Abhigyan Shakuntalam

Q. Write a short note on life and works of Kalidas.

Ans. Kalidasa was a classical Sanskrit writers. He is widely

*; warded as the greatest poet and dramatist in the Sanskrit based ' the Hindu puranas. No truly bigographycal data are preserred

_-out the another.

L Exact period of Kalidasis period is still unknown and utroversial. Scholars have speculated that Kalidasa may have ed either near the Himalayas or in the vicirity of Ujjain or in kalinga.This is based on the description of the Himalayas in his i marsambhava the disply of love for Ujjain in Meghduta and his •ascription of Kalingan emperor. His period was linked to tire reign i Yikaramaditya, 1 st country' emperor of Ujjain . It was also generally accepted that his period falis between 5 th and 6 th fceatury. His name, is mentioned in a stome inscription dated 634 C H king Vikramaditya was a great patron of learning and of poetry, t die humn to Vishnu in the dynasty of Raghu is an expression of e-antic monism, the humn to Brahma in the Birth of war God gives c_illy clear expression to the rival dualism of the shamkhya cystem. Ually Kalidasa was in matters of religion, what William James would

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call “healthy minded”, emphatically not a “sick soul. Prof webe* Moiner Williams and C.H tawarey claim Kalidasa’s time 4 th centur Lassen Considers his time 3 rd century. Keith and Mcdonald thins Kalidasa belonged to 5 th century Chandragupta 2 Vikramadityc . reign. Indian tradition accepts Kalidasa’s period 57 BC. Fergneser says Kalidasa’s time - span is 6 th century. Even some scholars i think that he was the state poet of the king Bhoj. Thus, We obser- j that his period is hinguly coutroversial.

His Works:- Kalidasa left seven works which have come down j us : three dramas,two dramas, twodrams, two epees one elegiaa poem and one description poem. Of these seven works, four_ - 1 poetry throughout, the three’ dramas, like all Sanskrit dramas written in prose, with a generous mingling of lyric and descrip? «9l stanzas. The poetry, even in the epics, is stanzaic.lt canno: el compared to English blank verse. Classical Sanskrit verse, so far -yj structure is concerned, has much in common with familiar gred and Latin forms. It makes no systematic use of rhyme.

Kalidasa's three dramas bear the names: Malvika and As uravshi and shakuntala. The two epics are the Dynasty of Raj and the Birth of the war- god. The elegiac poem is called The c kuj Messe nger, and the descriptrie poem is entitled the seasons. 1

His first play the Malvika and Agrimitra, is entirely Coven? ?■ plot. Character of the herone: The Uravashs. distinct decline :

‘ Kavyas’ is a narrative poem written in asophisticated age by a

leanj

poet who possesses all the resources of an elaborate rhetoric afl merric. The ‘Kavuas' differ widely from the Mahabharta and Ramayana epics which resemble the mliad and Odyssey leJ outward form.

No other poet in any land has sung of happy love between h and woman as Kalidasa sang Every one of his works is a poeJ

Abhigyan Shakuntalam

:r,

I to ,egiac •ur are las are fiptive lot be »far as

ar greek

is perhaps an ineritablc result of Kalidasa’s subject that his women cppeal more strongly to a modern reader than his men. The tru w omen sense timeless unibersal. Only Shakespeare who has given the world a group of heroines so individual yet so universal. Hecould not understand women without under standing children Another pervading note of Kalidasa’s writing is his love for extemalnature. It is hardlyme to say that he personifies rivers, monntains and trees. His Knowledge of nature is not only sympathetic. It is also minntely accurate. It is aleligutful to imagine a meeting between Kalisasa and Darwin. Pramakhy he is a poet of the human heart. In the cloud Messenger, the former half is a description of external nature, yet nterwomen with human felling; the latter half is a picture is fromed in natural beauty. He had intaledtual power, a quality quite as necessary -O great poetry as perfection of from . Kalisas ranks with Anacreon.Horace and Shelley, but with sophacles, virgil. Milton. He had a formal and systematic education. In this respect, he can be compared with Milton and Terryson tham with Shakespreare or Bums. He is completely master of his learning.

imitra. Analysis of Kalidasa's writings might easily be continual, but analysis

of Raghu can never explain life. The only real criticism is subjective. To ie cloud conciude, Kalidasa is a very' great poet, because the world has not

?ns. ^gen ad]e t0 leam him alone.

entional me. The i learned oric and and the yless in

between man ; is a poem . It

Q. Comment on Kalidasa’s Characters and his art of characterization

Ans: Kalidasa is brilliant enough in projecting his characters. He occupies a significant place in Indian literature in the field of characterization. This is because he, like Shakespeare, had a compassionate relation with his creations, being involved with the saga of their life constantly exploring the inner depths of their being and bringing out the hidden side. At a time when extreme sty lization dominated Indian asl where one-dimensional characters abounded.

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Kalidasa’s humanism breathed a new vitality and vigour of life in people; one is struck by the intense liveliness of even such mi characters as the fisherman, the ascetic girls, Prriyamvada ; Anasuya, the Vidushaka and Sanumati is Abhijana Sakuntala. T1 exhude enthusiasm in a way that easily responds to the emotia fluctuations and creates a most realistic world. Even royal persona like the King and the temperaments: Kalidasa’s as characters i full of humanism. That is why, perhaps, they are so life- likej lively and so endearing. It is their human nature that makes it ea for the readers and the audience to reach out to them and respa to their vicissitudes sensitively.

Character of Dusyanta

‘He is a man of steady affections’ - Sanumati (Act VI)

The hero of Abhijnana Sakuntalam has widely been acclain as the perfect representation in the classical mould of dhiroda nayak. Kalidasa hs particularly been praised for crating such a flavi character in comparison with whom his neroes in other plays, Vikr and Agnimitra appear lesser in some way of the other. He fits in classical definition of hero sa laid down in Dhananjaya’s Dasrupa “A hero should be well-berd, charming, liberal, clever, affat popular, upright, eloquent, of exalted lineage, resolute, and you endowed with intelligence, energy, memoiy, wisdom, skilled in 3 and proud: heroic, mighty, vigorous, familiar with codes and a n observer of the laws.”

His Valour

Dusyanta is second to none in his valour and courage.

Ascetic: (Pleased) This indeed an act worthy of your Hond bom in Puru’s in Pur’s dyanasty and the glorious light of kings. be blessed with a son who will turn the wheel of empire.

Abhigyan Shakuntalam

In the beginning of Act I when the King is about to strike a deer with arrow in the precincts of the Kanva’s hermitage he is stopped by the ascetic for on violence to animals is brooked there. The king, showing great character and sense complies and thus earns the goodwill of the inmates. The play mainly seeking to develop love between Dusyanta and Sakuntala and Sakuntala does not dwell on the eminence of the King as a supreme fighter but often that quality is glimpsed when on different occasions he is called upon to fight off the marauding demons who harass the ascetic. Here is the General portraying that ‘other side’ so beautifully.

Much abused though the sport of hunting is, in the case of our Royal Master, it has all been to the good. Just see our great lard:

He carries his magnificent frame Like a tusker that roams the mountains;

A frame spare, instinct with energy,

The sinewy strength hides the lass of responding flesh; He endures the Sun’s hot rays unharmed,

Not a trace of swat showing;

His brawny chest and arms are hard and scared By the ceaseless recoil of his twanging bow- string.

This is a portrayal of dusyanta with fine strong physique which is the result of the regular hunting sprees he launches on. His appearance, handsome, elephant- like and muscular has been delineated with warmth and feeling.

Dusyanta’s name strikes terror in the demo, s. And the ascetics are confident that the is the only person so protest the peace of the hermitage form invaders. When Dusyanta is smitten with love at first sight of Sakuntala, he is suddenly called upon by a few disciples, thus interrupting the romantic overtures. It is upto the hermits to paint the valorous qualities of the great protestor of the defenceless.

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First Hermit: (seeing the King) How admirable! His person radiates such majesty; Yet

One feels at ease. But that is not surprising in a King who is almost a sage.

He has embraced the worldly life that all must lead to be : f •use to the world ; he too practices the yoga of protection and gamers for himself each day the present merit of hob rites: with all passions under perfect control and controlling the world’s Righteous way.

To him belongs that hallowed prais- Sage- prefixed mere/ with the attribute - Royal- the praise- word so often chanted by Pairs of celestial minstrals to resound in the Realms >i Light.

Second Hermit: Garmit: this is Dusyanta, Frind to Indra, tbd Destroyer of Powerful Vala?

First Hermit: who else?

Second Hermit.: What wonder then that this hermit King wj arms strong as massive iron beams that bar the city’s j gates should hold single away over the All-Supoorting 1 bounded by the dark-blue oceans? For the celestials, w b the battle-lines are drawn against the fierce- encounter.nd Titans hope for victory7 only from the taut- drawn bow sal the clashing thunders of Indra, the oft-invoked Lord of ta. Realm of Lin! a.

It is through these persons that the physical Prowess of Dusysaa is projected. It is not just hermits and the attendants who high. him as invincible warrior, lord Indra also desires his he! subjugating demons: ‘the invincible brood of the demon Kalame Matali tells him that they are destined for destruction at your haa alone in the battle’s forefront’. His presence. This also reveals:

Abhigyan Shakuntalam

tact that Dusyanta 'stead tasty followed the dharma of a noble king’. That is why he is eulogized by the hermits as ‘sage-prefixed merely with the attribute- Royal’. So he is Royal Sage who Practices Yoga •.hough ‘he has embraced the worldly life’. The qualities of being sage and royal raise him far higher then the ordinary King, and invests him with the title of the ‘Lord of the Realms of Light’.

