In a forest filled with fruits bearing trees, was the hermitage of Sage Kanvā . Several years ago, while passing by that region he had found a baby surrounded by Shakunton birds. He named her Śakuntalā and brought her up as his own daughter. Śakuntalā grew up to be a kind and beautiful maiden. She cared for all life – plant, human and animal. Flowers blossomed to adorn her neck and ears as jewelry.
One day, Dushyantā, the king of Hastinapur, came to the forest to hunt. While chasing a deer that he wounded, his gaze fell upon the beautiful Śakuntalā who had come to the river bank to fill water. As soon as she saw the wounded deer, she comforted him and started to tend to his wounds.
Love at first sight
It was love at first sight for Dushyantā. He approached Śakuntalā introduced himself and asked for her forgiveness. They conversed as they dressed the deer together and fed him. Śakuntalā too was attracted to Dushyantā and her heart skipped a beat when Dushyantā proposed marriage. Dushyantā had to head back to the capital the next day and hence wanted to marry Śakuntalā immediately for he did not want to spend another day without her. Śakuntalā agreed to a Gandharva vivaha.
They eloped, exchanged garlands and united as husband and wife. As he departed the next day, Dusyantha presented Śakuntalā with his signet ring and promising her that he will come for her. Cocooned in the warmth of love, Śakuntalā hid her marriage from even her father.
The curse of forgetfulness
A few days later, Sage Durwasa who is known for his temper came to Śakuntalā’s door. He repeatedly asked for water but was paid no attention as she was thinking of Dushyantā. The sage felt insulted and cursed her – the person whom she was thinking about would forget her. As soon as she heard this curse, she begged for forgiveness. Hearing her plea, Durwasa said he couldn’t take back the curse but could change it. If Dushyantā could see something of theirs, he would remember her.
With the curse taking hold, Dushyantā forgot Śakuntalā and did not come for her. In the meantime, Śakuntalā became pregnant. Though upset at the turn of events, Sage Kanvā decided to escort her to the capital to unite the couple. They got on a boat to cross the river that ran through the forest.
The rejection of Śakuntalā
Śakuntalā smiled as she imagined herself as the wife of King Dushyantā and the Queen of the country. Her pregnant belly swelled with pride and the boat on which she was traveling rocked. As she ran her hands playfully through the water, the signet ring of Dushyantā, slipped and fell into the water, only to be swallowed by a fish. Little does she anticipate that without the ring, their symbol of love to remind him, Dushayantā, will not recognise Śakuntalā.
At Dushyantā’s court, Śakuntalā is branded amoral and sent away. Ashamed, she moves to another forest raise her son alone, as a single mother. Śakuntalā son Bharatā grows up to be fierce and courageous. His playmates are bear cubs and lion cubs and the little Bharatā would spend his time, wrestling with them and opening their mouth to count their teeth.
The recognition of Śakuntalā
One day, a fisherman comes to court saying that he found the king’s signet ring inside the belly of a fish he gutted. As soon as Dushyantā saw the ring, memories of Śakuntalā comes flooding back to him. He tries to look for the hermitage where he met Śakuntalā but realises that she is no longer there. He lives his life in despair.
A few years pass by. Dushyantā goes on another hunt and finds a boy demanding a lion to open his mouth so that he could count his teeth. He feels connected to the boy and is reminded of the time he met Śakuntalā at another forest. Dushyantā approaches the boy and asks who his parents are. To which the boy replies that he is the son of Śakuntalā and king Dushyantā. Taken aback, Dushyantā accompanies Bharatā to see Śakuntalā and re-unites with her.
References and Further reading
Doniger, Wendy. 2017. The Ring of Truth and Other Myths of Sex and Jewelry. New Delhi: Speaking Tiger Publishing Pvt. Ltd.
Kale, MR, ed. 1980. Abhijnana Shakuntalam Of Kalidasa. New Delhi: Motilal Banarasidass.
Pillai, Manu S. 2017. “The Tale of Two Shakuntalas.” Mint. December 22, 2017. https://www.livemint.com/Leisure/1riLTi7w6XI5lbOD8jzKOO/The-tale-of-two-Shakuntalas.html.
Thapar, Romila. 2011. Śakuntalā: Texts, Readings, Histories. New Delhi: Women Unlimited, an associate of Kali for Women.
Note
All stories have been collected from various sources, including oral histories and temple histories and compiled to form one narrative. Hence, there may be differences from the master narrative. The project hopes only to be a curator of stories and not an expert on history, religion and iconography.