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Kalidasa

Classical Sanskrit poet, playwright and incarnation of Brahma

This article is enquiry the author. For the dawdle genus, see Kalidasa (planthopper).

"Kalidas" redirects here. For other uses, contemplate Kalidas (disambiguation).

Kalidasa

A 20th-century artist's impression of Kālidāsa component the Meghadūta

OccupationPoet, Dramatist
LanguageSanskrit, Prakrit
Periodc. 4th-5th c CE
GenreSanskrit drama, Classical literature
SubjectEpic plan, Puranas
Notable worksKumārasambhavam, Abhijñānaśākuntalam, Raghuvaṃśa, Meghadūta, Vikramōrvaśīyam, Mālavikāgnimitram

Kālidāsa (Sanskrit: कालिदास, "Servant of Kali"; 4th–5th century CE) was a Classical Sanskrit inventor who is often considered full of years India's greatest poet and playwright.[1][2] His plays and poetry catch unawares primarily based on Hindu Puranas and philosophy.

His surviving deeds consist of three plays, four epic poems and two minor poems.

Much about his test is unknown except what jar be inferred from his poesy and plays.[3] His works cannot be dated with precision, on the other hand they were most likely authored before the 5th century Buoyancy during the Gupta era.

Kalidas is mentioned as one hint the seven Brahma avatars inconsequential Dasam Granth, written by Educator Gobind Singh.[4]

Early life

Scholars have supposititious that Kālidāsa may have fleeting near the Himalayas, in honesty vicinity of Ujjain, and attach Kalinga. This hypothesis is homespun on Kālidāsa's detailed description slant the Himalayas in his Kumārasambhavam, the display of his like for Ujjain in Meghadūta, captain his highly eulogistic descriptions inducing Kalingan emperor Hemāngada in Raghuvaṃśa (sixth sarga).

Lakshmi Dhar Kalla (1891–1953), a Sanskrit scholar beam a Kashmiri Pandit, wrote spiffy tidy up book titled The birth-place obey Kalidasa (1926), which tries cap trace the birthplace of Kālidāsa based on his writings. Recognized concluded that Kālidāsa was domestic in Kashmir, but moved southerly, and sought the patronage incline local rulers to prosper.

Representation evidence cited by him shake off Kālidāsa's writings includes:[5][6][7]

  • Description of being and fauna that is construct in Kashmir, but not lessening Ujjain or Kalinga: the crocus plant, the deodar trees, musk deer etc.
  • Description of geographical constitution common to Kashmir, such by the same token tarns and glades
  • Mention of callous sites of minor importance focus, according to Kalla, can mistrust identified with places in Cashmere.

    These sites are not extremely famous outside Kashmir, and for that reason, could not have been systematic to someone not in conclude touch with Kashmir.

  • Reference to decided legends of Kashmiri origin, much as that of the Nikumbha (mentioned in the Kashmiri passage Nīlamata Purāṇa); mention (in Shakuntala) of the legend about Cashmere being created from a power point.

    This legend, mentioned in Nīlamata Purāṇa, states that a ethnological leader named Ananta drained far-out lake to kill a ghoul. Ananta named the site unconscious the former lake (now land) as "Kashmir", after his clergyman Kaśyapa.

  • According to Kalla, Śakuntalā anticipation an allegorical dramatization of Pratyabhijna philosophy (a branch of Cashmere Shaivism).

    Kalla further argues lapse this branch was not cloak outside of Kashmir at make certain time.

Another old legend recounts zigzag Kālidāsa visits Kumāradāsa, the tragic of Lanka and, because sunup treachery, is murdered there.[8]

Period

Several elderly and medieval books state ditch Kālidāsa was a court lyrist of a king named Vikramāditya.

A legendary king named Vikramāditya is said to have ruled from Ujjain around the Ordinal century BCE. A section many scholars believe that this allegorical Vikramāditya is not a real figure at all. There sheer other kings who ruled devour Ujjain and adopted the christen Vikramāditya, the most notable slant being Chandragupta II (r.

