Shakuntala

Introduction

The story of Shakuntala originally appeared in the first book of Mahabharata where the lineage of the chief characters is detailed.It was later adapted with minor changes into a play by Kalidasa, the great Sanskrit poet and dramatist.And it is claimed that it was Shakuntalas son name ,Bharat a direct ancestor of Pandava and Kaurava princes,who gave the country its name -BHARAT.
This story typifies the laxity that prevailed in earlier times and which was significant enough to be immortalised in folklore and religion.Taken from Sudheer Birodkar's Book on Hindu History and have been edited in a few section by me .If there are any errors please inform me so that I can amend.

Vishwamitra was one of the important sages of India in ancient times. Incidentally, he was born a king and due to penances he acquired the status of a Brahmin. To please the Gods, he once retired to the forest and lived the life of a recluse for years together. As the years passed in meditation and penance (Tapascharya), so powerful became his meditation that the Gods felt their position becoming insecure. To guard their interests, the Gods decided to make Vishwamitra give up his meditation. Towards this end they employed the services of the celestial nymph Menaka and asked her to go and use her charms to make him give up his meditation.
With this malicious intent Menaka came down to Vishwamitra'a abode and exercised her charms for enchanting the meditating Vishwamitra. Oblivious of her intent, the unsuspecting Vishwamitra, human that he was, he gave in, to the damsels distracting advances. Once she had trapped Vishwamitra by capturing his coveted attention Menaka successfully proceeded to dismantle his shield against wordly passions, and finally sealed the fate of the unfortunate Vishwamitra's meditation, when by Vishwamitra ,she conceived a child. Realising that his meditation had gone to pieces, Viswamitra was furious, but the irreparable damage had been done. Menaka gave birth to a chubby girl whom she named Shakuntala.
Having completed her deed , Menaka returned to the abode of the Gods, but she had to leave her child Shakuntala behind and as Vishwamitra disowned the child and went back to his soul searching meditation, Menaka decided to leave her child at an ashrama (traditional Hindu monastery for imparting education). Since there was no one there,she left her child inside the ashrama.
The owner of the ashrama ,Kanvaraci,when whom returned back saw some Sakuntala birds playing and singing with the child.So he named the child Sakuntala.
At the ashrama Shakuntala grew up to become a lovely maiden and lived a happy life among friends, flowers and her pet deer and rabbits.
One fine day,Kanvaraci went out hunting and told Sakuntala that it would take him a few months for his return,therefore she should take care of herself well .It so happened that Dushyanta the king of that country had come to the forest on a hunt. Pursuing a wild boar he ran into the ashrama where Shakuntala lived and his eyes fell on a handsome fully grown male deer whom he immediately made a target of his arrow. As the deer fell crying out in agony, Shakuntala rushed out and was shocked to find her, favourite pet in pain. She hurriedly removed the arrow and tried to comfort the hurt deer. This moving sight of a maiden's affection for her pet touched Dushyanta's tender feelings and coming before Shakuntala he prayed for being pardoned.
Magnanimously, Shakuntala pardoned him on condition that he stay in the ashrama for a few days and tend the deer whom he had wounded, to which readily agreed. In the serene environment of the ashrama, Dushyanta's affection for Shakuntala grew into romance and finally he asked for her hand in marriage. With the consent of the elders, their nuptials were duly solemnized. After a few days Dushyanta received news that all was not well in his capital and he had to perforce return, promising to come back after a few days and take Shakuntala with him. Before taking her leave Dushyanta gave Shakuntala his ring as a remembrance. In anticipation of the happy day when her beloved would return to reclaim her, Shakuntala spent her days dreaming about him.
During one such moods when she was oblivious of the happenings around her, a famous but short tempered sage visited the ashrama.He was Kanvaracis friend and had came to visit him.He called out his friends name a few times and saw Shakuntala sitting at the doorstep. The sage stood before her for sometime but she failed to become aware of his presence. Angered by this breach of hospitality, he cursed her that the person whom she was thinking about would forget her, so saying the sage turned to leave. But fortunately one of Shakuntala's friends heard the sage's curse and explained to him the reason for her behaviour. Mollified by the explanation ,the sage added that in spite of the curse Shakuntali's beloved would recognise her if she showed him any article which the said person had given her.
Shakuntala's days passed in dreaming about her beloved. During those days she realised to her joy that she had conceived Dushyanta's child. Days turned to weeks and weeks to months but the much awaited visit from Dustyanta did not materialise. Her patience at the end of its tether, Shakuntala decided to wait no longer and to go to Dushyanta. By then Kanvaraci had returned back from his hunting.Sakuntalas maid told him what had occurred during his absence and without wasting time he ordered the maids to make preparation to bring Sakuntala to her husbands palace.
Along with her foster father, teacher and some of her mates she set out to Dushyanta's palace. On the way the entourage had to cross the river Gangga which they did by hiring a canoe. Thrilled by the pristine emerald blue waters, Shakuntala could not resist waiding her fingers through them. Unknowingly the ring given to her by Dushyanta slipped off into the river and lost in her bliss. Shakuntala proceeded to the palace. At the palace, Dushyanta failed to recognise Shakuntala, as a result of the curse. Shocked at Dushyanta's unexpected behaviour, Shakuntala was dumbfounded. Then only she had realized that the ring was missing .
After fruitlessly trying to persuade Dushyanta, the disgraced Shakuntala left the palace. Out of shame she decided to live alone in an isolated place where she gave birth to a chubby boy whom she named Bharata. (There is a story that Menaka, Sakuntalas mother came down and took her daughter to stay with her in an isolated place and theres where Bharata was born)
The boy grew up with his mother and was extremely fearless. In his isolated home his only playmates were the lion and tiger cubs who moved about in the forest. This brave boy Bharata cultivated the hobby of opening the mouths of the cubs and counting their teeth. Meanwhile in Dushyanta's palace a fisherman came carrying the ring which was given to Shakuntala by Dushyanta at their wedding. The fisherman had found the ring in the stomach of a large fish that he had caught and seeing the royal emblem carved on it had brought it to the palace. Seeing this ring revived Dushyanta's lost memory of Shakuntala and he rushed to the Ashrama to reclaim her.
Remorse enveloped him when he came to know that Shakuntala no longer stayed there. Indran, who was having war in his kingdom seeked the help of Dushyanta .They won the battle and then Indran decided that he would help to reunite Dushyanta with his wife. While on a hunt, he saw the strange sight of a boy holding open the jaws of a lion cub and trying to count its teeth. Wondering as to whose son he was, Dushyanta got down from his mount and asked the boy his name. Astonished that he was on being told by the boy that he was Bharata ,son of King Dushyanta the ruler of the land; Dushyanta's astonishment gave way to overwhelming pleasure when he saw Shakuntala emerging from the hut nearby. The family came together in a joyous reunion. And this brave boy grew up to be a powerful and benevolent king the memory of whose rule was immortalized by our country being known since ancient times as Bharatvarsha - named after one of its great king's Bharata.
This episode is one of the many in Indian history and mythology which depict an environment in which natural love was given free rein in earlier times. This was in contrast to the restrictive and puritanical attitude that has prevailed over the ages till today .