Abhijnanasakuntalam

{Finding Sakuntala}
The theme of memory
 Introduction
Who actually is
Shakuntala? And
does finding her
1. The sly play of forgetting and remembering, losing identity and the crises of finding it, manifests merely refers to her
itself in the very title of Kalidas’ play Abhijnanasakuntalam, translating directly as ‘the recognition by
recognition of Shakuntala’. Dushyanta? Is
2. The concept of the ring as the medium of recollection is a major departure from the story of Shakuntala lost in the
Sakuntala as narrated in the Mahabharata. Considering the contemporary perspective of writings green world where
on love, the play of memory comes up as an important part in the play’s construction of eroticism. she belongs, or is it
3. Through exploring the theme of memory, we also try to show that recollection and recognition are that her worth being
disparate (though interconnected), in analytical senses. The disconnected events occurring at evaluated on the
different points in the text proposes that their separation is important both in dramatic and basis of her future son
ideational aspects. the reason behind her
getting lost?
 Act-wise Analysis

Prologue Act 1 and 2

Vague hints made towards the theme of Likewise, in Act 1 ‘The Chase’, we notice how
memory are present since the very Sakuntala and Duhsanta do meet but are
beginning, that is, even in the prologue constantly trapped in the thoughts of each
where we can observe that the Nati’s song other. In Act 2, ‘Concealment of the
and the web of beauty woven by her Telling’, Madhavya successfully notices the
mesmerizes the Sutradhara till the extent king’s longing and his fixation to the
where he actually forgets about the play. memory of Sakuntala.
 Act 3: ‘Love’s Fruition’

As we move further to Act 3, the foreshadowing of memory

occurs twice:
● In the beginning of this act, Sakuntala is forced by her
friends Anusuya and Priyamvada to share what agonizes her.
At this she conveys the following dialogue: “My friends, if
you approve, counsel me as to how I can find favour in the
eyes of the Royal Sage; otherwise, I shall be just a memory.”
She is anxious whether the king reciprocates her feelings or
not and is also afraid of being forgotten by him.
 Act 4: ‘Sakuntala’s Departure’
The Prelude of this act poses central attention.

● The prelude of this act is of grave importance. The foreshadowing of forgetting comes down
as an impending curse.
● However, it begins with yet another supposition from Anasuya. Her dialogue goes as
follows: “The Royal Sage has been given leave to depart by the sages grateful for the
successful completion of the sacrifice; and he has returned to the capital. Now, in the
company of his Queens, will he remember all that happened in the Hermitage…or will he
not?”
● The vital incident occurs when Sakuntala, lost in pining for her beloved, fails to notice sage
Durvasa who in turn curses her that her lover (more specifically, the person she was
thinking of) will not remember her.
● Anasuya’s attempt at repenting and asking for forgiveness provides her with the one way of
ceasing the curse. A token of recognition. Primyavada remembers that the Royal sage gave
the signet ring to Shakuntala. Yet the knowledge of the curse is kept from their friend.
● The pupil in the act also provides us glimpses about the grief of the woman who is left
behind by her beloved.
● During the departure of Shakuntala her friends give her a hint that if the king gets slow to
recognize her, she should show him the ring. Through this, Shakuntala senses misfortune.
 Act 5: ‘The Repudiation of Sakuntala

