First Quote Added
April 10, 2026
Latest Quote Added
"King: You shall hear. When I was leaving my beloved [S']akoontalá that I might return to my own capital, she said to me, with tears in her eyes: 'How long will it be ere my lord send for me to his palace and make me his queen?'...Then I placed the ring on her finger, and thus addressed her:— Repeat each day one letter of the name Engraven on this gem; ere thou hast reckoned The tale of syllables, my minister Shall come to lead thee to thy husband's palace. But, hard-hearted man that I was, I forgot to fulfil my promise, owing to the infatuation that took possession of me."
"SánumatÃ: [Aside] A pleasant arrangement! Fate, however, ordained that the appointment should not be kept."
"Máthavya: But how did the ring contrive to pass into the stomach of that carp which the fisherman caught and was cutting up?"
"King: It must have slipped from my Shakoontalá's hand, and fallen into the stream of the Ganges, while she was offering homage to the water of ShachÃ's holy pool."
"SánumatÃ: [Aside] Hence it happened, I suppose, that the King, always fearful of committing the least injustice, came to doubt his marriage with my poor Sakoontalá. But why should affection so strong as his stand in need of any token of recognition?"
"King: O forsaken one, unjustly banished from my presence, take pity on thy slave, whose heart is consumed by the fire of remorse, and return to my sight."
"Chaturiká: Here is the Queen's portrait."
"Máthavya: Excellent, my dear friend, excellent! The imitation of nature is perfect, and the attitude of the figures is really charming. They stand out in such bold relief that the eye is quite deceived."
"SánumatÃ: [Aside] A most artistic performance! I admire the King's skill, and could almost believe that Shakoontalá herself was before me."
"King: I own 'tis not amiss, though it portrays But feebly her angelic loveliness. Aught less than perfect is depicted falsely, And fancy must supply the imperfection."
"SánumatÃ: [Aside] A very just remark from a modest man, whose affection is exaggerated by the keenness of his remorse."
"Máthavya: Tell me:—I see three female figures drawn on the canvas, and all of them beautiful; which of the three is her Majesty [S']akoontalá?"
"King: My finger, burning with the glow of love, Has left its impress on the painted tablet; While here and there, alas! a scalding tear Has fallen on the cheek and dimmed its brightness. Chaturiká, the garden in the background of the picture is only half-painted. Go, fetch the brush that I may finish it...."
"VetravatÃ: So please your Majesty, your prime minister begs respectfully to inform you that he has devoted much time to the settlement of financial calculations, and only one case of importance has been submitted by the citizens for his consideration. He has made a written report of the facts, and requests your Majesty to cast your eyes over it."
"King: What have we here? 'A merchant named Dhanamitra, trading by sea, was lost in a late shipwreck. Though a wealthy trader, he was childless; and the whole of his immense property becomes by law forfeited to the king.' So writes the minister. Alas! alas! for his childlessness! But surely, if he was wealthy, he must have had many wives. Let an inquiry be made whether any one of them is expecting to give birth to a child."
"VetravatÃ: They say that his wife, the daughter of the foreman of a guild belonging to Ayodhyá , has just completed the ceremonies usual upon such expectations."
"King: The unborn child has a title to its father's property. Such is my decree. Go, bid my minister proclaim it so...."
"VetravatÃ: Your Majesty's proclamation was received with acclamations of joy, like grateful rain at the right season."
"King: So, then, the property of rich men, who have no lineal descendants, passes over to a stranger at their decease. And such, alas! must be the fate of the fortunes of the race of Puru at my death; even as when fertile soil is sown with seed at the wrong season....Fool that I was to reject such happiness when it offered itself for my acceptance!"
"SánumatÃ: [Aside] He may well blame his own folly when he calls to mind his treatment of my beloved Shakoontalá."
"King: Ah! woe is me! when I forsook my wife— My lawful wife—concealed within her breast There lay my second self, a child unborn, Hope of my race, e'en as the choicest fruit Lies hidden in the bosom of the earth."
"SánumatÃ: [Aside] There is no fear of your race being cut off for want of a son."
"King: Alas! the shades of my forefathers are even now beginning to be alarmed, lest at my death they may be deprived of their funeral libations. No son remains in King Dushyanta's place To offer sacred homage to the dead Of Puru's noble line; my ancestors Must drink these glistening tears, the last libation A childless man can ever hope to make them."
"SánumatÃ: [Aside] Alas! alas! though a bright light is shining near him, he is involved in the blackest darkness, by reason of the veil that obscures his sight. I will now reveal all, and put an end to his misery. But no; I heard the mother of the great Indra, when she was consoling Shakoontalá, say that the gods will soon bring about a joyful union between husband and wife, being eager for the sacrifice which will be celebrated in their honour on the occasion. I must not anticipate the happy moment, but will return at once to my dear friend and cheer her with an account of what I have seen and heard. [She rises aloft and disappears]."
"A Voice: Help! help! to the rescue!"
