# On the Terrace of the Sorrowless explained — The Pilgrim Kamanita

> Chapter companion for The Pilgrim Kamanita by Karl Gjellerup.

## What happens

Kamanita and Somadatta climb to a terrace where they meet Vasitthi and Medini. Kamanita and Vasitthi confess their love, exchange a kiss, and discuss the nature of love and memory. Vasitthi speaks of the coral tree's perfume that recalls past lives and muses on love and faith as enduring melodies played on different lutes.

## Themes in this chapter

### Love and Transcendence

Kamanita and Vasitthi's love is portrayed as transcending lifetimes, with Vasitthi suggesting that love and faith are eternal melodies played on different lutes.

### Illusion and Reality

Vasitthi questions whether they are truly Nala and Damayanti, yet concludes that love and faith are the only realities, while names and forms change.

### Rebirth and Karma

Kamanita speculates that he and Vasitthi were married in a former existence, and Vasitthi describes the coral tree's perfume that recalls past lives.

## Character check-ins

### Kamanita

Narrates the secret meeting on the terrace, confesses his love to Vasitthi, and recalls his passion for arms and past lives.

### Somadatta

Accompanies Kamanita to the terrace, reunites with Medini, and jokes about the color of love.

### Vasitthi

The beloved maiden who reciprocates Kamanita's love, speaks of true love's color being black like Shiva's throat, and recites a verse to the asoka tree.

### Medini

Somadatta's beloved, who gathers asoka blossoms and calls out to Vasitthi.

## Key lines

> But she, when she noticed my great shyness, seemed herself to become calmer. She sat down on the bench again, and invited me with a gentle movement of her lotus-hand to take a seat beside her; and then, in a voice full of tremulous sweetness, assured me that she was very glad to be able to thank me for having flung the ball back to her with such skill that the game suffered no interruption

Seeing Kamanita's shyness, Vasitthi grew calm, sat down, and thanked him for returning the ball so skillfully that the game continued without interruption.

_Vasitthi's initial interaction with Kamanita on the terrace._

> True love must be able to withstand the poison of life, and must be willing to taste the bitterest, in order that the loved one may be spared. And from that bitterest it will assuredly prefer to choose its colour, rather than from any pleasures, however dazzling.

True love must endure life's poisons and choose its color from bitterness, not pleasure, to protect the beloved.

_Vasitthi's philosophy on the nature of true love._

> And perhaps, after all, Love and Faith are the only realities, merely changing their names and forms. They are the melodies, and we, the lutes on which they are played. The lute is shattered and another is strung, but the melody remains the same.

Love and faith are eternal realities that persist through different lives, like a melody played on different lutes.

_Vasitthi's reflection on the enduring nature of love across lifetimes._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_pilgrim_kamanita_se/chapters/vi-on-the-terrace-of-the-sorrowless
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_pilgrim_kamanita_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_pilgrim_kamanita_se/chapters