English Literature

Unthrifty loveliness, why dost thou spend Upon thy self thy beauty's legacy? Nature's bequest gives nothing, but doth lend, And being frank she lends to those are free: Then, beauteous niggard, why dost thou abuse The bounteous largess given thee to give? Profitless usurer, why dost thou use So great a sum of sums, yet canst not live? For having traffic with thy self alone, Thou of thy self thy sweet self dost deceive: Then how when nature calls thee to be gone, What acceptable audit canst thou leave? Thy unused beauty must be tombed with thee, Which, used, lives th' executor to be.

Kavi Kulguru Kalidasa is the greatest playwright and poet of Ancient India. He is the archetype for Sanskrit literary world. His Abhigyan Shakuntalam, a play, is appreciated in the entire world. This play is a play about a beautiful damsel named Shakuntala. She is at the centre of the play. The entire play revolves round this character. Shakuntala is a unique creation of Kalidasa. She is the daughter of sage Vishwamitra and Menaka. She lives in the hermitage of the sage Kanva. Kalidasa presents her as an embodiment of innate chastity, beauty, grace, Indian womanhood, patience and sacrifice. She is simple and innocent. She is an ideal woman like Sita and Savitri. In this play Shakuntala is so beautiful that Dushyanta at first sight is attracted to her. He hides himself behind trees to enjoy the sweetness of her voice. He is so impressed by her beauty that he exclaimes: ‘A flower no one has smelled, a bud no fingers have plucked, an uncut jewel, honey untested, unbroken fruits of

Abhigyan shakuntalam is one of the best plays in the entire world. It is a well-known Sanskrit Play by Kavi Kalidas. Here Kalidasa has dramatised the story of Shakuntala told in the epic Mahabharata. It is considered the best play by Kalidasa. His works include Ritusamharam, Meghdootam, Kumarsambhavam, Malvikagnimitram, Vikramorvashiam and Abhigyan Shakuntalam. It is the last play by Kalidasa. It is divided into seven acts. The title means recognition of Shakuntala. This fantastic play is a beautiful tale of love and romance. Shakuntala was the daughter of Rishi Vishwamitra and Menaka. After her birth she is left alone in the dense forest. The birds protect and take care of the new born baby. By chance sage Kanva gets her and names her Shakuntala. Shakuntala grows up. She is as beautiful as nature. One day, King Dushyant arrives in the forest on hunt. To seek the blessings of Sage Kanva, he stops at his cottage. There he finds Shakuntala. He is mesmerized by her beauty. But he

Look in thy glass and tell the face thou viewest Now is the time that face should form another; Whose fresh repair if now thou not renewest, Thou dost beguile the world, unbless some mother. For where is she so fair whose uneared womb Disdains the tillage of thy husbandry? Or who is he so fond will be the tomb Of his self-love, to stop posterity? Thou art thy mother's glass and she in thee Calls back the lovely April of her prime; So thou through windows of thine age shalt see, Despite of wrinkles, this thy golden time. But if thou live, remembered not to be, Die single and thine image dies with thee.

Kalidasa is a Classical Sanskrit author of the 5th century CE. He is considered the greatest playwright and poet of Ancient India. He is the archetype for Sanskrit literary world. He is acknowledged as the Kavi Kulguru in Indian Literature. Little is known about Kalidasa as a person. The meaning of his name is the devotee of Kali, the goddess. Kalidasa is known as one of the nine gems at the court of the fabulous and legendary king Vikramaditya of Ujjain. His plays and poetry are primarily based on the Vedas, the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and the Puranas . His notable works are Abhijnanashakuntala (The Recognition of Shakuntala), Kumarasambhava (Birth of the War God), Malavikagnimitra  (Malavika and Agnimitra), Meghaduta (Cloud Messenger), Raghuvamsha (Dynasty of Raghu), Ritusamhara (The Garland of the Seasons) and Vikramorvashi (Urvashi Won by Valour). Abhijnanashakuntala is a beautiful play in seven acts by Kalidasa. Here the story of Shakuntala of the Mahabharata has

All Kings, and all their favourites, All glory of honours, beauties, wits, The sun itself, which makes times, as they pass, Is elder by a year now than it was When thou and I first one another saw: All other things to their destruction draw, Only our love hath no decay; This no tomorrow hath, nor yesterday, Running it never runs from us away, But truly keeps his first, last, everlasting day. Two graves must hide thine and my corse; If one might, death were no divorce. Alas, as well as other Princes, we (Who Prince enough in one another be) Must leave at last in death these eyes and ears, Oft fed with true oaths, and with sweet salt tears; But souls where nothing dwells but love (All other thoughts being inmates) then shall prove This, or a love increasèd there above, When bodies to their graves, souls from their graves remove. And then we shall be throughly blessed; But