Symbolism in Abhigyan Shakuntalam Play by Kalidasa
Shakuntala or Abhigyan Shakuntalam (which means recognition of Shakuntala) is a seven-act play by the ancient Indian dramatist Mahakavi Kalidas. The exact date of the play is still ambiguous, but as per historians, it was written somewhere in the 4th century (Gupta Empire Period). The story is narrated in the epic Mahabharata, as it is believed their son Bharata laid the foundation of Kauravas and Pandavas. The tale revolves around King Dushyant and nymph Shakuntala who fall in love and their relationships concerning nature.
The play commences with the flashback story of Shakuntala’s birth. Vishwamitra a powerful sage was meditating to earn the title of Brahmarishi. His penance was so intense it frightened the lord Indra who sent the beautiful nymph Menka to seduce him. Vishwamitra couldn’t hold his emotions for her, and he broke his penance. Menka and Vishwa Mitra lived together and were blessed with a daughter but their relationship was short-lived as he came to know the truth that Lord Indra played a game with him and Menka was just a tool. He left Menka and their daughter swearing to control his emotions toward a woman. Helpless, Menka abandoned the daughter and Rishi Kanva found the baby and nurtured her.
SYMBOLISM OF FLORA AND FAUNA
The play contains many symbols that not only play an important role in explaining the relationships between the characters but also depict the significance of flora and fauna being a part of human existence. These symbols also show the various themes and emotions throughout the various scenes. The forest and sanctuary represent the existence, purity, and modesty of Shakuntala’s character. In the play, Act 1 Kalidas penned about the flora and fauna importance in hermitage “VAIKHANASA.
The birds who were brought up as well as protect her when she was abandoned by her parents. Their testimony confirms her existence and the literal meaning of her name. Deer are mentioned in ACT 1 & ACT 2 where King Dushyant hunts in the forest and requests by Vaikhansa to not harm the hermit deer for fun. The deer symbolizes vulnerability and innocence. The cuckoo is a common motif used in Indian poetry and literature to depict love and longing. The cuckoo in “Shakuntala “shows the blooming love of Dushyant and Shakuntala in the forest. The Lotus flower was mentioned to show Shakuntala’s beauty and innocence as her natural charms around her. Night-blooming jasmine is a flower that is associated with love and its fragrance is strong enough to attract people and its blooms at night. In Shakuntala, it evokes the romantic and erotic atmosphere and the love emotions that used to occur at night between Dushyant and Shakuntala. Bee and butterfly Play a major role in Shakuntala drama as they symbolize desire, sweetness, longing, and foreshadowing. When the butterflies attack her it depicts the arrival of a change of which she is unaware and as Dushyant is standing behind the bushes it hints of their relationship that one of them would be longing for the other and it also foreshadows the arrival of their son. The lion cub at the end of the play represents their son Bharat who later becomes a great emperor and it is a catalyst that unites the couple at the end. Their son is as powerful as his father and his softness for animals is just like his mother’s. The Ashoka tree, known for its lush green leaves and flowers is a common motif in Indian culture that represents fertility and love, and, in the play, it shows hermitage life.
Feminism in Shakuntala Play
Shakuntala is a romantic play that despite its themes, explores self-identity and empowerment through feminism. The women portrayed in Kalidas drama stand out from other Sanskrit dramas. In the play, Shakuntala and her mother’s Menka fates are quite intermingled, yet both are different. Menka, the celestial nymph, was sent on earth for a purpose to break the penance of Vishwamitra, but as they both fell in love, Menka dutifully did her role as a wife, but Vishwamitra left them, which made Menka realize that she could not look after of her daughter as a nymph in the earth and they cannot stay so long. She left the daughter under the care of Rishi Kanva to foster her daughter which she can’t do due to her celestial duties.
Shakuntala after being rescinded by King Dushyant, took care of their son as a single mother and brought up their son in a simple environment without any amenities as a hermit woman. In the patriarchal society at that time, Shakuntala’s character was from being shy to a strong woman who fought against society as a single mother. However, the play depicts her character more as a sensible and free spirit woman who makes her decision on hand and enjoys a certain liberty as the daughter of Rishi Kanva. She could greet the king in the absence of her father. Her relationship with the other women at the hermitage who stood for her in her hard times and supported her unconditionally shows the women’s support for each other. Female characters such as Sage Gautami and other hermit women are depicted as wise and influential figures who play significant narratives throughout the play.
Gandharva Vivah had a Progressive mindset in ancient times.
Gandharva Vivah is one of the eight types of marriage in Indian culture. It was popular in ancient times, and in the modern era, it is labeled as a love marriage. It refers to a type of marriage where a couple marries without any ceremony or ritual and they exchange vows in the presence of witnesses. In the Shakuntala play by Kalidas Shakuntala and Dushyant marry each other through Gandharva Marriage which shows that society at that time was progressive in letting the individual decide whom they wanted to marry.
Shakuntala and Dushyant love each other and commitment, especially as a nymph who lives as a hermit maiden and king who understands her life and struggles as an abandoned child shows the couple’s understanding.