His Compassion

Dusyanta shows his compassion very naturally in this play. He is portrayed as endowed with love and sympathy for others, even the creatures of forest. His remark ‘There should be no inconvenience to the residents of the hermitage; so stop the chariot just here....’ Is an indication of how crsiderate he is to those engaged in the sacrificial rites in the quiel and calm of the penance-grove. When he is spotted by Anasuya and Priyamvada escorting Sakuntala. the question of how to announce himself to them is faced by him. He decides to tell them that his mission is to ensure safety and protection of the inmates of the hermitage: ‘I am the person that has been appointed by his majesty of the Puru race to supervise religious rites, and (as such) have come to this sacred grove to ascertain if the religious observances are free from obstacles’. Anasuya becomes assured and confident that ‘Now indeed the performance of holy rites have guardian (to protest them)’. That Dusyanta is brimful of human sentiments needs on illustration, examples are strewn all over the play. In Act VI the Door- Keeper produces to the woe-begone King the message of the Prime Minister intimating that Dhanamitra, the chief Merachant, has perished inthe ship-wreck. Since he has no issue, his vast property must go to the King. Dusyanta being reluctant to let the matter rest at rest at that, orders Vetravati to enquire if any of his several surviving wives is pregnant. And on being told that his wife, ‘daughter of merchant of Saket, had her Pumsavana ceremony just performed’, decides that the merchant's property must go to the child in the womb. The event reveals that

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dusyanta is both compassionate and meticulous about dispens: -justice. He sees that on citizen be deprived of it and their rights -protected. Even in the shattered condition of utter dejection he d« not forget his duty as the King.

How he cares for people is expressed by one of the bards w -says,

Here is His Majestry wearied caring for his subjects as if ti were his own childen’.

Though it is the duty of the bards to sing panegyrics to the Ki these words carry a ring of truth and authenticity which are bo: out by several instances.

It is perhaps more his compassionate nature combined wit refined degree of self-restrained, though he feels quite strong toward Sakuntala that impresses Priyamvada too. It is as a dist: that she remembers him when the black bee, that ‘ impudent create.* leaves jasmine and hovers over Sakuntala scaring her to the core

When Sakuntala Pleads with them, ‘Friends, save me who ; being assailed by this ill-mannered bee’, both Priyamvada a Anasuya remark, ‘who are we to deliver you? Call aut Dusyana the penance- forests are said to be defended by the King’. Tl black -be serves more than one purpose- it affords Dusyanta opportunity to reveal himself, it gives him a chance of acquaint himself personally with the ladies and also a golden opportunity had been craving for of coming closer to Sakuntala, and it set h higher in the ladies’ esteem, particularly that of his sweet he; Though they give him the respectful welcome due to any distinguish visitor to the hermitage, Dusyanta becomes in a short time a spec guest. Although his love for Sakuntals prompts him to come forv to help her in her distressful situation, there is little doubt that / i nobly with the natural compassion he generally feels for any : n requiring help, even in the most tragic circumstances, with his wee da

Abhigyan Shakuntalam____________________ 4-5

wife standing before him supplicating him to accept her. while he

wondrs who she is. because of Durveasa’s curse, we glimpse compassion because he feels, as a common woman she suiters injustice.

Her anger seems so unfeigned making me doubt (the correctness of my thought.)

In Dusyanta’s character compassion, sympathy consideration, love affection, affinity' mingle into a noble nature that is eminently suitable for the descentant of Puru. Soon after the ring is seen by him all his buried love and affection come pouringoutin unrestrained waver. He blames himself for all Sarvaduama exemplifies mtensely humane character of Dusyanta.

His Love

He has a extreme love in his heart for Sakuntala. Much has been written about Dusyanta’s love for Sakuntala; in fact, the play enters around the delineation of it and through it their characters. From a mere physical attraction sprouting in the heady atmosphere of penance- groves extruding amorous mood to the awakening of a profound sense of commitment, Dsyanta's jomey takes him to greater self-realization. He recognizes himself in for sharper and clearer light through shakuntala. This juoumey is more of a transcendental nature. As the great Sanskrit Scholar A.B. Gajendragadkar says, The great problem that Kalidasa sets before him in writing this drama was to trace the development of earthly love into a heavenly, of love that is self-centred into love that is universal (5 jO).

I raised her face to mine-But couldn’t kiss it, alas!

To the grand sublime realization that However, for you may go from me,

You shall never go from my heart,

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As the shadow of the tree at evening Never leaves its base on the eastern side.

Is a magnificent unfolding of his character imbued with love. It is as much a revkatuib it gun as it is to the audience or the readers. His reluctance to leave the penance grove, for it may tear drim away from Sakuntala and he con not bear to be so tormented, is sufficient indication that he has committed himself to her. and his feelings for her are far from lewd and transient.

Character of Sakuntala

Ans: Sakuntala has an important place in the p\ay Abhijnana Sakuntalam. There can be no stronger proof of it than deep remorse and incidents of self-reproachment that he subjects himself to after the recovery of the rings brings back to him the memory of his wedding to Sakuntala. He tries to immerse his mind in her portrait which he paints and allow his mind to lose itself completely in the hallucinations it provokes.

Whatever did not come out right was done again;

Yet this pointing but hints at her glowing beauty.

Once she stood before my eyes and I spumed her, Now, in adore her painted in a picture,

Having passed by a full - flowing stream,

I pant after a mirage, my friend,

His emotions leaped up with greater force when he beheld his child, brave, free and like himself showing all signs of growing into a sovereign monarch. He feels a natural fatherly affection for him. Sakuntala’s singht Dressed in dusky garments/her face fined thin from observing strictest vows’ awakens the emotions of regret, sorrow and greater respect for her. The king expresses it in the most effective words.

Abhigyan Shakuntalam

My beloved the cruelty I showed you has come Full circle now; it is I who have to plead now to be recognized by you. ’

And then he uses a beautiful metaphor,

O Lady of the most gracious face!

Like Rohini in conj unction with the Moon Appearing at the end of an eclipse.

At the end of the play dusyandta is rewarded for his long suffenng by reunion with his wife and the child who has been predicted to become Chakravarti King. All his misunderstandings are dispelled and the supreme ideal of eternal love is placed on its rightful pedestal. His art of painting

He is a well known painter and excellent in art of painting. He is also seen in a few other accomplishments. His artistic talents are seen in his hobby of painting. The portrait of Sakuntala represents her in such life-like aspect that anyone who sees it is struck by the quality. The role of this is the play is obviously to highlight the husband’s intense remorse at his the play is obviously to highlight the husbands intense remorse at his cruel act of rejection and the psychological fixation in Sakuntala to the degree of madness; the fact that he could paint includes among his several accomplishments. Both the Vidusaka and Sanumati (or Misrakesi) are deluded by the portrait, because Sakuntala as painted appears to be alive, so realistic is the portrait.

Vidusaka: Excellent, my friend. The representation of emotion is delightful on delightful on account of the charming delineation. My vision stumbles, as it were, in the prominences and depressions in the picture.

Sanumati: Oh, how wonderful if the skill of this royal sage! 1 think my friend is present before me.

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"TZ whatever may notbe right in this picture is correctec

B' yetherbeautyisonlypartiallytepresentedbythe |l

delineation.

Sanumati: The (speech) befits an affection

repentance and the absence of pnde in him. T |

whole scene bring out the deep attachmenl Dusyanta feels for his wife.

SAKUNTALA

‘When 1 consider the omnipotence of the creator and her Form, she appears ,0 me to be epdte a different creation of

. i, - Dusyanta Act II

The jewel of woman kina The 'leading lady of the paly too shares in equal

noble suture in life and lofty qualities of characteWn* h * most suitable match for King Dusyanta love at first g .

one-sided affair, but the simultaneous kindling of fire, and its quick

intensification places both on equal footing.

SSSS5SSS21

grove her home. She is deeply justification of her extraoiai .

beauty. ,

'how else among mortal women could there be the irt o

such beauty? The flash with quivering light (lightning) anses no the surface of the earth .

An extraordinary, almost unearthly being alone can bexupa e

ofevoking sensation oflove a, first sight. Fnend^ftte hearts ofthe

descendants of Puru never turn towards fedkld n i Dusyanta describes his attraction. She is thus blesse

Abhigyan Shakuntalam ________________

- eavenly grace and benediction. From time to time this fact of her

fe is referred to. We also see that developments in her hie are onstantly watched by the forces in heaven. Sanumati of Misrakesi severs unseen around the Palace of the King to see ‘with my own : ves how it goes with the Royal sage’. She calls Sakuntala her own flesh and blood, ‘because of my great friendship with Menaka; and Menaka had requested me earlier to do this for the sake of her daughter’. Saunmari flis through the air obviously strengthens Sanumati’s place as celestial beauty. Dusyanta’s complete submission to her charms is surprising, and can only be explained by this association with the heavenly links. The mystique of that supema attraction is thus described by the king himself,

Was she endowed with life by the creator, after having Delineated by him with the omnipotence of the Creator, And her form, she appears to me to be quite different (matchless) creation of the jewel of mankind

Sakuntala thus is the image that combines the ethereal with the

Iearthly-the sensuous with celestial.

Ancient class art created an ideal of feminine image that finds

-eflected in all the genres in all the genres in exaggerated and attractive tonal medium. Whether it is painting or sculpture dance, or musical composition, or poetic expression, the image of woman has been

, carved in rich sensuous lines, highlighting the physical endowments | in such colours as would please the male appreciator and arouse erotic emotions. Kalidasa in portraying his male appreciator and ! arouse erotic emotions. Kalidasa in portraying his nayikas or the j heroines frees his imagination of all restrains and allows it to range from one extreme to another in painting her. Whether it is

1 \laghadutamorRitusamharamorRaghuvansamorhisplay,t e

I -eauty of feminine physicality overwhelms the senses, giving a

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dynamism to lines that further deepen the traditional classical literary view of human vitality.

Another loving wife leaves her bed at dawn:

Elegant and graceful, slender waisted.

With deep navel and ample hips:

The splendid mane of hair withcurling ends Flowing lose the wreath of flowers slips down

- Ritusamham:

Malavikagnimitram Presents a heroine Malavika who has jus: attained the spring of her age and belongs to the class Mugha one. in whom youth has dawned but is timid, with her love muffled in bashfulness'. Vikramorvasiya has Urvasi as apsara of the heavens, the divine courtesan, exhuding all the charm and womanl; enchantment for which Kalidasa is Known. Before dusyanta come: to know about her birth and lineage, he is smithen by her earth! beauty.

A lotus, even though covered with moss, is channing;

The sporl, though dark, highten the beauty of the Moon: This slender-bodied lady is more lovely than even With her bark cloth; to sweeth forms, what, indeed, is not an embellishement?