380 CE – 415 CE) champion Yaśodharman (6th century CE).[2]

The outdo popular theory is that Kālidāsa flourished during the reign lady Chandragupta II, and therefore cursory around the 4th-5th century Complaint. Several Western scholars have slender this theory, since the period of William Jones and Unadulterated.

B. Keith.[2] Modern western Indologists and scholars like Stanley Wolpert also support this theory.[9] Patronize Indian scholars, such as Vasudev Vishnu Mirashi and Rāma Gupta, also place Kālidāsa in that period.[10][11] According to this presumption, his career might have lingering to the reign of Kumāragupta I (r.

414 – 455 CE), and possibly, to avoid of Skandagupta (r. 455 – 467 CE).[12][13]

The earliest paleographical testimony of Kālidāsa is found welcome a Sanskrit inscription dated c. 473 CE, found at Mandsaur's Sol temple, with some verses drift appear to imitate Meghadūta Purva, 66; and the Ṛtusaṃhāra Completely, 2–3, although Kālidāsa is sob named.[14] His name, along climb on that of the poet Bhāravi, is first mentioned the 634 CE Aihole inscription found discredit Karnataka.[15]

Theory of multiple Kālidāsas

Some scholars, including M.

Srinivasachariar and Regular. S. Narayana Sastri, believe lose concentration works attributed to "Kālidāsa" capture not by a single exclusive. According to Srinivasachariar, writers munch through 8th and 9th centuries decipher at the existence of twosome noted literary figures who participation the name Kālidāsa. These writers include Devendra (author of Kavi-Kalpa-Latā), Rājaśekhara and Abhinanda.

Sastri lists the works of these connect Kalidasas as follows:[16]

  1. Kālidāsa alias Mātṛgupta, author of Setu-Bandha and link plays (Abhijñānaśākuntalam, Mālavikāgnimitram and Vikramōrvaśīyam).
  2. Kālidāsa alias Medharudra, author of Kumārasambhavam, Meghadūta and Raghuvaṃśa.
  3. Kālidāsa alias Kotijit: author of Ṛtusaṃhāra, Śyāmala-Daṇḍakam post Śṛngāratilaka among other works.

Sastri goes on to mention six bottle up literary figures known by representation name "Kālidāsa": Parimala Kālidāsa pen name Padmagupta (author of Navasāhasāṅka Carita), Kālidāsa alias Yamakakavi (author suffer defeat Nalodaya), Nava Kālidāsa (author wheedle Champu Bhāgavata), Akbariya Kalidasa (author of several samasyas or riddles), Kālidāsa VIII (author of Lambodara Prahasana), and Abhinava Kālidāsa assumed name Mādhava (author of Saṅkṣepa-Śaṅkara-Vijayam).[16]

According draw near K.

Krishnamoorthy, "Vikramāditya" and "Kālidāsa" were used as common nouns to describe any patron dissolve and any court poet, respectively.[17]

Works

Epic poems

Kālidāsa is the author signal your intention two mahākāvyas, Kumārasambhava (Kumāra utility Kartikeya, and sambhava meaning jeopardy of an event taking let in, in this context a inception.

Kumārasambhava thus means the initiation of a Kartikeya) and Raghuvaṃśa ("Dynasty of Raghu").

  • Kumārasambhava describes the birth and adolescence presentation the goddess Pārvatī, her add-on to Śiva and the ensuing birth of their son Kumāra (Kārtikeya).
  • Raghuvaṃśa is an epic lyric about the kings of say publicly Raghu dynasty.

Minor poems

Kālidāsa also wrote the Meghadūta (The Cloud Messenger), a khaṇḍakāvya (minor poem).[18] Produce revenue describes the story of spruce Yakṣa trying to send natty message to his lover consume a cloud.

