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The Loom of Time
Kalidasa was the most accomplished poet and playwright in classical Sanskrit literature. This collection features his best-known work: the great poem Meghadutam (The Cloud Messenger), a haunting depiction of longing and separation; the play Sakuntala, which describes the troubled love between a Lady of Nature and King Duhsanta; and the poem Rtusamharam (The Gathering of the Seasons), an exuberant observation of the sheer variety of the natural world as it teems with the energies of the great god Siva.
343 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1991
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About the author
Kālidāsa
369 books184 followersPoetry of Indian dramatist and lyric poet Kalidasa (circa 375-circa 415) represents the height of the kavya style, which his epic poem
Raghuvamsha
and his lyric poem
Meghaduta
exemplify.
Poeple widely regard Kālidāsa (Devanāgarī: कालिदास "servant of Kali") as the greatest renowned writer in the classical Sanskrit language.
We know nothing with certainty about the life of Kālidāsa apart from works but speculate about the place where he lived or the dates of his birth and death. According to legend, his known beauty brought him to the attention of Vidyottama, princess, who married him.
Kālidāsa, however, legendarily lacked much education, and his ignorance and coarseness shamed the princess. A devoted worshipper of Kali (by other accounts of Saraswati), Kālidāsa is said to have called upon his goddess for help when he was going to commit suicide in a well after he was humiliated by his wife, and was rewarded with a sudden and extraordinary gift of wit. He is then said to have become the most brilliant of the "nine gems" at the court of the king Vikramaditya of Ujjain. Legend also has it that he was murdered by a courtesan in Sri Lanka during the reign of Kumaradasa.
Poeple widely regard Kālidāsa (Devanāgarī: कालिदास "servant of Kali") as the greatest renowned writer in the classical Sanskrit language.
We know nothing with certainty about the life of Kālidāsa apart from works but speculate about the place where he lived or the dates of his birth and death. According to legend, his known beauty brought him to the attention of Vidyottama, princess, who married him.
Kālidāsa, however, legendarily lacked much education, and his ignorance and coarseness shamed the princess. A devoted worshipper of Kali (by other accounts of Saraswati), Kālidāsa is said to have called upon his goddess for help when he was going to commit suicide in a well after he was humiliated by his wife, and was rewarded with a sudden and extraordinary gift of wit. He is then said to have become the most brilliant of the "nine gems" at the court of the king Vikramaditya of Ujjain. Legend also has it that he was murdered by a courtesan in Sri Lanka during the reign of Kumaradasa.
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November 11, 2014
This is a translation of three of Kālidāsa’s works. Kālidāsa is regarded as the greatest poet and playwright in Sanskrit literature. Three of his works translated here are Ṛtusaṃhāram, Meghadūtam and Abhijñānaśākuntalam. None of his works have come to us in their original form. Rather what we have are a number of recensions commentaries of his works. This happens commonly in Sanskrit literature. The translator here apparently used the Bengal recensions.
Sanskrit is a highly inflected language and has a free word order, so a translation into English is very difficult. So the translator here frequently uses inversions to be faithful to the style and not just the meaning.
Ṛtusaṃhāram is a work of lyric poetry that describes the experiences of lovers to the change in seasons. Here he juxtaposes the beauty in nature with the beauty of a woman. This gives the poem a strong blend of sensuality and eroticism.
Like this verse set in the rains,
Women adorn their beautiful breasts with nets of pearls,
And drape pale delicate silks round their shapely curving hips;
the fine line of down above the navel rises up
to meet the cool tingling touch of fresh raindrops;
how charming are the folds that furrow their waists!
Followed by autumn,
Prettily girdled by glittering minnows darting about,
Garlanded by rows of white birds on the margins,
With broad curving flanks of sandy banks,
Rivers glide softly like young women rapt in love.
And Frost,
Seeming sensible of the sensuous beauty
of women’s breasts, sad to see them pressed so hard,
the frosty season cries out at dawn, letting fall
dew drops that cling to the tips of blades of grass.
Meghadūtam is also a lyric poem that deals with the theme of separation of lovers and longing. This takes the form of a yaksha banished from his home, asking a cloud to take a message to his wife on mount Alaka. This poem is rich in imagery. This is probably the most famous of his works that spawned a whole new genre of messenger poems.
In the Śyāma-vines I see your body,
Your glance in the gazelle’s startled eye,
The cool radiance of your face in the moon,
Your tresses in the peacock’s luxuriant train,
Your eyebrow’s graceful curve in the stream’s small waves;
But alas! O cruel one, I see not
Your whole likeness anywhere in any one thing.
Abhijñānaśākuntalam is a play written in seven acts and also deals with the theme of separation and longing and ultimate union. This is based on the story of Dushyanta and Sakuntala and has elements of fantastic blended in.
A considerable amount of space here has been dedicated to the historiography of Kālidāsa. Dating Kālidāsa is very difficult as the writer hardly spoke about himself in his works and Indians probably never had the same view of history as in the west. The translator here prefers to place him in 1st century BCE in the court of Vikramaditya of Ujjain. But the most commonly accepted date is around 4th and 5th centuries CE during the reign of Chandragupta II who also adopted the title Vikramaditya and had his capital as Ujjain.
The translator also provided a very long and comprehensive introduction and an appendix explaining the various myths, to help a western reader better understand the metaphors and connotations.
A great translation. I enjoyed reading it.
Sanskrit is a highly inflected language and has a free word order, so a translation into English is very difficult. So the translator here frequently uses inversions to be faithful to the style and not just the meaning.
Ṛtusaṃhāram is a work of lyric poetry that describes the experiences of lovers to the change in seasons. Here he juxtaposes the beauty in nature with the beauty of a woman. This gives the poem a strong blend of sensuality and eroticism.
Like this verse set in the rains,
Women adorn their beautiful breasts with nets of pearls,
And drape pale delicate silks round their shapely curving hips;
the fine line of down above the navel rises up
to meet the cool tingling touch of fresh raindrops;
how charming are the folds that furrow their waists!
