Shakuntala Quotes (0-)

“O thou of the fairest complexion, how hast thou been born as his daughter? This great doubt of mine it behoveth thee to dispel.”

“Shakuntala in course of time gives birth to a son who is named Sarvadamana.”

“Unfortunately Shakuntala loses the ring given by Dushyanta who just forgets her.”

“I shall send thee, for thy escort, my troops of four classes. Indeed, it is even thus that I shall take thee to my capital, O thou of sweet smiles!”

“The royal spouse of Sacontale (Shakuntala)
Weary of victories, rejoices
When he finds her paler
From waiting and eyes pale from love,
Petting her male gazelle.”

“May the person about whom you are thinking forget you.! Later he relents and says: When he says an object, which he has given you and recognizes it, he will remember you.”

“Shakuntala having spoken to the monarch in this wise, left his presence. But as soon as she had left, a voice from the skies, emanating from no visible shape, thus spoke unto Dushyanta...”

“Shakuntala tells him about the ring and tries to show it to him, but she is not able to find it on her finger... [She] failed to remind Dushyanta of his promise to marry him.”

“After some days, Shakuntala wonders why Dushyanta has not returned to her. Her worry almost turned into panic because of the fact that she is pregnant. Soon, her condition reveals the truth. Rishi Kanva and ladies of the ashram notice the change.”

“Upon her arrival, King Dushyanata cannot recognize Shakuntala. He even thinks it improper to eye a damsel who is a stranger to him. He could not believe that this woman was his wife.”

“The monarch, then, O thou of Bharata's race, seeing the purity of his son established by the celestial messenger, became exceedingly glad. And he took unto him that son with joy. And the king with a joyous heart then performed all those rites upon his son that a father should perform.”

“Amazed at the whole spectacle, the king, in the words of Kalidasa in his play thus speaks:
In a dusty apparel, grey appearing
With a face penance, impaired;
with hair unknotted;
So unkind as I was, yet chaste her bearing
From myself, parted so long, remains devoted.”

“My illustrious father hath gone away from the asylum to fetch fruit. Wait but a moment and thou wilt see him when he arrives...'O Dushyanta, I am the daughter of the virtuous, wise, high-souled, and illustrious ascetic Kanwa.”

“After Dushyanta had left the asylum having made those promises unto Shakuntala, the latter... brought forth a boy of immeasurable energy. And when the child was three years old, he became in splendour like the blazing fire.”

“Goethe in German language:
Willst du die Blüthe des frühen, die Früchte des späteren Jahres,
Willst du, was reizt and entzückt, willst du was sättigt and nährt,
Willst du den Himmel, die Erde, mit Einem Namen begreifen;
Nenn’ ich, Sakuntala, Dich, and so ist Alles gesagt.”

“English translation by Eastwich:
Wouldst thou the young year's blossoms and the fruits of its decline,
And all by which the soul is charmed, enraptured, feasted, fed?
Wouldst thou the earth and heaven itself in one sole name combine?
I name thee, O Shakuntala, and all at once is said.”

“A fisherman is surprised to find a royal ring in the belly of a fish he has caught. He recognizes the royal seal. Upon seeing this ring Dushyanta’s memories of Shakuntala flashes into the mind. An old curse of forgetfulness laid on the king is broken and the king is repentant and becomes subdued.”

“After the king returns, sage DurvasaDurvasa comes to call on sage Kanva. The latter was away and Shakuntala was so lost in her thoughts of king Dushyanata that the sage’s words:” I, a guest has come”, fell on her deaf ears.”

“Shakuntala reaches the court of Dushyanta. A message is sent to the king of the arrival of a woman who claims to be his wife. Dushyanta, under the influence of the ascetic's curse, disowns Shakuntala in open court, dashing her hopes, and crushing her reputation.”

“King Dushyanta, then, bestowed the name of Bharata upon his child, and formally installed him as the heir apparent”

“Bear ye without delay this Sakuntala with her son from this abode to that of her husband, blessed with every auspicious sign. Women should not live long in the houses of their paternal or maternal relations. Such residence is destructive of their reputation, their good conduct, their virtue. Therefore, delay not in bearing her hence.”

“And entering quite alone he saw not the Rishi (Kanwa) of rigid vows. And not seeing the Rishi and finding that the abode was empty,... there came out of the Rishi's abode a maiden beautiful as Sri herself but dressed as an ascetic's daughter. And the black-eyed fair one, as she saw king Dushyanta, bade him welcome and received him duly.”

“This is thy son, O king! Let him be installed as thy heir-apparent. O king, this child, like unto a celestial, hath been begotten by thee upon me. Therefore, O best of men, fulfil now the promise thou gavest me. Call to mind, O thou of great good fortune, the agreement thou hadst made on the occasion of thy union with me in the asylum of Kanwa.”