SMILE ENGLISH
SMILE ENGLISH
UNIT FOUR WOODLAND WHISPERS
One. Shakuntalam : At a glance
One. Shakuntalam : At a glance
Kalidasa's play Shakuntalam beautifully portrays the way our ancestors lived in close harmony with nature. It reminds us that breaking this bond with nature leads to destruction, while peaceful coexistence ensures balance and well-being. In Shakuntalam, Kalidasa shows that humans can live in harmony with nature through love, care, and respect. The hermitage is a peaceful place where plants and animals are treated like family members. The play teaches that when humans protect nature, nature, in turn, supports and nurtures human life.
The play opens with King Dushyanta pursuing a deer in the forest in his chariot. As he admires the grace and beauty of the animal, he prepares to shoot it. At that moment, a voice cautions him against killing the deer. Two hermits soon appear and explain that the deer belongs to their hermitage and is under their protection. They gently remind the king that weapons are meant to defend the innocent, not to harm the helpless. Respecting their wisdom, the king lowers his bow and returns the arrow to his quiver. Pleased with his conduct, the hermits bless him and invite him to visit Sage Kanva's hermitage, where his foster daughter Shakuntala looks after the place in his absence.
When Dushyanta arrives at the hermitage, he is deeply impressed by the calm and sacred atmosphere. He observes parrots dropping grains of rice, oil-stained pounding stones lying around, and gentle deer roaming freely without fear. Realising the serenity of the place, the king waits silently so as not to disturb its peace.
Soon, he notices Shakuntala along with her friends, Anasuya and Priyamvada, watering the plants. They care for the trees lovingly, treating them like members of their own family. They compare Shakuntala to a delicate jasmine creeper and delight in the natural beauty around them. The king is instantly captivated by Shakuntala's grace, purity, and simplicity.
As Shakuntala bends down to water a creeper, a bee begins to hover around her, frightening her. Her friends teasingly suggest that she call upon King Dushyanta, the guardian of the hermitage, to protect her from the bee. The hermitage is shown as a place where human life, plants, and animals exist in perfect harmony, and nature is treated with love and reverence. Through this, the play suggests that human happiness and moral living are closely linked to respect for the natural world.