ROLE OF CULTURE IN THE TRANSLATIONS OF KALIDASA’S ABHIJNANASAKUNTALAMW

Abstract

There are mainly seven texts attributed to Kalidasa. He composed two Mahakavyas i.e. epics, the Raghuvamsa and the Kumarasambhava; two Khandakavyas i.e. lyrics, the Ritusamhara and the Meghaduta; and three natakas i.e. plays, the Malivikagnimitram, the Vikramorvasiyam, and the Abhijnanasakuntalam. The play Abhijnanasakuntalam has a world-wide appreciation and is universally acclaimed as the best creation of Kalidasa. The seven-act play portrays the passionate love between the king Dusyanta and Shakuntala, the daughter of a celestial nymph, Menaka and sage Viswamitra. The plot of the play is based on the Sakuntalopakhyana of the Adiparva of the epic Mahabharata. In the epic, Dusyanta, during his hunting expedition comes to the hermitage of sage Kanva and has relished the company of Sakuntala. He falls in love with Shakuntala and wants to marry her according to the Gandharva ceremony of marriage. Sakuntala agrees to marry him on the condition that her son would become the heir of the kingdom. They marry and the king leaves for his kingdom. After nine years, Sakuntala and her son Sarvadamana comes to the palace of the king. But the king out of the fear of the people refuses to accept her. In the meantime, a divine voice is heard that Shakuntala is the married wife of Dushyanta and therefore he should accept her.