Shakuntala

About the Book

This book is an English translation of the Sanskrit classic Play ‘Abhijnan Shakuntalam’ by the great poet and Playwright Mahakavi Kalidas, written around 220 CE. The play is about the strange fate of Shakuntala, a simple, beautiful ascetic lady. King Dushyant meets her and falls in love with her. They get married. After some time, king Dushyant returns to his capital, assuring her that he would soon send for her. However, due to the curse by a wrathful sage, Durvasa, the king completely forgets about her. Humiliated, Shakuntala goes off into the forest to live by herself. In due course, she gives birth to a boy, whom she names Bharat. Fortuitously, following certain turns of events, Durvasa’s curse is removed, and the king remembers all about Shakuntala. He tries to find her, but of no avail. One day, he accidentally meets the young boy, Bharat, in the forest. The family is thus united and happily returns to the capital. Bharat grows up to become a great emperor. The original name of India is Bhaarat after his name. Rama, worshipped by Hindus all over the world as an Incarnation of God, was a descendent (some 6000-7000 years ago) of emperor Bharat.

About the Author

Ashok Sinha holds a Ph.D. degree in Physics, and is also interested in literature and spirituality. He has written 20 books in English and in Hindi, including in physics, satellite and Mobile Telecommunications theory, poetry, fiction, plays, religion, and translations of certain classics. He worked at NASA and INTELSAT (International Telecommunications Satellite Organization, Washington, D.C., USA), contributing in Elementary Particle Physics Theory (including mathematical modeling of the so-called ‘GOD’s Particles’), Cosmology, Space Physics research, and satellite telecommunications technology. Currently he lives in Santa Clara, California (USA) with his wife. [ aksinha1722@yahoo.com ]