Laurel · Kalidasa · Shakuntala and Other Works

King

Kalidasa (about 400), translated by Arthur W. Ryder · 1912

iambic tetrameter · 213 lines · from Shakuntala and Other Works

To friends who share her joy and griefShe tells what sorrow laid her here;She turned to look her love againWhen first I saw her--yet I fear!

'Twas love that caused the burning pain;'Tis love that eases it again;As when, upon a sultry day,Rain breaks, and washes grief away.

The hot tears, flowing down my cheekAll night on my supporting armAnd on its golden bracelet, seekTo stain the gems and do them harm.

The bracelet slipping o'er the scarsUpon the wasted arm, that showMy deeds in hunting and in wars,All night is moving to and fro.

Priyamvada (reflecting). Well, she must write him a love-letter.And I will hide it in a bunch of flowers and see that it gets into theking's hand as if it were a relic of the sacrifice.

Anusuya. It is a pretty plan, dear, and it pleases me. What doesShakuntala say?

Here stands the eager lover, and you paleFor fear lest he disdain a love so kind:The seeker may find fortune, or may fail;But how could fortune, seeking, fail to find?

The ardent lover comes, and yet you fearLest he disdain love's tribute, were it brought,The hope of which has led his footsteps here--Pearls need not seek, for they themselves are sought.

One clinging eyebrow lifted,As fitting words she seeks,Her face reveals her passionFor me in glowing cheeks.

I know not if I read your heart aright;Why, pitiless, do you distress me so?I only know that longing day and nightTosses my restless body to and fro,That yearns for you, the source of all its woe.

Though Love torments you, slender maid,Yet he consumes me quite,As daylight shuts night-blooming flowersAnd slays the moon outright.

Do not try to rise, beautiful Shakuntala.Your limbs from which the strength is fled,That crush the blossoms of your bedAnd bruise the lotus-leaves, may bePardoned a breach of courtesy.

Shakuntala (with a jealous smile). Oh, don't detain the good king.He is separated from the court ladies, and he is anxious to go back tothem.

Bewitching eyes that found my heart,You surely seeIt could no longer live apart,Nor faithless be.I bear Love's arrows as I can;Wound not with doubt a wounded man.

Anusuya. But, your Majesty, we hear that kings have many favourites.You must act in such a way that our friend may not become a cause ofgrief to her family.

Though many queens divide my court,But two support the throne;Your friend will find a rival inThe sea-girt earth alone.

Your fault is pardoned if I mayRelieve my wearinessBy sitting on the flower-strewn couchYour fevered members press.

Priyamvada. He is a frisky little fellow. You can't catch him alone.I'll go with you. (They start to go.)

King (looking about). Do not be anxious, beautiful Shakuntala.Have you not a humble servant here, to take the place of your friends?Then tell me:

Shall I employ the moistened lotus-leafTo fan away your weariness and grief?Or take your lily feet upon my kneeAnd rub them till you rest more easily?

Shakuntala. I will not offend against those to whom I owe honour.(She rises weakly and starts to walk away.) King (detainingher). The day is still hot, beautiful Shakuntala, and you arefeverish.

Leave not the blossom-dotted couchTo wander in the midday heat,With lotus-petals on your breast,With fevered limbs and stumbling feet.

Though deeply longing, maids are coyAnd bid their wooers wait;Though eager for united joyIn love, they hesitate.

Love cannot torture them, nor moveTheir hearts to sudden mating;Perhaps they even torture loveBy their procrastinating.

For many a hermit maiden whoBy simple, voluntary riteDispensed with priest and witness, yetFound favour in her father's sight.

(He looks about.) Ah, I have come into the open air. (He leavesSHAKUNTALA and retraces his steps.) Shakuntala (takes a step,then turns with an eager gesture).

When evening comes, the shadow of the treeIs cast far forward, yet does not depart;Even so, belovèd, wheresoe'er you be,The thought of you can never leave my heart.

Your body, soft as siris-flowers,Engages passion's utmost powers;How comes it that your heart is hardAs stalks that siris-blossoms guard?

The perfumed lotus-chainThat once was worn by herFetters and keeps my heartA hopeless prisoner. (He lifts it reverently.)

Once, dear, on your sweet arm it lay,And on my heart shall ever stay;Though you disdain to give me joy,I find it in a lifeless toy.

