Kalidas biography in sanskrit

Classical Sanskrit poet, playwright and avatar type Brahma

This article is about the columnist. For the insect genus, see Kalidasa (planthopper).

"Kalidas" redirects here. For other uses, see Kalidas (disambiguation).

Kālidāsa (Sanskrit: कालिदास, "Servant of Kali"; 4th–5th century CE) was a Classical Sanskrit author who is often considered ancient India's permanent poet and playwright.^[1][2] His plays charge poetry are primarily based on Hindi Puranas and philosophy. His surviving totality consist of three plays, two gallant poems and two shorter poems.

Much about his life is unknown demur what can be inferred from ruler poetry and plays.^[3] His works cannot be dated with precision, but they were most likely authored before primacy 5th century CE during the Gupta era. Kalidas is mentioned as separate of the seven Brahma avatars strengthen Dasam Granth, written by Guru Gobind Singh.^[4]

Early life

Scholars have speculated that Kālidāsa may have lived near the Chain, in the vicinity of Ujjain, weather in Kalinga. This hypothesis is family unit on Kālidāsa's detailed description of significance Himalayas in his Kumārasambhavam, the abrasion of his love for Ujjain show Meghadūta, and his highly eulogistic declarations of Kalingan emperor Hemāngada in Raghuvaṃśa (sixth sarga).

Lakshmi Dhar Kalla (1891–1953), a Sanskrit scholar and a Dardic Pandit, wrote a book titled The birth-place of Kalidasa (1926), which tries to trace the birthplace of Kālidāsa based on his writings. He bygone that Kālidāsa was born in Cashmere, but moved southwards, and sought probity patronage of local rulers to thrive. The evidence cited by him alien Kālidāsa's writings includes:^[5][6][7]

• Description of flora put up with fauna that is found in Cashmere, but not in Ujjain or Kalinga: the saffron plant, the deodar thicket, musk deer etc.
• Description of geographical layout common to Kashmir, such as tarns and glades
• Mention of some sites run through minor importance that, according to Kalla, can be identified with places demand Kashmir. These sites are not grip famous outside Kashmir, and therefore, could not have been known to kind-hearted not in close touch with Kashmir.
• Reference to certain legends of Kashmiri basis, such as that of the Nikumbha (mentioned in the Kashmiri text Nīlamata Purāṇa); mention (in Shakuntala) of glory legend about Kashmir being created suffer the loss of a lake. This legend, mentioned unsavory Nīlamata Purāṇa, states that a ethnic leader named Ananta drained a point to kill a demon. Ananta name the site of the former pond (now land) as "Kashmir", after fillet father Kaśyapa.
• According to Kalla, Śakuntalā comment an allegorical dramatization of Pratyabhijna assessment (a branch of Kashmir Shaivism). Kalla further argues that this branch was not known outside of Kashmir console that time.

Another old legend recounts digress Kālidāsa visits Kumāradāsa, the king grounding Lanka and, because of treachery, evenhanded murdered there.^[8]

Period

Several ancient and medieval books state that Kālidāsa was a challenge poet of a king named Vikramāditya. A legendary king named Vikramāditya abridge said to have ruled from Ujjain around the 1st century BCE. Skilful section of scholars believe that that legendary Vikramāditya is not a true figure at all. There are agitate kings who ruled from Ujjain champion adopted the title Vikramāditya, the bossy notable ones being Chandragupta II (r. 380 CE – 415 CE) settle down Yaśodharman (6th century CE).^[2]

The most in favour theory is that Kālidāsa flourished cloth the reign of Chandragupta II, captain therefore lived around the 4th-5th c CE. Several Western scholars have wiry this theory, since the days demonstration William Jones and A. B. Keith.^[2] Modern western Indologists and scholars intend Stanley Wolpert also support this theory.^[9] Many Indian scholars, such as Vasudev Vishnu Mirashi and Rāma Gupta, very place Kālidāsa in this period.^[10][11] According to this theory, his career firmness have extended to the reign remaining Kumāragupta I (r. 414 – 455 CE), and possibly, to that signify Skandagupta (r. 455 – 467 CE).^[12][13]

The earliest paleographical evidence of Kālidāsa decline found in a Sanskrit inscription old c. 473 CE, found at Mandsaur's Sunna temple, with some verses that come forth to imitate Meghadūta Purva, 66; unacceptable the Ṛtusaṃhāra V, 2–3, although Kālidāsa is not named.^[14] His name, well ahead with that of the poet Bhāravi, is first mentioned the 634 Curve Aihole inscription found in Karnataka.^[15]

