Shakuntala Challenges Dushyanta
Recap:
I had divided the last post into 2 parts. This was about Dushyanta. The first part was when Dushyanta ended up entering Rishi Kanva’s ashrama and meeting Shakuntala, and the second part was about his marriage with Shakuntala. This post now continues from Dushyanta leaving the ashrama and Rishi Kanva entering.
Rishi Kanva returns
Soon after Dushyanta had left, Kanva returned with a sack full of fruits. He kept that sack and called out to Shakuntala. ‘Shakuntala, my dear’, he shouted. ‘Where are you? Come here. See what fruits I have brought today. Take this away and keep it where it belongs.’
No answer. Shakuntala was anxious and also shy. She refused to come out in front of the Rishi.
Kanva called out again and still no answer.
Kanva, worried, sat down there. He needed to know what had happened. He closed his eyes and began to concentrate. He then understood what had happened. He opened his eyes and called out, ‘My dear. Come here. Do not be afraid.’ Laughing, he said, ‘So, you were in a hurry to get married? I did not expect this; this is unconventional for an ashrama. Do not be afraid. I am not angry with you.’
Shakuntala came out and quietly stood in front of Kanva.
The Rishi said, ‘I forgive you and I also forgive the king because of you. If there is anyone to blame, that is me. I am the one who raised you.’
‘Forgive me,’ Shakuntala said, with folded hands. ‘Father, I did something which I should not have. I chose him as he is a great king. The king did not force himself. He asked for my consent. I accepted him as my husband through Gandharva marriage. For my sake, please forgive the king.’
Hearing this, Kanva said, ‘My dear, do not worry. I have forgiven the king. Know that you will give birth to a son. That son of yours will be a very famous person. He will rule over this earth. Ask me for a boon. I will grant that.’
Hearing this Shakuntala was relieved. She spoke. ‘Father, if you so desire, then please give your blessings.’ Shakuntala then asked for the boon that the kings of the lineage would always be virtuous.
Kanva granted that boon. Shakuntala bowed down and took the Rishi’s blessings. She then picked up the bundle of fruits that the Rishi had brought and took it inside. There, laying out the fruits she began to sort them out, as was the need.
Time passed. Shakuntala stayed in the ashrama of Kanva. Dushyanta, distracted by his duties and partly also because of the luxurious life that he was leading in his kingdom, forgot about Shakuntala. Then came the day, when in the ashrama of Rishi Kanva, Shakuntala gave birth. She became the mother of a beautiful boy, full of energy. There was a unique glow emanating from him, a sign that he was destined to do great things. Under the care of Shakuntala, Kanva, and the other people of the ashrama, the boy began growing up. Six years passed. Dushyanta was totally unaware that his son was growing up in an ashrama. Shakuntala’s son was very intelligent and grew up to have immense strength. When boys of his age would run if they heard a strange noise, this boy could catch hold of tigers and lions with his bare hands and drag them away with his bare hands. Tigers, lions, elephants – not a single wild animal ever hurt him. They would play with him as if they were his domesticated pets. Seeing this, Kanva named the boy, Damanaka.
One day, Rishi Kanva called Shakuntala aside and said to her, ‘My dear daughter. Your son was born for a great purpose. The time has come. He needs to go where he truly belongs and become the crown prince. With that, you too need to go to your husband’s home. It is not appropriate for a married daughter to stay indefinitely at her father's house. She begets ill-fame and more so, it will lead to unhealthy gossip. Go and unite with your husband.’ Shakuntala agreed and decided she would leave the next day.
Kanva then called a disciple of his and said to him, ‘Take Shakuntala with you, along with her son. Unite her with her husband. She should not be spending time with her father, away from her husband.’ Early next day, accompanied by the disciple, Shakuntala, along with her son, left for Hastinapura.
Shakuntala and Dushyanta
After a few days, they reached the city and asked to see the king. An audience with the king was granted and Shakuntala, holding her son’s hand, walked in with the disciple. They looked around at the grand palace, the court room and then saw the king sitting on his throne.
Shakuntala walked closer to Dushyanta and smiled. There was no reaction from the king. She felt a bit awkward. She then said, ‘My lord. This is your son. As promised by you, make him your heir apparent. Think of our marriage. This is our son. He was born in the ashrama of Rishi Kanva. It was when you were out hunting. You had come and met me, and we had married as per the Gandharva rituals.’
Hearing her words, the courtiers started whispering amongst themselves. Dushyanta was not sure what to do next. Unsure, he said, ‘I do not know you, ascetic woman. How are you? Whom do you belong to? If you want to stay in this city, you are most welcome to do so, but do not try and form relations with me.’