No sooner did the thirsty birdWith parching throat complain,Than forming clouds in heaven stirredAnd sent the streaming rain.

When Shiva's anger burned the treeOf love in quenchless fire,Did heavenly fate preserve a shootTo deck my heart's desire?

The lotus-chain is dazzling whiteAs is the slender moon at night.Perhaps it was the moon on highThat joined her horns and left the sky,Believing that your lovely armWould, more than heaven, enhance her charm.

Her sweetly trembling lipWith virgin invitationProvokes my soul to sipDelighted fascination.

It ought to be enough for meTo hover round your fragrant face;Is not the lotus-haunting beeContent with perfume and with grace?

Shakuntala (listening excitedly). Oh, my dear, this is MotherGautami, come to inquire about me. Please hide among the branches.

Her face, adorned with soft eye-lashes,Adorable with trembling flashesOf half-denial, in memory lingers;The sweet lips guarded by her fingers,The head that drooped upon her shoulder--Why was I not a little bolder?

The flower-strewn bed whereon her body tossed;The bracelet, fallen from her arm and lost;The dear love-missive, in the lotus-leafCut by her nails: assuage my absent griefAnd occupy my eyes--I have no power,Though she is gone, to leave the reedy bower.

(He reflects.) Alas! I did wrong to delay when I had found my love.So now

If she will grant me but one other meeting,I'll not delay; for happiness is fleeting;So plans my foolish, self-defeated heart;But when she comes, I play the coward's part.

The flames rise heavenward from the evening altar;And round the sacrifices, blazing high,Flesh-eating demons stalk, like red cloud-masses,And cast colossal shadows on the sky.

Anusuya. Why not? You know he wanted to give his daughter to a loverworthy of her. If fate brings this about of itself, why shouldn'tFather be happy?

Anusuya. But we must make an offering to the gods that watch overShakuntala's marriage. We had better gather more.

Priyamvada. Well, Shakuntala is near the cottage. (Reflecting.)Ah, but to-day her heart is far away. Come, we must do with theflowers we have. (They start to walk away.)

Do you dare despise a guest like me?Because your heart, by loving fancies blinded,Has scorned a guest in pious life grown old,Your lover shall forget you though reminded,Or think of you as of a story told.

Anusuya. My dear, he is anger incarnate. Who could appease him? ButI softened him a little.

The moon behind the western mount is sinking;The eastern sun is heralded by dawn;From heaven's twin lights, their fall and glory linking,Brave lessons of submission may be drawn.

Night-blooming lilies, when the moon is hidden,Have naught but memories of beauty left.Hard, hard to bear! Her lot whom heaven has biddenTo live alone, of love and lover reft.

On jujube-trees the blushing dewdrops falter;The peacock wakes and leaves the cottage thatch;A deer is rising near the hoof-marked altar,And stretching, stands, the day's new life to catch.

The moon that topped the loftiest mountain ranges,That slew the darkness in the midmost sky,Is fallen from heaven, and all her glory changes:So high to rise, so low at last to lie!

Know, Brahman, that your child,Like the fire-pregnant tree,Bears kingly seed that shall be bornFor earth's prosperity.

A voice behind the scenes. Gautami, bid the worthy Sharngarava andSharadvata make ready to escort my daughter Shakuntala.

Priyamvada. You are so beautiful, you ought to have the finest gems.It seems like an insult to give you these hermitage things. (EnterHARITA, a hermit-youth with ornaments.) Harita. Here areornaments for our lady. (The women look at them in astonishment.)

One tree bore fruit, a silken marriage dressThat shamed the moon in its white loveliness;Another gave us lac-dye for the feet;From others, fairy hands extended, sweetLike flowering twigs, as far as to the wrist,And gave us gems, to adorn her as we list.

Anusuya. My dear, we poor girls never saw such ornaments. How shallwe adorn you? (She stops to think, and to look at the ornaments.)But we have seen pictures. Perhaps we can arrange them right.

Shakuntala. I know how clever you are. (The two friends adorn her.Enter KANVA, returning after his ablutions.)