• In the prologue of Act 5, through what goes on in the palace, it is conveyed to the audience that the curse of
Durvasa has started working.
• The Chamberlain forgets what message he has to convey to the king Duhsanta. And kalidasa explains his
forgetfulness, citing his 'old age’.
• When Duhsanta and Madhavya are conversing and Hamsavati's song is heard in the background, although it is
Hamsavati's own plight, her song commentates upon the transformation that is taking place in Duhsanta
regarding Sakuntala.
• Romila Thapar in her 'Revisiting Abhijanasakuntalam', analyses," Music is the art form first chosen in the play
as the vehicle for memory as well as the cause of forgetting." As was seen in the prelude of the play, the
Sutradhar had forgotten the title of the play after the Nati's song.
• Duhsanta fails to recognise Shakuntala resulting in Shakuntala's state of panic. As her friends had suggested her
to do, she reaches out to present the ring with his name inscribed on it. But the ring had vanished and failed as
the reliable 'token' of memory's reinstating.
• Throughout this forgetfulness and betrayal of the token of recognition, the theme of memory collided with the
theme of 'Ideals of kinship' and that of 'love'. Duhsanta felt a 'poignant ache' at Shakuntala's sight but could not
accept her for she was pregnant and he had no recollection of marrying her, as Thapar elaborates in her analysis.
 "Once you lovingly kissed,
The mango's fresh spray of flowers,
Is she then forgotten so soon?”
-Queen Hamsavati

{Kalidasa: ‘Abhijnanasakuntalam’, Act 5 ‘The

Repudiation of Sakuntala’}
 Act 6: ‘Separation from Sakuntala’
Finally, the chase of memory sees a termination in this act, with Dusanta realizing what he had been
missing.
● The signet ring shows up after all this time, bringing with it the king’s lost memory. Hereto lost in a
conflict of longing and confusion, the chief notices the king's reaction that he remembered someone he
had loved very much.
● Duhsanta weeps in recollection. Even though it is spring, his beloved isn’t here with him. Also, his
actions of tormenting her by refusing to recognize her and his words of malice come rolling back to him,
which further bring tears to his eyes.
● The picture he drew of makes an appearance, and we question again whether this artificial representation
of hers is in fact the true Sakuntala or not.
● All the memories of when he first met her return to him, as the urge of adding those elements also in the
painting rises. It is remarkable how now he even possessed the memory of each and every ornament she
used to wear in her maiden days, when just sometime back he couldn’t even identify her face.
 Act 7: ‘Prosperity of Sakuntala

● The theme of memory draws a complete circle in the last act of Abhijnanasakuntalam. It is clearly seen that Duhsanta has finally
remembered Sakuntala by the end but he fails to reunite with her.
● In the beginning of the act itself, he is seen to be returning with Matali back to the mortal world via the aerial path when Matali and
Duhsanta decided to stop at the hermitage of Marica. Here when Matali leaves Duhsanta alone for a few moments, Duhsanta comes
across a boy with a lady.
● It can be said in a way that despite the recollection of the memory, upon seeing that boy who was his own son (though he was
unaware of it), he feels a connection, as if he knew the little boy from somewhere.
● Maybe it was an unknown memory formed inside his head which made him feel that connection. It was later when he really
discovered after he picked up the boy's amulet that he was in fact Duhsanta's own son and therefore meets Sakuntala again that the
theme of memory completes itself.
● There was no more memory left to be dwelled upon or no more to be forgotten when he finally meets Sakuntala again and
describes how he was able to remember her, when he was presented with the ring. It was then later that both of them were finally
made aware of the Durvasa's curse on Sakuntala which made the king forget her and also satisfied her that it wasn't his choice.
Conclusion
● The foreshadowing of the theme of memory is repeatedly seen in the play but when it comes towards
the last act, it is the recognition of Sakuntala that everything links together.
● It was remarkable, the way Kalidasa had been able to bring out the play of memory repeatedly in
several places with subtleness, not disrupting the pace of his work. Even in the prologue itself. And
the ability to keep the readers on edge with the anticipation of the impending. It more intriguing to see
how the significance of a simple ring brought together a complete play. It was the ring itself over
which the theme of memory is based off.
● The reason why the theme of memory comes full circle in the end is not only because of Duhsanta
finally recognizing and meeting Sakuntala, but also she herself who is able to reunite with the king,
reminded about who the actual king Duhsanta was, the one whom she loved.
● Memory plays as one of the most pressing and vital themes, apart from the rasas that had been
invoked and the love plot. Because, if it hadn't been for the theme of memory, Duhsanta and Sakuntala
might've never recognized each other by the end, which was in fact what everyone who read the play
waited for.
 THANK YOU
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