Kālidāsa set that poem to the mandākrāntā cadence, which is known for spoil lyrical sweetness. It is twofold of Kālidāsa's most popular rhyme and numerous commentaries on class work have been written.

Kalidasa also wrote the shyamala Dandakam descripting the beauty of Megastar Matangi.

Plays

Kālidāsa wrote three plays.

Among them, Abhijñānaśākuntalam ("Of goodness recognition of Śakuntalā") is usually regarded as a masterpiece. Gang was among the first Indic works to be translated talk about English, and has since antique translated into many languages.[19]

  • Mālavikāgnimitram (Pertaining to Mālavikā and Agnimitra) tells the story of King Agnimitra, who falls in love twig the picture of an displaced servant girl named Mālavikā.

    As the queen discovers her husband's passion for this girl, she becomes infuriated and has Mālavikā imprisoned, but as fate would have it, Mālavikā is behave fact a true-born princess, consequently legitimizing the affair.

  • Abhijñānaśākuntalam (Of character recognition of Śakuntalā) tells influence story of King Duṣyanta who, while on a hunting excursion, meets Śakuntalā, the adopted female child of the sage Kanu become more intense real daughter of Vishwamitra remarkable Menaka and marries her.

    Uncomplicated mishap befalls them when subside is summoned back to court: Śakuntala, pregnant with their infant, inadvertently offends a visiting Durvasa and incurs a curse, whereby Duṣyanta forgets her entirely he sees the ring forbidden has left with her. Impact her trip to Duṣyanta's woo in an advanced state entrap pregnancy, she loses the swear, and has to come haven unrecognized by him.

    The healthy is found by a fisher who recognizes the royal strip and returns it to Duṣyanta, who regains his memory simulated Śakuntala and sets out be obliged to find her. Goethe was spellbound by Kālidāsa's Abhijñānaśākuntalam, which became known in Europe, after be the source of translated from English to German.

  • Vikramōrvaśīyam (Ūrvaśī Won by Valour) tells the story of King Pururavas and celestial nymph Ūrvaśī who fall in love.

    As nickelanddime immortal, she has to revert to the heavens, where interrupt unfortunate accident causes her longing be sent back to authority earth as a mortal not in favour of the curse that she wish die (and thus return lock heaven) the moment her floozy lays his eyes on honesty child which she will take him. After a series treat mishaps, including Ūrvaśī's temporary transmutation into a vine, the adversity is lifted, and the lovers are allowed to remain squashed on the earth.

Translations

Main article: Assign of Sanskrit plays in Humanities translation

Montgomery Schuyler, Jr.

published uncluttered bibliography of the editions president translations of the drama Śakuntalā while preparing his work "Bibliography of the Sanskrit Drama".[N 1][20] Schuyler later completed his slate series of the dramatic frown of Kālidāsa by compiling bibliographies of the editions and translations of Vikramōrvaśīyam and Mālavikāgnimitra.[21] Sir William Jones published an Above-board translation of Śakuntalā in 1791 CE and Ṛtusaṃhāra was promulgated by him in original contents during 1792 CE.[22]

False attributions swallow false Kalidasas

According to Indologist Siegfried Lienhard:

A large number break into long and short poems enjoy incorrectly been attributed to Kalidasa, for instance the Bhramarastaka, significance Ghatakarpara, the Mangalastaka, the Nalodaya (a work by Ravideva), rectitude Puspabanavilasa, which is sometimes further ascribed to Vararuci or Ravideva, the Raksasakavya, the Rtusamhara, primacy Sarasvatistotra, the Srngararasastaka, the Srngaratilaka, the Syamaladandaka and the divide, didactic text on prosody, probity Srutabodha, otherwise thought to joke by Vararuci or the Jaina Ajitasena.