Words in this poem 29

eyebrow n.: The brow or hairy arch above the eye.
aright adv.: Rightly; correctly; in a right way or form; without mistake or crime; as, to worship God aright. [Pref. a- + right.]
daylight n.: The light of day as opposed to the darkness of night; the light of the sun, as opposed to that of the moon or to artificial light.
outright adv.: Immediately; without delay; at once; as, he was killed outright.
relieve v. t.: To lift up; to raise again, as one who has fallen; to cause to rise. Piers Plowman. [OE. releven, F. relever to raise again, discharge, relieve, fr. L. relevare to lift up, raise, make light, relieve; pref. re- re- + levare to raise, fr. levis l]
shall v. i.: To owe; to be under obligation for. [OE. shal, schal, imp. sholde, scholde, AS. scal, sceal, I am obliged, imp. scolde, sceolde, inf. sculan; akin to OS. skulan, pres. skal, imp. skolda, D. zullen,]
honour n.: Esteem due or paid to worth; high estimation; respect; consideration; reverence; veneration; manifestation of respect or reverence. [OE. honor, honour, onour, onur, OF. honor, onor, honur, onur, honour, onour, F. honneur, fr. L. honor, honos.]
favour n.: Kind regard; propitious aspect; countenance; friendly disposition; kindness; good will. [Written also favour.]
depart v. i.: To part; to divide; to separate. [OE. departen to divide, part, depart, F. départir to divide, distribute, se départir to separate one's self, depart; pref. dé- (L. de) + partir to part, depart,]
reverently adv.: In a reverent manner; in respectful regard.
parching a.: Scorching; burning; drying.
streaming a.: Sending forth streams.
quenchless a.: Incapable of being quenched; inextinguishable; as, quenchless fire or fury.
enhance v. t.: To raise or lift up; to exalt. Wyclif. [Norm. F. enhauncer, enhaucer, OF. enhaleier, enhaucier; pref. en- (L. in) + haucier to lift, raise up, from an assumed L. altiare, fr. L. altus high; cf. Pr. en]
delighted a.: Endowed with delight.
fascination n.: The act of fascinating, bewhiching, or enchanting; enchantment; witchcraft; the exercise of a powerful or irresistible influence on the affections or passions; unseen, inexplicable influence. [L. fascinatio; cf. F. fascination.]
ought p. p.: Was or were under obligation to pay; owed. [Orig. the preterit of the verb to owe. OE. oughte, aughte, ahte, AS. ahte. sq. root110. See Owe.]
hover n.: A cover; a shelter; a protection. Carew. C. Kingsley. [Etymol. doubtful.]
adorable a.: Deserving to be adored; worthy of divine honors. [L. adorabilis, fr. adorare: cf. F. adorable.]
whereon adv.: On which; -- used relatively; as, the earth whereon we live.
colossal a.: Of enormous size; gigantic; huge; as, a colossal statue. [Cf. F. cossal, L. colosseus. See Colossus.]
despise v. t.: To look down upon with disfavor or contempt; to contemn; to scorn; to disdain; to have a low opinion or contemptuous dislike of. [OF. despis-, in some forms of despire to despise, fr. L. despicere, despectum, to look down upon, despise; de- + spicere, specere, to look. See Spy, and cf. Des]
incarnate a.: Not in the flesh; spiritual. [Pref. in- not + carnate.]
reft n.: A chink; a rift. See Rift. Rom. of R.
falter v. t.: To thrash in the chaff; also, to cleanse or sift, as barley.
midmost a.: Middle; middlemost. [OE. middemiste. Cf. Foremost.]
hermitage n.: The habitation of a hermit; a secluded residence. [OE. hermitage, ermitage, F. hermitage, ermitage. See Hermit.]
astonishment n.: The condition of one who is stunned. Hence: Numbness; loss of sensation; stupor; loss of sense. [Cf. OF. est, F. étonnement.]
loveliness n.: The state or quality of being lovely. [From Lovely.]

Definitions and etymologies from Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913.

About this text

King is in the public domain. This text is taken from Shakuntala and Other Works, Project Gutenberg ebook #16659, the Arthur W. Ryder translation; the transcription's header, footer and licence were removed and nothing else was changed. You may copy, print and reuse it freely.

Cite as: Kalidasa, King, in Shakuntala and Other Works (1912), text of Project Gutenberg ebook #16659, Laurel, https://laurelpoetry.com/poem/kalidasa-shakuntala/king-2.html, id L15635.

Form and metre

King is 213 lines in 56 stanzas. 91% of its stressed syllables fall where the metre puts the beat. The lines average 9.9 syllables. 56 lines end on an unstressed syllable, a feminine ending. 33% of the lines run on without a stop at the line end.

