Chapter 5 - Notes and Analysis of Fifth Act

ACT V-NOTES The Fifth Act. 231 Page 111. The scene of action which has been laid in the penance-grove in the last four Acts now shifts to the Royal palace, and it continues there throughout the Fifth and Sixth Acts. At the end of the last Act Sakuntala has started on her journey. The actual journey is not stage-worthy under the rule ai etc. What is now to be presented is only the arrival of Sakuntala and party at the palace, and preparatory to the same the King and Vidusaka are first introduced as seated conversing with each other. This certainly applies to Vidusaka too. karna datva Lending the ear. samgitasalantare . It can be gathered that music-halls were attached to royal homes in ancient India reserved for the entertainment of the royal ladies. avadhanam . Attention is needed to hear it. So it must be the gentle voice of a lady. Imperative, 2 nd person singular of Sweet and indistinct. Amara : - dhvanau tu madhurasphute | kalah kala casau visuddha ca tasyah kalavisuddhayah visuddha Faultless visuddha is a technical variety of as which are said to be fivefold. But the proper view will be to construe fage as faultless; free from faults such as these- sankitam bhitamutkustamavyaktamanunasikam kharasamyogah The permutation and combination of the notes. indicates an inference sruyate Is heard. tatrabhavati This term of respect

is used on account of her association with the king. is one of the king's consorts. She is mentioned in this single connection in the whole of the play. She never enters the stage. She sings behind the screen, and the voice is heard by the king and Vidusaka on the stage. She is introduced solely for the purpose of singing a song which faintly rouses the king's reminiscences of a forgotten love, and it suggests in particular the forgetfulness of the king about Sakuntala caused by the curse of sage Durvasas. A practice on the notes of a musical song. a ma The song is heard to proceed from the sky; strictly speaking, from somewhere behind the curtain. This is distinct from the technical variety of akasabhasita in which there is a pretence of a query and an answer with the words and so on. Verse 1. This verse is allegorically addressed to a bee. he madhukara O bee. abhinavam madhu, tasmin lolupah san Fond of tasting a new kind of honey. gauz ayi c Having sipped the mango blossom so fondly. The idea is that you tasted the juice of the mango flower in eagerness for a different kind of honey. You tasted it for mere curiosity, not out of a sincere liking, for you have now gone back to your usual lotus. kamalameva vasatih (kamale vasatirva ), kamalavasatireva kamalavasatimatram, tasmin Indulging but in your lotus-residence. i refers to cutamanjarim . katham vismrto'si vismrtah used in the sense of vismrtavan In Prakrt the differentiations of suffixes •

ACT V-NOTES 233 are not strictly observed. This stanza is a rebuke by the king's Bhogini Hamsapadika for his fickleness in love towards her, now that he has reverted to his former love for the queen. This verse suggests to the mind's eye of the reader the picture of the king" who has grown totally oblivious of his love for Sakuntala and confines his attentions to the ladies of his palace. suggests that the change is inconceivable. Page 112. aho is an Interjection of joy. ragam parivadayatiti ragaparivahini . aksarartha The sense of the song as distinct from its melody. The king begins to explain the implication of the song. : means myself. sakrn krtah pranayah yena krtapranayah Or ayam janah may be taken to refer to Hamsapadika, in which case should be dissolved as krtah pranayah yasmin . She was once fondled, but not cared for later. to be taken along with nadupalambhamh Therefore. 3: devim vasumati antarena On account of my attitude towards queen Vasumati to whom I have restored my affections. A taunt of me. : The suffix a is used in the Active significance, for the roots that are and are interchangeable. Vide Panini: Taaf¬Hasqalegura- gatyarthakarmakaslisasisthara- vasajanaruhajiryatibhyasca Or avagatah is used in the sense of avagamitah on the principle that roots sometimes signify their causal. antarbhavitanickaprayogah . ucyatam Passive Im perative of bru . nipunamupalabdho'smi I have been cleverly rebuked by a covert reference to a disloyal bee.

ga I have to obey your orders, however much I fear that I may become the target of Hamsapadika's anger. taya grhitasya Vidusaka imagines that he will be seized and kept in confinement as a reward for the service done to the king. If she at least seizes me with her own hand, it will be some consolation. She will not even give me that joy. She will effect my seizure by the hands of others. : They will seize me in the tuft for man-handling me. Then who will come to save me? ta nasti meh No help. An analogy is furnished for the situation. apsarasa sikhandake grhitasya vitaragasyeva Suppose an Apsaras or celestial damsel takes hold of a man averse to worldly pleasures and steeped in renunciation. How much would he struggle to get out of her hold? Or need not be taken in the general sense of a Jnanin. It may refer simply to a man who dislikes her. All the North Indian readings add tadyamanasya after sikhandake . All the South Indian readings properly omit the word, for the idea can be had by implication. You had better go, notwithstanding your fears. The king knows that Vidusaka's fears are supposititious. He is confident that his Viduusaka can deal with the situation. nagare bhavah nagarikah In the method characteristic of a citizen. The idea is that a citizen is highly polished in manners and speech and can win the hearts of ladies by his politeness. Inform her. Of course the

ACT V-NOTES 235 manner of approach is known to you. is largely used in the science of erotics to denote a person who is an adept in winning the hearts of ladies. Page 113.: Willy nilly, I have to go. Mura: Vidusaka walks out apparently to pacify Hamsapadika: The king feels that some- kim nu khalu how his latent feelings have been stirred up on hearing the song. gitartham akarnya On hearing the song and noting its meaning. istajanavirahat rte'pi Though I do not undergo separation from any dearly loved person. , an Indeclinable meaning 'without' governs a noun in the Ablative case. balavat Violently. utkanthino sI am affected by anxiety. All this, it can be easily seen, refers to his love for Sakuntala which is entirely forgotten. athava shows that his anxiety is not a surprise. Verse 2. Dusyanta ascribes the vague longing that has overtaken him to some subtle reminiscence impressed on his mind from a previous birth. This stanza brings out the firm conviction of the poet in the theory of the transmigration of the soul with all its attendant latent impressions. ramyani . The noun rupani understood. While enjoying the sight of pleasant objects. madhuran sabdan nisamya ca And after hearing sweet sounds. A person who is in the enjoyment of happiness paryutsukah bhavatiti yat That he becomes possessed of a vague craving as though unsatisfied.

