Abhijnanashakuntalam

Durvasa cursing Shakuntala

 

Abhijnanashakuntalam is a renowned work of Sanskrit poet Kalidasa.

The story in brief

King Dushyanta visits the ashrama of Kanva Maharshi.

Shakuntala is the foster daughter of Kanva.

They fall in love and marry secretly.

The king presents Shakuntala with a ring.

After a few days the king leaves promising to take her with him later.

Shakuntala is in the pain of separation.

Sage Durvasa arrives at the ashrama.

He is well known for his short temper.

Shakuntala is lost in the thoughts of Dushyanta.

She does not notice the Maharshi.

He gets offended and curses.

Whoever Shakuntala was thinking about at that time would forget her.

That was the curse.

Shakuntala begs for mercy.

Durvasa says that if Dushyanta gets to see any sign of their love, he would remember her.

Kanva gets to know about what happened through an oracle.

He sends Shakuntala to Dushyanta.

She loses the ring on the way in a river.

Dushyanta does not recognize her.

She goes and stays in the ashrama of Marichi Maharshi.

A fisherman finds  the ring and gives it to Dushyanta.

Then he remembers everything.

In the meantime, a son is also born to them.

Later, when Dushyanta gets to his son, he recognizes him.

The Maharshi reconciles the issues between the couple.

 

Abhijnanasakuntalam abroad

Abhijnanasakuntalam was Kalidasa’s first work to be translated into English. 

The English translation was again translated into German. 

This was so much praised by Goethe that it received attention and appreciation all over the world.

There have been several translations and also adaptations for opera.



English

English

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