9 Sakuntala's Tearful Reunion

Sakuntala's Tearful Reunion

Left by parents as an infant, raised by Sakuntala birds and nature.

Spent my childhood in the hermitage's calm, sylvan environs.

 Sage Kanwa adopted me, I was bonded with the seer’s paternal love

In the pretext of chasing a deer, a hunting King entered my life! 

The seers and rituals asked me to serve King Dushyanta! 

He was bewitched seeing my beauty, I was captivated by his valor and might

A wasp, in its delusion, mistook my face for a lotus, threatened to sting me!

He stood there as my protector, swayed me with his charm, 

Pangs of love pushed him towards me with a burning yearning

No rituals, no witnesses, married me in the presence of dreams!

He engaged carnally, assured that my son would be the future king!

One day, he abandoned me, leaving me with an heir in my womb.  

Durvasa cursed me in the guise of my ill-fate,  put my life in the finger ring! 

The curse motif and the ring motif played a vital role in my love life. 

That is the irony of a woman's fate! Am I not entitled to live a dignified life? 

Why was I stripped of my dignity? For the folly of others?

A Poet's fictive conclusion to my pure love, a tearful reunion?!

The tragedy has been averted, but the tone of savagery remained!