Followed by autumn,
Prettily girdled by glittering minnows darting about,
Garlanded by rows of white birds on the margins,
With broad curving flanks of sandy banks,
Rivers glide softly like young women rapt in love.
And Frost,
Seeming sensible of the sensuous beauty
of women’s breasts, sad to see them pressed so hard,
the frosty season cries out at dawn, letting fall
dew drops that cling to the tips of blades of grass.
Meghadūtam is also a lyric poem that deals with the theme of separation of lovers and longing. This takes the form of a yaksha banished from his home, asking a cloud to take a message to his wife on mount Alaka. This poem is rich in imagery. This is probably the most famous of his works that spawned a whole new genre of messenger poems.
In the Śyāma-vines I see your body,
Your glance in the gazelle’s startled eye,
The cool radiance of your face in the moon,
Your tresses in the peacock’s luxuriant train,
Your eyebrow’s graceful curve in the stream’s small waves;
But alas! O cruel one, I see not
Your whole likeness anywhere in any one thing.
Abhijñānaśākuntalam is a play written in seven acts and also deals with the theme of separation and longing and ultimate union. This is based on the story of Dushyanta and Sakuntala and has elements of fantastic blended in.
A considerable amount of space here has been dedicated to the historiography of Kālidāsa. Dating Kālidāsa is very difficult as the writer hardly spoke about himself in his works and Indians probably never had the same view of history as in the west. The translator here prefers to place him in 1st century BCE in the court of Vikramaditya of Ujjain. But the most commonly accepted date is around 4th and 5th centuries CE during the reign of Chandragupta II who also adopted the title Vikramaditya and had his capital as Ujjain.
The translator also provided a very long and comprehensive introduction and an appendix explaining the various myths, to help a western reader better understand the metaphors and connotations.
A great translation. I enjoyed reading it.
March 1, 2012
The great Indian poet and dramatist Kālidāsa was a genius on the order of Goethe and Shakespeare. We know little about him, other than that he wrote magnificent verse during the Golden Age of Indian culture, a time that saw the production of the Mahabharata and Bhagavad Gītā, and the Hindu Purāṇas. Kālidāsa drew from this extravagant tradition to produce dazzling and imaginative poems and plays alive with the vitality of Hindu religious insight.
His work has been rendered into English by Chandra Rajan, who has distinguished herself not only by rendering his Sanskrit into lyrical, flowing English, but also in compiling and editing this volume. The copious end notes and references are most helpful, but her penetrating and brilliant analysis of his work in the book's long introduction is simply invaluable. She is a keen and perceptive reader.
The principle work in this volume is Kālidāsa's "Abhijñānaśākuntalam," or "The Recognition of Śākuntala," which is a play of a very high order. Drawing from the Mahabharata and the Vedas as Shakespeare drew from Geoffrey of Monmouth and Plutarch, Kālidāsa presents an enchanting tale of love and its vitality, imbued throughout with reflections on art, imagination, God, and life that are both subtle and profound.
The works collected in this volume are so beautiful, so engaging, and so insightful, I cannot recommend it highly enough.
His work has been rendered into English by Chandra Rajan, who has distinguished herself not only by rendering his Sanskrit into lyrical, flowing English, but also in compiling and editing this volume. The copious end notes and references are most helpful, but her penetrating and brilliant analysis of his work in the book's long introduction is simply invaluable. She is a keen and perceptive reader.
The principle work in this volume is Kālidāsa's "Abhijñānaśākuntalam," or "The Recognition of Śākuntala," which is a play of a very high order. Drawing from the Mahabharata and the Vedas as Shakespeare drew from Geoffrey of Monmouth and Plutarch, Kālidāsa presents an enchanting tale of love and its vitality, imbued throughout with reflections on art, imagination, God, and life that are both subtle and profound.
The works collected in this volume are so beautiful, so engaging, and so insightful, I cannot recommend it highly enough.
June 4, 2020
EDIT June 2020
My views about this book and Kalidasa in general have changed a lot with time. I now appreciate what this selection brings to the tradition of Indian lit. as a whole. I now see newer meanings to what i had disliked or rather misunderstood previously. I still think about the comparison of King Dusyanta to a bee, or the peculiar Anusuya, and I have come back to a lot of descriptions in these plays. Because somebody liked it recently, i thought i needed to update this!
review from 2015:
Fuck no
My views about this book and Kalidasa in general have changed a lot with time. I now appreciate what this selection brings to the tradition of Indian lit. as a whole. I now see newer meanings to what i had disliked or rather misunderstood previously. I still think about the comparison of King Dusyanta to a bee, or the peculiar Anusuya, and I have come back to a lot of descriptions in these plays. Because somebody liked it recently, i thought i needed to update this!
review from 2015:
Fuck no
April 29, 2018
The book provides valuable insight to the culture of ancient India.
Chandra Rajan’s introduction serves as a synopsis of the backdrop in which Kalidasa composed his finest works and helps to reader understand the same.
The translation seems a bit heavy at times, so the book is best read in short bursts. And quite a number of verses require multiple readings to grasp the essence of the same.
The book contains 2 poems and a play written by Kalidasa, viz. Ritusambharam (The gathering of the seasons), Meghadutam (The cloud messenger) and Abhijnanasakuntalam (The recognition of Sakuntala) respectively.
A highly informative glossary of Indian and mythological terms and appendices shedding light on the time frames of Kalidasa’s magnum opus and the myths and influences pertaining to the same add to the virtues of the book.
The book can be treated as more of a discourse and literary analysis than a stand alone compilation of Kalidasa’s works. Anyone looking to genuinely immerse himself into the intricacies of Ancient India will have an enthralling experience, but for anyone without the necessary motivation and conviction will find it difficult to sail through the same.
About the content, Ritusambharan is divided into cantos, with each canto dedicated to a particular season. Meghdutam is a poem based on the premise of love and longing and the unbearable separation of a lover from his beloved.
The play Abhijnanasakuntalam also has a love story as it’s central theme, with an intricate blend of romance and flawless poetic lyricism.