"VetravatÃ: Your friend [Máthavya] is in danger; save him, great King....Some evil demon, invisible to human eyes, has seized him, and carried him to one of the turrets of the Palace of Clouds."
"Another Voice: Here, thirsting for thy life-blood, will I slay thee, As a fierce tiger rends his struggling prey. Call now thy friend Dushyanta to thy aid; His bow is mighty to defend the weak; Yet all its vaunted power shall be as nought."
"King: What! dares he defy me to my face? Hold there, monster! Prepare to die, for your time is come."
"A Voice: Help! Save me! I can see you, though you cannot see me. I am like a mouse in the claws of a cat; my life is not worth a minute's purchase."
"King: Avaunt, monster! You may pride yourself on the magic that renders you invisible, but my arrow shall find you out. Thus do I fix a shaft That shall discern between an impious demon, And a good Bráhman; bearing death to thee, To him deliverance—even as the swan Distinguishes the milk from worthless water."
"Mátali: Turn thou thy deadly arrows on the demons; Such is the will of Indra; let thy bow Be drawn against the enemies of the gods; But on thy friends cast only looks of favour."
"King: What, Mátali! Welcome, most noble charioteer of the mighty Indra."
"Máthavya: So, here is a monster who thought as little about slaughtering me as if I had been a bullock for sacrifice, and you must e'en greet him with a welcome."
"Mátali: Great Prince, hear on what errand Indra sent me into your presence....There is a race of giants, the descendants of Kálanemi, whom the gods find it difficult to subdue."
"King: So I have already heard from Nárada."
"Mátali: Heaven's mighty lord, who deigns to call thee 'friend,' Appoints thee to the post of highest honour, As leader of his armies; and commits The subjugation of this giant brood To thy resistless arms, e'en as the sun Leaves the pale moon to dissipate the darkness. Let your Majesty, therefore, ascend at once the celestial car of Indra; and, grasping your arms, advance to victory."
"King: The mighty Indra honours me too highly by such a mark of distinction. But tell me, what made you act thus towards my poor friend Máthavya?"
"Mátali: I will tell you. Perceiving that your Majesty's spirit was completely broken by some distress of mind under which you were labouring, I determined to rouse your energies by moving you to anger. Because To light a flame, we need but stir the embers; The cobra, when incensed, extends his head And springs upon his foe; the bravest men Display their courage only when provoked."
"King: My dear Máthavya, the commands of the great Indra must not be left unfulfilled. Go you and acquaint my minister, Pishuna, with what has happened, and say to him from me:— Dushyanta to thy care confides his realm— Protect with all the vigour of thy mind The interests of his people; while his bow Is braced against the enemies of heaven."
"King: My good Mátali, it appears to me incredible that I can merit such a mark of distinction for having simply fulfilled the behests of the great Indra."
"Mátali: Great Prince, it seems to me that neither of you is satisfied with himself. You underrate the services you have rendered, And think too highly of the god's reward; He deems it scarce sufficient recompense For your heroic deeds on his behalf."
"King: My good Mátali, yesterday, when I ascended the sky, I was so eager to do battle with the demons, that the road by which we were travelling towards Indra's heaven escaped my observation. Tell me, in which path of the seven winds are we now moving?"
"Mátali: We journey in the path of Parivaha— The wind that bears along the triple Ganges And causes Ursa's seven stars to roll In their appointed orbits, scattering Their several rays with equal distribution. 'Tis the same path that once wassanctified By the divine impression of the foot Of Vishnu, when, to conquer haughty Bali, He spanned the heavens in his second stride."
"King: This is the reason, I suppose, that a sensation of calm repose pervades all my senses.Ah! Mátali, we are descending towards the earth's atmosphere....The car itself instructs me; we are moving O'er pregnant clouds, surcharged with rain; below us I see the moisture-loving Chátakas.In sportive flight dart through the spokes; the steeds Of Indra glisten with the lightning's flash;And a thick mist bedews the circling wheels."
"King: Tell me, Mátali, what is the range of mountains which, like a bank of clouds illumined by the setting sun, pours down a stream of gold? On one side its base dips into the eastern ocean, and on the other side into the western."
"Mátali: Great Prince, it is called 'Golden-peak,' and is the abode of the attendants of the god of wealth. In this spot the highest forms of penance are wrought out. There Kashyapa, the great progenitor Of demons and of gods, himself the offspring Of the divine MarÃchi, Brahmá's son, With AditÃ, his wife, in calm seclusion, Does holy penance for the good of mortals."
"King: Then I must not neglect so good an opportunity of obtaining his blessing. I should much like to visit this venerable personage and offer him my homage."
"Mátali: If your Majesty will rest under the shade, at the foot of this Ashoka-tree, I will seek an opportunity of announcing your arrival to Indra's reputed father."
"King: Wherefore this causeless throbbing, O mine arm? All hope has fled for ever; mock me not With presages of good, when happiness Is lost, and nought but misery remains."
"A Voice: Be not so naughty. Do you begin already to show a refractory spirit?"