The love story of Shakuntala and Dushyant (Duhshanta) has been popularized by Kalidasa. However, the version we read in the Adi Parva of the Mahabharata is different. It doesn’t include the curse of Rishi Durvasa nor does Dushyant forget his wife. However, it is dramatic in its own way and shows Shakuntala’s inner strength.
A long time ago, there lived a king named Dushyant, belonging to the Paurava dynasty. He was the emperor of the world that covered various kingdoms, lands, water bodies, mountains, etc. People lived happily and prospered under Dushyant’s rule. They loved him and felt safe under his rule. Dushyant was described as a young but well-built warrior king with a body like a diamond and skilled in using all kinds of weapons.
Dushyant went to hunt in a forest with River Malini. He and his troop spent a few days hunting various animals. However, one day, Dushyant was deep inside the forest and thirsty. He explored the land searching for water sources and came across the most beautiful ashram he ever saw. The ashram was situated alongside River Malini and flourished with different types of plants (flowering and fruit). Birds, bees, butterflies, etc., flew around happily. Some ascetics were chanting mantras or in deep tapasya. He wanted to meet Rishi Kanva who lived at the ashram and told his troop to go back to their camp.
Dushyant walked inside the heavenly ashram and felt refreshed. He didn’t find Rishi Kanva and called out loudly to announce his presence. A beautiful young woman stepped out of a hut to greet him. Dushyant was mesmerized by her beauty and elegance. She welcomed him to the ashram and gestured for him to sit. She then offered him water and fruits and inquired about his welfare.
After a while, Dushyant said that he wanted to pay his respects to Rishi Kanva. Shakuntala replied that the rishi was away. Dushyant inquired about her, saying he wanted to know who she was and why she was at the ashram. Shakuntala gave him her name and replied that she was Rishi Kanva’s daughter.
A surprised Dushyant asked how that was possible. Shakuntala explained that she was actually the daughter of Apsara Menaka and Rishi Vishwamitra. Indra had sent Menaka to disturb Vishwamitra’s tapasya. She managed to be successful and conceived a child during the affair. Menake delivered the baby and left her on the riverbank near Rishi Kanva’s ashram. The rishi found a newborn one morning and decided to adopt her. Since the child was surrounded by birds and animals, he named her Shakuntala. She had grown up at the ashram as his daughter.
Dushyant then proposed to marry her and said he would gift his entire kingdom to her if she agreed to be his wife. He suggested they wed in the gandharva style which didn’t require lengthy rituals or mantras but was an acceptable form of marriage for the Kshatriyas. Shakuntala asked him to wait for Rishi Kanva’s return as he would officiate the wedding.
However, Dushyant insisted that it wasn’t necessary. He explained the various forms of marriage – brahma, daiva, arsha, prajapatya, asura, gandharva, rakshasa, and paishacha. While the four forms were recommended for the Brahmins, the first six were valid for Kshatriyas. The pisacha and asura forms are not sectioned by dharma and should not be used. Hence, they could get married in gandharva style wedding and it would be official.
Then Shakuntala said that she would agree to the wedding only if he promised to make her son his heir to the throne. Dushyant agreed right away. They were married and spent the next few days at the ashram. He left to go back to the kingdom, promising to send an army to escort Shakuntala to Hastinapura and make her his queen.
Rishi Kanva arrived at their ashram a while after Dushyant left. Shakuntala hesitated meeting him but the rishi assured her that she didn’t do anything wrong and that he blessed their union. Shakuntala continued to live at the ashram. She delivered a healthy son with all auspicious signs on his body. The baby was big and strong, so the rishis named him Sarvadamana. When the child was three years old, Rishi Kanva told Shakuntala it was time for her to go to her husband.
Shakuntala took her son and went to Hastinapura accompanied by some Brahmins. She sought an audience with King Dushyant and introduced the child as his son, reminding him of his promise to her. However, Dushyant refused to acknowledge her, though he remembered everything. He said he didn’t know her.
Shakuntala was angry and sad. She controlled her anger and said that it was worthy of a king to lie and that the universe was their witness. She asked him not to disrespect her since she came to him instead of waiting as he asked her to. Pointing out to the child, Shakuntala said Dushyant needed to acknowledge his flesh and blood.
When she talked about being Menaka’s daughter, Dushyant insulted her and even questioned the boy’s parentage. Shakuntala was beyond furious. She retorted that Menaka was one of the goddesses, and her own birth was greater than Dushyant’s. She called him an evil man for his actions and said even ants showed better character than a king like him. Finally, she said she would go away since she didn’t want to be associated with someone like him. However, one day, Dushyant would die and her son would rule the world.
As Shakuntala turned to leave, a voice spoke from heaven. It admonished Dushyant for refusing to do his duty by abandoning his wife and son. It said that he and his kingdom would suffer if he did not accept his family and that his son would become a great emperor and be called Bharata.
Dushyant then announced to everyone in the court that the voice from heaven was proof of his relationship with Shakuntala and the child. He said he didn’t want any suspicion associated with them and hence had to pretend he didn’t recognize her. Dushyant embraced his son and declared him the heir to the kingdom.