Recommended for anyone looking to start reading Indian classics, not recommended for anyone lacking the patience to stick through a seemingly difficult read!
Chandra Rajan’s introduction serves as a synopsis of the backdrop in which Kalidasa composed his finest works and helps to reader understand the same.
The translation seems a bit heavy at times, so the book is best read in short bursts. And quite a number of verses require multiple readings to grasp the essence of the same.
The book contains 2 poems and a play written by Kalidasa, viz. Ritusambharam (The gathering of the seasons), Meghadutam (The cloud messenger) and Abhijnanasakuntalam (The recognition of Sakuntala) respectively.
A highly informative glossary of Indian and mythological terms and appendices shedding light on the time frames of Kalidasa’s magnum opus and the myths and influences pertaining to the same add to the virtues of the book.
The book can be treated as more of a discourse and literary analysis than a stand alone compilation of Kalidasa’s works. Anyone looking to genuinely immerse himself into the intricacies of Ancient India will have an enthralling experience, but for anyone without the necessary motivation and conviction will find it difficult to sail through the same.
About the content, Ritusambharan is divided into cantos, with each canto dedicated to a particular season. Meghdutam is a poem based on the premise of love and longing and the unbearable separation of a lover from his beloved.
The play Abhijnanasakuntalam also has a love story as it’s central theme, with an intricate blend of romance and flawless poetic lyricism.
Recommended for anyone looking to start reading Indian classics, not recommended for anyone lacking the patience to stick through a seemingly difficult read!
August 28, 2022
Kalidas continues to be a household name in India and I feel good after reading this book, the kind of good one feels after discovering a new comfort space. There is something about monsoons and ancient literature which just works for me.
Obviously I cannot compare the translated version with the original, but one can still appreciate great literature in any language for its own merit.
Obviously I cannot compare the translated version with the original, but one can still appreciate great literature in any language for its own merit.
February 20, 2011
Kālidāsa ("servant of Kali") was a renowned Classical Sanskrit writer, widely regarded as the greatest poet and dramatist in the Sanskrit language. His floruit cannot be dated with precision, but most likely falls within the Gupta period, probably in the 4th or 5th or 6th century. The place bestowed to the English poet Shakespeare is considered akin to that held by Kālidāsa in Sanskrit literature. His plays and poetry are primarily based on Hindu Puranas and philosophy.
Nothing apart from his works is known with certainty about the life of Kālidāsa, such as his period or where he lived. Little is known about Kālidāsa's life. According to legend, the poet was known for his beauty which brought him to the attention of a princess who married him. However, as legend has it, Kālidāsa had grown up without much education, and the princess was ashamed of his ignorance and coarseness. A devoted worshipper of Kali (by other accounts of Saraswati), Kālidāsa is said to have called upon his goddess for help when he was going to commit suicide in a pond after he was humiliated by his wife, and was rewarded with a sudden and extraordinary gift of wit. He is then said to have become the most brilliant of the "nine gems" at the court of the king Vikramaditya of Ujjain. Legend also has it that he was murdered by a courtesan in Sri Lanka during the reign of Kumaradasa.
Plays
Kālidāsa wrote three plays. Among them, Abhijñānaśākuntalam ("Of Shakuntala recognised by a token") is generally regarded as a masterpiece. It was among the first Sanskrit works to be translated into English, and has since been translated into many languages.
Mālavikāgnimitram ("Mālavikā and Agnimitra") tells the story of King Agnimitra, who falls in love with the picture of an exiled servant girl named Mālavikā. When the queen discovers her husband's passion for this girl, she becomes infuriated and has Mālavikā imprisoned, but as fate would have it, Mālavikā is in fact a true-born princess, thus legitimizing the affair.
Abhijñānaśākuntalam ("Of Shakuntala recognised by a token") tells the story of King Dushyanta who, while on a hunting trip, meets Shakuntalā, the adopted daughter of a sage, and marries her. A mishap befalls them when he is summoned back to court: Shakuntala, pregnant with their child, inadvertently offends a visiting sage and incurs a curse, by which Dushyanta will forget her completely until he sees the ring he has left with her. On her trip to Dushyanta's court in an advanced state of pregnancy, she loses the ring, and has to come away unrecognized. The ring is found by a fisherman who recognizes the royal seal and returns it to Dushyanta, who regains his memory of Shakuntala and sets out to find her. After more travels, they are finally reunited.
Vikramōrvaśīyam ("Pertaining to Vikrama and Urvashi") tells the story of mortal King Pururavas and celestial nymph Urvashi who fall in love. As an immortal, she has to return to the heavens, where an unfortunate accident causes her to be sent back to the earth as a mortal with the curse that she will die (and thus return to heaven) the moment her lover lays his eyes on the child which she will bear him. After a series of mishaps, including Urvashi's temporary transformation into a vine, the curse is lifted, and the lovers are allowed to remain together on the earth.
Poetry
Kālidāsa is the author of two epic poems, Raghuvaṃśa ("Dynasty of Raghu") and Kumārasambhava ("Birth of Kumāra"). Among his lyric poems are Meghadūta ("Cloud Messenger") and Ṛtusaṃhāra ("The Exposition on the Seasons").
Raghuvaṃśa is an epic poem about the kings of the Raghu dynasty.
Kumārasambhava is an epic poem which narrates the birth of Kartikeya, Parvati being sent by her father to serve the meditating Siva, Manmadha attempting to create love in Siva for Parvati, Siva destroying Manmadha in his fury, Parvati's penance for Siva, Siva agreeing to marry Parvati, Siva and Parvati living in marital bliss, etc.
Ṛtusaṃhāra describes the six seasons by narrating the experiences of two lovers in each of the seasons.
Meghadūta or Meghasāndesa is the story of a Yaksha trying to send a message to his lover through a cloud. Kalidasa set this poem to the 'mandākrānta' meter known for its lyrical sweetness. It is one of Kalidasa's most popular poems and numerous commentaries on the work have been written.
