A well-known Sanskrit drama presented here in a bilingual translation.

Kalidasa is the major poet and dramatist of classical Sanskrit literature - a many-sided talent of extraordinary scope and exquisite language. His great poem, Meghadutam (The Cloud Messenger), tells of a divine being, punished for failing in his sacred duties with a years' separation from his beloved. A work of subtle emotional nuances, it is a haunting depiction of longing and separation. The play Sakuntala describes the troubled love between a Lady of Nature and King Duhsanta. This beautiful blend of romance and comedy, transports its audience into an enchanted world in which mortals mingle with gods. And Kalidasa's poem Rtusamharam (The Gathering of the Seasons) is an exuberant observation of the sheer variety of the natural world, as it teems with the energies of the great god Siva.

The Abhijnanasakuntalam is an unparalleled work of the great poet and playwright Kalidasa, the brightest star in the firmament of Indian poetry. No other component of this poet displays more the richness of poetical genius, the warmth and play of fancy, the profound knowledge of the human heart that this masterly production. The present edition is unique in several essentials. The editor has adopted the most popular and appropriate version of the text. He has put the variants in the footnotes. He has added a short Sanskrit commentary, copious notes, an exhaustive introduction and several useful appendices. The English translation of the text is literal as well as idiomatic. It is hoped that this edition will meet the long-felt requirement of university students and the general reader alike.

Novel.

Plausibly the greatest Sanskrit maestro, Mahakavi Kalidas wrote Abhigyan Shakuntalam nearly 2,500 years ago. This immortal love story is also the bedrock foundation of India's rich socio-cultural edifice. The story has been described in the form of a play. The dialogues are full of romance, thrill and zest for life. Two young persons-Dushyant and Shakuntala -fall in love with each other in the lap of nature. Then comes separation. Finally, they unite, thanks to the ring that is found by a fisherman under the most weird circumstances. This ring was given by Dushyant to Shakuntala and lost by the latter. A love tale has never been so finely described by any other Sanskrit scholar. Kalidas was one of the navratnas of emperor Vikramaditya. He has used fine Sanskrit verses to push the story ahead at a fast pace. Dialogues are terse, in context with the story and heart-piercing, especially the romantic ones between Shakuntala and Dushyant. This classical play has been staged in various parts of the world. It has also been translated in many global languages. Centuries after it was created, it still remains an enthralling piece of literary perfection. Abhigyan Shakuntalam is literary perfection! It tells us about our origin which was a fine, pleasant dream woven in the lap of mythology. A must-read for all reader genres!