Table of Contents
Vaishampayan had just told Janamejaya about the births of the devas, daityas and danavas on earth in detail. The rishi continues telling the assembled audience about the kings of Hastinapur. The rishi continues and starts with the story of Dushyanta.
Dushyanta meets the daughter of rishi Kanva
Janamejaya heard about the incarnations and birth of the various beings. He said to Vaisampayana, "Great One, I have heard about the births of the various celestial bodies on earth from you. Could you please tell me what they did on earth? All of us who have gathered here would want to hear that from you."
Vaisampayana said, "I will tell you about the lineage of Bharata. To tell you about Bharata, I will need to talk about Dushyanta, the king of Hastinapur. So famous was he and such were his qualities that I do not have words to describe them for you. Dharma was his motto and he ensured he led a life accordingly. He did good deeds and ensured evil did not enter his kingdom. Such was his rule that people felt Dushyanta was like Indra ruling them. He was young and handsome, and was adept is using all kinds of weapons.
The hunt
Let me tell you about this one day when things changed in Dushyanta's life. This morning, he wanted to go out on a hunt. This was a grand hunt and a full procession started. Chariots, horses, elephants. All kinds of weapons were loaded. When the procession passed the streets, the women came out to catch a glimpse of the handsome king and shower flowers on him. The procession left the city gates and swiftly sped through lands till it reached a forest. It was actually an uneven rocky area sparsely populated with some trees. The procession entered the place and found many animals to hunt. The animals that tried to attack the king, he killed using his sword. Some he shot with his bow and arrows. He fought and killed wild rogue elephants using his mace. Many ferocious beasts were killed that day. Seeing the army, many lions and tigers began to run for their lives. Seeing that the king had hunted and killed many animals, the people living in the forest came and collected them, to cook and eat them later. Some of the hunters, who had come with the king, lit a fire and began preparing the dead animals like deer and wild boar that they had killed. They cut, cleaned and marinated the meat before roasting it on the fire. These animals were those which had died while trying to flee, having been trampled by other animals. The king and his army had killed only wild beasts.
While the soldiers were about to roast the meat they heard a growl. A tiger, smelling the cooking meat had come there. Dushyanta saw the tiger and picked up his bow and arrow. The tiger sensed trouble and began running. Dushyanta ran behind the tiger, chasing it. He got on his chariot and the chase began. The soldiers, seeing their king run behind the tiger also left what they were doing and followed the king. The tiger knew the area very well and soon it disappeared. Dushyanta then started looking around. He had entered a beautiful dense forest. It was the celestial garden of Kubera. Beautiful birds were flying around, singing songs. A cool breeze was blowing. This place was very different from the uneven area where they were sometime back. Dushyanta was tired and thirsty. He began to look around a place where he could get some water. While the breeze provided immense relief, Dushyanta wanted to get down from his chariot and rest for a while. He spotted a river and guided the chariot towards that. This was the river Malini and many tall trees grew on the banks of the river. The king began to look around to see if there was anyone living there, when he spotted an ashrama in a distance. He went closer. The ashrama was built in a huge clearing. There were many small fires burning there, that the residents used for their worship. The ashrama had been built in such a way that it was spread on both sides of the river. The flowering trees had shed their flowers and, on the ground, a beautiful carpet of flowers had been laid out for all.
Dushyanta enters the ashrama
Dushyanta got down from his chariot and said to his soldiers, 'Wait for me here. This is a holy place and we should not be disturbing the peace of the area. I will go and meet the rishis in the ashrama. Wait for me here, till I return.' Saying this, Dushyanta took off his crown and royal dress, and accompanied by a priest, he entered the ashrama. As soon as he stepped inside the ashrama, he felt refreshed. He was no longer tired, hungry or thirsty. He began to roam around inside the ashrama, having realized that this beautiful ashrama belonged to the great rishi Kanva. He began to wonder where the rishi was. He asked the priest to wait there and he began looking for rishi Kanva. There were other rishis around but they were busy in the meditation and the king did not want to disturb them. He was eager to meet rishi Kanva. He reached a hut and was wondering if the rishi was inside, he called out, 'Is anyone here?' As soon as he had said this, a maiden stepped out from the hut. Dushyanta had never seen anyone as beautiful as this. The maiden came towards Dushyanta and welcomed him into the ashrama. She then offered him a seat and gave him fruits to eat. This maiden was dressed like an ascetic. She had seen this handsome man and had welcomed him inside the ashrama.
Pleasantries were exchanged and then the maiden wanted to know who he was and what was the purpose of his visit. To that the king said. 'I am Dushyanta. I was in the vicinity and remembered the beautiful ashrama of rishi Kanva, on the banks of river Malini. I decided to come and visit the rishi. I do not see him here. Also, who are you and what are you doing here, in the midst of these rishis?'
The maiden said, 'My father was here till sometime back. He has gone to get fruits for his worship. He should be back soon. Wait and you will be able to meet him. I am rishi Kanva's daughter.'