Kālidāsa's Abhijñānaśākuntalam was one of the first works of Indian literature to become known in Europe. It was first translated to English and then from English to German, where it was received with wonder and fascination by a group of eminent poets, which included Herder and Goethe.Kālidāsa's work continued to evoke inspiration among the artistic circles of Europe during the late 19th century and early 20th century, as evidenced by Camille Claudel's sculpture Shakuntala.
Nothing apart from his works is known with certainty about the life of Kālidāsa, such as his period or where he lived. Little is known about Kālidāsa's life. According to legend, the poet was known for his beauty which brought him to the attention of a princess who married him. However, as legend has it, Kālidāsa had grown up without much education, and the princess was ashamed of his ignorance and coarseness. A devoted worshipper of Kali (by other accounts of Saraswati), Kālidāsa is said to have called upon his goddess for help when he was going to commit suicide in a pond after he was humiliated by his wife, and was rewarded with a sudden and extraordinary gift of wit. He is then said to have become the most brilliant of the "nine gems" at the court of the king Vikramaditya of Ujjain. Legend also has it that he was murdered by a courtesan in Sri Lanka during the reign of Kumaradasa.
Plays
Kālidāsa wrote three plays. Among them, Abhijñānaśākuntalam ("Of Shakuntala recognised by a token") is generally regarded as a masterpiece. It was among the first Sanskrit works to be translated into English, and has since been translated into many languages.
Mālavikāgnimitram ("Mālavikā and Agnimitra") tells the story of King Agnimitra, who falls in love with the picture of an exiled servant girl named Mālavikā. When the queen discovers her husband's passion for this girl, she becomes infuriated and has Mālavikā imprisoned, but as fate would have it, Mālavikā is in fact a true-born princess, thus legitimizing the affair.
Abhijñānaśākuntalam ("Of Shakuntala recognised by a token") tells the story of King Dushyanta who, while on a hunting trip, meets Shakuntalā, the adopted daughter of a sage, and marries her. A mishap befalls them when he is summoned back to court: Shakuntala, pregnant with their child, inadvertently offends a visiting sage and incurs a curse, by which Dushyanta will forget her completely until he sees the ring he has left with her. On her trip to Dushyanta's court in an advanced state of pregnancy, she loses the ring, and has to come away unrecognized. The ring is found by a fisherman who recognizes the royal seal and returns it to Dushyanta, who regains his memory of Shakuntala and sets out to find her. After more travels, they are finally reunited.
Vikramōrvaśīyam ("Pertaining to Vikrama and Urvashi") tells the story of mortal King Pururavas and celestial nymph Urvashi who fall in love. As an immortal, she has to return to the heavens, where an unfortunate accident causes her to be sent back to the earth as a mortal with the curse that she will die (and thus return to heaven) the moment her lover lays his eyes on the child which she will bear him. After a series of mishaps, including Urvashi's temporary transformation into a vine, the curse is lifted, and the lovers are allowed to remain together on the earth.
Poetry
Kālidāsa is the author of two epic poems, Raghuvaṃśa ("Dynasty of Raghu") and Kumārasambhava ("Birth of Kumāra"). Among his lyric poems are Meghadūta ("Cloud Messenger") and Ṛtusaṃhāra ("The Exposition on the Seasons").
Raghuvaṃśa is an epic poem about the kings of the Raghu dynasty.
Kumārasambhava is an epic poem which narrates the birth of Kartikeya, Parvati being sent by her father to serve the meditating Siva, Manmadha attempting to create love in Siva for Parvati, Siva destroying Manmadha in his fury, Parvati's penance for Siva, Siva agreeing to marry Parvati, Siva and Parvati living in marital bliss, etc.
Ṛtusaṃhāra describes the six seasons by narrating the experiences of two lovers in each of the seasons.
Meghadūta or Meghasāndesa is the story of a Yaksha trying to send a message to his lover through a cloud. Kalidasa set this poem to the 'mandākrānta' meter known for its lyrical sweetness. It is one of Kalidasa's most popular poems and numerous commentaries on the work have been written.
Kālidāsa's Abhijñānaśākuntalam was one of the first works of Indian literature to become known in Europe. It was first translated to English and then from English to German, where it was received with wonder and fascination by a group of eminent poets, which included Herder and Goethe.Kālidāsa's work continued to evoke inspiration among the artistic circles of Europe during the late 19th century and early 20th century, as evidenced by Camille Claudel's sculpture Shakuntala.
July 29, 2024
I did not find these particularly good.
Classical Sanskrit is inherently a language of the elite. It was never a spoken language. It arose from an antecedent language that was deliberately made an elite language around the middle of the first millennium bc, when it was first committed to script and when it diverged from spoken language given gatekeeping by Brahmin elite.
Because it was an elite language it was pretty sterile except for those few texts where the audience was intended to be a lay audience. Most of the time compositions in classical Sanskrit emphasized form over content and rewarded formalistic cleverness over compelling plot, characters, etc. This reflects its use as a court language with the intended audience being the Court. Exceptions are the story cycles that draw from folklore and so are actually good.
These two lyric poems and one play are no exception. The poetry is florid and ornate, lacking immediacy and emotive force. It is a sterile poetry, for the reader/listener to admire a clever turn of phrase about nature as woman/lover metaphors. Contrast it with Bhakti poetry, or the Gita, which retain their power over centuries.
The play Sakuntala is much better bc it draws on an older story tradition for the plot. The comparison between Kalidasa’s Sakuntala and that appearing in the older Mahabharata is instructive in the context of studying changing gender norms among the military/political elite. The older epic, where kingship is newer/more suspect and norms of primogeniture less established has a stronger Sakuntala who more forcefully makes her case for recognition and a less forgivable king.
Having read this I think Kalidasa’s epic poetry will likely be better than his lyric poetry. I also wonder whether the reason we are told Kalidasa is good is bc people were trying to resurrect some sort of idealized past to construct either an Orientalist myth of a declining civilization or, it’s flip side, the mythic golden age or national narratives. Kalidasa then, with his ornate and florid nature writing, adherence to hierarchy and strong state power, was a nice safe choice. That doesn’t make him good.
