Shakuntala’s story in the Mahabharata is quite different from Kalidasa’s very popular Sanskrit play written around 500 CE. In Kalidasa’s play, Shakuntala is brought to Dushyanta as soon as her father discovers she is pregnant but due to a Rishi’s curse Dushyanta is unable to recollect her. In Vyasa’s epic, Shakuntala comes to Dushyanta years later when her son enquires who his father is—Dushyanta pretends not to recognize her to protect his reputation. Kalidasa’s Shakuntala seeks her husband while Mahabharata’s Shakuntala seeks her son’s father. Kalidasa’s Shakuntala is very conscious of
...more
