Shakuntala Continued...

Kunti tells of Shakuntala, Mother of Bharata

The Sons of Pandu sat quietly and listened to their mother tell the tale of Shakuntala, the mother of Bharat, their forefather. As the dying embers of the fire shot sparks into the darkness, Kunti devi continued her story:

Dushyant and Shakuntala

"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.

"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.

Shakuntala and King Dashyant in Love

They talked and laughed, the King now madly in love, entrusted Shakuntala with his royal ring as an emblem of his true heart. Shankuntala gave herself hopelessly to the descendant of Puru as they embraced. They embraced and shared their hopes, doing all the things that lovers do when enchanted by spring. As the sun went down they whispered a lovers pledge never to part.

"Some days passed. The fool meanwhile became involved in meditation and study, and the ladies of the ashram occupied themselves in their duties to their guru while the happy couple passed a fortnight together, meeting secretly in the evenings and admiring the setting sun through the trees of the forest.

 "In this way they passed many days in love. During this time,  Shakuntala and the King promised themselves to each other and exchanging garlands of flowers, they married privately in the Gandharva style.

"One night a group of marauding yakshas or forest spirits attacked the ashram of Kanva, and then returned to the forest. The following night, laying in wait for them as the full moon rose over the fire sacrifice performed by humble brahmaṇas, the king found the yakshas, defeated them and sent them into retreat. 

"Messengers from the court of the king then arrived in the grove, recalling Dushyant to the royal court. The king was obliged to return to his duties at the royal palace. With a heavy heart, before they could make public their love and formally marry, the king had to return. He gave Shakuntala his royal ring and his sworn pledge that they would be married soon in the formal royal style. He pledged his loyalty to Shakuntala and told her he would never forget her and left.

Terracota Yakshas, Sunga period (1st century BC), found in Chandraketugarh (West Bengal) - Metropolitan Museum of Art - New York

"In the mean time, the fair Shakuntala tended the ashrama awaiting the return of the hermit Kanva. As the papaya budded and bloomed in the garden so also did a child grow in her womb. Her child would be Bharat, the great ruler of India who gave his name for generations to India and to her story, the Mahabharata. Her child would be a fearless, compassionate king, worshipped by all, the ancestor of all you Pandavas."

Artists Depiction of Kunti Devi, Mother of the Pandavas.

Kunti paused, staring at the fire. Being moved by the history that their mother was telling them, Yudhisthira her eldest son and foremost of  the Pandavas asked Kunti Devi, “What became of Shakuntala and Dushyant and how did their story end? Was our ancestor born in the ashram of Kanva?”

Return

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.

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La Venganza

Venganza

Continuamos con el recuento del Mahābharata, éste  inicia al final de la batalla de Kurukṣetra.

Ashvatthama, Hijo de Drona.

La guerra ha terminado, Sin embargo un hombre hierve de ira por tomar revancha. El hijo de Droṇa, Aśvatthāmā ataca en la noche. ¿Su objetivo? La venganza por la muerte de su padre, el guru militar de los Kauravas. Sigilosamente, Aśvatthāmā pretende dar muerte a Drishtadhyumna, el hermano de Draupadī, el guerrero responsable de la muerte de Droṇa.

La Venganza de Aśvatthāmā

Drishtadhyumna nacido del fuego había acido como hijo de Drupada con el único propósito de matar al rival de su padre, Droṇa, el gurú militar de los Kauravas. Había logrado alcanzar su cometido únicamente a través de un ardid, un truco cruel para desmoralizar a Droṇa, Pero ahora, el hijo de Droṇa, Aśvatthāmā tendría su revancha.

Y sin embargo, mientras sostenía su sable contra el cuello del príncipe dormido, Aśvatthāmā se acobardaba. Morir de un tajo de su sable sería demasiado amable. Este ardiente príncipe había asesinado a su padre, el piadoso Droṇa. Un corte rápido de su espada cercenaría demasiado pronto su vida. Aśvatthāmā pensó que Dhristhtadyumna debía ser insultado antes. Tendría que ser deshonrado. Enfurecido, Aśvatthāmā empezó a golpear a Dhristhtadyumna, quien despertó, sorprendido al ver al hombre que estaba a punto de matarle.

La joya de su frente relumbraba. Mostraba sus dientes en una horrorosa sonrisa. Sus ojos enrojecidos de ira. Ferozmente Aśvatthāmā empezó a golpear y apalear al indefenso Drishtadhyumna. No quedando satisfecho con golpear con sus puños a su enemigo hasta la muerte, empezó a patear y patear al príncipe, hijo del Rey Drupada, hermano de Draupadī. Y cuando estaba cercano a morir, Aśvatthāmā elevó su sable y dijo. “Mueran los enemigos de Droṇa, el gran Acarya de los reyes Kauravas.”

Drishtadhyumna estaba aterrorizado. Pelaba los ojos al ver al escalofriante hijo de Droṇa, espada en mano. Y entonces el pervertido Aśvatthāmā cruzó con su sable su cuello y lo mató tal cual a un animal de matadero, decapitando así al hermano de Draupadī.

Al dejar muerto a Drishtadhyumna, el feroz Aśvatthāmā condujo su cuadriga ruidosamente alrededor del campamento, gritaba y rugía como un león. Sembrando el terror en los corazones de todos. 

Mientras conducía su carroza entre las tiendas colocadas en el terreno de la batalla, las mujeres gimieron ante la muerte del rey. Los pocos guerreros sobrevivientes se montaron en sus carros, ciñeron sus espadas, elevaron sus jabalinas, juraron valientes promesas y se prepararon para pelear.

Preguntaron a las damas quién había visto a Aśvatthāmā manejar su poderosa carroza por el campamente “¿Quién amigo o enemigo había provocado el asesinato?”

Pero las mujeres gimieron y dijeron, “Si era un hombre o un amigo, un monstruo o un rakshasa, no sabemos. No sabemos lo que es. ¡Pero ahí va!”