Classical Sanskrit is inherently a language of the elite. It was never a spoken language. It arose from an antecedent language that was deliberately made an elite language around the middle of the first millennium bc, when it was first committed to script and when it diverged from spoken language given gatekeeping by Brahmin elite.
Because it was an elite language it was pretty sterile except for those few texts where the audience was intended to be a lay audience. Most of the time compositions in classical Sanskrit emphasized form over content and rewarded formalistic cleverness over compelling plot, characters, etc. This reflects its use as a court language with the intended audience being the Court. Exceptions are the story cycles that draw from folklore and so are actually good.
These two lyric poems and one play are no exception. The poetry is florid and ornate, lacking immediacy and emotive force. It is a sterile poetry, for the reader/listener to admire a clever turn of phrase about nature as woman/lover metaphors. Contrast it with Bhakti poetry, or the Gita, which retain their power over centuries.
The play Sakuntala is much better bc it draws on an older story tradition for the plot. The comparison between Kalidasa’s Sakuntala and that appearing in the older Mahabharata is instructive in the context of studying changing gender norms among the military/political elite. The older epic, where kingship is newer/more suspect and norms of primogeniture less established has a stronger Sakuntala who more forcefully makes her case for recognition and a less forgivable king.
Having read this I think Kalidasa’s epic poetry will likely be better than his lyric poetry. I also wonder whether the reason we are told Kalidasa is good is bc people were trying to resurrect some sort of idealized past to construct either an Orientalist myth of a declining civilization or, it’s flip side, the mythic golden age or national narratives. Kalidasa then, with his ornate and florid nature writing, adherence to hierarchy and strong state power, was a nice safe choice. That doesn’t make him good.
July 16, 2023
Read Kalidasa's Abhijana Shakuntalam from this edition for school.
Open door romance but the girl gets pregnant. And these sages are FUCKIN' CRAZY! -_-
3 stars.
Open door romance but the girl gets pregnant. And these sages are FUCKIN' CRAZY! -_-
3 stars.
February 23, 2016
It is difficult to assess this work.
In Rtusamharam [The Gathering of Seasons] each of the six cantos (one for each season in the Subcontinent) brilliantly evokes in the modern reader a daily routine of realistic depth in a natural world that he no longer experiences - much to his loss.
The Meghadutam [The Cloud Messenger] depicts the longing of an exiled husband for his wife. He sends this poem by cloud to his distant lover. The cloud becomes a character, hugging mountain peaks and buoyed up for the day when love once again is shared. Often it becomes depressed in sorrow, tearing at the weeds and grasses, and dragging across muddy rivulettes and fetid morasses.
Abhijnanasakuntalam is a seven act play steeped in Brahman lore that baffles me because of my ignorance. Perhaps someone with a better understanding would find it good. I did not.
In Rtusamharam [The Gathering of Seasons] each of the six cantos (one for each season in the Subcontinent) brilliantly evokes in the modern reader a daily routine of realistic depth in a natural world that he no longer experiences - much to his loss.
The Meghadutam [The Cloud Messenger] depicts the longing of an exiled husband for his wife. He sends this poem by cloud to his distant lover. The cloud becomes a character, hugging mountain peaks and buoyed up for the day when love once again is shared. Often it becomes depressed in sorrow, tearing at the weeds and grasses, and dragging across muddy rivulettes and fetid morasses.
Abhijnanasakuntalam is a seven act play steeped in Brahman lore that baffles me because of my ignorance. Perhaps someone with a better understanding would find it good. I did not.
January 16, 2009
The first translation of Kalidasa that I found sounded like Dr. Suess wrote it, so I was glad to find Chandra Rajan's accessible and fluid version (which at times sounds much more like Shakespeare than Hop on Pop. Apologies to Dr. Suess, but this is a good thing.) Rajan's translation is probably the closest English readers can expect to get to the Sanskrit. The introduction is lengthy, but worth the time, and following the poems (Rtusamharam and Meghatutam) and Kalidasa's "masterpiece," The Recognition of Shakuntala, is a helpful glossary and synopses of important source myths.
June 29, 2014
What a lovely book.. For one of the few times, I thoroughly enjoyed a translation.. Maybe because of the subject being so powerful and the splendid nature of Kalidasa's writing.. A must read for someone who cannot read Sanskrit but still wants to read Kalidasa's work..
December 25, 2019
Love the vivid depictions of Kalidasa. But the translator does no justice to the task taken up by her. Too wordy and dull at times. I mean, who would sit through a 100 page introduction to begin reading the main content?!
3 stars for Kalidasa and none for the editor/translator.
3 stars for Kalidasa and none for the editor/translator.
May 7, 2011
I wish I could read the original Sanskrit version
January 5, 2023
A beautiful and sensual dreamscape, The Loom of Time is a very engaging translation of 1st century sanskrit literature. The origins of the author Kalidasa may have been lost to time, but the imagery conjured in The Cloud Messenger is fresh and vibrant. The play, The Recognition of Sakuntala, weaves humans into the nature surrounding them where they are governed by the elements and the whims of the gods. The exquisite descriptions of the characters and their environments really pulls you into the story. The translator has provided interesting and comprehensive annotations to help the reader to imagine how these works were originally received and made me very interested to see the stage version of this play.
This book is an accessible and enjoyable introduction to one of the most important authors in world literature.
This book is an accessible and enjoyable introduction to one of the most important authors in world literature.
October 1, 2024
Kalidasa's writing style is very flowery (pun intended.) I have very strong opinions on Duhsanta. After much grappling with Shakuntala being compared to various flora, am just glad to be done with it.
August 6, 2023
I was expecting more from the play Sakuntala, his most famous play. It falls well short of what the Greeks were doing around the same time.
Meghadutam (The Cloud Messenger) is much better.
Meghadutam (The Cloud Messenger) is much better.
