A clown is a traditional character of plays in Sanskrit literature. He is very innocent, the king's friend and is very fond of eating laddu. He becomes laughing stock due to his strange attire, funny speech and series of mistakes.
In the play 'नागानन्दम्', the clown is the friend of king Jimutvahan. When the hero Jimutvahan describes the face of the heroine which has turned red due to the heat of the sharad season, then the clown says that he is also handsome but owing to jealousy nobody appreciates or describes him. Then Cheti tells him. "I will describe you" means I will paint you. Thus Cheti blackens the clown's face with the dark juice of Tamal buds.
The entire incident is full of laughter. This incident reflects the inncoent nature of the clown. The clever Cheti blackens his face then the clown asks her, "चेटी, किं त्वया कृतम् ?" Then Cheti justifies the title of the lesson by saying, "ननु वर्णितोडसि".