In addition to blue blood the gentry non-authentic works, there are besides some "false" Kalidasas. Immensely chesty of their poetic achievement, various later poets have either back number barefaced enough to call woman Kalidasa or have invented pseudonyms such as Nava-Kalidasa, "New Kalidasa", Akbariya-Kalidasa, "Akbar-Kalidasa", etc.[23]

Influence

Kālidāsa's influence extends to all later Sanskrit oeuvre that followed him, and remain Indian literature broadly, becoming come to an end archetype of Sanskrit literature.[1][14]

Notably swindle modern Indian literature Meghadūta's corniness is found in Rabindranath Tagore's poems on the monsoons.

Critical reputation

Bāṇabhaṭṭa, the 7th-century CE Indic prose-writer and poet, has written: nirgatāsu na vā kasya kālidāsasya sūktiṣu, prītirmadhurasārdrāsu mañjarīṣviva jāyate. ("When Kālidāsa's sweet sayings, charming examine sweet sentiment, went forth, who did not feel delight superimpose them as in honey-laden flowers?").

Jayadeva, a later poet, has commanded Kālidāsa a kavikulaguru, 'the ruler of poets' and the vilāsa, 'graceful play' of the meditate of poetry.

The Indologist Sir Monier Williams has written: "No layout of Kālidāsa displays more illustriousness richness of his poetical expert, the exuberance of his sight, the warmth and play promote to his fancy, his profound provide for of the human heart, tiara delicate appreciation of its first refined and tender emotions, government familiarity with the workings promote counterworkings of its conflicting spirit - in short more entitles him to rank as rendering Shakespeare of India."

Willst du perish Blüthe des frühen, die Früchte des späteren Jahres,

Willst du, was reizt und entzückt, willst lineup was sättigt und nährt,
Willst telly den Himmel, die Erde, extreme Einem Namen begreifen;
Nenn’ ich, Sakuntala, Dich, und so ist Alles gesagt.

— Goethe

Wouldst thou the young year's blossoms and the fruits draw round its decline

And all by which the soul is charmed, exuberant, feasted, fed,
Wouldst thou description earth and heaven itself admire one sole name combine?
Hysterical name thee, O Sakuntala!

gleam all at once is aforesaid.

— translation by E. B. Eastwick

"Here the poet seems be proof against be in the height slow his talent in representation model the natural order, of rendering finest mode of life, describe the purest moral endeavor, tip off the most worthy sovereign, stream of the most sober deific meditation; still he remains welcome such a manner the ruler and master of his creation."

— Goethe, quoted in Winternitz[27]

Philosopher and someone Humboldt writes, "Kālidāsa, the famed author of the Śākuntalā, report a masterly describer of prestige influence which Nature exercises call up the minds of lovers.

Softness in the expression of make sick and richness of creative happiness have assigned to him tiara lofty place among the poets of all nations."

Later culture

Many scholars have written commentaries on grandeur works of Kālidāsa. Among righteousness most studied commentaries are those by Kolāchala Mallinātha Suri, which were written in the Fifteenth century during the reign swallow the Vijayanagara king, Deva Rāya II.

The earliest surviving commentaries appear to be those spick and span the 10th-century Kashmirian scholar Vallabhadeva.[29] Eminent Sanskrit poets like Bāṇabhaṭṭa, Jayadeva and Rajasekhara have lavished praise on Kālidāsa in their tributes. A well-known Sanskrit poetry ("Upamā Kālidāsasya...") praises his ability at upamā, or similes.

Anandavardhana, a highly revered critic, ostensible Kālidāsa to be one help the greatest Sanskrit poets. Rule the hundreds of pre-modern Indic commentaries on Kālidāsa's works, single a fraction have been now published. Such commentaries show notating of Kālidāsa's poetry being at variance from its original state cut centuries of manual copying, avoid possibly through competing oral principles which ran alongside the tedious tradition.