July 30, 2023
Kalidasa’s (4-5th century CE) Meghadutam or The Cloud Messenger is a lustrous gem of a poem ideal for enjoyment during the Monsoons. My cherished copy was bought from the Murree hill station many monsoons ago and evokes happy memories with its faint biscuity fragrance & passages lovingly underlined. This poem had even inspired me to write one of my own as a tribute to Kalidasa and his ability to create something so beautiful and timeless. This volume contains Meghadutam, the poem Ṛtusaṃhāram, and Kalidasa's celebrated play Abhijñānaśākuntalam), popularly known as Shakuntala, which became a huge success in the west after its multiple translations.
Meghadūta or Meghadūtam (The Cloud Messenger) is one of Kālidāsa's most celebrated poems and a classic of Sanskrit literature. Evocative, lyrical, beautifully descriptive, replete with delicate explorations of the emotions of love and longing, sensual and aesthetically erotic, it tells of a Yaksa or nature spirit banished from the land by his master, persuading a cloud to carry a message to his pining partner in the northern city of Alaka. What we get as a result is a sweeping exploration of a rich and varied landscape with wonderful descriptions of cities real and mythical, rivers, forests, mountains and palaces with minute details of human activity, pleasure-seeking, and anticipation of rain. It is like an exquisite Chinese long scroll painting that presents an unfolding panorama of mountain scapes, landscapes and waterscapes. Kalidas provides us loving details of local flowers, vines, trees and land features, divulging his minute ad deeply sensitive observation of nature. At the same time, the poem takes engages in a deep exploration of the human emotions of passion, desire, love and longing.
Here is a characteristic exhortation by the pining Yaksa to the Cloud to be indulgent towards young lovers:
'Young women going to their lovers' dwellings at night
set out on the royal highway mantled
in sight-obscuring darkness you could pierce with a pin;
light their path with streaked lightening
glittering like gold-rays on a touchstone,
but do not startle them with thunder and pelting rain
for they are easily alarmed.'
And here is a glimpse of a time when a celebration of things sensual, erotic and passionate was perhaps much more open and uninhibited, or perhaps it was a desire for things to be so:
'Where at sunrise the path followed at night
by amorous women hastening to midnight trysts
with faltering steps, is marked by telltale signs -
Mandara flowers fallen from playful curls
and petals of golden lotuses worn at the ears
dislodged, lie strewn on the ground, with pearls
scattered loose as the threads snapped
of bodice of pearls that closely held their breasts'
Ṛtusaṃhāram (The Gathering of Seasons) is another medium-length poem in this volume. There is dispute as to whether it is even penned by Kalidasa or whether it is an early work by him. It lacks the exalted elegance and finesse of Meghadūtam as it tends to be less subtle and often somewhat repetitive. Nevertheless, it has its moments in its unabashed celebration of seasons, sensuality, erotica and love-making, with its descriptions of every season intertwined with passion or lack thereof. In six Cantos - Summer; Rains; Autumn; The Season of Frosts; Winter; and Spring, it describes how the weather affects the moods of lovers, the flora and fauna, and the rites and rituals of life. Again there is detail of description that makes the poem authentic and exotic and a great representative of its particular locale. This translation is not the most lyrical but it is said to convey quite comprehensively the full spectrum of meaning in the original. I can well imagine, however, how glorious these poems would be in Sanskrit.
Finally this volume contains Kālidāsa's highly celebrated play Abhijñānaśākuntalam), also known as Shakuntala (The Recognition of Shakuntala or The Sign of Shakuntala) which dramatizes a story from the Mahābhārata. The plot is relatively straight-forward. The valiant king Dushyanta comes across the maiden Shakuntala while hunting in the forest, falls head over heels in love with her and finds reciprocity, enters into wedlock through the Gandharva rite, and returns to his kingdom with the promise to have her brought over very soon. However, under a curse by an irate sage he forgets all about her. She gives birth to his son and is sent to his court by her foster father who is an exalted ascetic, in order to be reclaimed. He is courteous but has no recollection and is therefore averse to embracing someone he is not certain of being his wife. Spurned and distraught Shakuntala is taken to live in the realm of the gods as her mother Menaka is an apsara. A signet ring gifted to her eventually finds its way to the King who then remembers and is deeply anguished by remorse, finds further favor with the gods by fighting on their behalf against a race of titans, and wins glory as well as a happy reunion with his wife and child.
The timeless skill, beauty and merit of this seven Act play however lies in how it wonderfully evokes an idyllic and sylvan life in the jungle hermitages in the foot-hills of the Himalayas; the descriptions of the hermit-groves/groves of righteousness/penance groves inhabited by the sages, the delightful descriptions of local flora and fauna and their association with human emotions and sentiments, the burgeoning romance between the king and the damsel, the deep sorrow with which the forest dwellers - humans and beasts (including a doe adopted by her as a son and called 'Liquid-Long-Eyes') - bid farewell to Shakuntala, Shakuntala's anguish at being repudiated by her husband, Dushyanta's deep remorse when he realizes his mistake, reflections on the demands and duties of kingship, the Brahmanic briefs and rites of the time, and the aerial chariot journey to and from celestial lands. The dialogue is lyrical, there is wit as well as pathos, and the whole play is steeped in the spirit of romance.
Delicate and subtle are the observations as love overpowers Dushyanta. He says at one point that he can tell that a beautiful girl has just passed an avenue of young trees because:
'The cups of flowers she has just plucked
have not as yet sealed themslves
and these tender shoots, broken off,
are still moist with their milky sap'
At another point he gazes upon her and remarks:
'she appears in the midst of ascetics,
a tender sprout amongst yellowing leaves'
Seven as he confesses that, 'my mind hovers uncertain, like a bee,' he comes to the conclusion that, 'a gem is sought for, it does not seek.'
The selection I have is called 'The Loom of Time' and time appears to melt away as one reads the words of a poet from fifteen hundred years ago who saw and captured such beauty, longing and passion in the ephemeral spectacle of the world and preserved it with such skill and feeling that it resonates still.
