upagupta reveals that selfless service of the persons in need was his true religion. He was a true ascetic.
(iI) The young ascetic answered, “Woman, go on your way;
When the time is ripe I will come to you.”
Explain the lines in the context of the poem.
Answer :- It was an evening of dark cloudy day in August. Vasavadatta, with a lamp in her hand, stumbles over the body of an ascetic named Upagupta. Upagupta was lying asleep in the dust. When he woke up he looked at the girl in surprise. She was young and beautiful. She had worn a pale-blue cloak and sparkling jewellery. Her face revealed that she was proud of her youth and beauty. She invited the young monk to her home where he could have a sound sleep on a comfortable bed. He turned down his invitation and asked her to go on her way, and said that when the time was ripe he would come to her.
Upagupta’s words were quite meaningful. Literally he asked her to return to her home, but metaphorically he seemed to tell her that she should go back to her world of comforts and pleasures. Her way of life was different from his. She was given to worldly pleasures which he had renounced. As an ascetic, he would go to those who were in dire need of help. Her pride in her youth and beauty revealed that she was in no need of any help at that time. So he promised to come to her when the time was ‘ripe’, that is, when she would be in real need of help.
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(iII) Comment on the use of imagery in the poem.
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(iV) Compare and contrast the two parts of the poem.
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