Abhigyan Shakuntalam

The Recognition of Shakuntala

Summary
 A Glimpse of Kalidasa’s Works
Kālidāsa in the 4th-5th century CE, was arguably one of ancient India's greatest
Sanskrit dramatists. He occupies the same position in Sanskrit literature that
Shakespeare occupies in English literature.
He deals primarily with famous Hindu legends and themes Three famous romantic
plays written by Kālidāsa are the Mālavikāgnimitram (Mālavikā and Agnimitra),
Vikramōrvaśīyam (Pertaining to Vikrama and Urvashi), and Abhijñānaśākuntalam
(The Recognition of Shakuntala). The last was inspired by a story in the Mahabharata
and is the most famous. It was the first to be translated into English and German.
Śakuntalā (in English translation) influenced Goethe's Faust (1808–1832).
He also composed Meghadutam [The Cloud Messenger] and Rtusamharam [The
Gathering of the Seasons].
Introduction

The story of Dushyanta and Shakuntala is in the Book of the Beginnings (Adi
Parva) of the Mahabharata, the epic.
Kalidasa has employed dramatic devices to enhance the poetic and dramatic
effect of the narrative. Kalidasa has made some deviations from the main story
in the Mahabharata.
The episode of the signet ring is an important addition by Kalidasa in
Shakuntalam.
Major/ Important Dramatis personae (Characters)
Ashram Dwellers
Shakuntala [Biological Daughter of Vishwamitra and Menaka]
Anasuya [Shakuntala’s friend and confidante]
Priyangvada [Shakuntala’s friend and confidante]
Gautami
Sharangrav, and Sharadvat

Sages
Rishi Vishwamitra
Rishi Kanva [ Foster-father to Shkuntala]
Durvasa muni
Rishi Mareech

Puru Dynasty
Dushyanta
Bharat
Gods, Divinities and Demons
Lord Indra
Menaka
Matali [The charioteer of Indra]
Other Apsaras
Demons

Others
Fisherman
Guard
Vidushaka [The Fool] [Dushyanta’s Confidante]
 ACT I
It begins with the description of the summer season by the narrator (Sutradhar). He also
introduces king Dushyanta.
Dushyanta while chasing a deer, enters the ashram of the sage Kanva in his Chariot. The
king aims at the deer but a monk restricts him to hunt in the premises of sage Kanva. Then
on being invited by the monk, Dushyanta enters the ashram. The monk informs the king
that sage Kanva is out for some days.
Shakuntala accompanied by two companions, Priyamvada and Anusuya welcomes the
royal guest. The king is mesmerized by the beauty of Shakuntala. Meanwhile, a wasp has
been hovering around Shakuntala and she runs towards Dushyanta for safety. Dushyanta
talks to Shakuntala and her companions. He also comes to know that Shakuntala is the
daughter of a Kshatriya, a warrior king turned a rishi, Vishwamitra. The king is informed
that Shakuntala is the foster-child of sage Kanva.
Just then an agitated elephant enters the ashram and Dushyanta orders his soldiers to take
care of the animal. Shakuntala has also been suffering from the pangs of love. Cupid has
done his work. Shakuntala leaves the place with her companions burning with a desire for
Dushyanta.
 ACT II

Dushyanta is also love-sick. He is with the fool (Vidushaka). The fool is fed up with
the business of hunting in the forest. The king forbids his general and soldiers to kill
any animal and instructs them not to disturb the holy men. He confesses to the fool
that he cannot live without Shakuntala. He asks the fool to manage his stay there for
some more time.
Two ascetics, young ones arrive and request the king to protect their sacred fire-place
(Yajna Shala) from the plundering of the demons (rakshas). The king happily agrees.
The messengers from the kingdom inform the king about his mother’s instructions to
bring back the king. Dushyanta sends his army back and himself stays back. He also
forbids the fool not to reveal this secret to his other queens in the town He decides to
make Shakuntala his patrani, the queen of queens.
 ACT III