Meghadūta or Meghadūtam (The Cloud Messenger) is one of Kālidāsa's most celebrated poems and a classic of Sanskrit literature. Evocative, lyrical, beautifully descriptive, replete with delicate explorations of the emotions of love and longing, sensual and aesthetically erotic, it tells of a Yaksa or nature spirit banished from the land by his master, persuading a cloud to carry a message to his pining partner in the northern city of Alaka. What we get as a result is a sweeping exploration of a rich and varied landscape with wonderful descriptions of cities real and mythical, rivers, forests, mountains and palaces with minute details of human activity, pleasure-seeking, and anticipation of rain. It is like an exquisite Chinese long scroll painting that presents an unfolding panorama of mountain scapes, landscapes and waterscapes. Kalidas provides us loving details of local flowers, vines, trees and land features, divulging his minute ad deeply sensitive observation of nature. At the same time, the poem takes engages in a deep exploration of the human emotions of passion, desire, love and longing.
Here is a characteristic exhortation by the pining Yaksa to the Cloud to be indulgent towards young lovers:
'Young women going to their lovers' dwellings at night
set out on the royal highway mantled
in sight-obscuring darkness you could pierce with a pin;
light their path with streaked lightening
glittering like gold-rays on a touchstone,
but do not startle them with thunder and pelting rain
for they are easily alarmed.'
And here is a glimpse of a time when a celebration of things sensual, erotic and passionate was perhaps much more open and uninhibited, or perhaps it was a desire for things to be so:
'Where at sunrise the path followed at night
by amorous women hastening to midnight trysts
with faltering steps, is marked by telltale signs -
Mandara flowers fallen from playful curls
and petals of golden lotuses worn at the ears
dislodged, lie strewn on the ground, with pearls
scattered loose as the threads snapped
of bodice of pearls that closely held their breasts'
Ṛtusaṃhāram (The Gathering of Seasons) is another medium-length poem in this volume. There is dispute as to whether it is even penned by Kalidasa or whether it is an early work by him. It lacks the exalted elegance and finesse of Meghadūtam as it tends to be less subtle and often somewhat repetitive. Nevertheless, it has its moments in its unabashed celebration of seasons, sensuality, erotica and love-making, with its descriptions of every season intertwined with passion or lack thereof. In six Cantos - Summer; Rains; Autumn; The Season of Frosts; Winter; and Spring, it describes how the weather affects the moods of lovers, the flora and fauna, and the rites and rituals of life. Again there is detail of description that makes the poem authentic and exotic and a great representative of its particular locale. This translation is not the most lyrical but it is said to convey quite comprehensively the full spectrum of meaning in the original. I can well imagine, however, how glorious these poems would be in Sanskrit.
Finally this volume contains Kālidāsa's highly celebrated play Abhijñānaśākuntalam), also known as Shakuntala (The Recognition of Shakuntala or The Sign of Shakuntala) which dramatizes a story from the Mahābhārata. The plot is relatively straight-forward. The valiant king Dushyanta comes across the maiden Shakuntala while hunting in the forest, falls head over heels in love with her and finds reciprocity, enters into wedlock through the Gandharva rite, and returns to his kingdom with the promise to have her brought over very soon. However, under a curse by an irate sage he forgets all about her. She gives birth to his son and is sent to his court by her foster father who is an exalted ascetic, in order to be reclaimed. He is courteous but has no recollection and is therefore averse to embracing someone he is not certain of being his wife. Spurned and distraught Shakuntala is taken to live in the realm of the gods as her mother Menaka is an apsara. A signet ring gifted to her eventually finds its way to the King who then remembers and is deeply anguished by remorse, finds further favor with the gods by fighting on their behalf against a race of titans, and wins glory as well as a happy reunion with his wife and child.
The timeless skill, beauty and merit of this seven Act play however lies in how it wonderfully evokes an idyllic and sylvan life in the jungle hermitages in the foot-hills of the Himalayas; the descriptions of the hermit-groves/groves of righteousness/penance groves inhabited by the sages, the delightful descriptions of local flora and fauna and their association with human emotions and sentiments, the burgeoning romance between the king and the damsel, the deep sorrow with which the forest dwellers - humans and beasts (including a doe adopted by her as a son and called 'Liquid-Long-Eyes') - bid farewell to Shakuntala, Shakuntala's anguish at being repudiated by her husband, Dushyanta's deep remorse when he realizes his mistake, reflections on the demands and duties of kingship, the Brahmanic briefs and rites of the time, and the aerial chariot journey to and from celestial lands. The dialogue is lyrical, there is wit as well as pathos, and the whole play is steeped in the spirit of romance.
Delicate and subtle are the observations as love overpowers Dushyanta. He says at one point that he can tell that a beautiful girl has just passed an avenue of young trees because:
'The cups of flowers she has just plucked
have not as yet sealed themslves
and these tender shoots, broken off,
are still moist with their milky sap'
At another point he gazes upon her and remarks:
'she appears in the midst of ascetics,
a tender sprout amongst yellowing leaves'
Seven as he confesses that, 'my mind hovers uncertain, like a bee,' he comes to the conclusion that, 'a gem is sought for, it does not seek.'
The selection I have is called 'The Loom of Time' and time appears to melt away as one reads the words of a poet from fifteen hundred years ago who saw and captured such beauty, longing and passion in the ephemeral spectacle of the world and preserved it with such skill and feeling that it resonates still.
July 20, 2018
Gorgeous ancient plays written as narrative-dramatic poetry (think Shakespeare) written by poet, dramatist, writer (and possible possesor of other talents unknown to us) in 4-5 CE in the Indian subcontinent. Major themes: nature, love, betrayal, spirituality, relationships between gender, relationship of man to nature, relationship of man to spiritual.
A must read to disabuse us of any notion that in this new century our emotions are more refined and truly novel — similar thoughts, feelings, and often more profound and complex through imagery connections have been made and lost to our collective consciousness: read all literature, the more ancient the better to recover and rediscover what we already know. :)
BTW - wonderfully interesting and scholarly even level of discussion on Sanskrit drama in the intro is a great bonus in this book.