Measured by Laurel's pipeline, not copied from a handbook: how stress and metre are counted, how rhyme is lettered, how a drifted rhyme is found. Where the dictionary cannot confirm a rhyme the letter is withheld, not guessed.

Rhyme words, stanza by stanza

The word that ends each line, lettered by the rhyme it makes; a dash is a line whose rhyme the dictionary could not confirm.

1 -A-A grief · here^A · again · fear^A
2 AABB pain^A · again^A · day^B · away^B
3 ABAB cheek^A · arm^B · seek^A · harm^B
4 -A-A scars · show^A · wars · fro^A
7 ABAB pale^A · kind^B · fail^A · find^B
8 ABAB fear^A · brought^B · here^A · sought^B
9 -A-A lifted · seeks^A · passion · cheeks^A
10 ABABB aright^A · so^B · night^A · fro^B · woe^B
11 -A-A maid · quite^A · flowers · outright^A
12 -AA-- shakuntala · fled^A · bed^A · be · courtesy
14 ABABCC heart^A · see^B · apart^A · be^B · can^C · man^C
16 -AAA court · throne^A · in^A · alone^A
17 -A-A may · weariness^A · couch · press^A
20 AA-- leaf^A · grief^A · knee · easily
22 -A-A couch · heat^A · breast · feet^A
23 ABAB coy^A · wait^B · joy^A · hesitate^B
24 ABAB move^A · mating^B · love^A · procrastinating^B
25 -A-A who · rite^A · yet · sight^A
27 ABAB tree^A · depart^B · be^A · heart^B
28 AABB flowers^A · powers^A · hard^B · guard^B
30 AABB lay^A · stay^A · joy^B · toy^B
31 ABAB bird^A · complain^B · stirred^A · rain^B
32 -A-A tree · fire^A · shoot · desire^A
33 AABBCC white^A · night^A · high^B · sky^B · arm^C · charm^C
34 ABAB lip^A · invitation^B · sip^A · fascination^B
35 ABAB me^A · face^B · bee^A · grace^B
37 AABBCC lashes^A · flashes^A · lingers^B · fingers^B · shoulder^C · bolder^C
38 AABBCC tossed^A · lost^A · leaf^B · grief^B · power^C · bower^C
40 AABB meeting^A · fleeting^A · heart^B · part^B
41 -A-A altar · high^A · masses · sky^A
45 -ABAB me · blinded^A · old^B · reminded^A · told^B
47 ABAB sinking^A · dawn^B · linking^A · drawn^B
48 -A-A hidden · left^A · bidden · reft^A
49 ABAB falter^A · thatch^B · altar^A · catch^B
50 ABAB ranges^A · sky^B · changes^A · lie^B
54 AABBCC dress^A · loveliness^A · feet^B · sweet^B · wrist^C · list^C

Scansion, line by line

Each line with its syllable count and the stresses the words themselves fix: / stressed, ˘ unstressed, · a syllable the word leaves free and the metre decides. How this is done.