tat It is natural for men deprived of the pleasures of the company of their sweethearts to be overpowered with a zeal to enjoy happiness. If a man who is in the enjoyment of all possible comforts entertains a vague craving as if it were unsatisfied, there must be some strong reason for it. The reason is set out in the second half of the verse. Therefore. The idea is-'Therefore the inference is.' fer Firmly seated in the heart in the form of subtle impressions. jananantarasauhrdani The affinities of a different birth. Indeed he recollects. abodhapurvam Unconsciously. bodhah purvah yasmin karmani tattatha bodhapurvam, na vodhapurvam abodhapurvam Without his own knowing it ; unwittingly; involuntarily. By the mind. Of course every recollection is caused by the mind. What is the purpose of saying-'By the mind'? The idea is that there is an absolute lack of external agencies or circumstances that would contribute to the recollection. The affinities of a past birth leave a permanent impress upon the soul with the result that they continue in a latent form in the succeeding birth. This latent impression is called vasana, bhavana or samskara . In the place of paryutsuko bhavati there is a reading paryutsukibhavati . But the poet is not likely to have used a compound which could be avoided. jananantaram A compound of the mayuravyamsaka type. sauhrdam The derivation presents some difficulty. If: be intended the form will be sauhardam by reason of ubhayapadavrddhi

ACT V-NOTES 237 laid down by Panini : - dadbhagasindhyante purvapadasya ca Hence Vamana in his Kavyalamkara dissolves it as - : by the addition of z and the substitution of for hrdaya . yuvaditvadan tatah 'hrdayasya hrlekhayadanalasesu ' iti hrdbhavah . adivrddhi comes as usual. Vide Vamana : - sauhrdauhrda Redau zan (V-2-83). By way of parallel to this sabdavani sloka Prof. A. B. Gajendragadkar cites the following extract from Charles Dickens's Oliver Twist- 'Thus a strain of gentle music, or the rippling of water in a silent place, or the odour of a flower, or the mention of a familiar word will sometimes call up sudden remembrance of scenes that never were in this life; which vanish like a breath; which some brief memory of a happier existence long gone by would seem to have awakened; which no voluntary exertion of mind can recall. This extract looks as though it were a paraphrase of the present verse. Prof. Gajendragadkar deserves all praise for finding out this apt parallel from a foreign literature. A Kancukin has been defined thus:- antahpuracaro vrddho vipro gunagananvitah | sarvakaryarthakusalah kakiyabhidhiyate || A Kancukin is an old man in charge of the harem, clever, experienced and faithful, generally a Brahmin. so-called, perhaps because of the a long thin robe that he used to wear. Amara: sauvidalah rcukinah .

238 : SAKUNTALA Verse 3. The Kancukin enters giving vent to his feelings of despondency at the infirmities of old age as is usual with several other chamberlains of other dramas. Cf : - antahpuranam vihitavyavasthah pade pade'ham skhalitani raksan | jaraturah samprati dandanitya sarvam nrpasyanukaromi vrttam || Nagananda IV-1. nocah satyapi caksusiksitamalam srutvapi nakarnitam sakte- napyadhikara ityadhikrta yastih samalambita | sarvatra skhalitesu dattamanasa yatam maya noddhatam sevasvikrtajivitasya jarasa kim nama yanme krtam || Venisamhara II-1. In Malavikagnimitra the Chamberlain enters without disparaging his old age. acarah A sign of office. For that reason. iti avahitena maya I had to studiously carry a cane-stick in my younger days as an insignia of my office as a superintendent of the harem. ya vetrayastih grhita Of course the cane-staff marking his office, it may be presumed, was provided with a silver cap and circular sheet bearing ornamental designs worthy of use at a royal household. rajnah avarodhagrhesu . avarodha means a harem as also the inmates of a harem. avarudhyata iti avarodhah Royal ladies were under restrictions. The proverb may be recalled asuryampasya rajadarah As applied to the ladies' court avarodha may be derived as avarudhyante striyah asminniti, grha is generally used in the masculine plural. Amara :- grhah pumsi ca bhumnyeva . It is for that reason grhesu is employed. Of course there is also in the neuter singular. That 'self-same cane-staff. bahutithe kale gate sati bahunam puranah bahutithah Panini : - tasya purane dat and bahupugaganasanghasya tithuk . prasthane viklaba gatih yasya tasya mama, avalambanaya iyam avalambanartha jata . v

ACT V-NOTES 239 Page 114. kamam No doubt ; even though. dharmakaryam Atsending to the administration of justice. The idea is The advent of sages sent by Kasyapa is presumed to be for getting some redress from the king, and as such it deserves priority of attention. atipatayitum na yogyam anatipatyam Unfit to be delayed. etc. states the reason why the chamberlain is reluctant to communicate the matter at once to the king. dharmasya asanam dharmasanam . The reason for his reluctance is that the king has just now risen from his judicial seat. uparodham kartum silamasya uparodhakari The arrival of Kanva's disciples is calculated to cause disturbance at a time when he needs rest most. This shows his reason for deciding to apprise the king of the arrival of sages notwithstanding his own reluctance. na vidyate visramah yasya sah avisramah Giving no rest. lokasya tantram tasya adhikarah The office of superintending the affairs of the world. Verse 4. The chamberlain likens the king in his ceaseless toil to the Sun, the wind and Adisesa who bears the Earth. bhanuh sakrt Once yuktah turangah yena sah yuktaturangah eva The Sun had once yoked his horses. He is driving on them for ever. ratrau ca diva ca ratrimdivam a compound enjoined under Panini : -acatura etc. sesah sadaiva ahitah bhumibharah yena sah . After mentioning the three Upamanas the verse deals with the king who is the Upameya sastamsah vrttih yasya tasya . The king draws an one-sixth share of the produce as revenue. Hence

