6/24/2023 0 Comments Shakuntala by Kālidāsa![]() ![]() The protagonist is Śakuntalā, daughter of the sage Viśvāmitra and the apsara Menakā. Titles of the play in published translations include Sacontalá or The Fatal Ring and Śakoontalá or The Lost Ring. The title is sometimes translated as The token-for-recognition of Śakuntalā or The Sign of Śakuntalā. The Sanskrit title means pertaining to the recognition of Shakuntala, so a literal translation could be Of Śakuntalā who is recognized. Usual variants are Abhijñānaśakuntalā, Abhijñānaśākuntala, Abhijñānaśakuntalam and Abhijñānaśākuntalam. Manuscripts differ on what its exact title is. Their son Bharata is said to have laid the foundation of the dynasty that ultimately led to Kauravas and Pāṇḍavas. In the story King Duṣyanta and Śakuntalā meet in the forest and get estranged and ultimately reunited. In the Mahābhārata the story appears as a precursor to the Pāṇḍava and Kaurava lineages. A story of similar plot appear in the Buddhist Jātaka tales as well. There is a story mentioned in the Mahābhārata. Plots similar to the play appear in earlier texts. ![]()
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