Line	Syl.	Stress
To friends who share her joy and grief	8	········
She tells what sorrow laid her here;	8	···/˘···
She turned to look her love again	9	··˘····˘/
When first I saw her--yet I fear!	8	········
'Twas love that caused the burning pain;	9	····˘·/˘·
'Tis love that eases it again;	8	···/˘·˘/
As when, upon a sultry day,	8	·····/˘·
Rain breaks, and washes grief away.	8	···/˘·˘/
The hot tears, flowing down my cheek	8	···/˘···
All night on my supporting arm	8	····˘/˘·
And on its golden bracelet, seek	8	···/˘/˘·
To stain the gems and do them harm.	8	········
The bracelet slipping o'er the scars	8	·/˘/˘···
Upon the wasted arm, that show	8	···/˘···
My deeds in hunting and in wars,	8	···/˘···
All night is moving to and fro.	8	···/˘···
Priyamvada (reflecting). Well, she must write him a love-letter.	15	···˘/˘·······/˘
And I will hide it in a bunch of flowers and see that it gets into the	18	·········/········
king's hand as if it were a relic of the sacrifice.	14	·······/˘··/˘·
Anusuya. It is a pretty plan, dear, and it pleases me. What does	17	······/˘····/˘···
Shakuntala say?	5	·····
Here stands the eager lover, and you pale	10	···/˘/˘···
For fear lest he disdain a love so kind:	10	····˘/····
The seeker may find fortune, or may fail;	10	·/˘··/˘···
But how could fortune, seeking, fail to find?	10	···/˘/˘···
The ardent lover comes, and yet you fear	10	·/˘/˘·····
Lest he disdain love's tribute, were it brought,	10	··˘/·/˘···
The hope of which has led his footsteps here--	10	·······/··
Pearls need not seek, for they themselves are sought.	10	······˘/··
One clinging eyebrow lifted,	7	·/˘/·/˘
As fitting words she seeks,	6	·/˘···
Her face reveals her passion	7	··˘/·/˘
For me in glowing cheeks.	6	···/˘·
I know not if I read your heart aright;	10	········˘/
Why, pitiless, do you distress me so?	10	·/˘˘··˘/··
I only know that longing day and night	10	·/˘··/˘···
Tosses my restless body to and fro,	10	/˘·/˘/˘···
That yearns for you, the source of all its woe.	10	··········
Though Love torments you, slender maid,	8	··/··/˘·
Yet he consumes me quite,	6	··˘/··
As daylight shuts night-blooming flowers	9	·/···/˘/˘
And slays the moon outright.	6	····//
Do not try to rise, beautiful Shakuntala.	11	·····/˘····
Your limbs from which the strength is fled,	8	········
That crush the blossoms of your bed	8	···/˘···
And bruise the lotus-leaves, may be	8	···/˘···
Pardoned a breach of courtesy.	9	/˘˘···/˘˘
Shakuntala (with a jealous smile). Oh, don't detain the good king.	16	······/˘···˘/···
He is separated from the court ladies, and he is anxious to go back to	20	··/˘·˘···/˘···/˘····
them.	1	·
Bewitching eyes that found my heart,	8	˘/˘·····
You surely see	4	·/˘·
It could no longer live apart,	8	···/˘·˘/
Nor faithless be.	4	·/˘·
I bear Love's arrows as I can;	8	···/˘···
Wound not with doubt a wounded man.	8	·····/˘·
Anusuya. But, your Majesty, we hear that kings have many favourites.	16	·····/˘·····/···
You must act in such a way that our friend may not become a cause of	17	········/···˘/···
grief to her family.	6	···/˘˘
Though many queens divide my court,	8	·/˘·˘/··
But two support the throne;	6	··˘/··
Your friend will find a rival in	8	·····/˘·
The sea-girt earth alone.	6	····˘/
Your fault is pardoned if I may	9	···/˘˘···
Relieve my weariness	6	˘/·/˘˘
By sitting on the flower-strewn couch	9	·/˘··/˘··
Your fevered members press.	6	·/˘/˘·
Priyamvada. He is a frisky little fellow. You can't catch him alone.	18	······/˘/˘/˘····˘/
I'll go with you. (They start to go.)	8	········
King (looking about). Do not be anxious, beautiful Shakuntala.	16	·/˘·····/˘/˘····
Have you not a humble servant here, to take the place of your friends?	16	····/˘/˘········
Then tell me:	3	···
Shall I employ the moistened lotus-leaf	10	··˘/·/˘/˘·
To fan away your weariness and grief?	10	··˘/·/˘˘··
Or take your lily feet upon my knee	10	···/˘·····
And rub them till you rest more easily?	10	·······/˘˘