Sakuntala is reared in the strict discipline of the ascetic life. arx therefore, shows great restraint and natural coyness that is a becoming. With her friends priyamvada and Ansugatoo she display modesty and a degree of reserve that provokes greater emotior intensity in already agitated Dusyanta. Kalidasa appears to del deep into the linguistic and poetic resources of Sanskrit ot fet brilliantly evocative images and metaphors to describe Sakunt, physical attributes through the mouth of her friends and Dusya

s so jlays tonal ielve

issommg yuuin ukxv oiivx..*— ~-

Sakuntala: Fried Anasuya, I am hard pressed by this bark-cloth Fastened very tightly by priyamvada. just loosen it.

Anasuya: Very well (loosens it).

Priyamvada: (Withalough) Well, rather blame your youth which expands your bossom(andnotme).

Before Sakuntala sees Dusyanta and falls in love with him, we are offered a beautiful glimpse of her awakening urges watching the ines twine their arms around the tobust tree trunks in sweet conjugal embrace and mango leaves beckoning her. This is a classical Indlan

situation where by the plants, flowers, buds birds. butterflies b and numerous other forms of natural life. There is a perk consonance within which the love, which in Indian society ladies not verbally express, is conveyed suggestively and undeistood.

Sakuntala isNature’s child who finds her life being shaped by natural forces. While Malavika, Kalidasa’s another heroine in

Maiavikagnimitram, is urdane and artful, and Urvasi is a court dancer,

a heavenly nymph- born, Sakuntalala embodies natural beauty, innocence and simplicity. As one schclar pointed out.

“Her individuality consists in her harmony with Nature and with nost ordinary and almost tough ways of living.Other-heroines o Kalidasa i.e., Urvasi and Malavika live in the palaces mt abundance of luxury and Knowno labour,. Sakuntal is a very earthly creature who manages her share of work in the hermitage.

Vernta.hg^^^

YTs.mple, but powerful j sisters, and fawns -

^telopesaeb^n^ out of which her favaun, arry water to nourish dialogue:

-»•—

AnaSUi' Are dearer to ‘^“^enderliketheblosson;:

idowmg uiv nuv nbeing one ot

istas beings. p^X„sed!nthis situation.

levices,wesee.tbeauttfu artilK is not yours alone; look

Priyamvada;the bitterness of pa Grove grieves.

Around and se ^ing from you is near.

Knowingthe hour P goodbye t0

Sakuntala; <Re“"eC'”®toodland sister.

M ‘ HH know how mauch you love her;

Yes, my child, 1

here She is, to y our n her arms round

Kanva:

Abhigyan Shakuntalam

arms round me; for, I Shall be far, far awy from you.

In the last act when Dusyanta discovers Sarvadaman, flaying

:h lion’s cubs, life appears to grow amid nature’s abundance, driving all kinds of nourishment from it. The scene is not of :--monious co-existence between human beings and nature.

Both Dusyanta and Sakuntala fall in love with one another at ' rst singht, their hearts submitting completely to the power of love J passions. In the first couple of Acts the descriptions reveal the ■: rce with which they lose them is conviced of gaining love of the frier. A silent bond is reached and Dusyanta proposes a Gandharva-

~ marriage.

Seen from one angle it is easy to interprete the whole development sign of weakness, a susceptibility to passion’s swelling tide, which ~ey find too strong to resist. However, though as Priyamvada says,

: Jointala ‘being too-far gone in love’ to brook delay, the episode reground the strength of love and should not be taken to illustrate teeble propensities. It is this strength of love that strengthens her

- -ardly, and affords her power to remain faithful to her husband.

' ekuntala loves dearly to yield to any kind of temptation, even Z urvasa’s devastating words not weaken her. Her forster - father Kanva tells her some precious things about how she should behave

- her husbands house.

• Serve your elders, and act the part of a loving friend to towards -ir cowives: though wronged do not act in a refractory way towards ; jr husband, in a fit of (jealous anger, be extremely polite towards ir dependants, and not elated with pride in prosperity. Thus do ? .mg ladies attain the status (dignity) of a house wife; those of an

p aosite character are a curse to their family.

A woman brought up in the pure and sanctified atmosphere of ‘ - a ascetic discipline and discipline and being chanted into ears the

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lofty ideals of ideals of personal conduct, Sakuntala know meaning of self-respect and the ways to preserve it. The one sing_j instance of it is instance of it is rendered in Act IV when the her—, who escorts her tries to persuade the King to recognize his wedoa wife and accept her. Sakuntala watches the proceeding first in fa and coyness, then in alarm and finally she cannot repress the ange for she sees that the noble hermits are not only being refused th. request but sarcastic and insulting remarks are being hurled at then In the beginning when Dusyanta, not remembering anything owin to Durvasa’s curse, asks ‘who could she be?’ Sakuntala mutter aside, ‘why tremble so my heart? Considering the love of my lor; be you firm at once’. Then she is agonized when she hears him s= a second time ‘what was this lady married to me before?’ and a deep anguish says, ‘Ah my heart’! Your misgivings have pro\ a right!’

Then a little later she feels dejected ‘My lord has a doubt aboa the very marriage. Where can now be my lofty aspiration?’. while the pitch of the discussion between the King, Saradv Samgrava and others rach higher pitch and there is no hope Dusyanta’s recalling the marriage, Sakuntala’s disaffection and ange stir, ‘what good, indeed, with a reminder do, when that sort of 1c : has undergone such a change? It is now settled that I have to depl a my fate.’

Then she directs her words to the King.

My dear (checking herself). Where marriage is doubted This is not the proper form (of address) O descendant of Puru it is indeed becoming in you, having at first in that Manner deceived this person, naturally simple- thus to Diown her now!

Abhigyan Shakuntalam__________________ 53

When she cannot find the ring by which he could recognize her,

±e situation reaches a breaking point. Now the king and others deride her.

Lustful men alone allured by such and other Honeyed words. Full of folse hood, of owmen Seeking to encompass their own object

Gautami pleads v/ith him not to say injur ious words for Sakuntala is bred in hermitage and blows no deceit. But the King continues to utter venomous words like,

Intuitive Cunning of the womankind and female Cukoos, indeed cause their offspring to be reared by Other birds, before flying into the sky.

This is more than Sakuntala could bear. Her warathe is terrible as she lashes out,

O wicked one, you judge after the manner of your Own heart! Who else willact (so basely) as you,

Putting on the garb of virtur and resembling a well Covered with greass?

Dusyanta is starle and is convinced that her anger seems to be unfeigend’. All her pride and strength of character airse in unclothed fury. All her pried and strength of character areicem in unclothed fury She feels that she has fate lying cheat, a spurious royal sage, i have fallen into the clutches of a man whose mouth is honey, by whose heart is stone’. This may contrast with the earlier picture or Sakuntala as soft, tender being, fragile and beautiful as moon beam but it reveals another aspect of her personality, the acute sense o self-respect which is not bargainable. She has a great responsibility of reering her child, Sarvadamana, who has been predicted be the

sovereign rulerofthe earth; andtherefore, with herhead heldhigh. she leaves the Palace to be snatched up by a celestial light.

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Even though she sees a changed Dusyanta, Shakuntala 6 e allow her love for him to dim a whit, rater dedicates her life era to the idea of that image of his w hich she had fallen in lc ; which she worships all her life. It is a great joy for her. the?, when he comes back, all penitent, and regretful and falls at h; -He constantly feels the gross injustice of his action and so tells' in Act. VII,

Supreme Holiness! Having married your handmaid Here by the rites of mutual love, I cruelly repudiated Her because of an unfortunate lapse of memory.

Sakuntala. full of compassion and undiminishing love dee want to see her gallant husband falling at her feet. She says.

O my lord, rise. It must be that I had to reap the Consequence of some wrong-doing on my part in a Formet birth: otherwise how could my lord, so Compassionate by nature, have acted in such an Unfeeling manner towards me.

Their union in Act VII reveals greater depth of their love fo another, admired by all. It is a happy reunion and both are sui rewarded for the suffering they undergo during the interregnur

Sakuntala can harden herself to endure any crisis. This is se il ic harsh conditions of her post-repudiation phase of life. It i

' and guts that stand her in good stead. In Kalidasa’s pla\ ne \ ? aspired to the status of queenship, nor rams of seeing her of beet 'mi ng the sovereign ruler of the earth. Her desires are sin She wants her love for Dusyanta to be requited, to be accepte him as his wife and lead a happy life with him. It is this combiru 'love, courage, self-respect and ready to pardon to errors in 01 on! endears her so much to the reaers or audiences. She has 1 see: i as darling of all- from her companions and Kunva, Gautai

es no jntirel 've an: refore. ler fee ;Mataf

:does no ys.

Abhigyan Shakuntalam

MarichasZtumati and even the treZ and fawns. She is a precious “cate thing. She is loved by all. Even our own response to her is one of great admiration and love.

Character of Vidusaka

Madhavya, the Vidusaka fulfills a definite role laid down by the Sanskrit poetics. Being a conventional character he is .nt, oduced more for the sake of form than plot. But Kalidasa creates him fo more than this highly functional role. He is a jester, a usua to the Vidusaka, whomakes lightofthe hevy. w^'er_buthe ts a^so a vantage point from which we see another aspect of hts master the Kin" horn time to time he provides an insight into things w to otewise we would no, understand. He sheds Ugh, on certain developments and it is through him,ha, we get ther proper tdeao dungs The king, upon receiving his mother s message that she desires him§that we get the proper idea of things. The king, upon recet g

Ids mother’s message that she desires him to bepresentan thet palac

fro she wanBto break,he fas,inhispresence,find tan«lfcaugh

dilemma ‘Raally.Iaminafix’.Dusyantasays, Thet“<’du‘1^

having been performed in different places, my mind is divide between the two, like the current of a river obstructed by a hillo

• f f Then he suggests‘you can discharge the duties devohng

shall go like the younger brother of a k ng ’ (yatha rajavujen gantavyam tatha gachehami).

Jestingly, Vidusaka remarks, "Then, indeed have I now become the Heir-apparent!’

The Vidusaka’s gift of the tongue is remarkable. He prattles,

often wisely, showing something something starligly new, which the

eSBxSSSS:

ve for one e suitably gnum.

; is seen ir e. It is he: s play she ng her son ire simple ;cepted b; imbination rs in other; ie has been Gautami to

56 Verma Digest English (H.t^!L-----

The notes containacomplaint,arebuke administered by her to me

Sakuntala. In the this manner, we see now

•—=3,=

";sx—

“ ylaclhvva have the curiosity to see sakntala?

AtfirstIhad,tooverflowing.Notadrop(of«

left now at the mention of the demons.

