Shakuntala was brought up in a hermitage (a sort of hut in the forest where sages live) as she was abandoned at birth by her parents. She had two maidens for company. The innocent girl had no occasion to learn the ways of the world.
One day, when they were playing in the garden, she shouted for help when attacked by bees. A man who was watching her, hiding in the bush and entranced by her charms, took this opportunity to come out and drive away the insects. At first glance, the innocent girl fell in love with the young, handsome stranger!
The man told her that he was King Dushyanta, hunting wild animals, and promised to marry her as soon as he returned to his capital, giving her prime status as the Queen, even though he had a number of other wives. They spent many enchanting days and nights before he went away, giving her a gold ring, to remind him, in case he forgot her.
While dreaming about her lover, forgetful of her surroundings, she failed to notice the arrival of sage Durvasa. The easily angered sage promptly cursed her, saying that the man about whom she was dreaming, will forget her. The girl apologised to the age, but the damage was done, because even he cannot amend his own curse.
Days and months passed without any message from the king. Shakuntala, who had become pregnant, gave birth to a bonny boy. When he became a few years old, the sage who was her guardian sent her to the court of the King escorted by her companions, Priyamvada and Anasuya.
The King who had forgotten her, refused to entertain her, disclaiming any knowledge of the incidents described by Shakuntala and her companions. When she tried to show the ring, to her dismay, it was not there! They left the royal court in despair…….
A thief was produced before the King, accused of stealing a gold ring. He pleaded that the ring was found inside the belly of a fish he had caught from the pond.(Shakuntala and her friends had taken bath in the pond on their way to the palace, when she lost the ring which was afterwards swallowed by the fish) When the King saw the ring, he recalled everything connected with the love affair with Shakuntala and was very upset. He ordered a though search and ultimately found them and she was duly accepted as his lawful wife. The boy named Bharat became famous as the first Emperor in the subcontinent of India, known afterwards as Bharatam.
The greatest poet in history, KALIDAS has written this story in poem SHAKUNTALAM which has been translated into several languages
The man told her that he was King Dushyanta, hunting wild animals, and promised to marry her as soon as he returned to his capital, giving her prime status as the Queen, even though he had a number of other wives. They spent many enchanting days and nights before he went away, giving her a gold ring, to remind him, in case he forgot her.
While dreaming about her lover, forgetful of her surroundings, she failed to notice the arrival of sage Durvasa. The easily angered sage promptly cursed her, saying that the man about whom she was dreaming, will forget her. The girl apologised to the age, but the damage was done, because even he cannot amend his own curse.
Days and months passed without any message from the king. Shakuntala, who had become pregnant, gave birth to a bonny boy. When he became a few years old, the sage who was her guardian sent her to the court of the King escorted by her companions, Priyamvada and Anasuya.
The King who had forgotten her, refused to entertain her, disclaiming any knowledge of the incidents described by Shakuntala and her companions. When she tried to show the ring, to her dismay, it was not there! They left the royal court in despair…….
A thief was produced before the King, accused of stealing a gold ring. He pleaded that the ring was found inside the belly of a fish he had caught from the pond.(Shakuntala and her friends had taken bath in the pond on their way to the palace, when she lost the ring which was afterwards swallowed by the fish) When the King saw the ring, he recalled everything connected with the love affair with Shakuntala and was very upset. He ordered a though search and ultimately found them and she was duly accepted as his lawful wife. The boy named Bharat became famous as the first Emperor in the subcontinent of India, known afterwards as Bharatam.
The greatest poet in history, KALIDAS has written this story in poem SHAKUNTALAM which has been translated into several languages
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