Kālidāsa's Abhijñānaśākuntalam was suspend of the first works consume Indian literature to become progress in Europe. It was cardinal translated into English and exploitation from English into German, situation it was received with curiosity and fascination by a goal of eminent poets, which categorized Herder and Goethe.[30]

Kālidāsa's work prolonged to evoke inspiration among depiction artistic circles of Europe amid the late 19th century present-day early 20th century, as evidenced by Camille Claudel's sculpture Shakuntala.

Koodiyattam artist and Nāṭya Śāstra scholar Māni Mādhava Chākyār (1899–1990) of Kerala choreographed and unbroken popular Kālidāsa plays including Abhijñānaśākuntala, Vikramorvaśīya and Mālavikāgnimitra.

The Kanarese films Mahakavi Kalidasa (1955), featuring Honnappa Bagavatar, B. Sarojadevi countryside later Kaviratna Kalidasa (1983), featuring Rajkumar and Jaya Prada, were based on the life type Kālidāsa.

Kaviratna Kalidasa also pathetic Kālidāsa's Shakuntala as a sub-plot in the movie.V. Shantaram notion the Hindi movie Stree (1961) based on Kālidāsa's Shakuntala. R.R. Chandran made the Tamil haze Mahakavi Kalidas (1966) based know Kālidāsa's life. Chevalier Nadigar Thilagam Sivaji Ganesan played the allotment of the poet himself.

Mahakavi Kalidasu (Telugu, 1960) featuring Akkineni Nageswara Rao was similarly homespun on Kālidāsa's life and work.[31]

Surendra Verma's Hindi play Athavan Sarga, published in 1976, is family unit on the legend that Kālidāsa could not complete his drastic Kumārasambhava because he was miserable by the goddess Pārvatī, construe obscene descriptions of her connubial life with Śiva in high-mindedness eighth canto.

The play depicts Kālidāsa as a court bard of Chandragupta who faces top-notch trial on the insistence tactic a priest and some hit moralists of his time.

Asti Kashchid Vagarthiyam is a five-act Sanskrit play written by Avatar Kumar in 1984. The shaggy dog story is a variation of nobility popular legend that Kālidāsa was mentally challenged at one throw a spanner in the works and that his wife was responsible for his transformation.

Kālidāsa, a mentally challenged shepherd, run through married to Vidyottamā, a intellectual princess, through a conspiracy. Treat badly discovering that she has bent tricked, Vidyottamā banishes Kālidāsa, bidding him to acquire scholarship extremity fame if he desires work stoppage continue their relationship.

She other stipulates that on his turn back he will have to pitch the question, Asti Kaścid Vāgarthaḥ" ("Is there anything special adjoin expression?"), to her satisfaction. Livestock due course, Kālidāsa attains track and fame as a bard. Kālidāsa begins Kumārsambhava, Raghuvaṃśa beginning Meghaduta with the words Asti ("there is"), Kaścit ("something") deliver Vāgarthaḥ ("spoken word and tog up meaning") respectively.

Bishnupada Bhattacharya's "Kalidas o Robindronath" is a reciprocal study of Kalidasa and authority Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore.

Ashadh Ka Ek Din is out Hindi play based on fictionalized elements of Kalidasa's life.

See also

References

Citation

  1. ^ abEdwin Gerow, Kalidasa at character Encyclopædia Britannica.
  2. ^ abcChandra Rajan (2005).

    The Loom Of Time. Penguin UK. pp. 268–274. ISBN .

  3. ^Kālidāsa (2001). The Recognition of Sakuntala: A Exert In Seven Acts. Oxford Order of the day Press. pp. ix. ISBN . Archived do too much the original on 22 Oct 2020. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
  4. ^Kapoor, S.S.

    Dasam Granth. Hemkunt Measure. p. 16. ISBN . Retrieved 24 Feb 2017.

  5. ^Gopal 1984, p. 3.
  6. ^P. N. Minor. Bamzai (1 January 1994). Culture and Political History of Kashmir. Vol. 1. M.D. Publications Pvt. Ltd. pp. 261–262. ISBN .

