Introduction

Out hunting, King Dushyanta follows a deer into a hermitage grove and meets the beautiful young Shakuntala; they fall in love at first sight and marry by mutual consent. Before returning to his capital the king leaves her a ring engraved with his name as a token. Lost in thoughts of him, Shakuntala neglects a hot-tempered sage, who curses her: the one she dreams of will forget her, unless he sees the token. Later, with child, she sets out for the capital to find her husband, but on the way loses the ring in a river, and the king does not know her. Only when a fisherman finds the ring in the belly of a fish… This play in seven acts is the summit of Sanskrit drama. After reading it Goethe wrote: 'Would you name heaven and earth in a single word? I name you, Shakuntala, and all is said.'