is itself used by the poet as an epithet of the king. :: Ceaseless attention is his duty. refers to the chamberlain's official duty of reporting the advent of visitors. Verse 5. esa devah outside the verse has to be taken along with the predicate in the verse. The first : means subjects, the second : children. After directing them in their respective work. viviktam darf santamanah san With a mind relieved of worries nisevate Resorts to solitude. In the place of santamanah there is also a reading: meaning 'with a weary mind.' The second half of the verse sets out an analogy for the king's seeking solitude. yuthani samcarya Generally elphants graze in batches. A lord elephant directs their journey. refers to from the context. Indeclinable past participle of the causal of car with sam to roam about. raviprataptah dvipendrah The leading tusker heated by the Sun. An Indeclinable meaning during the day. tusker would resort to a cool place. Slope adjoining a mountain. As the Amara: upatyakadrerasanna bhumirurdhvamadhityaka Panini : - upadhibhyam tyakannasana- rudhayoh . 641: 392441 i aqzki aa anika:. upatyakarya yadaranyam vasinah of course refers to Sakuntala. faur afar: geist:. ai striya sahitah sastrikah . stri The elderly Gautami can be ignored as her presence in the company of sages is not likely to be of any special import. Or dissolve it as stribhyam sahitah sampraptah That they carry a message from Kasyapa should have been intimated by

ACT V-NOTES 241 them to the Kancukin in the first instance. Their idea was certainly that the mention of Kasyapa's name and the arrival of a lady will be sufficient to rouse the recognition of the king. srauta pratipalayami from pala There is no stagePage 115 srutva On hearing this. devah pramanam Your Majesty is the authority to decide what to do. is a pair of Indeclinables meaning-yes. gag : srutisu drstah sritah an is affixed under Panini:-tatra bhavah . Rites enjoined by the Srutis or Vedas are as distinguished from smarta rites enjoined by Smrtis vidhina By the procedure. pravesayitum = amrn pravistan kartum with a to await, to expect. direction for the entry of the female doorkeeper. It is to be presumed that from the very start she stands at a distance ready to comply with any call from the king pratihari A female doorkeeper pratiharah A doorkeeper. Amara :-pratiharo dvarapaladvahsthadvah sthitadarsakah . pratihara = prati-hr + ghan . When followed by a root affixed with the prefix fa lengthens its final & when the word thus formed denotes an object other than a human being. Vide Panini:-cudies asonge agoy. So the form will be grammatically correct only when it is used to denote a gate. When it denotes a doorkeeper the form according to Panini will be pratiharah . But the word pratiharah is largely used in the sense of doorkeeper in practice. It has been thus explained in Balamanorama : - dauvarike pratiharasabde dirghastu apramanikah | yadva natiharah dvaram tatsthatvanmanusye gaunah | caritarthasya 16 "

bhavah caritarthata Satisfaction due to success. duhkham uttaram ( pradhanam ) yasyah sa duhkhottara Dominated by misery. Verse 6. pratistha Status ; power ; ascendancy to power. autsukyameva autsukyamatram avasayayati Causal of so with ava . The attainment of regal power simply removes the longing for it. labdhasya paripalanameva vrttih labdhaparipalanavrttih The maintenance of what has been achieved. evam klisnati janam (understood) Is taxing. rajya Kingship. natisramapanayanaya Is not for removing worry. na ca sramaya Nor for causing worry. An analogy is furnished for the same. svahastena dhrtah dandah yasya tadrsam atapatramiva Like an umbrella whose handle is held by oneself. Page 116. vijayatam The Parasmaipada root ji when prefixed with for c takes the Atmanepada. Vide Panini : - viparabhyam jeh . Verse 7. svasya sukham svasukham, nirgatah abhilasah yasmat sah nirabhilasah, svasukhe nirabhilasah san lokahetoh khidyase Indifferent to to your own happiness, you toil for the sake of the people. meaning-for the sake of-when governing a predicate takes the Genitive case. Panini:- sasthi hetuprayoge athava Or rather dine dine pratidinam Avyayibhava compound. te vrttih Your mode of life. evamvidhaiva Is only of this stamp. The idea of the first half of the verse is substantiated by an analogy set out in the second half padaih pibatiti padapah A tree; lit, that which drinks water by its roots tivram usnam murdhna anubhavati Enjoys excessive heat by its head. samsritanam paritam chayaya samayati .

ACT V-NOTES 243 1 : Verse 8. The first minstrel has generally referred to the ceaseless toil of the king. The second one refers to particular acts which the king does. dandah yena sah attadandah san Wielding the power of punishment. vimarge prasthitah tan niyamayasi You restrain those that er. You settle the disputes of the people. raksanaya kalpase You offer protection. vibhavesu atanusu satsu When a man has plenty of riches jnatayah santu nama Let there be any number of kinsmen who will flock. nama denotes contempt. The work of kinsmen towards the subjects. Finds its final goal in you. tu ete klantamanasah punarnavikrtah smah The praise bestowed by the minstrels is said to have removed the fatigue of the king's mind and made him fresh. Page 117. abhinavena sammarjanena satrikah Beauteous by reason of a fresh cleaning of the floor. A ag: homasya dhenuh homadhenuh samnihitah homadhenuh yasmin sa: The importance of a sacrificial cow for a sage engaged in daily rites is prominently brought out in the first two cantos of Raghuvamsa in the case of Vasistha's cow-Nandini. A courtyard. Verse 9. The first three feet of the verse set out three surmises made by the king about his own misfeasance. upodha = upa + udha ( vah + ta ). upodham tapah yesam tesam vratinam tapah The penance of persons engaged in rigid austerities and possessed of abundant penance. fast: vighnaih kim tavat dusitam Has it been spoiled by disturbances ?

tavat is a mere rhetorical flourish uta begins the next alternative. dharmaranyacaresu pranisu kenacit asat cestitam Has any untoward act been committed towards the animals. of the holy forest by some person? like is an Indeclinable meaning ' or ' virutu A plant virumam prasavah The growth of plants. mama apacaritaih By my acts of misconduct; negligence. f: Stopped. vistambhitah iti arudhah bahavah pratarkah yasmimstat arudhabahupratarka me manah My mind is filled with manifold speculations. ata eva aparicchedena Agitated by indecision as to what lapse has been committed by me. Page 118. The two disciples of Kanva, Sarmgarava and Saradvata give out their impressions about the royal household as they enter it first. Verse 10. mahan bhagah (bhagyam ) yasya sah mahabhagah asau narapatih This glorious king. abhinna sthitih yena sah kamam (bhavati ) Is no doubt one that has never transgressed his duties. aua Among the four castes making up the society. apakrsto'pi kascit Even a low person by birth or station. na panthah apatham pathin at the end of a compound changes to patha . Panini : - rkpurabdhuh pathamanakse . But when pathin is BILL:ªA. preceded by a negative particle in a Tatpurusa compound the change is optional. Panini:-cai faiq. And when the change takes place the Tatpurusa compound takes the neuter gender. Panini :- -3794 napumsakam . Example - apatham or apanthah apatham na bhajate Does not resort to a wrong path%; does not commit a misconduct. applied to the second foot also. tathapi -

