Poems ✍️

The girls sat with Dushyanta,
While the heart of Sakuntala,
Felt a strange feeling of love
That entered her mind somehow.

Anusuya broke the silence first.
“We find from your talk, you’re great.
Which land feels sorry without you?
Here, what has brought you? ”

Hiding the fact, he said,
“I’m a minister appointed
By Puru’s King to supervise
Whatever be the religious rites.”

“I came here to see
That you’re all free
To do these rites
Without any obstacles.”

“How the Sage Kanva
Had his daughter Sakuntala,
When celibacy, in fact,
He observed through out? ”

The story, Anusuya narrated
“Child Sakuntala was abandoned
Both by Kowsika, her father,
And Menaka, her celestial mother.”

“Kowsika, a King he was,
And did penance for years.
A Royal Sage he became
Thus earned ‘Rajarishi’ name.”

“Devas became jealous
With his long penance.
So, they sent a celestial
Nymph Menaka to spoil.”

“She came before him
And closely wooed him.
Baby Sakuntala was born
As a result of this union.”

“So, Sakuntala was born
To a girl from the heaven, ”
Dushyanta was surprised
And this remark he passed.

“Such a matchless beauty
And a graceful body,
Will a woman too earthly,
In her womb bear so easily? ”

“The light of a lightning,
That’s highly dazzling,
Doesn’t flash and come
From this earth, any time.”

On hearing this praise,
The words of a man wise,
She kept her look down
Out of shy, a natural one.

He said, “Let me know this;
Against all the obstacles
In this forest ascetic life
Does she want a married life? ”

“Or, she wants to stay here
With all her pet deer,
As she has her eyes
Similar to these pets.”

“Her holy father desired, ”
Pryamvada replied,
“She should be handed
To a suitable husband.”

“Even in this ascetic life
He wants her to be a wife
Of one having a desire
To accept and marry her.”

Dushyanta was happy,
That his desire was slowly
Reaching the other side,
Like fire spreading wide.