Shakuntala was stunned. She had not expected this. She looked around and saw the people in the court looking at her, doubting her and her character. This was humiliating. Shakuntala became angry. With her lips quivering in anger, she looked at the king. He seemed indifferent. Shakuntala controlled herself, and with tears in her eyes, she said, ‘Great king! I know you remember everything. Still, why do you keep quiet? Why do you lie like a common person? You yourself were the witness to the events in the ashrama and unfortunately there is no one else who can vouch for me. Do what is good and noble. Do not degrade yourself. Not in front of all here. You are acting like a thief here. Only a person who is a sinner says something while their mind says something else. If you feel that you did something and there was no one to see, then you are forgetting that there is the ever-present One. That One who resides in you and me both. And that One knows all your acts and what you are doing. All the devas were witnesses to your act. The sun, moon, wind, fire, sky, earth, water, one’s heart, Yama, day, night and Dharma know what is happening. If you commit good acts, Yama will bless you, else you will suffer. Do not take the name of the Gods as you are a liar. I am a faithful woman, a faithful wife. I beg of you, please do not disrespect me because I came to you, on my own. Give me the respect one should give to one’s wife. I am not any commoner.’
‘Who is a son? The husband enters a woman; it is he who comes out of her as her son. That son is the one who saves the lineage. A true wife is one who cares for the husband, looks after the house and bears children. A wife is half of her husband. A wife is needed for Dharma, Artha and Kama. One needs a wife to perform rituals. Without a wife, a home is like wilderness and with the company of a good wife, wilderness is like home. No one trusts a man who has no wife. A wife helps in salvation. When a husband dies, the wife goes with him. If the wife dies before him, she waits for the spirit of her husband. If the husband dies before her, the devoted wife soon follows. It is from the wife, that the husband sees his son. Even great Rishis are not able to have sons without wives. When a son embraces his father, the father rejoices. He does not mind that the child was playing in the mud. Why do you reject your own son? Look at him. He is looking at you, with such fond eyes. You are a learned person. Will you not come forth and reach out to your son? Among the two-legged ones, a Brahmin is the best. Among the four-legged ones, a cow. Among the devas, Brahma. The son is superior to all. Let this son of yours touch you. Feel his touch. That is the best feeling that a father can ever feel. For years, I have raised this son of yours. When he was born, a voice said he would become well-known as an emperor. This boy has been born from your seed. He looks like you.’
‘Among the apsaras in heaven, Menaka is the best of them. She gave birth to me, through the Rishi Vishvamitra. She then abandoned me and left, as I am nothing. What sins have I committed that first my parents and then my husband refuses to acknowledge me? I am willing to forsake everything and leave. Accept your son, and I will go away.’
Dushyanta was extremely uncomfortable. An ascetic woman was in front of him, and was talking to him in tones he did not like. Seeing that Shakuntala had finished, he said, ‘I do not know whose son this is. It is only your words. Your mother, Menaka, is a well-known courtesan. She abandoned you. Vishvamitra was born a Kshatriya but became a Rishi because of personal reasons. He is greedy and merciless. If these are your parents then what can be said about your character? Your son looks strong. Who is he really? Everything about you is unknown. So go away from here and do as you please.’
Shakuntala was stunned to hear this. Trying to control her anger, she said, ‘You are trying to find faults in all. At the same time, you are not seeing your own faults, even though they are huge. You are disrespecting those, who are divine. My mother is an apsara who is worshipped. My father is a great Rishi. What do you know about the three worlds? You were born on earth. I was born from one who roams the sky. As Menaka’s daughter I can travel anywhere at will. Do not compare yourself with me. It is like comparing a small mustard seed with a huge mountain like Meru. Please pardon my words, but I feel I need to say this. An ugly person thinks they are very handsome till they see their own face in the mirror. Know something O king, truth always prevails. And a lie is the worst evil. Do not stray from the words you had spoken to me. Do not run away from the promise you had made to me. If you refuse to listen to reason and do not wish to accept the truth, then I shall leave this place. I will not wish to live with a person like you. My son is destined to be a great king and that will happen. Maybe after your death.’
Having said this, holding her son’s hands and along with the disciple who had accompanied her, Shakuntala turned to leave. As soon as she was about to turn, a voice was heard from heaven. It said, ‘Dushyanta, listen to me carefully. Do not reject Shakuntala. This boy, who is holding her hand, is your son. He will bring glory to your lineage. All that Shakuntala has said is true. It will not be good if Shakuntala loses her temper. She has no malice in her and will forgive you easily. Accept her as your wife. Name your son, Bharata. He is destined to start a lineage that will become as the lineage of Bharata.’
Hearing the voice, Dushyanta got up. Everyone, who was in the assembly had heard the voice; the ministers, the priests – everyone. Dushyanta stood in front of all and said, ‘All of you assembled in the court, listen to me. You have heard what the divine voice just said. I know who Shakuntala is. I can recognize my son. Now think. If I had accepted her solely based on her words, people would have said many things. Rumours would have started. For that, I controlled myself and spoke harsh words. Shakuntala, forgive me. I had no intention of hurting or doubting you.’
