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King Dushyant

Meanwhile, after he had taken care of the elephant, King Dushyant had to return to his camp and attend to his horses and chariots. He found his charioteer by the banks of the river. There he spent the night. As the moon rose over the tamarind trees, the King found that he could not stop thinking of the young maid who gathered papaya in a grove by Kanva's ashram. She was so attached to the little fawn that he had gone after with his bow and arrow. He found himself drawn to her.

As the charioteer saw to the horses and the servants took down the pavilion of the king, the hunting party received a message from the royal court. The queen summoned them. It was time to return. The young prince was celebrating a birthday.

But the king found an excuse to pass a few more days in the forest. Courtiers arrived and escorted his friends and servants in the hunting party back to his royal court, leaving behind his only his fool, his court jester.

The king promised to return shortly. However he tried to clear his mind and stop thinking of this fresh girl with profound eyes and bee-black hair, his thoughts kept returning to her again and again. At this time, the king knew his heart was struck with a passion for Shakuntala. Bewildered and not knowing how to proceed, he consulted his fool, a wise court jester who traveled with him. 

After most of the courtiers had returned to the kingdom, Dushyant to return to the grove where the ashram of Kanva was by the side of the river. 

Kanva's Ashrama

They entered the forest again on the king’s chariot. Then proceeded on foot,  the king armed only with his sharp sword. When he returned to the grove of Kanva, the ladies of the ashram were surprised to see him and asked about the elephant, thanking him. Shakuntala was overjoyed to see him.

The king too was transformed with love and drank in the sight of Shakuntala, her hair dark like midnight rain, her eyes of deepest ocean blue.

Dushyant with Shakuntala and friend

As the ladies of the ashram excused themselves to perform their afternoon duties, Shakuntala found an excuse to stay with the king and his friend on the plea of hospitality. The fool left them to walk by the riverside and play his flute by the bamboo next to the water. Alone at last they professed their love to each other in a shady grove by the tall mango tree.

They professed their love by the mango tree.