A must read to disabuse us of any notion that in this new century our emotions are more refined and truly novel — similar thoughts, feelings, and often more profound and complex through imagery connections have been made and lost to our collective consciousness: read all literature, the more ancient the better to recover and rediscover what we already know. :)
BTW - wonderfully interesting and scholarly even level of discussion on Sanskrit drama in the intro is a great bonus in this book.
February 12, 2023
dushyanta is a dawg
January 22, 2025
Kālidāsa's works are characterized by their exquisite imagery, emotional depth, and philosophical insights. His poetry exemplifies the Sanskrit literary tradition of "kavya," which emphasizes the aesthetic and emotional aspects of poetry. Kālidāsa's mastery of the "rasa" theory, which categorizes human emotions into various sentiments, has had a profound influence on Indian literature and art.
The poet's ability to create vivid, sensory experiences through his words has earned him comparisons to Shakespeare. His works demonstrate a deep understanding of human psychology and a sensitive portrayal of emotions, making his characters and their situations relatable across cultures and time periods.
Kālidāsa's poetry often reflects important philosophical concepts from ancient Indian thought. His works explore ideas such as the unity of all existence, the concept of bhakti (devotion), and the transient nature of life. The poet's reverence for nature and his portrayal of the natural world as divine echo elements of pantheistic thought.
"The Loom of Time" offers readers a window into the brilliance of Kālidāsa's literary artistry. Through his plays and poems, Kālidāsa has created a timeless legacy that continues to captivate readers with its beauty, emotional depth, and philosophical insights. His works stand as a testament to the richness of classical Sanskrit literature and its enduring relevance in exploring the human condition.
The poet's ability to create vivid, sensory experiences through his words has earned him comparisons to Shakespeare. His works demonstrate a deep understanding of human psychology and a sensitive portrayal of emotions, making his characters and their situations relatable across cultures and time periods.
Kālidāsa's poetry often reflects important philosophical concepts from ancient Indian thought. His works explore ideas such as the unity of all existence, the concept of bhakti (devotion), and the transient nature of life. The poet's reverence for nature and his portrayal of the natural world as divine echo elements of pantheistic thought.
"The Loom of Time" offers readers a window into the brilliance of Kālidāsa's literary artistry. Through his plays and poems, Kālidāsa has created a timeless legacy that continues to captivate readers with its beauty, emotional depth, and philosophical insights. His works stand as a testament to the richness of classical Sanskrit literature and its enduring relevance in exploring the human condition.
January 31, 2025
One of the coolest things about Kalidasa's style is how he paints pictures with words. Reading his descriptions of nature is like walking through a lush, vibrant garden. You can almost smell the flowers and feel the breeze. It's not just pretty words though - Kalidasa uses these natural elements to mirror human emotions and experiences. Clever, right?
Now, when it comes to characters and relationships, Kalidasa doesn't pull any punches. He dives deep into the human psyche, exploring all the messy, complicated feelings we deal with. Love, duty, desire, conflict - it's all there, laid bare in beautiful Sanskrit verse.
Speaking of which, Kalidasa's use of language is something else. He's a master of wordplay and double meanings. Reading his work in Sanskrit is like solving a beautiful puzzle, where each word can have multiple interpretations. Even in translation, you can feel the richness of his language.
What's really fascinating is how Kalidasa weaves Hindu mythology and philosophy into his works. He's not just telling stories; he's exploring big ideas about fate, duty, and the nature of reality. But don't worry, it's not all heavy philosophy - Kalidasa knows how to entertain too.
Now, when it comes to characters and relationships, Kalidasa doesn't pull any punches. He dives deep into the human psyche, exploring all the messy, complicated feelings we deal with. Love, duty, desire, conflict - it's all there, laid bare in beautiful Sanskrit verse.
Speaking of which, Kalidasa's use of language is something else. He's a master of wordplay and double meanings. Reading his work in Sanskrit is like solving a beautiful puzzle, where each word can have multiple interpretations. Even in translation, you can feel the richness of his language.
What's really fascinating is how Kalidasa weaves Hindu mythology and philosophy into his works. He's not just telling stories; he's exploring big ideas about fate, duty, and the nature of reality. But don't worry, it's not all heavy philosophy - Kalidasa knows how to entertain too.
July 6, 2020
Kalidasa is considered the best writer in the Sanskrit language. His imagery, when at least represented in English, truly soars, and he has a talent in creating a very strong emotionality in the natural world. When Kalidasa describes deer walking by, or the wind blowing, I feel something in my heart, which is something rare for me when I am reading mere prose descriptions. There is a lushness to the rhythm of his words. His descriptions of sex and the emotionality of it are also some of the best I have seen in literature to date.
June 4, 2021
I would recommend this as the first step to anyone looking to get acquainted with Indian literature - we see in Kalidasa beautiful mastery of nature imagery, ruminations on kingship, gratuitous and rewarding entendres, and timeless humor that translates from the sanskrit very well. Sakuntala will inevitably evoke comparisons to shakespeare but the long poems included in this collection, notably the Cloud Messenger, have long and beautiful narrative arcs of their own.
July 27, 2025
A collection of three Kālidāsa works - two epic poems, Rtusamhāram and Meghadūtam, and one play, Śakuntalā. Personally, I preferred the poetry, but all are beautifully translated by Chandra Rajan, and it’s clear to see why Kālidāsa is still an enduring influence on Indian literature.
August 4, 2019
Translation is so beautiful.... especially Dushyanta and Shakuntala's Ashram scene, such a beautiful work...
Read
July 19, 2020An epic flow work by Kālidāsa
March 26, 2021
Great writing but underwhelming plot
Read
August 18, 2015Read sakuntala in this collection.
I've known this play, I've read the Amar Chitra Katha and I've seen parts of the serial that used to come on TV. The serial is closer to this play than I expected.
Full of erotic imagery and drama. This play is like an Ekta Kapoor serial. (Seems as if her storytelling skills are part of our cultural history).
I've known this play, I've read the Amar Chitra Katha and I've seen parts of the serial that used to come on TV. The serial is closer to this play than I expected.
Full of erotic imagery and drama. This play is like an Ekta Kapoor serial. (Seems as if her storytelling skills are part of our cultural history).
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