FeanNot; you will surely be near me.

why indeed, having yourself pained my eye, ask this cause of my tears?

ANASUYAandPRIVAMVADA

Sakuntala’s pretty “^“"^her tough thTf

^'“n^J^vrimv^Theiihntelligence^nd cleverness enable Sakx

King:

Vidu:

King:

Vidusoka:

Abhigyan Shakuntalam

• me’

vhich ell of

Abhigyan ~ z_--------—--------

Sakuntala’s condition. _ , . ,—v;r>n

Priya:

Love-

arted

iethe

‘“Lya, do you know why Sakuntala is looking •so very attentively at Vanyajyotsona.

. No lean not conceive it; pray tell me.

of it, so may 1, SO may 1, mo, fe

’ . . , Sakuntala s

you

first

and

proper decorun and decency «u ked For they remember

j^vaandsuggestthatheshouldheconsultedoratleastinfornie-

There are plentiful instances o t s. Sakuntala. This

Both the friends ar® j“P/constant sharing of their feelings

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relationship. It is natural, therefore, to find them deeply sad at c departure of Sakuntala. Their hearts are heavy and their eyes moi

Sakuntala: (Approaches her friends) I leave her in you hanc dearest friends.

Friends: And in whose hands are you leaving us dearest ?

(they burst into tears)

Kanva: O for shame, Anasuya, Priyamvada, dry your tec

It is at a time like this that Sakuntala needs yt support to be fine.

All the end of Act IV when Sakuntala is finally seen to disappt ‘now hidden fror view by a line of trees’, both Anasuya a Priyamvada can not bear the bear the pangs of separation, it is s: Kanva who gives them consolation.

Kanva: Anasuya, Priyamvada, your friend and compan

is gone. Check your grief and follow me.

Friends: O Father, we shall be entering the Holy Gro'

that will be desolate.of Sakuntala's presence.

Kanva: Your great affection for her makes you feel this u

He is also conscious of their mutual bonbage and knows h in- tolerable it is for both to see their dearest friend leave tl company.

Beyond these acts we do not see their role. Anasuya ; priyamvada never again appear in the play. It is clear thus that great poet-playwright conceived them in a highly functional role \\f is perfectly and successfully fulfilled.

KANVA

“Dear 'ather. the affairs of hermitage will keep you from miss me” -Sakuntala

Abhigyan Shakuntalam

He is often alluded to as great tapasvin, an ascetic, absorbed in religious ritual of some kind or the other. He is said to ‘invoke basic rasa, i.e. Santa Rasa. He appears only in Act IV, but finds many references to himself. Sakuntala is called ‘ Kanva’s daughter in the first Act. A little earlier he is declared to have ‘gone not long back to Somatirtha, to propitiate the adverse fate threatening her happiness’. This is enough indication of his deep love for his daughter, whom he consider a great responsibility and is worried about her future. His observance of harsh ascetics gains him rare mystic powers and makes him capable of communication with divine elements. The news of Sakuntala’s secret marriage and pregnancy have already been conveyed to him; we see Anasuya wondering as to who informed father Kanva of what had happened during his absence’. Priyamvada says, ‘As he was entering the sanctuary' of the Mystic Fire, a bodiless voice chanted a verse.

As the Holy tree is with the Mystic Fire pregnant So is your daughter Know. O Great Brahmana,

She holds Dusyanta’s glowing energy Pledged for the well-being of the world.

He is happy at Dusyanta’s accepting his daughter as his wife and joyously sends her to his palace. However he feels it his fatherly duty to let her know he dharma sa a dutiful wife and gives her a few essential advices. It reflects that in spite of his.being a celibate hermit, Kanva was well- informed about the duties of conjugal partners and worldly roles. He wants her to prove herself a flawless life-partner follow the revered rules of conduct.

Serve your elders with dil: \ ence; be a fried to your Co-wives; even if wronged by your husband do not Cross him though angry; treat those who serve you

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With the utmost courtesy; but not puffed up with Pride by wealth and pleasure. Thus do young girls Attain the status of mistress of the home; those who Act contrary are the bone of their families.

Grief-stricken Sakuntala embraces her father and asks him wher shall she ‘see this Holy hermitage again?’ Kanva’s reply is delivers; in a terse, oracular tone,

When you have long been co- wife with this great Earth extending to the for horizons; and borne Dusyanta a son, a warrior unrivalled, who shall Bear the yoke of sovergnty, then you shall set foot In the Hermitage once more with your lord, seeking Tranquility.

In his wisdom, Sakuntala’s first and primary' duty pertains her life in the royal palace as a wife. Only after having fulfilled thj role should she think of returning to the parental home. Kunva shows great patience and clarity of ideas. Though he feels immensely paina at her departure he suppresses his grief and reminds her, ‘My lo\; the performance of my holy rites is being interrupted’ and wishes n go back to his place of worship Sakuntala says, Dear father. tb( affairs of the Hermitage will keep you from missing me’. His repfo is,

O child, child, how could you think I would be so Uncaring; (Sighing deeply)

How can my grief ever leave me,

O my beloved child, when I see Grains of rice already scattered by you.

routing green shoots at the cottage door.

Go, my love and may your path be blessed.

Abhigyan Shakuntalam

Governed by great restraint, this ascetic also shows a depth of emotional attachment, that is splendidly presented in brief flashes of stirring intensity, which is a sureme homage to Kakidasa’s poetic genius. Kanva does not, allow emotions to over rule the wise measures and what needs to be done.

Among other characters there is Sanumati the heavenly angel who as a friend of Sakuntala’s mother Menaka, hovers overs over the scene in visible to assist Sakuntala. She expresses her great admiration for Dusyanta’s love, and devotion and also her sympathy for him. The rest of the minor characters perform the necessary function is order to develop and have on other roles intended for •.hem. These characters are there to lend a degree of density and 5 ignificance to the immortal love tale of Sakuntala and Dusyanta.

Q. Comment on the significance of nature in the play, Abhijnana Sakuntalam

Ans: Kalidasa was a great worshiper of nature. He has rightly been called the poet of nature. The vitality, vicacity, variety, vibrancy and vivideness have found magnificent expressing in his writings,' appearing in different dimensions and moods to create a deeply aspires the poet with its mystic spell and offers insights in various human situations and characters. Kalidasa uses natural motifs to obtain a clarity which otherwise would not be possible whether in his plays or his poems the poet’s deep love for and involvements . nth reflect everywhere in his finely chiseled verses and delightful descriptions. It would be interesting to note that his biographers and hterary historians have applied their close attention to the range of his treatment of nature, to support various theses about birth and residence in an earlier scholars have been forwarding for various , dims, this suggests the deep acquaintance which kalidasa had with di fferent places, and the amazing uses he made of them. Meghadutam _-.d titusamharam are two unsurpassable embodiments of this close e with nature, the finest pinnacles of his poetic achievements. One

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of kalidasa scholars calls him a sympathetic interpreter of nature in melodious verse’

Endowed with that keen observant vision which is ready gifted to select few: shakespeare, Charles Dickens, Guy de Maupassant. Alexander pushkin being some of them, kalidasa to demonstrate a unique sharp eye for the details and a talent for a chemizing them into enchanting compositions: as the following examples from ritusamharam testify:

The sky glows, amass of glossy collyrium,

The earth dusted by bandhuka pollen is the colour of dawn;

mellow golden are river-banks and fields with repining com:

Whose heart in the days of youth will not be seized with longing?

Nature in the play

Its topmost twigs are tongled by a gentle breeze;

Sprays of blossoms rise out of delicate lear-crowns; bees are whirling drunk on honey trickling down; whose mind is not ripped by the beauty of this kovidara three?

Another beautiful poem that shows the poet rejoicing in the living spirit of nature is meghadutam, finding a deep empathy in its changing moods and rich symbolism. One can not help being stirred by magical effect that his verses produce;

Stealing the colour of the god who draws the harm-bow

as you bend down to drink its waters,

sky-rangers looking down will indeed see with wonder

Abhigyan Shakuntalam

thatrever from the four distance as a thin line broad thought she is, as if earth wore a ring strung of pearls set with a large sapphire at the center Your self intrinsically beautiful

even in its shadow- from will ender gambhira’sclear waters as into a tranquil pot of consciousness; do not, therefore, cavalierly dismiss her welcoming glances-those dazzling upward leaps of glittering while fishes bright as water-lilies.

His verses infold the finer details of various aspects of nature in ill their magical details .it appears, he has all his life been a-close ?bserver of nature. He could understand the deep meaning of the rninute features, and see its significance in man’s life. In -bhijnanasakuntalam the genius of the poet it often seen delving deep into nature’s rich word to bring out magnificent similes and analogies to lend heightened significance to common-place objects.

A lotus, even though covered with moss, is

charming; the spot, though dark. Heightens the

beauty of the moon; this slender-bodied lady is more

lovely even with her bark-cloth; to sweet forms. What

indeed is not an embellishment?

These details, it should be noted, serve two purposes; they delight -= by revealing the hidden forms, and they provide the context for fte play and portrayal of human emotions. Both are intimately linked. The playwright’s observation is creatively active in seeing the gnificance of a particular human situation and seeking to suggest it .'.rough nature's imagistic language. Here it must be noted that no

M Verma Digest English (Hons.) Sem-1

poet can see nature’s rich life without linking it with human life. There is a consistent communion between the two in his literature; the spin: of nature is ver available to provide wisdom to man.

Human emotions are far too complex and human situation far to enigmatic for us to understand their meaning fully. For the most par. bafflement arises due to this inability on our pat and we look for the proper medium that would enable us to decipher the intricate lore ol life. The poetic genius transcends this limit by discovering those hidde linkages that lie submerged, but do not reveal themselves to commo sight. It is this poetic vision that is capable of reading the mysterioi hieroglyphics of nature, is subtle symbolism, and finding an answ t to a great many riddles in it nothing is insert for a poet; whisper: subdued voices, deep articulation are constantly interpretation c our own question. Kalidasa’s poetic spirit dipped in the great soi of nature. Knew how to interpret those silent gestures coming fror it. Simple objects acquire enormous depth by just being related t nature’s objects as we find in these lines;

Lower lip has the redness of young sprouts; her arms Imitated tender twigs; and youth attractive like a Blossom.Pervades all her limbs.