Shakuntala has so far spent her life in the quiet, sylvan environment of the ashram
but now her contact with a handsome young king has made her love-sick. She is
seen lying on the bed of flowers, thinking of Dushyanta. She discusses the matter
with her companions. Mean-while Dushyanta is hiding in a groove listening to
their confessions. Shakuntala confesses that Dushyanta can be her only mate in
this world, and that she will not live without him.
The king appears on the scene and declares his love for Shakuntala. The two
companions leave the scene and the two lovers have an opportunity to know each
other. The king proposes the enactment of the ‘gandharva’ marriage yet
Shakuntala is reluctant. The king leaves the place to protect the ashram from the
wrath of the demons.
 ACT IV
The ceremony of ‘Gandharva’ marriage is solemnized. After spending some time
with Shakuntala, Dushyanta leaves the ashram to look after his kingdom. He
assures Shakuntala that he would send his men to fetch her to his capital. Since that
day, she has been feeling lonely and love sick.
One day, she sits at the door of her hut. A great sage Durvasa, known for his anger,
arrives and asks for alms but Shakuntala is lost in her thoughts. The sage feels
offended and becomes annoyed. The enraged rishi, curses Shakuntala by saying that
whosoever (her husband), she is thinking of, would forget her as due to being
engrossed in her thoughts, she has neglected her duties. Her companion Priyamvada
apologizes to the sage, explains him everything and pleads to him to help
Shakuntala. The sage tells that the curse can’t be undone but its impact can be
nullified thus: on showing any signet ornament of her lover to him, he will
remember her.
Priyamvada and Anusuya know about this curse and Shakuntala is unaware of all
this. They know that the signet ring of Dushyant is with Shakuntala. They assume
that the presence of the signet ring will neutralize the impact of the curse. So they
When sage Kanva returns from his pilgrimage, he hears a prophecy from the heavens
about the marriage of Shakuntala with king Dushyanta. He also learns that
Shakuntala is pregnant. He peeps into the womb of future with his spiritual powers
and sees the bright and illustrious career of Shakuntala’s son. He approves of this
marriage.
On the other side, the curse of Durvasa shows its power. The king becomes oblivious
of his relationship with Shakuntala and no one comes to the ashram/hermitage to
take Shakuntala. Shakuntala is pregnant and the sage makes necessary arrangements to
send Shakuntala to her husband.
Here Kalidasa provides a poignant description of the departure of Shakuntala when she
bids adieu to her friends, deer, pets and even trees. Sage Kanva is deeply pained to see
this but he gives elderly advice to Shakuntala. Along with a woman Gautami and two
ascetics, Shakuntala arrives the kingdom of king Dushyanta.
 ACT V

Shakuntala is accompanied by two young ascetics Sharangrav, and Sharadvat,

and a woman Gautami. They appear before the king. Sharangrav tells the king
about the previous development, and that Shakuntala is his wedded wife. The
ascetics tell the king that sage Kanva has also approved of their ‘gandharva’
marriage, and so he has sent them to the king. But king Dushyanta is under the
spell of the curse, so he fails to recognize Shakuntala.
Gautami shows him the face of Shakuntala but he shows his helplessness. Now
Shakuntala is reminded of the signet ring of Dushyanta but that ring is missing.
On the way, the ring slips from her finger, falls into the river, and gets swallowed
by a fish. The ascetics try their best to persuade the king but of no use. The
ascetics and Gautami leave Shakuntala and depart. Shakuntala weeps and mourns.
Then a celestial nymph Menaka (an apsara in the court of god Indra in
heaven and also mother to Shakuntala) descends from the heavens and takes
Shakuntala with her. The king is shocked to see this.
 ACT VI

Days later, a fisherman has a good catch in the river and he finds a gold ring in the
belly of a fish. He tries to sell it in the market. It is the same signet ring of Dushyanta
which he had given to Shakuntala. The soldiers take him to be a thief and bring him
to the royal court. When the king sees the ring, the curse loses its potency, and he at
once remembers his marriage with Shakuntala. But her mother Menaka has taken her
away and the king is now grief-stricken. One nymph (apsara) visits the palace to see
the condition of Dushyanta. She is invisible and finds the king grief stricken.
The guard brings a letter from his minister that informs him about the death of a
merchant in a boat accident. Now his property would go to the royal treasury. The
king now realises if he dies without a son, then his wealth will also go to others. He
faints. Then the charioteer (Sarthi) of lord Indra, Matali arrives from heaven to take
Dushyanta to a battle with the demons. Dushyanta at once leaves for heaven to fight
with the mighty demons and assist gods.
 ACT VII
King Dushyanta defeats the demons and helps the gods to retain supremacy in the three worlds. Lord
Indra honours the brave king and bids him farewell to the earth. On his way back to the earth, Dushyanta is
attracted by the beauty of Hemkoot mountain where sage Mareech meditates in his ashram. Dushyanta comes
down from the chariot to pay his regards to the sage. In the ashram, the king sees a healthy boy playing with
a lion. He is trying to count the teeth of the lion. The king is amazed to see this brave boy. The boy resembles
the king and instinctively, Dushyanta develops a liking for the boy. The king is informed that the boy’s
mother’s name is Shakuntala and the boy belongs to Puru family. Dushyanta at once realizes that he himself
is the father of this boy. Shakuntala appears on the scene and falls on his feet. She weeps bitterly.

The king apologizes for everything that has happened with Shakuntala. The king visit’s the sage
Mareech to pay his regards. The sage tells the king that due to the curse, the king could not remember
anything about his marriage with Shakuntala. So the king proves his innocence. The sage blesses both of
them and sends them back to their kingdom. This boy is Bharat who becomes a great king and a warrior. The
play ends on a happy note.

Reference and Acknowledgement: Various open access internet sources and Kalidasa Abhijnana
Shakuntalam, tr. Chandra Rajan, in Kalidasa: The Loom of Time (New Delhi: Penguin, 1989)