Shakuntala. I will not offend against those to whom I owe honour.	18	·······˘/·······/˘
(She rises weakly and starts to walk away.) King (detaining	15	·/˘/˘····˘/·˘/˘
her). The day is still hot, beautiful Shakuntala, and you are	15	······/˘·······
feverish.	3	/˘˘
Leave not the blossom-dotted couch	8	···/˘/˘·
To wander in the midday heat,	8	·/˘··/··
With lotus-petals on your breast,	8	·/˘/˘···
With fevered limbs and stumbling feet.	10	·/˘˘··/˘˘·
Though deeply longing, maids are coy	8	·/˘/˘···
And bid their wooers wait;	5	·····
Though eager for united joy	8	·/˘·˘/˘·
In love, they hesitate.	6	···/˘·
Love cannot torture them, nor move	8	·/˘/˘···
Their hearts to sudden mating;	7	···/˘/˘
Perhaps they even torture love	8	˘/·/˘/˘·
By their procrastinating.	7	··˘/˘·˘
For many a hermit maiden who	9	·/˘·/˘/˘·
By simple, voluntary rite	8	·/˘/˘˘˘·
Dispensed with priest and witness, yet	9	˘/˘···/˘·
Found favour in her father's sight.	8	·/˘··/˘·
(He looks about.) Ah, I have come into the open air. (He leaves	16	···········/˘···
SHAKUNTALA and retraces his steps.) Shakuntala (takes a step,	17	·····˘/˘·········
then turns with an eager gesture).	8	····/˘/˘
When evening comes, the shadow of the tree	10	·/˘··/····
Is cast far forward, yet does not depart;	10	···/˘···˘/
Even so, belovèd, wheresoe'er you be,	10	/˘········
The thought of you can never leave my heart.	10	·····/˘···
Your body, soft as siris-flowers,	9	·/˘··/˘/˘
Engages passion's utmost powers;	9	˘/˘/˘/·/˘
How comes it that your heart is hard	8	········
As stalks that siris-blossoms guard?	8	···/˘/˘·
The perfumed lotus-chain	6	·˘//˘·
That once was worn by her	6	······
Fetters and keeps my heart	6	/˘····
A hopeless prisoner. (He lifts it reverently.)	11	·/˘/˘···/˘˘
Once, dear, on your sweet arm it lay,	8	········
And on my heart shall ever stay;	8	·····/˘·
Though you disdain to give me joy,	8	··˘/····
I find it in a lifeless toy.	8	·····/˘·
No sooner did the thirsty bird	8	·/˘··/˘·
With parching throat complain,	6	·/˘·˘/
Than forming clouds in heaven stirred	9	·/˘··/˘·˘
And sent the streaming rain.	6	···/˘·
When Shiva's anger burned the tree	9	·/˘/˘·˘··
Of love in quenchless fire,	7	···/˘/˘
Did heavenly fate preserve a shoot	9	·/˘˘·˘/··
To deck my heart's desire?	7	····˘/˘
The lotus-chain is dazzling white	9	·/˘··/˘˘·
As is the slender moon at night.	8	···/˘···
Perhaps it was the moon on high	8	˘/······
That joined her horns and left the sky,	9	··˘······
Believing that your lovely arm	8	˘/˘··/˘·
Would, more than heaven, enhance her charm.	9	···/˘˘/··
Her sweetly trembling lip	7	·/˘/˘˘·
With virgin invitation	7	·/˘·˘/˘
Provokes my soul to sip	6	˘/····
Delighted fascination.	7	˘/˘·˘/˘
It ought to be enough for me	8	····˘/··
To hover round your fragrant face;	8	·/˘··/˘·
Is not the lotus-haunting bee	8	···/˘/˘·
Content with perfume and with grace?	8	/˘·˘/···
Shakuntala (listening excitedly). Oh, my dear, this is Mother	16	····/˘˘/˘·····/˘
Gautami, come to inquire about me. Please hide among the branches.	17	·····˘/········/˘
Her face, adorned with soft eye-lashes,	10	··˘/˘···/˘
Adorable with trembling flashes	10	˘/˘˘·/˘˘/˘
Of half-denial, in memory lingers;	11	··˘/˘·/˘˘/˘
The sweet lips guarded by her fingers,	9	···/˘··/˘
The head that drooped upon her shoulder--	10	····˘···/˘
Why was I not a little bolder?	9	·····/˘/˘
The flower-strewn bed whereon her body tossed;	10	·/··˘/·/˘·
The bracelet, fallen from her arm and lost;	10	·/˘/˘·····
The dear love-missive, in the lotus-leaf	10	···/˘··/˘·
Cut by her nails: assuage my absent grief	10	····˘/·/˘·
And occupy my eyes--I have no power,	11	·/˘······/˘
Though she is gone, to leave the reedy bower.	11	·······/˘/˘
(He reflects.) Alas! I did wrong to delay when I had found my love.	17	·˘/˘/····˘/······
So now	2	··
If she will grant me but one other meeting,	11	·······/˘/˘
I'll not delay; for happiness is fleeting;	11	··˘/·/˘˘·/˘
So plans my foolish, self-defeated heart;	10	···/˘·˘/˘·
But when she comes, I play the coward's part.	10	·······/˘·