The fullness of nature’s saplings and bought lends a deept fullness to the heroine’s limbs in a way that she appears to acquire greater dimension by being equated with is. Nature is vast, me powerful, aw'esome in its limitless energies, and vibrant spirit; m in his small range and stature transforms by receiving certain attribul of nature, and is appears that his limitation, those makes that defi his limited status, drop off. He grows more beautiful, and vibra the transient beauty and fragile youth gaining in immortal qua! through contact with nature.

I conjecture that this lady here, who at the side of the man: tree having its tender foliage glistening, with the sprinkling of wa

Abhigyan Shakuntalam

here

pirit

'arto

part

rthe

re of

dden

mon

rious

swer

pers.

on of

; sou!

from

.cd to

eeper luire a more man ibutes define .brant, quality

'■tngo-

■Oitei.

pointed as if a little exhausted, with a braid of hair from which the wer has dropped down an account of the slackening of the knot, t ;th a face having drops of perspiration appearing an it, and with _-~s sunken a great deal-this is sakuntala, the other two are her

. mpanions.

In act I kakuntala is harassed by the black bee who suddenly, eaving the jasmine, pursures her, mistaking her youthful face to be ?ther flower. The situation is intelligently portrayed to uncover the morous attraction between the hero and the heroine, for dusyanta * ?w appealed by the two maidens to ‘deliver’ her from the invasion : this ‘ill-mannered bee’ !dusyanta finds her more provocatively tractive as she gesticulates to ward off the’ impudent intruder' this

i now he sees the situation,

Her lovely eyes rove following The hovering bee close to her face;

She knits her brows practicing already Playful glances though not in love-but fear.

(with a show of vexation)

O’ yes honey-foraging their! You touch

Ever so often her glancing eyes, tremulous, and softly hum.

hovering close to her ear

As if eager to whisper a secret

Sneaking in to taste her ripe lower lip-

-the quintessence of love’s delight-

Even as iteously flails her hand.

Blesse indeed are you. while I wait seeking to know the truth- undone.

Just as the black bee acts here as the obsession to. Reveal the s _—de stirring of both the protagonist,s emotions . in another

-x.Rauhuvansham

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Just as a ray of the moon fails to obtain entrance into the hear ; the day-lotus, so did her advice find no admission into the mine the princess?

The incomprehensible intricacies of human fate are revedJ thought the power of symbol and vision of images culled from nrca in cat v the ‘clear’ notes of soul stirring music played on •; instrument comes from the interior of the harem in king’s paii lady hamsavati or hansapadika is singing a song that convene: sad condition in which she finds her husband dusyanta via vissakuntala.

O yes honey-pilfering bee!

Greedy as ever for fresh honey Once you lovingly kissed the mangos

• Fresh spray of flowers

You are content now merely to stay within the full-blc •

lotus.

King: o, how brimful of passion comes this song borne or.: air.

Madhavya: so... you have understood eveiy word of the scr_

King; (Smiling) yes, I love her deeply. She is tauntin me r.: for my neglect of her. Even when the king shuns the outside world i the self-reproachful mood

Painting her portrait. In the portrayal he tries to re-live the p? when he had first seen her in the penance-grove, <by minute | reproducing the details of the natural surroundings.

Malini’s stream has yet to be drawn, where wild- goose para rest on sandy banks, and circling her, the holy foothills of gau: | parent where deer recline;

Then, under a tree where bark-garments are hung out to dn I

Abhigyan Shakuntalam

of of

aled

,vino

lace:

/sthe

'ia-a-

■blown

:onthe

ie song?

me now world in

the post ninutely

)se pairs ofgaur’s

ut to dry.

I wish do draw a doe rubbing her left eye against

B black buck’s hom.

Dusyanta here tries to seek his lost ties not only with sakuntala,

- -t with nature also, it is through is that he had found her, and : oerienced his love sprouting, peace and tranquility reigning in

- e nance- grove made him aware of a new aspect of his self and .-.ested him with the new vision of life.

Contrasted with the freedom and transcendental air of that world, ?alace-life seems to have shut him out from it, the only resource is, .erefore, o create in paint on the canvas a representation of that arid. This only underlines how significant has been for him the . oseness of nature. Its swans, tendrlines, blossoms, rever, bimba ruits and numerous objects have lent deeper sense of life, the great due ofattachment ofhe associates them all with his love for sakuntala nd fruition of their relation, he feels that the only hope of redemption es in his return to that world, and since this cannot be done in the

- dace, he takes refuge in bringing it alive on the canvas .the flaming script of nature’s philosophy contains these articulate signs, those coves and tendrils which give voice to his deep attachments and .we. In the mysterious book of nature he learnt his first lesson of ove and in that book alone can be found answer to his perplexing and ever questioning heart.

The sirisa blossom nestling at her ear, its filaments Hanging down her cheek; lying snug between he

Breasts, a necklace of lotus-fibre soft as autumnal noonbeams: ciese are not drawn, my fri end.

Nature not only awakens an active imagination, but also evokes nxiety, longings, nostalgic memories, rejoicings, sorrowful remembrance, hope for a return joy of re-union, and complete ubmission to the power of love and perfect union. The entire drama : human fate is enacted in the amphitheatre of nature. Play after

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play and poem after poem- the massive scroll of nature of narai opens up an endless array of symbolic clues, a wonderful alphahe: □ systems that give shape to human experiences in a way that; _ never again been equaled by any writer after kalidasa. It is like n great Egyptian hieroglyphic system drawing upon nature's resotra for its pictorial-magical patterns, filling the walls of great pharac -tombs with all manner of fables and legends, kalidasa uses nature language; its abundantly alive and articulate symbolism to create world that animates with a magical light. When he writes . ritusamharan.

Splendidly jeweled by mumberless star-clusters.

Nigh wraps herself in moonlight's shining robe When the moon her face struggles free of obscuring clou Day by day, she grows like a young girl Stepping gracefully into pound womanhood.

Or,

The gait of wild geese surpasses the rare charm of women steps, full-blown lotuses the radiance of their moon-bright face blue water-lilies rival the luster of passion-glowing eyes, delica wavelets the play of their eyebrows graceful.

He presents shades of aesthetic sense that human gestun convey in terms of nature's imgistic language. Both the density this sense and the simplicity of analogy can not be conveyed if tl poet has not been a keen observer of nature and has not acquir; full mastery of its manner of transmitting meaning. One can say th nature appears to provide him the means of conveying tire experien, in a lofty and liberating language. He uses natural element not on to embellish his verses, give a sweet sensuous edge to the warblir notes of poetry; but to peep into the dark recesses of human mi;

Abhigyan Shakuntalam

e have already seen how nature senes as a dominant spirit as e 1 as the inexhaustible source of poetic inspiration in kalidasa’s

? coy; providing a larger framework within which human drama is * ed out. Here, we must be cear that nature functions in different

- s; offering brilliant decorative metaphors, delightful pictorial or

•sual spectacle, exquisite analogies, intricate artistic movements as well as the pervading sense of inseparable unity between man and saure. Significantly enough, in kalidasa’s poetry man’s urges, desires, r_ | _'?;rations and fantasies are seen in terms of numerous aspects of

-_iures, something that was the mode of the great Elizabethan poets

_-.d later the romantic poets too. Nature often shows the way as in mhijnana sakuntalam. Life’s youthful dalliances easily find true .xpression in images culled from nature as is seen in the following extract,

They days in which a plunge in water is delightful, in Which the breeze from the woods is fragrant owing to The contact of patala flower, in which sleep is easily Induced in thick shade spots and which are chasing towards their close.

The birth of their love is indicated by the vines and creepers seeking the support of sturdy trees. Sukantala’s innermost emotions lures get externalized in carefully selected images. She is the child of nature,

sity of I m extricably fused with is finding it easy to see her own states of 1 if the I mind reflected in ever-changing aspects of nature. The king at first rquired I sight locates her amid the nourishing surroundings in this manner, if , say that I such is the beauty of maidens residing In a hennitage rare in seraglio, Iperience I men, indeed are the creepers of the garden surpassed by those of not onlv I me forest in point of excel lence, priyamvada and anasuya tease her warbling I referring to the trees an plants, we see here that nature acts as a lan mind 1 - - \ ice to suggest the tender relations which the young girls dream ut and find it difficult to express in words. Friend sakuntala, hare

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is the jasmine creeper, the self selecting bride of the mango-tree which you have given the name, vanajyotsana.

To this sakuntala replies;

‘friend at a very charming time, indeed, has taken place union of the couple- the creeper and the tree’... sakuntala, in throes of love shows all symptoms of sweet sickness since she can communicate the cause of her anguish lying concealed in her he It is through nature’s various manifestations that the king expres his torments,

‘your having flowery arrows, and the moon’s cool rays: b these things appear to be untrue in the case of persons like me the moon showers fire with rays-having cold in the interior; anc too ,make your flower-arrows have the hardness of adamant

It is again nature that provides succor as the girl’s compar.: try to relieve the heart-felt anguishes of sakuntala. This is hov-attraction and longing for dusyanta is described by priyamvads.

Where to shall a great river bind its course if not to the : What tree except the mango can support the atimukta creeper, ha-an exuberance of foliage?

Then, a little later, Priyamvada says aside,’anasuya, just obs our dear friend, see how she revives-dach minute like a peaher feels the touch of the breeze from fresh rain cloud.’ Sakunta massage is written on a fresh lotus-leaf, described by the king her message of love confided to the lotus lea’ and he sees scan there and ornament of fine louts-stalks, banished from her har there, pathetic, abandoned. Kalidasa shows the finer aspe nature here closely interwoven in the dramatic unfolding of 1 sentiments. Different objects appear to inter-animate each oth the characters involved too. Nature appears to be as much and emotionally charged as the personages; we can say it is ai

Abhigyan Shakuntalam

rajor character. To the love-sick dusyanta it offers great relief and -<cor. At a number of places he has been asked to rest and repose n the arbour, under the shade of a tree, and so on. He himself says, fragrant bower of creepers ! soother of my anguish! I bid you arewell and take leave of you only to meet again and enjoy your . :mpany. The bower, and the trees have come to represent to him LI the sweet feelings he experiences for sakuntala. Nature also -ecomes the final refuge for sakuntala when she finds that the doors : her husband are closed to her. She in deep anger and agony -..okes earth to open up and swallow her. But soon we hear that ne has been snatched up by some flash of light into the sky.