ACT V-NOTES 245 Nevertheless. janaih akirna idam grham hutavahena paritam iva manye I view this thronged house as enveloped in fire. Why? sasvat paricitam viviktam yasya tena paricitavivikena manasa With a mind perpetually accustomed to solitude. The sage is prepared to concede that the reason is his own mentality, not any inherent defect in the royal household. Verse 11. Saradvata too thinks in a similar strain. ahamapi iha sukhasamginam janam avaimi . The view that Saradvata entertains of the people addicted to pleasures in the palace is amplified by four analogies. natah abhyaktamiva As one that had taken a bath would view one anointed with oil. sucih asucimiva Note the gradation in which the similes are placed. They refer in order to physical purity, mental purity, realisation and absolute freedom from worldly bondage-the four stages through which a person passes in the spiritual plane on his march towards. While Sarngarava is filled with horror at the congested activity of the city-life and tries to run away from them as one would run away from a house enveloped in flames, Saradvata on the other hand pities the people addicted to the comforts of the city and would rather have them free from their shackles, but the spirit of detachment is common to both the pupil-sages. nimittam sucayitva From the context nimittam means an evil omen. For a contrary use see nimittam sucayan at page 12 of the text where it means a good omen.

vama Left. vametaram Right. me nayanam kimapi vikaroti My right eye undergoes a change for some unknown reason. The reading in the place of fc is clearer. It is a general belief that the throbbing of the right eye forebodes good for males and evil for females. Likewise the throbbing of the left eye is inauspicious for males and auspicious for females pratihatamamangalam . The suffix ta in pratihatam denotes a wish. pratihatam means pratihatam bhavatu . Vide Pamini : - asamsayam bhutavacca . Let the augury of evil be nullified. Page 119 varnasramanam raksita . The protection of castes and orders of life was the supreme duty of the king in ancient days. muktam asanam yena sah muktasanah Having left his seat; having risen from the seat as a mark of respect. This vocative, unlike at other places, is meant by Sarngarava in all earnestness to praise the greatness of the Purohit. However, a vein of irony is noticeable inasmuch as his point of view differs from that of the priest. The pupil thinks that the king is simply observing the ordinary etiquette in standing up. Whereas the priest would construe it as an act of humility on the part of the king. Hence Sarngarava says:, the idea being that we take it as quite a usual act. Verse 12 taravah phalagamaih namra bhavanti . ghanah navambubhih duravilambino bhavanti . satpurusah samrddhibhih anuddhatah bhavanti paropakarinam svabhava eva . It is in the nature of great men to be humble in the height of glory and opulence. esah

ACT V-NOTES 247 Hence there is nothing to be wondered at in the king's offer of respects. This verse occurs in Bhartrhari's Nitisataka also. prasannah mukharagah yesam te prasannamukharagah With a bright colour of the face; with a cheerful countenance. faaca karyam yesam te vidhakaryamh On a confident business. Verse 13. Consistent with the loss of memory due to the curse of sage Durvasas, the king fails to recognise Sakuntala and asks the sages who the lady was. Who? feminine. aa An Indeclinable, sometimes added to kim and its forms. avakunthanam asyah astiti avakunthanavati Possessed of a veil. It is therefore clear that the purdah system was in vogue among royal ladies in ancient India. na atiparisphutam natiparisphutam A compound of sutsupa type. sarirasya lavanyam sariralavanyam, natiparisphutam sariralavanyam yasyah sa The beauty of whose per son is not quite apparent, due to the veil. agarai madhye In the midst of sages. pandupatranam madhye kisalayamiva Like sprout in the midst of gray leaves. has been defined thus : - muktaphalesu cchayayastaralatvamivantara | pratibhati yadangesu tallavanyamihocyate || It is an under-current of brightness running as in pearls; to put it shortly, loveliness which is different from the features that go to make up the body. Vide Dhvanyaloka: Dhvanyalokapenak yattatprasiddhavayavatiriktam vibhati lavanyamivanganasu . Page 120. kutuhalam garbhe yasya sah kutuhalagarbhah me tarkah My speculation; my surmise. Is at work. In the place of prasidati there is the reading na prasarati which

means-Does not exercise its sway na nirvarnaniyam anirvarnaniyam Should not be looked at varnu with nir to observe. parasya kalatram parakalatram Another's wife. kalatram always neuter. is the general term of address aryaputra by which a lady addresses her husband in dramas. aryasya aryayorva putrah Son of a respectable person or persons, referring to the father-in-law or both the parentsin-law. vidhimarhati vidhivat . Panini : - tadarham avahitah = ava- tha + ta. Attentive. yujyasva from yuj of the 4 th conjugation, Atmanepada api nirvighna etc. api is a particle of interrogation. Verse 14. tvayi satam raksitari sati When you are there as the protector of the righteous dharmakriyavighnah kutah How will there be obstruction to the performance of religious duties? dharma Hot. Vide Medini : - dharmah syadatape grisme'pyusnasvedambhasorapi | dharmah amsavah yasya tasmin dharmasau tapati sati When the Sun blazes tamah katham avirbhavisyati . Cf : - sarvatra no vartamavehi rajan nathe kutastvayyasubham prajanam | surye tapatyavaranaya drsteh kalpeta lokasya katham tamisra | Raghuvarsa V - 13. rajeti sabdah rajasabdah rajan is usually derived thus :- rajata iti raja One who shines. But the etymology favoured by Kalidasa is ranjayatiti raja One who pleases ( his subjects ). Cf : - yatha prahladanaccandrah pratapattapano yatha | tathaiva so'bhudanvartho raja prakrtiranjanat || Raghu IV - 12. Also raja prajaranjanalabdhavarnah How the nasal in raj drops is rather problematic. Mallinatha explains that since roots have several meanings the root means also to please. Vide Malli : - yadyapi rajasabdo rajaterdiptyarthatkaninpratyayanto

