Words from a father bidding farewell to his daughter leaving for her husband's home : in the immortal words of Kalidasa
Kalidasa's Abhigyana Shakuntalam is one of the greatest dramatic works ever were written and is a testimony to Kalidasa's poetic genius and acute observation of the human condition. Here are a couple of verses as a small sample of this tender love story. (Please note that I have broken the sandhis to make it easier to understand).
Sage Kanva who has brought up Shakuntala as his own daughter, pours his heart out as he bids her farewell as she heads to the home of her husband.
यास्यति अद्य शकुन्तला इति हृदयं संस्पृष्टम् उत्कण्ठया
कण्ठः स्तंभित बाष्प वृत्ति कलुष चिन्ताजडं दर्शनम्|
वैकल्व्यं मम तावत् ईदृशं अहो स्नेहात् अरण्यौकसः
पीड्यन्ते गृहिणः कथं नु तनायविशलेष दुखैः नवैः ||
At the thought that Shakuntala will go today, my heart is deeply touched with anxiety. My throat is choked with the flow of tears. My perception is paralyzed with grief. If such, oh! is the affliction, because of affection for even me whose abode is in the forest, how bitterly might house- holders be tormented by the fresh pangs of separation from their daughters.
He has words of advice for his daughter. Some might find some of the social mores outdated, but the beauty of the verse is unquestionable.
सुश्रूषस्व गुरून् कुरु प्रियसखी वृत्ति सपत्निजने
भर्तुविपकृतापि रोषणतया मा स्म प्रतीपं गमः |
भुयिष्टं भवदक्षिणा परिजने भाग्येषु अनुत्सेकिनी
यान्ति एवं गृहिणी पदं युवतयो वामः कुलस्याधयः ||
Serve your elders. Act the part of a dear friend towards your co-wives ( sic)
Even if your husband gets upset sometimes, do not go against him in anger. Be extremely courteous towards the servants. Be not pompous in success. In this way do young women attain the position of the mistress of the home? Those who ignore this are the bane of their homes.
अभिजनवतो भर्तुः श्लाघ्ये स्थिता गृहिणीपदे
विभव गुरुभिः कृत्यै तस्य प्रतीक्षणम् आकुला |
तनयं अचिरात् प्राचिवर्कं प्रसुय च पावनं
मम विरहजां न त्वं वत्से शुचं गणयसि ||
Stationed in the honored position of the mistress of the home, of a husband of noble birth; and distracted every moment with his affairs occasioned by his prosperous station in life, having given birth in a short time to a son, like the east giving birth to the sun, you will not, my daughter, mind the sorrow arising from the separation from me.
Sage Kanva who has brought up Shakuntala as his own daughter, pours his heart out as he bids her farewell as she heads to the home of her husband.
यास्यति अद्य शकुन्तला इति हृदयं संस्पृष्टम् उत्कण्ठया
कण्ठः स्तंभित बाष्प वृत्ति कलुष चिन्ताजडं दर्शनम्|
वैकल्व्यं मम तावत् ईदृशं अहो स्नेहात् अरण्यौकसः
पीड्यन्ते गृहिणः कथं नु तनायविशलेष दुखैः नवैः ||
At the thought that Shakuntala will go today, my heart is deeply touched with anxiety. My throat is choked with the flow of tears. My perception is paralyzed with grief. If such, oh! is the affliction, because of affection for even me whose abode is in the forest, how bitterly might house- holders be tormented by the fresh pangs of separation from their daughters.
He has words of advice for his daughter. Some might find some of the social mores outdated, but the beauty of the verse is unquestionable.
सुश्रूषस्व गुरून् कुरु प्रियसखी वृत्ति सपत्निजने
भर्तुविपकृतापि रोषणतया मा स्म प्रतीपं गमः |
भुयिष्टं भवदक्षिणा परिजने भाग्येषु अनुत्सेकिनी
यान्ति एवं गृहिणी पदं युवतयो वामः कुलस्याधयः ||
Serve your elders. Act the part of a dear friend towards your co-wives ( sic)
Even if your husband gets upset sometimes, do not go against him in anger. Be extremely courteous towards the servants. Be not pompous in success. In this way do young women attain the position of the mistress of the home? Those who ignore this are the bane of their homes.
अभिजनवतो भर्तुः श्लाघ्ये स्थिता गृहिणीपदे
विभव गुरुभिः कृत्यै तस्य प्रतीक्षणम् आकुला |
तनयं अचिरात् प्राचिवर्कं प्रसुय च पावनं
मम विरहजां न त्वं वत्से शुचं गणयसि ||
Stationed in the honored position of the mistress of the home, of a husband of noble birth; and distracted every moment with his affairs occasioned by his prosperous station in life, having given birth in a short time to a son, like the east giving birth to the sun, you will not, my daughter, mind the sorrow arising from the separation from me.
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