We thus see that kalidasa’s poetry was steeped in the light of nature’s beauty and wisdom. Like his characters the poet derived _nd imbued in a large measure the nourishment and freshness from ni s deep and life-long contemplation of nature in its amazing variety md range. Like wordsworth and shelly it offered deep mystical •isdom.

... that blessed mood.

In which the burthen of the mystery In which the heave and the weary weight Of all this unintelligible world,

Is lightened....

While with an eye mode quiet by the power Of harmony, and the deep power of joy,

We see in to the life of things

- Wordsworth.

In kalidasa nature comes closer to the ‘present’ and this life, snaring in the transient joys and sorrows of man and guiding him Long. For the great Sanskrit poet nature was not a gateway to glimpse the transcendental light, beckoning him way from the soridid

12 Verma Digest English (Hons.) Sem-I

mundane world, but very much involved with it. The cloying sens y descriptions of woman’s physical beauty become far more sens _ when kalidasa looks to nature’s abundant beauty pregnant ■ metaphors that readily offer anamazing array of glittering paral lei s: River, clounds and mountains are inextricably wedded to image human love, human love, union and the great festivity called Kalidasa rejoiced in life, wanted to celebrate its momens experience and discovered that in the teeming world of naz festivities of life occourd ceaselessly in outbursts of melodious rr.u enchanting colour and heady fragrance. That is why when he lo at trees entwined with creepers, he calls it the grand display of lo-irrepressible longings, when mango leaves swayed with cradj breezes, he saw in them love’s fingers eagerly calling his shy bek . his nature humanized, become one breathing life from incessa unfolding multiple shapes and evoking magical emotions. For kai;: a river is not simply a river flowing pacidly; nor is it philosopk emblem of life’s motion or a medium that dividers this world 5 that as we find in rabindranth Tagore and several others, but sire a wam-blooded human being. In the two stanzas given below from rabindranath Tagore, and the other from kalidasa the bi distinction is clear.

I must launch our my boat. The languid hours pass By on the share- alas from me!

The spring has done its flowering and taken leave.

.And now with the burden of faded futile flowers I wait and 1 ia The waves have become clamorous, and upon the bank ii shady lane the yellow leaves flutter and fall What emptiness do you gaze upon! Do you not feel a thrill p through the air with notes of the faraway song floating fr< other shore?

Geetanjali: XXI.

Abhigyan Shakuntalam

Her dark-blue water like a garment

Slipping off the sloping bank of her hips,

Still cling to the read-ranches

As if lightly held up by our hand drawing it away as your bend over her, my friend, will it not be hard for you to depart?

Kalidasa’s poetry delves into the stuff of life, those emotions and passions which shape its chronicle. The supernatural, has occasional role in it; what can be a better sourse togo to in order to find easy and rich explication of this human life?

Q. Describe Dusyanta Kalidasa as a hero.

Ans: Dusyanta is obviously an ideal hero of the play Abhijnana Sakuntalam. He has an important place in Sanskrit drama that has been devised in the classical dramatic theory' for the dhirodutta nayak,, and the playwright has carefully moulded him for this place. In the very beginning of the pay his dominant qualities of bravery; warrior-like prowess fearlessness, readiness to defend the peaceful hermits in preservation of dharma, etc. have been projected. In this chase of antelopes he ventures into the penance-grove and the voice of the ascetic stay his striking hand: “your weapon is for the protection of the distressed and not for striking at the innocent.” Whenever the peace and security' of the peace-loving civilians or domestic animals are in danger, the king is appealed to, for his courage is boundless and his very name bring great assurance to at. As the priest says in Act V, ‘there is the worthy protector of the (four) castes and the (four) orders of life ‘. Dusyanta the king has been shown in all the laudable clours as full of humanity, in possession of the heighest sense of jjustice nd compassion for the weak and defenceless. His sympathy ranges from an unprotected, feeble animal and the easy reaching out to the beauty of nature seeking to establish a relationship with it, to the human beings engaged in their assigned duties. In Act VI we see that Lord Indra himself makes appeal to vanquish the

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demons for “that race of demons, named Duijaya, the descendants of Kalanemi... is not be conquered by your friend Indra: and you are thought of as its stayer in the van of battle.” His exceptional heroism was acknowledged by all. both in this world and in the celestial dominions. According to Natyasastra the hero is the master of matchless power, strength and courage. Kalidasa followed this norm strictly and so all his heroes are king’s endowed with sublime qualities, sweet-tongues, and are magnanimous. He show firm resolve and determination, is not boastful, selfish whose high spirit is concealed and who is true to his engagements. As Edwin Gerow remarks ‘The nakaka celebrates are drawn from a rather restricted circle of epic heroes and heroins. Their myths are in one way or anothe* responsible for the other world, the everyday world outside the theatre’.

Kalidasa portrays Dusyanta as a complex character. He is bof an ideal king and an ideal hero.

As a hero he is full human qualities. The finest sensibilities . beautifully and precisely delineated by the poet. In the penar.< groves, after he gets into his clothes in those of the ordinary man.' is shown to act and react as any ordinary being, though as M.R 1 observes, the nobility of his character and restraint of speech ne\ leave him. He is immediately enchanted by the luxuriant surround and welcomes the peaceful atmosphere: ‘peacefully is the: hermitage’ (santamidmsrampadam). He is young and full of passic emotions. The very first sight of the asreaman girls overpowers senses and as any male would respond, he says,

If girls bred in a hermitage Can boast of such beauty rare in place,

Is there any denying woodland vines Far surpass those nurtured in gardens?

Abhigyan Shakuntalam

Subsequent scenes bring out his too human weakness for the breathtaking beauty of the maiden sakuntala who appears to him .ossom girl...lovelier far, dressed in bark !’ Kalidasa here has foregrounded those qualities in him that make him an ideal human being. He is attractive, for his handsome, and brilliant personage . annot remain undetected and Sakuntala herself is shown to have felt an irresi stible attraction: ’ how is it that the sight of this person fills me with emotions out of out of place in a penance-grove’. Care is, however, taken that even in these weak moments Dusyanta’s noble eharacter remains unsullied. His language is exquisitely winning full of poetic suggestiveness, and his conversation with Priyamvada and .Anasuya treads cautious path. He is never seen to creoss the limits of decency, but turns the minor opportunities to his advantage. The black bee episode has the two-pronged benefit-it rescues the sweet Sakuntala for the impudent villain, ‘honey-foraging thief! ’, thus showing his duty and courteous behavior, and it brings him closer to her whichhas been his wish, awakening in her the first sprouts of tender love—he, in other words, takes the place of the bee whom he envied for his ‘hovering close to her ear as if eager to whisper a secret, sneaking in to taste her ripe lower lip-the quintessence of lover’s delight-‘

His asides are full of carnal emotions. Kalidasa avails to himself the full freedom here to create magical webs of sensuous poetry to reveal the roused feelings of the hero. For a time we forget that he is a king and warrior, and admires him as any other man completely taken over by the feeling of love for woman who is equal to him in all respects. In the penance grove Dusyanta is seen as ‘courteous, kindly, generous, competent, gentel-spoken, eloquent, intelligent, stable, young, self-respecting and loving. He is so deeply in love with Sakuntala that when the call of duty comes demanding his presence in the capital, he shows his reluctance. He wants to remain close to where she staysand thus asks Madhavya, the Vidusaka to

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go to the city in his place. Nothing escapes the eye of the court jester, and he remarks that the king seems to have turned the penance grove into a pleasure-garden! But is the great attraction of the king for Sakuntala, that exquisite ornament of the Hermitage, that out c ' his other cares. The pull of love too strong to be resisted and he fee that it would be an error to let this occasion slip by. HE wishes te> marry Sakuntala and suggests the sanctioned Gandharva marriage. The great love-scenes of the first three acts project both Dusyan'j and Sakuntala in the marvelous colours too human and too delic&e to fail to appeal to us. It is this presentation of the essential humanr ? of the ‘royal I sage’ on the one hand, and the ‘celestial bom spruni from a lovely Apsara’ on the other, that seat the tone for the drana of human emotions. It is after all a tale of human emotions, an: human destiny, the joys and sorrows of human experience. Thouga his intense suffering as much as his joyous experience is showin emerging a far nobler character, a larger-than life-personage.

In this suffering Dusyanta reveals another aspects of his characi

tragic consciousness of his deed. In Act VI Dusyanta, having seJ the lost ring which he had given to wife, is struck by the injustice ■ his act of her repudiation. ‘Previously buried in slumber though be. J roused by my fawn-eyed beloved, this accursed heart of mine -J now awakened to experience the anguish of remorse. ’ ‘The SakuT^B malady’, as tjre Vidusaka terms it, seizes him again. This part o: rifl play discloses to us the other side of his character, the one • - J convinces us that he is far more stable in his love devoted to his ■ and his love goes far beyond the more camel level. Some mc«aa

the deep remorse and penitence lead him into the deapth of

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critics in their efforts to re-assess his character in the light of mo. theories, see Dusyanta as driven by carnality whose sees Sak a as object of pleasure to be enjoyed’. This view fails to see thr 9 only natural for any man to crave an extraordinary beaty of a : s maiden and there is nothing in it dreaming to his character. HL? a

Abhigyan Shakuntalam

runscend this so-called ‘carnality’, during this dramatic period of _-.ose of a repentant and self-reproachful husband. This is also a natural reaction of a man whose love is far deeper than perhaps he rimself realized. The dark shadow of guilt sits heavily on his .' nscience. He blames himself and tries to finds succor in Sakuntala’s - ortrait that he painted. He feels that by inflicting grater pain on rimself he can in some measure atone for his act.

Once she stood before any eyes and I spurned her.

Now, I adore her painted in a picture.

His sufferings, his confining himself within doors, and his obsession ith Sakuntala,s idea are enough indications that the noble hero,s ove being far from frivolous, is rooted deep in his character and in rder to gain her back he is ready to do anything. This contrasts starkly with the pre-Durvasa-curse period (first three acts) where the sensuous charm of Sakuntala’s beauty is cloyingly projected 2nd takes firni possession of his mind. This is enough to lead anyone t ? imagine that Dusyanta’s love-fever is more of a carnal nature and

■ e is eager to get into the black-bee’s role. The tragic interregnum, However, brings out the spiritual transformation in him. Though kalidasa once again uses rich metaphorical language, about Dusyanta’s love, as Sanumati says, ‘ He is a man of steady affections. His sorrowful ravings and his blind emotional attempts to paint the exactitude of Sakuntala move the celestial nymph Sanumsti when she says “you have completely wiped off Sakuntala’s grief at having -een spumed, my friend; I have seen it for myself (Act VI). He is

■ x) weak here, too fragile, too helpless and too human; we can not -ut goes again; the Sakuntala-fit is upon him.’ such a single-minded devotions to his beloved is in accordance with the laid down rrincipals of dhirodutta nayak of the Natyasastra.