ACT V-NOTES 249 na tu ranjatestathapi dhatunamanekarthatvadranjanadrajetyuktam kavina The derivation from the root is defensible according to Nirukta :-apyaksarasamyamatrani nirbruyat . atha bhagavan atha is a particle of interrogation. lokanugrahaya kusali The idea is that the sage's welfare is sought not for his own sake, but for the sake of the people. kusalamamyastiti kusali . Compare this with what follows in the enquiry of the king by the sage where the word used is anamayam . Manu says that a Brahmin should be enquired his kusala (well-being), a Ksatriya his anamaya, a Vaisya his ksema and a sudra his arogya . Practically all the words are more or less synonymous. Vide Manu : - brahmanam kusalam prcchetksatrabandhumanamayam | vaisyam ksemam samagamya sudramarogyameva ca || Manu Smrti II - 127. Page 121. svadhinam kusalam yesam te svadhinakusalah Those who have their well-being at their own command. siddhayah esam santiti siddhimantah Persons who have acquired powers through penance. amayasya abhavah anamayam Freedom from sickness, good health; same as arogyam yanmithah etc. The message of Kanva begins here. samayah Agreement. mithah samayat By mutual agreement between yourself and my daughter. mama imam madiyam upayamsta Aorist, 3 rd person singular of yam with upa . The Parasmaipadi root c changes to Atmanepadi when prefixed with in the sense of marrying. Panini: upadyamah khakarane . Verse 15. arhan A worthy person. agre saratiti agrasarah . The correct form will be apresarah = agre-sr + ta

( kartari ). Vide Panini :- puro'prato'gresu sarteh and Siddhanta Kaumudi thereon :- ayam agrena agre va saratiti agresarah . sutre agre ityedantatvamapi nipatyate | katham tarhi 'yutham tadagrasara garvita krsnasaram ' iti | bahulakat iti haradattah . prakrstah agrasarah pragrasarah tvamarhatam pragrasarah nah smrto'si You are deemed by us as the foremost of the worthy. To a worthy man must honour go. sakuntala murtimati satkriyeva Sakuntala is verily honour in embodiment . tulyagunam Equal in qualities. vadhusva varasca tayoh samaharah tam vadhuvaram The Samahara Dvandva is sanctioned by the Vartika : - sarvo dvandvo vibhasayaikavadbhavati samanayan Bringing such a bride and bridegroom together. prajapatih Brahma. who brings about the matches of all persons. cirasya After a long time. Till now he has been bungling by bringing about ill-suited matches. vacyam na gatah Has steered clear of censure. The fitness of the alliance has after all absolved the Creator from his usual condemnation. apannasatva Pregnant. sahadharmacaranaya The chief object of a marriage according to the Hindu ideal is the joint performance of religious duties by the husband and wife. Accordingly the samkalpa for vivaha states the purpose as dharmapraja sampattyartham ' For Dharma and offspring. ' Page 122. napeksitah etc. tvaya gurujanah napeksitah You didn't wait for the approval of elders. In fact father Kasyapa was then absent on a pilgrimage. 4741 779: na prstah Nor did she consult any kinsman. This shows that Gautami too was not aware of the love-affair. ekah ekah yasmin karmani tattatha ekaikam modifying carite . In an

ACT V-NOTES 251 act done by each one for himself and herself. ge What shall I say to each one of you? There is no scope for others to speak. The responsibility being all yours, it is your duty as husband to take her into your charge at once. Kasyapa's message and Gautami's speech fill him with amazement.: refers to the king's statement - kimidamupanyastam pavakah khalu Is indeed fire, as severe and unbearable as fire. Verse 17. A chaste woman. Amara:- sati sadhvi pativrata . satamapi jnatikulam ekah samsrayah yasyastam One who always resides in the home of her kinsmen (parents). A married woman whose husband is alive. janah anyatha visankate People suspect her to be otherwise i.e., as unchaste. atah pramada svabandhubhih parinetuh samipe tasya apreyapi isyate In the place of tadapriyapi there is a reading which is more impressive. Whether the husband likes her or not, the place of the wife is by her husband's side. For an untarnished name is superior to all the loving care that could be bestowed on a lady by her own relations. Page 123 purvam parinita parinitapurva sampratam Properly, justifiably. Verse 18. Sarigarava indicts the king on three alternative charges. krte karye dvesah kim Is your present pretence of ignorance due to a dislike for a thing done in the past. An aversion to duty. krta avajna A deliberate insult,

asatam kalpanaya prasnah asatkalpanaprasnah A question proceeding on an assumption of unrealities. ami vikarah refers to the three lapses mentioned in the first half of the verse. Prevail; increase. abhijnasyati 2 nd future of jna with abhi to recognise. idamupanatam This Verse 19. The king expresses the dilemma in which he is placed. The beauty of the lady in question is attractive, but his moral sense would not permit him to admit another's wife. one which has come of its own accord. evam rupam yasya tat evamrupam Possessed of such beauty. aklista kantih yasya tat Whose loveliness is unlaboured. prathamaparigrhitam syat Will it be one that has been already accepted by me? Or not? Unable to decide between the two. vyavasyan Present participle of so with vi and ava to decide, resolve. aham na ca khalu paribhoktum naiva saknomi hatum I am not able either to enjoy it or leave it. Like what? antah tusarah yasmimstat antastusaram kundam vibhate In the morning. Like a bee unable to indulge in or leave a jasmine flower containing dew inside. Page 124. Regard for morality; solicitude for righteous conduct-one of the traits of Dusyanta's character expressed through the mouth of the portress. Adverb, meaning silently. Impersonal form. bhavata or tvaya understood. abhivyakta- satvalaksanam satva Pregnancy. ksetrin The owner of a field. aksetrina One who is not its owner. ksetram means both a I

