Shakuntala Final

Matali the Charioteer of Indra with Vaishnava Tilak

"Come," said Matali, "we must away to the hermitage of Kashyapa Muni. That austere son of Aditi would bestow his blessings on your matrimony."

And holding her child closer, Shakuntala said, "I'm not ready. We need to talk. There's so much you need to know. How can we go before great souls like Kashyapa and Aditi?"

But Dushyant smiled, and took her by the hand, helping her into the chariot. "We mustn't keep the great sage waiting." And so they seated themselves in the air-car of Matali, charioteer to the gods and flew on the wind to the ashrama of the great Kashyapa Muni.

And when they arrived, Kashyapa Muni arose and greeted them reverentially, saying, "You are welcome here in my ashrama. King Dushyant, you are a great hero. You rule the earth with your might arms and your sagacious wit. Your bow makes Indra's weapon seem no more than the toy Shankunta bird this boy carries in his hand."

"If only you knew the tale of this Shakunta bird," said the king, under his breath.

And Aditi, the chaste wife of that best of sages smiled and said, "I see his valour shine in his demeanour."

Aditi

Matali smiled from his chariot and twirled his moustache.  "These are the parents of the gods, my king. You are fortunate that they look upon you with such grace."

"I thank you for your blessings," said the king. "Dushyant is the servant of Vishnu and Indra and bows before you." And so saying, he made his reverence to Kashyapa Muni.

Kashyapa, standing, approached Dushyant, that he would not bow so deeply, and said, "My son. Go forth with my daughter and rule the world in peace."

And Aditi also blessed them, saying, "And be invincible." She embraced Shakuntala with all the affection of a mother, held her close and smelled her head. And then, looking in her eyes she said, "My daughter, your husband is as great as Indra, king of heaven and your son is as his son. I need give you no further blessing that this: go with your king and be his queen. Keep favor with your husband and be chaste and faithful to him. And this fine boy, Bharata will one day be a great king and rule all the Indias."

Kashyapa said, "I bless you my young king and wish you all the best: May you have treasure, faith, and realization in the highest knowledge. Come, sit here for a while with us.  As I can see all in my meditations, I know you have suffered much for your love of the fair Shakuntala. Rest a while."

Dushyant and Shakuntala reunited

And with a wave of his hand, refreshments appeared for the happy couple who sat on mats of kusha straw before that great hermit and his chaste wife.

And as they sat contented, they fell silent and took in the calm atmosphere of Kashyapa's ashram in this mountain paradise. With ashokan groves, limpid ponds of lotus flowers, and kokil birds singing Sanskrit hymns in shady trees covered with jasmine creepers it was a true paradise on earth.

Shakuntala at the ashram of Kanva

 Dushyant looked at Shakuntala to see if she had not disappeared and drank in her sweetness with his eyes. And turning to the great saint who had given him everything, he said, "O holy one, your mercy is limitless. All my wishes were fulfilled even by achieving the borders of your ashrama. Even before you called me into your presence we realized our greatest desires. Suffering often comes before joy. The thorns appear before the reddest rose. And rustic flowers come first, before sweet fruits. The clouds appear before the quenching rain. Effect follows cause. But you gave first. The tale is ended. Shakuntala is mine."

"But the error was mine as well, O sage. I married her of my own accord, as Gandharvas, with a simple exchange of flower garlands under the mango trees in Kanva's ashram long ago. And when she came before me in my royal court, I rejected her with arrogance and with scorn.  I sinned against my wife and against the sage Kanva as against you who are Kanva's spiritual master and mentor."

Duhyant's eyes welled with tears. He held out his hand to the old saint with leathery skin and a long white beard. The saint squinted to see the jewel on his hand. He clearly saw the royal signet ring. "But strangely, when I saw this ring, my memory was restored. I saw that my memory had been blinded somehow."

The Curse of Durvasa Muni

The old sage smiled, "Yes my son, of course. The child was cursed by Durvasa Muni for neglecting her service and wandering about absent-minded in the throes of young love. Your loss was the result of this curse. But when the nymph Menaka descended in her air-car and found Shakuntala running from your court she brought her to my wife, the chaste Aditi. By my divine insight, I saw everything."

"And I am now freed from this curse?"

"Of course my son. Your travails are over. You and your wife are reunited and your son will rule India."

Shakuntala said, "So my king did not forget me! His mind was lost because of the curse of Durvasa. He never forgot me. His memory was only clouded by some magic."

"And now you know the truth," Kashyapa said. "Do not be angry with the king, your husband. Remember the curse was done in anger. All things done in anger must bring pain. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Remember the laws of karma and dharma. Anger will cloud the mirror of your soul; keep the mirror clean. Reflections are not seen in dusty glass. Clean the mirror of your soul with the holy name."

"We thank you," O holy one, "for your advice." Said the king.

And Kashyapa turned to the little boy who sat on his mother's lap undoing the single braid of her bee-black hair which fell down her alabaster neck. Kashyapa said, "You must treat this boy with great respect. I myself performed his birth ceremony, awarded him his magic amulet and gave him the name Bharata. Later the country you rule will be ruled by him. It will come to be known as Bharata."

Dushyant laughed and touched the boy under his chin, saying, "Yes, I see the resemblance. He is like me. He will be the hope of all of India."

"Bharat will rule India"

Kashyapa smiled, his ancient eyes boring deep into Dushyant's soul: "Yes. His courage and strength will make him emperor of all the land and his air-chariot will travel the seven islands of the earth. All will bow before his mighty arms.  He will tame wild beasts even as he plays with lion cubs and his descendants will cherish his memory as Bharata, the ruler of all the Indias.

Child Bharat with Lions and Tigers