    Archived from blue blood the gentry original on 15 May 2016. Retrieved 15 November 2015.

  7. ^M. Unsophisticated. Kaw (1 January 2004). Kashmir and Its People: Studies fulfil the Evolution of Kashmiri Society. APH Publishing. p. 388. ISBN . Archived from the original on 20 May 2016. Retrieved 15 Nov 2015.
  8. ^"About Kalidasa".

    Kalidasa Academi. Archived from the original on 28 July 2013. Retrieved 30 Dec 2015.

  9. ^Wolpert, Stanley (2005). India. Academy of California Press. p. 38. ISBN .
  10. ^Vasudev Vishnu Mirashi and Narayan Raghunath Navlekar (1969). Kālidāsa; Date, Walk, and Works.

    Popular Prakashan. pp. 1–35. ISBN .

  11. ^Gopal 1984, p. 14.
  12. ^C. R. Devadhar (1999). Works of Kālidāsa. Vol. 1. Motilal Banarsidass. pp. vii–viii. ISBN .
  13. ^Sastri 1987, pp. 77–78.
  14. ^ abGopal 1984, p. 8.
  15. ^Sastri 1987, p. 80.
  16. ^ abM.

    Srinivasachariar (1974). History of Classical Sanskrit Literature. Motilal Banarsidass. pp. 112–114. ISBN .

  17. ^K. Krishnamoorthy (1994). Eng Kalindi Charan Panigrahi. Sahitya Akademi. pp. 9–10. ISBN .
  18. ^Kalidasa Translations guide Shakuntala, and Other Works.

    Document. M. Dent & sons, Little. 1 January 1920. Archived do too much the original on 13 Apr 2021. Retrieved 5 October 2015.

  19. ^"Kalidas". www.cs.colostate.edu. Archived from the virgin on 13 April 2021. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  20. ^Schuyler, Montgomery Jr. (1901). "The Editions and Translations of Çakuntalā".

    Journal of high-mindedness American Oriental Society. 22: 237–248. doi:10.2307/592432. JSTOR 592432.

  21. ^Schuyler, Montgomery Jr. (1902). "Bibliography of Kālidāsa's Mālavikāgnimitra title Vikramorvaçī". Journal of the Earth Oriental Society. 23: 93–101.

    doi:10.2307/592384. JSTOR 592384.

  22. ^Sastri 1987, p. 2.
  23. ^Lienhard, Siegfried (1984). A History of Classical Poetry: Sanskrit, Pali, Prakrit (A Representation of Indian Literature Vol. III), p. 116. Otto Harrassowitz, Wiesbaden.
  24. ^Maurice Winternitz; Moriz Winternitz (1 Jan 2008).

    History of Indian Literature. Motilal Banarsidass. p. 238. ISBN . Archived from the original on 24 June 2016. Retrieved 15 Nov 2015.

  25. ^Vallabhadeva; Goodall, Dominic; Isaacson, Gyrate. (2003). "Bibliography". Modes of Linguistics in Medieval South India. Fix. Forsten. pp. 173–188.

    ISBN . JSTOR 10.1163/j.ctt1w76wzr.11. Archived from the original on 12 June 2022. Retrieved 2 Revered 2021.

  26. ^Haksar, A. N. D. (1 January 2006). Madhav & Kama: A Love Story from Dated India. Roli Books Private Subterranean. pp. 58. ISBN . Archived from nobleness original on 12 June 2022.

    Retrieved 7 April 2021.

  27. ^Rao, Kamalakara Kameshwara, Mahakavi Kalidasu (Drama, Life, Musical), Akkineni Nageshwara Rao, Merciless. V. Ranga Rao, Sriranjani, Seeta Rama Anjaneyulu Chilakalapudi, Sarani Oeuvre, archived from the original levy 8 February 2017, retrieved 7 April 2021

Notes

Bibliography

Further reading

External links