ed to the king's finger, he is
overcome with a flood of recollection: he gives himself over to mourning
and forbids the celebration of the Spring festival. He admits that his
palsied heart had been slumbering, and that, now it is roused by
memories of his fawn-eyed love, he only wakes to agonies of remorse.
Meanwhile Sakoontala had been carried away like a celestial nymph to the
sacred grove of Kasyapa, far removed from earth in the upper air. The
king, being summoned by Indra to destroy the brood of giants,
descendants of Kalamemi, the monster of a hundred arms and heads,
reaches in the celestial car Indra, the grove where dwell his wife and
child, an heroic boy whom the hermits call Sarva-damana--the all-tamer.
The recognition and reconciliation of husband and wife are delineated
with the most delicate skill, and the play concludes with a prayer to
Shiva.
E.W.
DRAMATIS PERSONAE
DUSHYANTA, King of India.
MATHAVYA, the Jester, friend and companion of the King.
KANWA, chief of the Hermits, foster-father of Sakoontala.
SARNGARAVA, SARADWATA, two Brahmans, belonging to the hermitage of
Kanwa.
MITRAVASU, brother-in-law of the King, and Superintendent of the city
police.
JANUKA, SUCHAKA, two constables.
VATAYANA, the Chamberlain or attendant on the women's apartments.
SOMARATA, the domestic Priest.
KARABHAKA, a messenger of the Queen-mother.
RAIVATAKA, the warder or door-keeper.
MATALI, charioteer of Indra.
SARVA-DAMANA, afterwards Bharata, a little boy, son of Dushyanta by
Sakoontala.
KASYAPA, a divine sage, progenitor of men and gods, son of Marichi and
grandson of Brahma.
SAKOONTALA, daughter of the sage Viswamitra and the nymph Menaka,
foster-child of the hermit Kanwa.
PRIYAMVADA and ANASUYA, female attendants, companions of Sakoontala.
GAUTAMI, a holy matron, Superior of the female inhabitants of the
hermitage.
VASUMATI, the Queen of Dushyanta.
SANUMATI, a nymph, friend of Sakoontala.
TARALIKA, personal attendant of the King.
CHATURIKA, personal attendant of the Queen.
VETRAVATI, female warder, or door-keeper.
PARABARITIKA and MADHUKARIKA, maidens in charge of the royal gardens.
SUVRATA, a nurse.
ADITI, wife of Kasyapa; grand-daughter of Brahma, through her father,
Daksha.
Charioteer, Fisherman, Officers, and Hermits.
RULES FOR PRONUNCIATION OF PROPER NAMES
Observe, that in order to secure the correct pronunciation of the title
of this Drama, "Saku
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