With that, he stepped forward and embraced his son. He then picked him up, kissing his forehead. The priests came there, and among prayers and uttering of mantras, Dushyanta accepted Shakuntala and made her, his chief queen. He then said to her, ‘When I had married you, there were no witnesses. People would then assume that this was an illegitimate child. I do not hold your words in the heart. Please accept me as your husband.’
Shakuntala blushed.
Dushyanta then consulted the priests and the boy, now named Bharata, was made the heir apparent. When Dushyanta was old, Bharata was crowned king. Happy that Hastinapur was under the able guidance of a great ruler, Dushyanta along with Shakuntala left for the forests to lead the rest of their lives, lost in meditation. He became a very famous king. He conquered all and became an emperor. He conducted many Ashvamedha sacrifices and expanded his kingdom. From his name, the world became known as the land of Bharata.
Philosophical Analysis and other points from this tale
When Dushyanta questions Shakuntala, asking her, who was the witness for our union, Shakuntala does not break down. She does not merely argue to prove a point. She tells him you are forgetting that One, who resides in both you and me. She reminds the king about human conscience. Human beings often live under the delusion that an action committed in isolation or without human witnesses carries no consequences. Dushyanta relies on the fact that their Gandharva marriage took place in a secluded ashrama with nobody around to vouch for Shakuntala. What Shakuntala tells the king (about the elements of nature being witness) implies that truth is not a social construct, which depends on public documentation; it is an absolute reality. One can deceive the royal court, but one cannot deceive the conscience residing within.
After the heavenly voice validates Shakuntala, Dushyanta reveals his motive: "If I had accepted her solely based on her words, people would have said many things. Rumours would have started." He prioritised societal validation over moral rectitude, choosing to humiliate an innocent person rather than risk a political scandal or questions regarding his son's legitimacy. As per the tale, true Dharma demands that the ruler stand by what is the truth, regardless of how difficult it might be to prove initially. Dushyanta’s refusal to recognize Shakuntala is not a personal rejection; it shows the tension between a private Gandharva marriage (marriage by mutual consent without formal rituals) and the demands of royal accountability. A king's heir had to be beyond public reproach or suspicion of illegitimacy to ensure political stability.
The voice from the sky recurs in many scriptures. What is the need for this – could be a question. A situation like this, where there is no human witness, the voice plays a significant role. The marriage took place in a secluded ashrama. Here the voice is the testimony. As this is not human, it is accepted by all. The voice intervenes when human justice fails or reaches a standstill. It validates Shakuntala’s character and truthfulness in front of the entire assembly, permanently silencing any potential gossip or slander. The voice provides legitimacy to the future king.
Meanings of names
The text has two names for the son of Shakuntala. Rishi Kanva gives a name, and then the voice from the sky gives another. Let me talk about the two names.
Damanaka is derived from the word Dama (to subdue). His feat of subduing animals makes the Rishi name the boy Damanaka.
Bharata is derived from the word Bhri (to bear or to nourish) and this name means the sustainer or the nourisher.
Differences between Kashidas’s work and Vyasa Mahabharata
This tale stays aligned with Vyasa’s work. The differences are subtle and I will state that here.
- Kanva’s Reaction: Kashidas’s Kanva is worried and shocked and says this was unconventional. He forgets her and this goes to show the societal norms when Kashidas was composing his work. A woman choosing her own husband without patriarchal oversight was seen as a major lapse in modesty. In Vyasa’s work, Kanva says what had been done was not against Dharma. He says that this was the best form of marriage for two consenting people. There is no guilt, no need for apology. Shakuntala’s choice is viewed as righteous and appropriate. Also, Kashidas was composing his work when a socio-cultural shift had occurred. An unarranged, ritual-less marriage was no longer seen as proper.
- Naming of the Child Sarvadaman: Vyasa’s text states that the child had the sign of a chakra on his palm, meaning he was a chakravartin (universal emperor), from the day he was born. While Kashidas said the boy had controlled lions, tigers and elephants, thus was called Damanaka; Vyasa says the child ‘subjugated everything’ and this is the reason, the Rishi called the boy Sarvadaman.
Chakravartin literally means the one, whose wheels roll everywhere without obstruction - a king whose chariot wheels can travel across the entire earth because no other ruler can oppose him.
Other sources
Apart from the Mahabharata, Shakuntala’s story can be found in Shrimad Bhagavata Purana and Vishnu Purana (Fourth Book, Chapter 19), in brief. Vayu Purana and Matsya Purana also share this, in brief.
Conclusion
Mahabharata’s Shakuntala is an assertive woman. In front of Dushyanta, she does not weep helplessly when rejected; instead, she logically argues with the king, lecturing him on truth and integrity. Kalidasa transforms her into a romantic heroine who is driven by passion. In my next post, I will touch on this aspect of the story. That will be an ad-hoc post that I will publish tomorrow, before I go back to the Mahabharata, next week.
.png)
No comments:
Post a Comment