KALIDASA

An ancient heathen poet, loving more
God's creatures, and His women, and His flowers
Than we who boast of consecrated powers;
Still lavishing his unexhausted store

Of love's deep, simple wisdom, healing o'er
The world's old sorrows, India's griefs and ours;
That healing love he found in palace towers,
On mountain, plain, and dark, sea-belted shore,

In songs of holy Raghu's kingly line
Or sweet Shakuntala in pious grove,
In hearts that met where starry jasmines twine

Or hearts that from long, lovelorn absence strove
Together. Still his words of wisdom shine:
All's well with man, when man and woman love.

Willst du die Blüte des frühen, die
Früchte des späteren Jahres,
Willst du, was reizt und entzückt,
Willst du, was sättigt und nährt,
Willst du den Hummel, die erde mit
Einem Namen begreifen,
Nenn' ich, Sakuntala, dich, und
dann ist alles gesagt.

GOETHE

FOOTNOTES:

[1]

These verses are translated on pp. [123, 124].

[2]

The passage will be found on pp. [190-192].

[3]

This matter is more fully discussed in the introduction to my translation of The Little Clay Cart (1905).

[4]

Lévi, Le Théâtre Indien, p. 163.

[CONTENTS]

PAGE
INTRODUCTION:
KALIDASA—HIS LIFE AND WRITINGS 		[vii]
SHAKUNTALA [1]
THE STORY OF SHAKUNTALA [97]
THE TWO MINOR DRAMAS—
I. Malavika and Agnimitra [109]
II. Urvashi[115]
THE DYNASTY OF RAGHU [123]
THE BIRTH OF THE WAR-GOD [157]
THE CLOUD-MESSENGER [183]
THE SEASONS [211]

SHAKUNTALA
A PLAY IN SEVEN ACTS

DRAMATIS PERSONÆ

KING DUSHYANTA.
BHARATA,nicknamed All-tamer, his son.
MADHAVYA,a clown, his companion.
His charioteer.
RAIVATAKA,a door-keeper.
BHADRASENA,a general.
KARABHAKA,a servant.
PARVATAYANA,a chamberlain.
SOMARATA,a chaplain.
KANVA,hermit-father.
SHARNGARAVA }his pupils.
SHARADVATA
HARITA
DURVASAS,an irascible sage.
The chief of police.
SUCHAKA} policemen.
JANUKA
A fisherman.
SHAKUNTALA,foster-child of Kanva.
ANUSUYA}her friends.
PRIYAMVADA
GAUTAMI,hermit-mother.
KASHYAPA,father of the gods.
ADITI,mother of the gods.
MATALI,charioteer of heaven's king.
GALAVA,a pupil in heaven.
MISHRAKESHI,a heavenly nymph.

Stage-director and actress (in the prologue), hermits and hermit-women, two court poets, palace attendants, invisible fairies.

The first four acts pass in Kanva's forest hermitage; acts five and six in the king's palace; act seven on a heavenly mountain. The time is perhaps seven years.