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Shakuntala
ShakuntalaShakuntala is the heroine of a great love story told in the Hindu epic the Mahabharata. She was the daughter of a wise man named Vishvamitra and the nymph Menaka, who abandoned her in the forest as an infant. A hermit who lived in the woods found the child and raised her as his daughter. One day, King Dushyanta was hunting and stopped at the hermit's home. When the king saw Shakuntala, he fell in love with her and the two were married. The king returned to his palace and Shakuntala stayed behind. She soon gave birth to a son, Bharata. epic long poem about legendary or historical Heroes, written in a grand style nymph minor goddess of nature, usually represented as young and beautiful Some time later, Shakuntala took the boy to the palace to meet his father. However, Dushyanta did not recognize her. As the mother and child stood before the king, a voice from heaven told him that the boy was indeed his son. Prompted by the voice, Dushyanta remembered Shakuntala, proclaimed her to be his * See Names and Places at the end of this volume for further information. queen, and named Bharata the heir to his throne. Bharata became the ancestor of the two great families that are featured in the Mahabharata. In some versions of the legend, Dushyanta failed to recognize Shakuntala because she had lost a ring he had given her; he accepted her whe n the ring was found. The Indian playwright Kālidāsa based his most famous drama on the story. See also Hinduism and Mythology; Mahabharata, The. |
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"Shakuntala." Myths and Legends of the World. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Shakuntala." Myths and Legends of the World. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3490900443.html "Shakuntala." Myths and Legends of the World. 2001. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3490900443.html |
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Shakuntala
Shakuntala ♀ Sanskrit: the name of the heroine of a drama by Kalidasa. Her name is said to derive from the name of a type of bird, because she was abandoned in a forest soon after birth and reared by birds. She was the beloved of King Dushyanta, and their son Bharat was the founder of a race of kings.
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Cite this article
PATRICK HANKS, KATE HARDCASTLE, and FLAVIA HODGES. "Shakuntala." A Dictionary of First Names. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. PATRICK HANKS, KATE HARDCASTLE, and FLAVIA HODGES. "Shakuntala." A Dictionary of First Names. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O41-Shakuntala.html PATRICK HANKS, KATE HARDCASTLE, and FLAVIA HODGES. "Shakuntala." A Dictionary of First Names. 2006. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O41-Shakuntala.html |
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Shakuntala
Shakuntala see Kalidasa . |
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Cite this article
"Shakuntala." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Shakuntala." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-X-Shakunta.html "Shakuntala." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-X-Shakunta.html |
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