The flames rise heavenward from the evening altar;	12	···/˘˘··/˘/˘
And round the sacrifices, blazing high,	10	···/˘·˘/˘·
Flesh-eating demons stalk, like red cloud-masses,	11	·/˘/˘····/˘
And cast colossal shadows on the sky.	10	··˘/˘/····
Anusuya. Why not? You know he wanted to give his daughter to a lover	19	········/˘···/˘··/˘
worthy of her. If fate brings this about of itself, why shouldn't	16	/˘·········˘/·/˘
Father be happy?	5	/˘·/˘
Anusuya. But we must make an offering to the gods that watch over	16	········/˘······
Shakuntala's marriage. We had better gather more.	13	····/˘··/˘/˘·
Priyamvada. Well, Shakuntala is near the cottage. (Reflecting.)	16	···········/˘˘/˘
Ah, but to-day her heart is far away. Come, we must do with the	16	········˘/······
flowers we have. (They start to walk away.)	10	/˘······˘/
Do you dare despise a guest like me?	9	···˘/····
Because your heart, by loving fancies blinded,	11	·····/˘/˘/˘
Has scorned a guest in pious life grown old,	10	·····/˘···
Your lover shall forget you though reminded,	11	·/˘·˘/··˘/˘
Or think of you as of a story told.	10	·······/˘·
Anusuya. My dear, he is anger incarnate. Who could appease him? But	18	·······/˘˘/···˘/··
I softened him a little.	7	·/˘··/˘
The moon behind the western mount is sinking;	11	·····/˘··/˘
The eastern sun is heralded by dawn;	10	·/˘··/˘˘··
From heaven's twin lights, their fall and glory linking,	12	·/˘·····/˘/˘
Brave lessons of submission may be drawn.	10	·/˘·˘/˘···
Night-blooming lilies, when the moon is hidden,	11	·/˘/˘····/˘
Have naught but memories of beauty left.	10	···/˘˘·/˘·
Hard, hard to bear! Her lot whom heaven has bidden	11	·······/·/˘
To live alone, of love and lover reft.	10	··˘/···/˘·
On jujube-trees the blushing dewdrops falter;	11	·/˘··/˘··/˘
The peacock wakes and leaves the cottage thatch;	10	·/·····/˘·
A deer is rising near the hoof-marked altar,	11	···/˘····/˘
And stretching, stands, the day's new life to catch.	10	·/˘·······
The moon that topped the loftiest mountain ranges,	11	·······/˘/˘
That slew the darkness in the midmost sky,	10	···/˘··/˘·
Is fallen from heaven, and all her glory changes:	12	·/˘·/···/˘/˘
So high to rise, so low at last to lie!	10	··········
Know, Brahman, that your child,	6	······
Like the fire-pregnant tree,	7	··/˘/˘·
Bears kingly seed that shall be born	8	·/˘·····
For earth's prosperity.	6	··˘/˘˘
A voice behind the scenes. Gautami, bid the worthy Sharngarava and	18	···········/˘·····
Sharadvata make ready to escort my daughter Shakuntala.	17	·····/˘·˘/·/˘····
Priyamvada. You are so beautiful, you ought to have the finest gems.	16	······/˘·····/˘·
It seems like an insult to give you these hermitage things. (Enter	15	····˘/····/˘·/˘
HARITA, a hermit-youth with ornaments.) Harita. Here are	15	····/˘··/˘·····
ornaments for our lady. (The women look at them in astonishment.)	16	/˘·//˘·/˘····˘/˘
One tree bore fruit, a silken marriage dress	10	·····/˘/˘·
That shamed the moon in its white loveliness;	10	·······/˘˘
Another gave us lac-dye for the feet;	10	˘/˘·······
From others, fairy hands extended, sweet	10	·/˘/˘·˘/˘·
Like flowering twigs, as far as to the wrist,	10	·/˘·······
And gave us gems, to adorn her as we list.	11	·····˘/····
Anusuya. My dear, we poor girls never saw such ornaments. How shall	15	········/··/˘··
we adorn you? (She stops to think, and to look at the ornaments.)	15	·˘/··········/˘
But we have seen pictures. Perhaps we can arrange them right.	14	····/˘˘/··˘/··
Shakuntala. I know how clever you are. (The two friends adorn her.	17	·······/˘·····˘/·
Enter KANVA, returning after his ablutions.)	13	/˘··˘/˘······

The reader shows the same poem with its rhymes coloured and a stress row above each line, the notes beside their stanzas, and any word's definition on a tap; the analysis page takes the whole book apart. How every part of this site was made.

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Shakuntala and Other Works