Hearing this, Dushyanta said, 'I have never seen anyone as beautiful as you. Your features are flawless and your face shines like the moon. I am attracted towards you. As far as I am aware, rishi Kanva is a rishi who follows strict principles. After years of practice, he is a practicing celibate. Whoever you are, I have fallen in love with you. I have never seen anyone as beautiful as you. I want you to be my wife.'
The maiden smiled and said, 'I am dependent on the great rishi. I know him as my father and as my guru. If you want me to be your wife, I would request you to wait. Once the rishi is back, please take his permission and blessings and then propose to me.'
Dushyanta said, 'From what I know, rishi Kanva's vows are rigid. If he is a celibate, then how does he have a daughter? There is something in you which is otherworldly. You do not seem to be a daughter of the rishi.'
The maiden said, 'Then listen to me as I tell you about my birth. It is a wonderful story that I had overheard when rishi Kanva was telling a visitor.'"
Analysis
One thing that is visible here is the change in scenery. The king travels through rough terrain, and hunts, kills wild beasts and then reaches the ashrama. It is a route that starts with worldly action and stops at the gates of inward contemplation. The hunting ground – it is uneven, rocky, and a sparsely populated terrain. It is a place where aggressive action takes place. Animals fight and run, all wanting to survive and assert their ego. Dushyanta exercises physical power and kills beasts. The moment Dushyanta enters the serene place on the banks of river Malini and approaches the ashrama; the environment changes completely. The king's suffering—his fatigue, hunger, and thirst—instantly vanishes.
The king sheds his ego before entering the ashrama. He tells his army to halt; the peace of the place must not be disturbed. Power, wealth, status – everything is left outside the ashrama.
There is an interesting interaction between Dushyanta and the maiden (Shakuntala). There is a tussle going on between Dharma and Kama (duty and desire). Below is a table showing how things are happening.
| Aspect | King Dushyanta's Approach | The Maiden's Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Driven by immediate, intense attraction (Kama). | Anchored in duty, lineage, and social order (Dharma). |
| Action | Seeks immediate union based on emotional and aesthetic appeal. | Requests patience, adherence to propriety, and parental consent. |
| Inquiry | Questions the logical contradiction of a celibate rishi having a daughter (Intellectual inquiry). | Responds with truth, offering an authentic narrative of her origins. |
Dushyanta is a king whose motto is Dharma. Yet, the moment he sees extraordinary beauty, he is captivated. Even the most disciplined and righteous mind is susceptible to the sudden onset of powerful desires. By requesting the king to wait for Rishi Kanva's arrival and blessings, she emphasizes that desire must always be aligned with and regulated by duty.
Meanings of the Names
Dushyanta: Meaning - The destroyer or subduer of evil; one who punishes the wicked. True to his name, Dushyanta is a righteous king whose motto is Dharma. He hunts and eliminates ferocious beasts to protect the peace. When he meets the maiden, his immediate surrender to attraction shows that while he can easily subdue external evils in the forest, subduing his internal desires requires a different kind of effort.
Shakuntala: (Her name is not disclosed here, but I will touch on the meaning here): Meaning - Protected or brought up by birds (Shakunta means bird). This context will become clear in the next post, when she tells the story of her birth. She is a product of nature, unaffected by the pomposity of royalty.
Kanva: Meaning- Highly talented, praised, or a skilled observer. He is a practicing celibate who has established an ashrama that radiates such immense peace that a person's physical suffering (hunger, thirst, fatigue) vanishes upon entering. As a father, he adopts an abandoned child, showing that his spiritual merit is seasoned with ultimate compassion.
Malini River: Meaning- The garlanded one. The ashrama is spread across both banks of the river. The river literally garlands the ashrama with life and beauty.
The Hunting Ground vs. The Ashrama
- The hunting ground is the external world. It is uneven, chaotic, and highly competitive. The wild beasts represent our base instincts—anger, aggression, greed, and the survival-of-the-fittest mentality.
- The Ashrama is the inner sanctuary. It is a place of absolute calmness, equilibrium, and clarity where the chaos cannot enter.
- Dushyanta is the Human Ego and Mind. The mind is capable of righteousness, discipline, and noble actions, but it is also vulnerable to sudden sensory triggers.
- The Maiden (Shakuntala) is truth and nature. She is flawless, untainted by society, and rooted in her values. She remains steady, representing intellect that refuses to be swayed by emotions.
Other Sources
The story of Dushyanta and Shakuntala is a part of Indian literature made famous by Mahabharata and later by Kalidas. Apart from the Mahabharata, the story can be found in:
The Puranas
- The Padma Purana: This text contains a detailed version that is like the romantic story found in later texts in India.
- The Vishnu Purana & Bhagavata Purana: Mention Bharata.
- The Vayu Purana and Matsya Purana: These contain specific references to Dushyanta's lineage, his hunting expedition, and his meeting Shakuntala.
Kalidas's story is part of Indian Literature and instead of touching upon it here, I will talk about the text and how it differs from the story of Mahabharata.
Conclusion
The chapter of Kashidas does not end here. It talks about the birth of Shakuntala and their marriage. I ended it here, so it does not become too big. So instead of a 'next week' post on that, I will share that part tomorrow.
.png)
No comments:
Post a Comment