Table with Moral - Shakuntala and Dushyant (Abhijnanashakuntalam by Kalidasa)
Shakuntala lived in Rishi Kanva's hermitage, living a simple, idyllic life. King Dushyanta of Hastinapur encountered her while hunting and was captivated by her beauty. He remained near the hermitage, and mutual affection grew. Though raised in modesty and restraint, Shakuntala felt deep emotion for him. They acknowledged their love and married informally, without traditional ceremonies.
Dushyanta was called away on royal duties. He gave Shakuntala his ring as a token of love and promised to send for her. While lost in thoughts of him, she inadvertently offended the short-tempered sage Durvasa by failing to notice his arrival and neglecting to offer him traditional hospitality. He cursed her: the person she longs for will forget her. At her friends' pleading, he softened the curse so it would lift when Dushyanta sees the ring.
Pregnant with her child, Shakuntala left the hermitage amid deep sorrow at parting from her childhood home. At Dushyanta's court, the curse took effect: he failed to recognize her, accusing her of deception. She reached for the ring only to realize she had lost it while worshipping in the Ganges. Heartbroken, she was taken by celestial nymphs to the ashram of her divine mother, Menaka.
The ring was later recovered from a fisherman who found it in a fish's belly. When it was shown to Dushyanta, the curse broke and his memory returned. Filled with remorse, he yearned to reunite with her. After fulfilling a mission for Indra against demons, he met Shakuntala on a heavenly mountain with their son Bharata, a remarkable child of courage and strength whose royal birthmarks confirmed his legitimacy. Dushyanta falls at her feet in apology. After initial hesitation, Shakuntala accepts his sincerity; destiny reunites them, restoring her honor.
Moral of the Fable - God does Justice