ACT V-NOTES 253 field and a wife. So is the legal husband. When I am not the legal owner of the field; in effect, when I am not her legal husband. pratipatsye How am I to accept her? ma tavat You need not speak all this. You pose yourself as entertaining a genuine doubt about your acceptance of this girl's hand. You are not really to blame, but the blame lies on the sage who ratified your misconduct and condoned your guilt. It was up to him to have punished your offence by the power of his penance. Verse 20. : Outrage; culpable conduct. 991 sanfturi gai yguzsula: yhaja fala: or gfa: qari nama Sage Kasyapa is alone to be condemned. janaih By all persons, understood. Some annotators take tvaya along with vimanyah meaning - Is the sage to be slighted by you? But the former interpretation fits in better with the angry mood of Sarngarava. The reason why the sage is blameworthy is given in the second half of the verse which sets out an adjectival clause correlating to munih yena By whom mustam svam artham The rightful owner who has himself tendered his valuable possession as a gift to the very person who has stolen patrikrtah dasyuriva asi You are like a robber who has been made to accept such a gift dasyuh A thief apatram patram sampavamanah krtah patrikrtah patram means a legitimate recipient. The sage has raised a thief to the status of an acceptor of the thing stolen.

Page 125. Saradvata is more stern and businesslike. The Atmanepada root takes the Parasmaipada terminations when prefixed with fa, 3 or pari . Panini : - vyanaparibhyo ramah Saradvata directs his fellow-pupil Sarngarava to desist from his indictment of the king and in a cool-headed manner calls upon Sakuntala to adduce proof of her character to the satisfaction of the king pratyayartham prativacanam A reply for inducing conviction. After making a solemn samayapurvam agreement. svabhavena uttanam hrdayam yasya tam A person who is simple-hearted by nature. Bu to herself. Having cheated. Sakuntala refers To repudiate. Page 126. santam papam . The suffix ta after sam has the desiderative significance. means God forbid. therefore Let there be an end of the perfidy; Verse 21.: The family-renown. For the use of vyapadesah in a similar sense see atha ko'sya vyapadesah ? puruvamsah at page 188 of the text. avilam kartum avilayitum To tarnish; to blacken. means Hi and refers to the king. Infinitive of purpose of the causal of pat . kimihase Why do you wish ? The second half of the verse sets out an analogy. kulam kasatiti kulamkasa kula + mum + kas + khac . Vide Panini : - sarvakulabhrakarisesu kasah and arurdvisadajantasya mum . kulamkasa sindhuh A river that flows to the brim dashing against its banks. prasannamambhah governed by avilayitum to be imported from the first half tatasya

ACT V-NOTES 255 taruh tam tatarum Object of patayitum also to be imported from the first half. Your aspersion is calculated to bring disrepute on our family and degradation on my own self. Both the family and the individual are thus hit hard. is taken by some commentators to refer to the family of Sakuntala's birth i.e., the family of Kasyapa. But it will be more natural to presume that the king is anxious to defend the fair name of his own family and his own good character when he is accused of a gross breach of morality. mory. A token; something to rouse the me- Sakuntala hits upon the idea of convincing the king by presenting his ring as token sakravatarah . A flight of steps leading down to a river or tank. : Indra's ghat. It is appropriately connected with the bathing spot presided over by Saci-Indrani, Indra's wife. The bathing spot itself is treated as a divinity fit to be worshipped. The king smiles at the ready-witted nature of Gautami as fancied by him. pratyutpanna matih yasya tat pratyutpanna- mati Possessed of resourceful brains. strinam samuhah Panini :- stripumsabhyam nanna Page 127. bhavanat . ziui. The supremacy of Destiny has played its role. The loss of the ring is another piece of misfortune imposed by Fate. The king speaks in an ironical strain. What be given as direct proof has failed. srotavyam was offered to What remains

256 son. SAKUNTALA is hearsay to be adduced by you. Let us see how far it serves your purpose. nalinipatrameva bhajanam A lotusleaf converted to a cup. krtakasvasau putrasca putrakrtakah FosterThe reversal of the sequence of the members of this compound is to be justified either on the model of mayuravyamsaka or rajadanta . dirghapanga One possessed of lengthy side-glances. This was the name by which the fawn bred up by Sakuntala was known. Invited upacchanditah with an offer. to invite belongs to the 10 th conjugation. Page 128. pranayah A clinging prahasitah used in the sense of prahasitavan In its place the reading prahasitasmi adopted by Katayavema is certainly better. samanah gandhah yesam te sagandhah People of the same smell; members of the same fold. After setting out a general statement - sarvah sagandhesu visvasimti, the particular application of it in the context is set out in the clause- khalvaranyakau Both Sakuntala and her fawn are inhabitants of the forest. aranye bhavau aranyako anrtena pracura anrtamayi, amrtamayinam vacam madhuni taih Women seeking their selfish ends speak sweet, and their speech is honeyed with lies. visayinah Pleasure-seeking men ; voluptuaries. akrsyante Are drawn by the honey of speeches abounding in lies.Infinitive of purpose of c to speak, 10 th conjugation. By way of answer to Gautami's observation that Sakuntala was born and bred up in a penance-forest free from the contamination of fraud, the king states 'tapasavrddhe vrddha casau tapasi ca vrddhatapasi or

ACT V-NOTES 257 The vocative is also sarcastic. In the succeeding verse the king is going to refer to the intuition of womenfolk. Being a Vrddha, Gautami should also be an expert in dissimulation. For the king takes the reference to the worship of Sacitirtha mentioned by Gautami as a clever suggestion falsely made to shield Sakuntala. 3 Verse 22. amanusisu Among the creatures of the lower species of animals. Even in the lower orders not belonging to the human kind. refers to amanusi the individual female creature. So zmeansamong such female creatures. Or may be taken as a noun understood qualified by the adjective amanusisu strinam asiksitam patutvam asiksitapatutvam Untutored skill cleverness imbibed without schooling. Is seen. sa: Knowledge, wisdom, discrimination, the characteristic of the human species pratibodhah asamastiti pratibodhavatyah yah tah kimuta Much more intuitively intelli gent will be womenfolk who belong to the human species. The king supports his statement by the analogy of cuckoos which suffer their young ones to be reared by crows till they come of age. 3/4afra nha Flying. tasmat prak Prior to that. svam apatyajatam Accusative, The host of their young ones in the form of eggs. 9 gal: Cuckoos lit., nurtured by others, because Kokils are nurtured by crows in infancy. anyedvijaih posayanti Cause their nurture by other birds viz., crows. A bird. Amara -dantaviprandaja dvijah . The reading 17

