Absent-minded Service

The Curse of Durvas Muni

Forest-dwelling Yakshas

At the petition of King Yudhishthira, Kunti, his mother continued the story of their ancestor Bharata.  As the horizon became clear with the first rays of morning, Kunti replied saying, “Well, It so came to pass that the erudite saint Durvasa Muni, who was known for his hot temper, passed by the ashram of Kanva. 

Durvasa passes by the ashram of Kanva

At that time he was very hungry. The sweet young Shakuntala, now with child was so distracted by her love of Dushyant, that she neglected her service. 

She didn’t attend to the sage properly.  While preparing lunch for Durvasa Muni she forgot to fetch fresh water. The lunch was cold. Her fickle mind was lost as she pined for king Duhsyant and wondered, “Does he still remember me?”

Her absent-mindedness was not lost on the sage. The hot-tempered Durvasa became enraged at her treatment. Finally, he could tolerate her no more. “I curse you, girl.” 

Durvasa curses Shakuntala for absent-mindedness

He said,  “As you have have been so absent-minded with  me, thinking all the while of one who is not here, so shall the one you love be inattentive with you. Whoever it is you pine for will forget all about you. He will remember neither you, nor your face. He shall no more think of you and shall forget your image in his heart. You will vainly strive to waken his remembrance but he shall disown you and cast you out from his court as a stranger.”

With this, the shy and devoted Shakuntala blushed red. “Forgive me, O blessed one,” She said. “I have sinned against you.”

Durvasa was impervious to her pleas. He refused to listen to her. Some time later, hearing of the terrible curse of the hot-tempered sage, Shakuntala’s friends Priyamvada and Anasuya did their best to mitigate the curse. Arriving on the scene they assuaged the saint with sweet words and cool drinks.

Serving the saint the richest and most sumptuous food and drink they knew how to prepare while cajoling him with sweet words, the girls finally managed to calm him.  When they saw he was peaceful within and satisfied with the repast, they said, “O saintly one, kindly mitigate the curse you have given our sister.” In this way they pleaded with him.

Durvasa Muni mitigates the curse

With this, Durvasa Muni, said, “Because you have shown me hospitality worthy of the great Kanva, I will try to relax the curse. I cannot change what has been said. The King will forget all about Shakuntala. But, at the sight of the ring he gave her, the spell will pass, and his memory of her will return.”

So it was that Durvasa Muni left Shakuntala with the fateful curse which would change her life and the life of her unborn son Bharata.