Another instance of the display of his human character is the •-av he solves the problem arising out of the drawing of the chief merchant Dhanavardhi ‘ who earned on a flourishing trade oversease. ’

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Since he was not known to have left behind any son, the king wants his minister to enquire whether any of his several wives was pregnant Upon having been informed that one of them, ‘the daughter of a merchant prince of Saketa had her Pumsavana rites duly performet ‘, he orders that the deceased merchant’s wealth must go to him.

This not only shows that he was a justice-loving king but al: that he was full of emotions and love for his subject.

His fatherly instinct is naturally awaked on seeing the chi Sarvadaman. ‘I guess that being childless, my heart till w; tenderness for him. ‘Subsequent scenes reveal more compassions nature, and he gradually comes to know that the brave child is 1 own son. However, his reactions could well be any father’s reactioi Similarly, when he sees Sakuntala, ‘dressed in dusl garments... pure, upright’ his heart brims over with love and remor ‘ she keeps the long vow of cruel separation from me who acted heartless to her ’. The great king now becomes an ordinary husbs. falling at her feet and grieving repentantly over his repudiation her. For her present condition he blames himself, supplication h pardon.

We have already noted that the king has been universally hail as the royal sage and the great sovereign whom ‘all find king ship perfect pattern’ and whose every name equals the heart of the fierce fors and crudest demons. Kanva himself acknowledges him m j as the most deserving groom for Sakuntala, easily consenting their Gandharva marriage. His dutifulness towards his subjects seen in his prompt action against the demons who periodically as the worship-performing sages, and disturb the peace of the penan groves. At the news of the death of Dhanavriddhi in the wc moments ofhis mental dejection, Dusyanta display exceptional j>; and decrees that the deceased merchant’s child-in-the worr.; decleared as the true heir vast property. As M.R. Kale remtr ‘The king, though himself commanding universal respect. :e

Abhigyan Shakuntalam

unbounded reverence for the sages and his conduct is marked by a r roper sense of what their austere lives deserve at the hands of ordily men... The king was highly cultured; for his remark are so ro ughtful and weighty that they bespeak a very high degree of refinement. He has an observant eye which marks the beauty of ratural objects. His acquaintance with many of the fine arts is through; re can appreciate music and be sensible to its impresiion; he shows a deep knowledge of painting.

In Abhijnana Sajuntalam we are face with two different words-ne world of place life and green world of innocent being leading a Life of purity and simplicity. The sovering of the place get enamored :fthe forest life, and feels a harmonious consonance with it. It is asharp contrast that the poet presents. The king expresses his deep sense of peace and tranquility in the first and last acts; ‘O wondrous! This is a sport far more blissful than paradise itself. I feel as if I am immersed inthe pool of nectar’.

One sees his love sprouting in the penance-grove and the idea of marrying Sakuntala transforms into reality. In the place, on the other hand Dusyanta is seen as woe-begone man, devoid of all vitality and enthusiasm. Anxiety appears to sit on his brow and darken it by degrees. In the words of Dr.Chandra Rajan, ‘The two words of the play, the green world of the woods and the gilded world of the royal court are too far apart and the reconciliation, re-union and restoration cannot be celebrated in either of them. The contrast is beautifully played upon by the poet. There appears to be some similarly between Act one and Act seven. In the former the king enters in world replete with birds, buds, blossoms, etc, and is overwhelmed by heady fragrance and sensuous appeal, and works his way in to the heart of fresh and youthful Sakuntala. In the latter (Act VII), the king once again enters the forest of Maricha, but this time the attributes of the forest are jewel-like ‘emitting golden fluid’. Kimpurushas is called

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‘The Golden Peaked’. Frpm time to time the description suggest light and gem-like fire suffusing the various objects of the forest, different words for light are used, the concret metaphors giving way to those referring to qualities and internal attributes. As Maricha says, ‘An image takes no effect on the surface of a mirror having its transparency obscured by dust, but finds an easy access when it is clean’. The world assumes finer spiritual quality of consciousness, and the attraction between Dusyanta and Skuntala originates from a mutual realization of the deeper character that reveals through a spiritual transformation: 'Darling’. Says Dusyanta, ‘even the cruelty inflicted by me upon you has come to have a favorable end, since I nowfindmyselfrecognizedbyyou.'Dr. Rajansays, ‘InthelastacL time past, present and future are brought together in Maricha’s blessings, to be contained witlrin the golden round of time; the world in the text Yougasotu-parivartanaih isliterall ‘the revolutons of hundreds of epochs’(aeons).

It is ironical indeed that the king whose so passionately falls ir. love at first sight with Sakuntala and shows inordinate impatience to marry her without waiting for the return of her foster-father kanva. should need a ‘token’ of love, i.e the ring for recognizing her. The king in Iris royal place works judiciously and discreetly for dispensing justice to the public. He wants evidence. When the party of the ascetics visits his Royal place with Sakuntala with a request to accept her as his legally wedded wife, he, under effect of the curse, fails tc recognized her. It is the ‘token of recognition’ as evidence that is the last, refuge. There is a suitable irony here, extremely cruel for Sakuntal. Her own husband needing an evidence of love ! And tha: token is missing. ‘The play examines accepted ideals and the relation of what seem, to what is, of semblance to truth, through the comment of Madhavya and by means of ironies built into the structure ar.. language built into the structure and language ofthe play’(C.Rajan

Abhigyan Shakuntalam

The role of the king is subjected to close scrutiny in Act V where

■e are emotional exchanges between kanva’s disciples and the

; and his courtiers. It is Samgarava whos exposes the dulity in y anta’s attitude when he says “what, is the disgust for for a deed

-e.or opposition to moral duty, or a (conscious) disregard of things - e ?" The question is put not only to the lover and the husband o is normally committed to his act, but to the king, who is duty-and to see that justice is done to a wronged woman, though he nself his guilty of the deed. Samgrava remains him to the moral plications: ‘people suspect a woman with her husband living, to with her husband whether she is loved by him or not. ‘Durvasa’s

. arse put Dusysnta in to a helpless position, exposing him to his n self; I am seriously censured”, he says. The great ideals which

-e embodied in the role of the king and the Hero, suddenly appear •? fragile an^ are cruelly targeted by Kanva’s disciples in the act: "in men elated whith the pride of affluence, such affections mostly Eke effect.” He is no longer the same hero and tire same king whom £1 admired. His ideas appear to have forsaken him. Although the curse is fully operative, it appears that certain disturbing questions

ae raised.

Ironically enough, the prelude to this Act contains the eulogies

S two bards; ‘Unmindful of your own ease, you toil each day for .-.e world’s sake-such is your way of life’, and “Grasping the rod of astice you bring to heel those who'are set on evil path”, etc.

The king himself says, “Every' man who gains the object ofhis sire is happy. Only to kings does the gain itself bring misery”, the statement rings with profound irony for the event that are to unfold nlv bear out the hidden truth too glaringly. The cup ofhis misery' is about to overflow. Dr. Chandra Raj an comments. “ A king w ho pins or inherits sovereignty has to keep it guard it presumably, by hatever means are deemed necessary, what then is the ideal of

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kingship ? more important, what does the word raja-rishi, r sage, mean ? How is the king a sage ? Is the world a mere ‘pi word’ as the young hermit says in unconscious irony ? A pr image as different from or opposed to a private image ? The raises many questions but by no means in a strident manner”(£

The ‘royal sage’ shows far amorous proclivities in the first h: the play in far too frank a manner an sensuous images. Can the i be missed ? On the one hand we see him being praise sky high fc brave feats, his indispensable position as the vanquisher of the fore: foes, on the, other, he is irredeniably assailed by sexual passio: Sakuntala and is easily brought to knees with supplication. Aga Act VI and VII the reader cannot but see too sharp a contrast bet-his role as a dhirodutta hero and invincible king and the utter hel: to starkly against the harsh, taunting words he speaks in A, Curiously enough, the image of the dhirodutta nayak suffers, he t portrayed in delicate human shades with all the imperfection: fickleness of human nature. One wonders if the poet puts the ro.: hero and the king under security. The play is a romance and e happily the play wright follows the nonns of Natyasastra; in the ? classical tradition, creating a hero who is in comformity with established image. Yet he is much more than mere these roles incompatibility that we notice mhas its origin in the ‘roles’, the cla ‘mould' with its regid requirements and stylized ffameworl wit full-blooded human beibg is filled. This man with all his temperam complexities, emotional dilemmas and passional compulsions to spill over the classical mould, the role expectation maxim reminds us frequently of his essential humanness. We may see irony if we wish to do so, but it is not difficult to see that Kalidas more interested in the particular human drama whose features crossed path with the dhirodutta nayak and the royal sage image general ironic tension inthe play.

Abhigyan Shakuntalam

Q. “The two worlds of the play, the green world of the

'Ods and the gilded world of the royal court, are never iconciled”. Comment Abhijana Sakuntalam in the light of e above statement.

Ans: The work of Kalidasa is a marvelous example of his love

■ards nature. His deep love for nature is evident in his works, aether we take his play or his poems, the spirit of nature in its negated froms dominates. It breathes though his descriptions, rating a heady effect on the readers/audience who are mesmerized ■ arses dripping sweetness and beauty. The vitality and vibrancy nature easily permeate even his characters whose portrayal is aired by the poet’s keen observation of nature in its different vets and moods. It is located somewhere between the human rid and the divine, world, for in contact with it, his characters, ether it is yaksa or Dusyanta, or Sakuntala undergo dramatic r.ential transformation. Nature heightening the awareness of both vply sensuous quality of love and a spiritual aura of it. If we take ghduttam we are aware of three w'ords, ‘At, the word’s summit.

On holy Kailasa, instinct with siva’s divine presence is Alka, the Earthly Paradies; here below, are the world of nature and of human experience, suspended in between as it were, is situated the elemental world of the rain cloud which mediates between the natural world and the divine order that sustains it as the poem makes clear (Chandra Rajan:44).