is appropriate inasmuch as Sakuntala though born of a Ksatriya and Apsaras was brought up in the hermitage of Brahmins. The language employed by the poet admits of an application to the birth and breeding of Sakuntala. Crows are black and Kokils are black; the eggs of both resemble each other. Hence the crow is misled and pays the same attention to the young of both. But when the Kokil comes of age it flies up with its sweet voice as contrasted with the harsh cawing of the crow. Cf : -- kakah krsnah fqx: 5 on: ai az: 1951: 1 ayragio and 116: 616: 196: 193: || Corresponding to the word cuckoo, there is the epithet as applied to a as applied to a crow. parabhrta That which is bred by another. parabhrt That which breeds another. Page 129. Sakuntala addresses a term of rebuke to the king for the first time in righteous indignation. hrdayasya anumanam tena In the perspective of your own heart. dharma eva kancukah, tam pravisatiti tathabhutasya You simply don a cloak of virtue. You pretend to be a righteous king with a scrupulous conscience. But you are really trnacchannakupopama . You resemble a well covered over with leaves. Such a well would mislead a traveller to fall into it. Likewise are you. akaitavah 3: Unpretended. Her anger seems to be genuine. So it makes me doubtful about my own conclusion. to be taken along with c in the verse. F

ACT V-NOTES 259 Verse 23. mayyeva vismaranena daruna cittavrttih yasya tasmin When I am possessed of a state of mind frightful by reason of forgetfulness. ata eva rahah vrttam pranayam aprati- padyamane sati When I fail to own an attachment of love that had come to pass in secret. anilohite aksini yasyah taya atilohitaksya anaya By this lady possessed of eyes extremely red with rage. kutilayoh dhruvoh bhedat By a znit of her curved eyebrows smarasya sarasanam Cupid's bow atisayita rud tatha anirupa With high rage. bhagnamiva Seems to have been drawn for discharging arrows with such force that the bowstaff itself is broken. sarah asyante aneneti sarasanam A bow. bhagna Past passive participle of c to break. dusyantacaritam The conduct of Dusyanta. The reference to himself by name indicates renown. tathapi However idam na laksye I am not known to be this. This of course refers to putting on a cloak of virtue and harbouring venom inside as spoken of by Sakuntala. laksye Passive present tense, 1 st person singular. idam * used adverbially in the sense of . Instead of some books read . According to that reading the meaning is-I have not observed this. I do not recollect to have acted in any such manner as alluded to by you. svasya chandah tena caritum silamasyah iti svacchandacarini One who acts according to her own wish; same as khairini an unchaste woman mukhe madhu yasya tasya hrdaye visam vyasya tasya Both are adjectival to asya which refers to

5 260 SAKUNTALA Dusyanta. atmakrtam capalam pratihatam sat dahati A rash act recoils on the head of the doer and burns him or her. Page 130. atah pariksya kartavyam Even ordinary association in friendship should be done with scrutiny. rahah samgatam refers to association in marriage. visesat Must be specially scrutinised. ajnatam hrdayam yesam tesu ajnatahrdayesu In the case of persons whose hearts are not definitely known. sauhrdam evam vairibhavati . : samyutah dosah yesam tani aksarani taih By harsh words or by words piling up accusations. In the place of samyutadosaksaraih there is also the reading sambhrtarosaksaraih ksinutha Present tense, 2 nd person plural of ksina ( ksinu himsayam ) of the 8 th conjugation, Parasmaipada. srutam bhavadbhiradharottaram . The root is not used in the sense of hearing. * here means to learn, to understand. adharottaram Topsyturvy. In the succeeding verse the pupil sarcastically says that the words of a person who had been never taught cunning are unreliable, but the words of those specialising in deceit in the name of education are most trustworthy. The topsyturvydom of this statement is referred to by adharottaram . The Indeclinable 31 meanever since' governs a noun- (janah ) sathyam asiksitah tasya janasya Verse 25. janmanah a . ing 'extending from or to, in the Ablative case. yah vacanam apramanam paresam atisamdhanam yaih vidya iti adhiyate By whom it is cultivated on the pretext that it is far or learning. te kila They indeed. aptavacah santu Let their words be considered most reliable. aptah vacah yesam te aptavacah .

ACT V-NOTES satyavadin A truth-teller, used ironically 261 atisamdhaya How do I Having cheated; by cheating. gain by cheating this lady? Sarngarava affects to receive the question in a sincere light and gives a straight answer: Degradation. The king in a strain pretending to be equally sincere says that the descendants of Puru will not generally court a downfall, meaning by the word : a moral debasement. uttarat uttaram uttarottaram tena kim Why pile up words one against another? We have carried out the bidding of our master. We may go back. The speaker Saradvata presents a marked contrast to the other pupil who entered into a pleading. He is more practical, matter-of-fact, serious and stern. tat grahu, Verse 26. Therefore; since it has been so declared by no less an authority than our master. esa bhavatah kanta This is your wife. enam tyaja va grhana va Take her or leave her. The use of enam is due to anvadesa . Imperative, 2 nd person singular of , 9 th conjugation in the Parasmaipada. Mastery. Over one's own wife. All-round; capable of being exercised in any manner as it pleases the husband. Stands to reason. A husband is free to deal with his wife as he likes. Page 131. kitavah A hypocrite vipralabdha Cheated. Gautami exhibits her maternal concern over the lot of sakuntala. karunam paridevitum silamasyah karunaparidevini Wailing piteously pratyadesah Repudiation anukampita putri .

putrika My poor daughter. purobhage or purobhagini . purobhagin generally means jealous or finding fault with others. Here it is used in its etymological sense viz., one who does some action on his or her own initiative.. purobhaga here therefore means a naughty girl. purah bhajata iti purobhaga . The idea is, when we bid you stop here you dare to follow us. Verse 27. If you are not a virtuous girl as the king says, your father cannot take you back. If you are convinced of your own purity the husband's home is the proper place for you, be you a slave. yatha vadati ksitipah A relative clause qualifying tatha . tatha tvamasi yadi A subjunctive clause of condition modifying the principal clause - utkulaya tvaya pituh kim kim means kim prayojanam . utkranta kulat utkula One who has strayed away from the family by offending its traditions of purity atha tu If in the alternative. atmanah sucivratam vetsi If you feel that your conduct is pure. patikule taka dasyamapi ksamam Even slavery is appropriate in your husband's household. Page 132 sadhayamah The root sadhu is generally used in dramas in the sense of going. Verse 28. The king sincerely wants to avoid the sin of contacting another's wife vasi means jitendriya . parigraha A wife vrttih Mentality. anyasyah sangah tasmat anyasamgat . The shortening of the final a in anya is due to Vartika : - sarvanamno vrttimatre pumvadbhavah vismrtah used in the sense of vismrtavan bhetum silamasya bhiruh .

