Shakuntala, Śakuntalā, Śākuntala: 17 definitions

Introduction
In Hinduism
Languages
1. Sanskrit
2. Nepali
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Introduction:

Shakuntala means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.

The Sanskrit terms Śakuntalā and Śākuntala can be transliterated into English as Sakuntala or Shakuntala, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).

In Hinduism

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

Source: Wisdom Library: Bhagavata Purana

Śakuntalā (शकुन्तला):—Daughter of Viśvāmitra and Menakā. King Duṣmanta married her and they had a son called Bharata.. (see Bhāgavata Purāṇa 9.20.13)

Source: archive.org: Puranic Encyclopedia

Śakuntalā (शकुन्तला).—Foster-daughter of sage Kaṇva.

Birth. Śakuntalā was a daughter born to Viśvāmitra of the Apsarā woman called Menakā. Viśvāmitra was engaged in intense tapas on the banks of river Mālinī in the Himālayas. Indra deputed Menakā to break the maharṣi’s tapas. She enticed him away from his tapas and got pregnant by him. But she forsook the child on the banks of Mālinī and returned to Devaloka. (See full article at Story of Śakuntalā from the Puranic encyclopaedia by Vettam Mani)

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana Index

Śakuntalā (शकुन्तला).—The daughter of Viśvāmitra and Menakā; was brought up in Kaṇva's āśrama with nīvāra food; Duṣyanta who came there was entertained and was accepted as her Lord by Gāndharva vidhi. Gave birth to the future Bharata and came to the king's palace with the child; was refused admission by the king who had forgotten her. A voice in the air urged the king to accept her and he did so;¹ a queen of Duṣyanta and mother of Bharata.²

1) Bhāgavata-purāṇa IX. 20. 8-22 [1-2]; Matsya-purāṇa 49. 11; Cā. 99. 134.
2) Viṣṇu-purāṇa IV. 19. 12-13.

Source: JatLand: List of Mahabharata people and places

Śakuntalā (शकुन्तला) refers to the name of a Lady mentioned in the Mahābhārata (cf. I.90.30). Note: The Mahābhārata (mentioning Śakuntalā) is a Sanskrit epic poem consisting of 100,000 ślokas (metrical verses) and is over 2000 years old.

Śākuntala is also mentioned in the Mahābhārata (cf. I.89.16) and represents one of the many proper names used for people and places.

context information

The Purana (पुराण, purāṇas) refers to Sanskrit literature preserving ancient India’s vast cultural history, including historical legends, religious ceremonies, various arts and sciences. The eighteen mahapuranas total over 400,000 shlokas (metrical couplets) and date to at least several centuries BCE.

Kavya (poetry)

Source: Archaeological Survey of India: Śaiva monuments at Paṭṭadakal (kāvya)

Śakuntalā (शकुन्तला).—The story of Śakuntalā in the dramaby Kālidāsa is as follows. Śakuntalā, a foster daughter of sage Kaṇva is brought up in an āśrama, monastery. Śakuntalā sees King Duṣyanta for the first time, while she is watering the plants and it is love at first sight for her. But the austere rules of the āśrama are not in favour of her meeting with her dearly loved king all the time. As a result, she is afflicted by pangs of love.

context information

Kavya (काव्य, kavya) refers to Sanskrit poetry, a popular ancient Indian tradition of literature. There have been many Sanskrit poets over the ages, hailing from ancient India and beyond. This topic includes mahakavya, or ‘epic poetry’ and natya, or ‘dramatic poetry’.

General definition (in Hinduism)

Source: archive.org: Vedic index of Names and Subjects

Śakuntalā (शकुन्तला) is the name of an Apsaras who bore Bharata, according to the Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa (xiii, 5, 4, 13), at Nāḍapit.

Source: Apam Napat: Indian Mythology

Shakuntala was the daughter of Menaka, the Apsara. Her father was the great sage Vishwamitra. When her immortal mother returned to her heavenly abode, she was entrusted to the sage Kanva, who adopted her as his daughter.

Source: WikiPedia: Hinduism

Shakuntalā (शकुन्‍तला): Shakuntala was mother of Emperor Bharata and the wife of Dushyanta. Shakuntala was born of Vishvamitra and Menaka.

Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Śakuntalā (शकुन्तला).—[śakuntaiḥ lāyate lā ghañarthe ka] Name of the daughter of Viśvāmitra by the nymph Menakā who was sent down by Indra to disturb the sage's austerities. [When Menakā went up to the heaven she left the child in a solitary forest where she was taken care of by 'Śakuntas' or birds, whence she was called "Śakuntalā". She was afterwards found by the sage Kaṇva and brought up as his own daughter. When Duṣyanta in the course of his hunting came to the sage's hermitage, he was fascinated by her charms and prevailed on her to become his wife by the Gandharva form of marriage; (see Duṣyanta). She bore to him a son named Bharata, who became a universal monarch, and gave his name to India which came to be called Bharatavarsa.]

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Śākuntala (शाकुन्तल).—A metronymic of Bharata (son of Śakuntalā).

-lam The drama called अभिज्ञान शकुन्तला (abhijñāna śakuntalā) of Kālidāsa.

Derivable forms: śākuntalaḥ (शाकुन्तलः).

See also (synonyms): śākuntaleya.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Śakuntalā (शकुन्तला).—f.

(-lā) The daughter of Menaka, the courtezan of Swarga, by the sage Vishwamitra, brought up by Kanwa the hermit, and afterwards married to Dushyanta, by whom she became the mother of Bharata, the sovereign of all India. E. śakunta a bird, lā to get, affs. ka and ṭāp, being born in a solitary forest, and protected by the birds till found by Kanwa.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Śakuntalā (शकुन्तला).—[śakunta + lā], f. A proper name, [Śākuntala, (ed. Böhtlingk.)] 3, 5.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Śakuntalā (शकुन्तला).—[feminine] [Name] of an Apsaras, the heroine of a celebrated drama.

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Śākuntala (शाकुन्तल).—[masculine] the son of Śakuntalā (Bharata); [neuter] the play or the tale about Ś.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary

1) Śakuntalā (शकुन्तला):—[from śakuna] f. (said to be [from] śakunta) Name of a daughter of the Apsaras Menakā by Viśvāmitra (she was supposed to have been born and left in a forest, where she was protected by birds till found by the sage Kaṇva, who took her to his hermitage and reared her as his daughter; she was there seen by king Duṣyanta, when on a hunting expedition, and married by him, and became the mother of Bharata, sovereign of all India; the story of Duṣyanta’s accidental meeting with Śakuntalā, their marriage, separation, his repudiation of her through temporary loss of memory caused by a curse, his subsequent recognition of her by means of a ring which was lost but afterwards recovered, forms the subject of Kālidāsa’s celebrated drama called Abhijñāna-śakuntalā q.v.).

2) Śākuntala (शाकुन्तल):—m. ([from] śakuntalā) [metronymic] of Bharata (sovereign of India as son of Śakuntalā and Duṣyanta), [Mahābhārata]

3) n. ([according to] to some also f(ā). ) = next or the drama commonly called Śakuntalā or Abhijñāna-śakuntalam, [Mālatīmādhava]

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Śakuntalā (शकुन्तला):—[śakunta-lā] (lā) 1. f. The mother of king Bharata, who was sovereign of all India.

Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)

Śakuntalā (शकुन्तला) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Sauṃtalā.

[Sanskrit to German]

Shakuntala in German

context information

Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family (even English!). Closely allied with Prakrit and Pali, Sanskrit is more exhaustive in both grammar and terms and has the most extensive collection of literature in the world, greatly surpassing its sister-languages Greek and Latin.

Nepali dictionary

Source: unoes: Nepali-English Dictionary

Śākuntala (शाकुन्तल):—adj. of/related to Shakuntala; the mother of Bharata (भारत [bhārata] );

context information

Nepali is the primary language of the Nepalese people counting almost 20 million native speakers. The country of Nepal is situated in the Himalaya mountain range to the north of India.

Relevant text

Search found 62 books and stories containing Shakuntala, Śakuntalā, Sakuntala, Śākuntala, Shakunta-la, Śakunta-lā, Sakunta-la; (plurals include: Shakuntalas, Śakuntalās, Sakuntalas, Śākuntalas, las, lās). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

5. Abhijñānaśākuntala in Kuntaka’s treatment < [Chapter 2 - Kuntaka’s appraisal of Kālidāsa]

3.8 (e): Contextual figurativeness or prakaraṇa-vakratā < [Chapter 1 - Vakroktijīvita: A Synoptic Survey]

1. Kālidāsa in Kuntaka’s treatment < [Chapter 2 - Kuntaka’s appraisal of Kālidāsa]

+ 3 more chapters / show preview

Iṣu (Arrow) < [Chapter 3]

+ 10 more chapters / show preview

Text 10.94 < [Chapter 10 - Ornaments of Meaning]

Text 7.97 < [Chapter 7 - Literary Faults]