In Abhijanan Sakuntala the green world is the home of all, caitala, priyamvada, Anasuya, the various hermits, sages and Acs and the animals find the sense of living, perfectly shaped ulfilled for them in the forest world near the river Malini. Though -.ere is setteled and peaceful, it is not static; the early descriptions -rure’s and the maiden’s activities given us an impression that

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nature is dynamic vitality and force lend even the smallest asp nature a splendid movement and heightened degree of energy teems here with ever-undulating powder, light and brilliance of giving birth to emotions and ideas that indicates forward mo\

A great deal of social dynamism and human nature’s progi evolution were learned by the ancient artists from close intei with nature. The contact was vital. It is wonderful to see how'S learns to interpret her tender sentiments in nature’? symbolic lai seeking refuge in bright hierologyphics:

See, my friends, the mango tree over there fluttering his fingers of tender leaf sprays-as if Beckoning to me. I shall go over to him.

Nature is the first tutor in matters of love to her. It gi ample scope to allow her sentiments to grow and locate exp

O Anasuya, what a charming sigh, this marriage Of vine and trees. See, the jasmine this very Moment entered into her budding youth. And the Mango-tree is laden with young fruit indicating He is ready for enjoyment.

What could be more appropriet with Dusyanta. with : laden with love for her waiting and listening than this su language ! To the coy maidens, ready to enter love ties, nar, a rich world of imagery that both hides and strogly sugg; amorous desires. Kalidasa uses cleaver poetic devices to b: the maiden's agitation and provide decent limits. Dee decency are seen in the restrained language which Priy a_-Anasuya use, though emotional pitch rises in the fevered -of Sakunta;a. She writes her love-letter to say,

I do not know your heart, but my night and days, O pitiless one !

Abhigyan Shakuntalam

Are haunted by love,

Are every part of me Yearns to be one with you.

And the king mutters,

Love bums you, true, my slender girl !

But me, He consumes utterly-relentless;

Day wipes out the moon s fine view but not the water-lily-

. Your limbs aflame with pain that bite

Into the bed of flowers, fast fading Your bracelets of louts-fiber, need not

—~==ssx«:

■ m one state to another. sunlight’ Tire reference is to

............

Durvasa’s curse.

Here, the moon, lord of healing herbs sinks behind'the western mountain, there, on the other, Dawn heralds

the advance ofthe rising sun.

The rise and settrng of .he two lights stnrullaneous Regulate the vicissitudes of life on earth.

has set. the pool of moon-lotuses

And further,

Now that the moon

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Delights not my eye-her beauty is but a memory, tb Grief of women left alone when loved ones travel ft Are beyond measure hard to bear.

Nature's changing moods herald the inevitable laws-afflicat after love’s sweet ardours.

The seen of Sakuntala’s departure is perhaps one of the fn and more expressive of the deep tie between the inmates of hermitage and nature’s various aspects. In Kalidas’s suprem evocative language the splendid fusion of the human and natural been delineated, bringing out not only the harmonious co-existe but a deep emotional/spiritual consonance. The is why this seer suffused with Karunarasa. The separation is painful:

‘■Rent from my dear father’s lap like a sampling of the sandalwood tree uprooted from the side of the Malaya Mountain, how can I ever survive in an alien Soil?’

She uses a metaphor that conveys her strong attachment l nature her relation with it is as integral as with that with her fas She views Malaya Mountain. The fawns, the Vanajyotsana creJ the mango-tree, the antelopes and various other plants have J show n to have overcome with grief. Here Sakuntala becomes^ mother to them ‘No sooner were you bom than your mother! and 1 brought you up.' Nature the nourishes becomes now. rj the child, the vatsalaya rasa taking over emotions of both Kj and birds was embedded in the maternal loved and bond tha grown between her and her surroundings.

We find even Dusyanta suddenly feeling a change coming him; the penance-forest where he had entered while hunting antd appears to wrap him with a soothing comfort-including air. wjl quiet and sweet-fragrant environment. Repeatedly he expra

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‘The Golden Peaked’. Frpm time to time the description sugge r light and gem-like fire suffusing the various objects of the forcr. different words for light are used, the concret metaphors giving w: to those referring to qualities and internal attributes. As Marie-; says, ‘An image takes no effect on the surface of a mirror having transparency obscured by dust, but finds an easy access when it clean'. The world assumes finer spiritual quality of consciousness and the attraction between Dusyanta and Skuntala originates from. mutual realization of the deeper character that reveals through. spiritual transformation: 'Darling’. Says Dusyanta, ‘even the cruetr inflicted by me upon you has come to have a favorable end, since I now find myself recognized by you.' Dr. Raj an says, Tn the last a;-, time past, present and future are brought together in Maricha s blessings, to be contained within the golden round of time; the wcrid in the text Yougasotu-parivartanaih isliterall ‘the revolutons '£ hundreds of epochs’(aeons).

It is ironical indeed that the king whose so passionately falls ■ love at first sight with Sakuntala and shows inordinate impatience jil marry her without waiting for the return of her foster-father kan _ should need a ‘token’ of love, i.e the ring for recognizing her. 7uq king in his royal place works judiciously and discreetly for dispensed justice to the public. He wants evidence. When the party of -jm ascetics visits his Royal place with Sakuntala with a request to accead her as his legally wedded wife, he, under effect of the curse, fail: ■ recognized her. It is the ‘token of recognition’ as evidence that is last, refuge. There is a suitable irony here, extremely cruel sJ Sakuntal. Her own husband needing an evidence of love ! And -J token is missing. ‘The play examines accepted ideals and tire relrjJ of what seem, to what is, of semblance to truth, through the commeJ of Madhavya and by means of ironies built into the structure jM language built into the structure and language of the play’(C.Ra J

Abhigyan Shakuntalam

The role of the king is subjected to close scrutiny in Act V where are emotional exchanges between kanva's disciples and the - and his courtiers. It is Samgarava whos exposes the dulity in -. anta’s attitude when he says "‘what, is the disgust for for a deed or opposition to moral duty, or a (conscious) disregard of tilings ?" The question is put not only to the lover and the husband is normally committed to his act, but to the king, who is duty-1 to see that justice is done to a wronged woman, though he sdf his guilty of the deed. Samgrava remains him to the moral ~ations: ‘people suspect a woman with her husband living, to rth her husband whether she is loved by him or not. ‘Durvasa's put Dusysnta in to a helpless position, exposing him to his >eif: I am seriously censured”, he says. The great ideals which lied in the role of the king and the Hero, suddenly appear fragile an(j are cruelly targeted by Kanva’s disciples in the act: i elated whith the pride of affluence, such affections mostly _ fleet.” He is no longer the same hero and the same king whom icmired. His ideas appear to have forsaken him. Although the : s fully operative, it appears that certain disturbing questions : raised.

Ironically enough, the prelude to this Act contains the eulogies two bards; ‘Unmindful of your own ease, you toil eachday for * 'Id's sake-such is your way of life’, and ''Grasping the rod of : you bring to heel those who’are set on evil path”, etc.

King himself says, ‘‘Ever)' man who gains the object of his > happy. Only to kings does the gain itself bring misery”, the it rings with profound irony for the event that are to unfold -car out the hidden truth too glaringly. The cup of his misery is to overflow. Dr. Chandra Rajan comments. “ A king who - ns or inherits sovereignty has to keep, it guard it presumably, by never means are deemed necessary, what then is the ideal of

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kingship ? more important, what does the word raja-ri sage, mean ? How is the king a sage ? Is the world a mere word’ as the young hermit says in unconscious irony ? A image as different from or opposed to a private image ?' raises many questions but by no means in a strident manne-

The ‘royal sage’ shows far amorous proclivities in the firs: the play in far too frank a manner an sensuous images. Can v be missed ? On the one hand we see him being praise sky high brave feats, his indispensable position as the vanquisher of the: foes, on the, other, he is irredeniably assailed by sexual pa; Sakuntala and is easily brought to knees with supplication.. Act VI and VII the reader cannot but see too sharp a contrast his role as a dhirodutta hero and invincible king and the utter to starkly against the harsh, taunting words he speaks ir. Curiously enough, the image of the dhirodutta nayak suffers. 1 ' portrayed in delicate human shades with all the imperfect: fickleness of human nature. One wonders if the poet puts the. hero and the king under security. The play is a romance. happily the play wright follows the nonns of Natyasastra; in' classical tradition, creating a hero w ho is in comformity v. established image. Yet he is much more than mere these roi incompatibility that we notice mhas its origin in the ‘roles’, the ‘mould’ with its regid requirements and stylized frameworl v fiill-blooded human beibg is filled. This man with all his tempe complexities, emotional dilemmas and passional compulsi to spill over the classical mould, the role expectation max: reminds us frequently of his essential humanness. We may set irony if we wish to do so, but it is not difficult to see that Kali more interested in the particular human drama whose fea crossed path with the dhirodutta nayak and the royal sage im general ironic tension in the play.

Abhigyan Shakuntalam

Q. “The tw o worlds of the play, the green world of the is and the gilded world of the royal court, are never •nciled”. Comment Abhijana Sakuntalam in the light of above statement.

Ans: The work of Kalidasa is a marvelous example of his love

- aids nature. His deep love for nature is evident in his works.

- ether we take his play or his poems, the spirit of nature in its gated froms dominates. It breathes though his descriptions, "ng a heady effect on the readers/audience who are mesmerized

• arses dripping sweetness and beauty. The vitality and vibrancy “.iture easily permeate even his characters whose portrayal is -rued by the poet's keen observation of nature in its different :ts and moods. It is located somewhere between the human rid and the divine, world, for in contact with it. his characters,

- ether it is yaksa or Dusyanta, or Sakuntala undergo dramatic stential transformation. Nature heightening the awareness of both

reeply sensuous quality of love and a spiritual aura of it. If we take .ghduttam we are aware of three words. ‘At, the word's summit.

Abhijanan Sakuntala the green world is the home of all, itala, priyamvada, Anasuya, the various hermits, sages and “tics and the animals find the sense of living, perfectly shaped rilled for them in the forest world near the river Malini. Though is setteled and peaceful, it is not static; die early descriptions e's and the maiden’s activities given us an impression that

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Abhigyan Shakuntalam

Abhigyan Shakuntalam