ACT V-NOTES 263 Panini :-bhiyah kruklukanau adharmat bhiruh Afraid of sin. gurulaghavam An irregular formation, but an oft repeated idiom. guru used in the sense of gauravam on the principle bhavapradhano nirdesah guru ca laghavam ca anayoh samaharah gurulaghavam Heaviness and lightness. prcchami governs two objects -bhavantam and gurulaghavam . Verse 29. aham mudhah syam I may be ignorant mudha = muh + ta ( kta ), an alternative form being mugdha . Panini : va duhamuhasnuhasniham . mudd to be silly, foolish, ignorant. esa va mithya vamdana mithya an Indeclinable meaning falsely. iti samsaye In this dilemma ; in a doubt involving these two alternatives. daranam tyagi bhavami In the first case I shall be a deserter of my wife. aho Or. This refers to the second alternative, parastriyah sparsah, tena pamsulah bhavami pamsavah santyasyeti pamsulah = pamsu + la (lac ) under Panini : - sidhma- dibhyasva pamsu Dust. pamsula Stained with dust. yadi tavat If so. a prasavata Till delivery kuna idamucyata iti cet This wording smacks largely of a Sastraic discussion. It is fitting in the speaker who is a priest steeped in Sastraic lore. The next two or three sentences bear out the same strain. duhiturapatyam pumana dauhitrah A daughter's son. tasya (cakravartinah ) laksanaih upapannah Certain marks on the person are declared to be indicative of supreme sovereignty by the Hindu science of physiognomy which goes by the name of Samudrika. Page 133. bhavisyati cet If the son to be born of Sakuntala bears those marks. pravesayisyasi A use in the causal form governing two objects enam and suddhantam .

viparyaye tu In the contrary case. avasthitameva It always remains. yatha gurubhyo rocate . In juxtaposition with v and its synonyms the person pleased is denoted by a noun in the Dative case. Panini: sigam:. -- rucyarthanam priyamanah . aga afa a faai This is reminiscent of Sita's appeal to her mother Earth to absorb her in her bosom when she put her chastity to test at Ayodhya. Imperative, 2 nd person singular of a to give. a A cavity, hollow. This shows her indifference to life. She would be rather absorbed within the Earth. vyavahita smrtih yasya . It may be recalled that Durvasas's curse was - smarisyati tvam na sa bodhito'pi san . sakuntalagatam Regarding Sakuntala paravrttesu kanvasisyesu When Kanva's disciples had gone back. A Locative absolute to be taken along with the following sloka. □ Verse 30. here used in the sense of one's own. In this sense is a pronoun and conforms to the gender of the noun qualified by it. Vide Ganasutra : - svamajnatidhanakhyayam sa bala khani bhagyani nindanti Deploring her own adverse vicissitudes of life like repudiation by the husband, stigma on the family and so on. bahu utksipya bahutksepam formed by adding namul under Panini: The raising of her hands in the act of lamentation exhibits her helplessness. ca pravrtta She began to wail aloud Cf : sa muktakantham vyasana- tibharaccakranda vidma kurariva bhuyah . Raghu XIV - 68. apsarastirtham Name of a bathing ghat in or near the city. It is so called perhaps because the royal ladies who looked

ACT V-NOTES 265 like Apsaras used to bathe there, or it was presided over by the Apsaras deities. Perhaps the second explanation fits in better in view of the fact that Sakuntala was taken away by Menaka, an Apsaras at that spot. It shows that the place was visited by Apsaras ladies frequently. Near; by the side of. Amara:-araddurasamipayoh . The Indeclinable aran governs a noun in the Ablative case under Panini:-rifada anyaraditararte dikcchandanu ttarapadajahiyukte . Then how is the word apsarastirtha used in the Accusative case? The answer is kavayah . It is a poetic license. M: Taking or liftA light; a striyah samsthanamiva samsthanam yasya ing her. The reading in the place of brings the meaning clearer. luminary. How is the light ? tat Whose outline resembled a woman samsthana means avayavasamnivesah The features of limbs; the formation of limbs. That the light in question is no other than Sakuntala's own mother Menaka can be gathered from the sequel. See the following extract from Marica's speech - yadaiva apsarastirthavataranat pratyadesaviklavam sakuntala- madaya menaka daksayanimupagata at page 200 of the text. niro'bhuna The light disappeared. In the place of fasa Raghava Bhatta adopts the reading. His construction is curious. strisamsthanam ekam jyotih enam arana ( durat ) utksipya apsarastirtham ( sacitirtham ) jagama . According to him the light came from afar, took Sakuntala and walked to Sacitirtha. His construction is untenable for the following reasons. It is natural for a light as that

of a lightning to flash and disappear. It is not expected to walk from one place to another. Further there is no reason why Sacitirtha should be the destination. Marica's speech later on shows that Menaka took Sakuntala from Apsarastirtha and went up to Marica's hermitage. It does not appear why Apsarastirtha should be equated with Sacitirtha. HP Page 134. kamam etc. pratyadistam munestanayam parigraham (parigrahatvena ) kamam na smarami I do not remember in the least. tu But. balavat duyamanam me hrdayam pratyayayativa, mam understood. pratyeti Be lieves. Its causal is Makes one believe. The grieving heart seems to rouse conviction in Sakuntala's claim to have been married by me. For if her words were untrue why this agony in the heart? The state of a good man's heart is an index of the truth in cases of doubt. It has already been referred to by the sound maxim :- satam hi samdehapadesu vastusu pramanamantah- karana pravrttayah . The End of the Fifth Act.