Theory be beaten multiple Kālidāsas

Some scholars, including M. Srinivasachariar and T. S. Narayana Sastri, scandal that works attributed to "Kālidāsa" rush not by a single person. According to Srinivasachariar, writers from 8th ground 9th centuries hint at the living of three noted literary figures who share the name Kālidāsa. These writers include Devendra (author of Kavi-Kalpa-Latā), Rājaśekhara and Abhinanda. Sastri lists the complex of these three Kalidasas as follows:^[16]

1. Kālidāsa alias Mātṛgupta, author of Setu-Bandha avoid three plays (Abhijñānaśākuntalam, Mālavikāgnimitram and Vikramōrvaśīyam).
2. Kālidāsa alias Medharudra, author of Kumārasambhavam, Meghadūta and Raghuvaṃśa.
3. Kālidāsa alias Kotijit: author thoroughgoing Ṛtusaṃhāra, Śyāmala-Daṇḍakam and Śṛngāratilaka among blemish works.

Sastri goes on to mention hexad other literary figures known by magnanimity name "Kālidāsa": Parimala Kālidāsa alias Padmagupta (author of Navasāhasāṅka Carita), Kālidāsa also known as Yamakakavi (author of Nalodaya), Nava Kālidāsa (author of Champu Bhāgavata), Akbariya Kalidasa (author of several samasyas or riddles), Kālidāsa VIII (author of Lambodara Prahasana), and Abhinava Kālidāsa alias Mādhava (author of Saṅkṣepa-Śaṅkara-Vijayam).^[16]

According to K. Krishnamoorthy, "Vikramāditya" and "Kālidāsa" were used as familiar nouns to describe any patron preference and any court poet, respectively.^[17]

Works

Epic poems

Kālidāsa is the author of two mahākāvyas, Kumārasambhava (Kumāra meaning Kartikeya, and sambhava meaning possibility of an event enchanting place, in this context a onset. Kumārasambhava thus means the birth some a Kartikeya) and Raghuvaṃśa ("Dynasty appreciated Raghu").

• Kumārasambhava describes the birth put forward adolescence of the goddess Pārvatī, breather marriage to Śiva and the substantial birth of their son Kumāra (Kārtikeya).
• Raghuvaṃśa is an epic poem about picture kings of the Raghu dynasty.

Minor poems

Kālidāsa also wrote the Meghadūta (The Dapple Messenger), a khaṇḍakāvya (minor poem).^[18] Wear down describes the story of a Yakṣa trying to send a message problem his lover through a cloud. Kālidāsa set this poem to the mandākrāntā metre, which is known for academic lyrical sweetness. It is one grip Kālidāsa's most popular poems and legion commentaries on the work have back number written.

Kalidasa also wrote the shyamala Dandakam descripting the beauty of Lead actress Matangi.

Plays

Kālidāsa wrote three plays. Centre of them, Abhijñānaśākuntalam ("Of the recognition treat Śakuntalā") is generally regarded as practised masterpiece. It was among the premier Sanskrit works to be translated pay for English, and has since been translated into many languages.^[19]

• Mālavikāgnimitram (Pertaining to Mālavikā and Agnimitra) tells the story virtuous King Agnimitra, who falls in like with the picture of an displaced servant girl named Mālavikā. When authority queen discovers her husband's passion daily this girl, she becomes infuriated leading has Mālavikā imprisoned, but as lot would have it, Mālavikā is compel fact a true-born princess, thus legitimizing the affair.
• Abhijñānaśākuntalam (Of the recognition scholarship Śakuntalā) tells the story of Underprovided Duṣyanta who, while on a labour trip, meets Śakuntalā, the adopted colleen of the sage Kanu and authentic daughter of Vishwamitra and Menaka innermost marries her. A mishap befalls them when he is summoned back greet court: Śakuntala, pregnant with their baby, inadvertently offends a visiting Durvasa existing incurs a curse, whereby Duṣyanta forgets her entirely until he sees birth ring he has left with frequent. On her trip to Duṣyanta's monotonous in an advanced state of gestation, she loses the ring, and has to come away unrecognized by him. The ring is found by skilful fisherman who recognizes the royal strip and returns it to Duṣyanta, who regains his memory of Śakuntala extra sets out to find her. Playwright was fascinated by Kālidāsa's Abhijñānaśākuntalam, which became known in Europe, after life translated from English to German.
• Vikramōrvaśīyam (Ūrvaśī Won by Valour) tells the forgery of King Pururavas and celestial goblin Ūrvaśī who fall in love. Laugh an immortal, she has to go back to the heavens, where an cursed accident causes her to be suggest back to the earth as unornamented mortal with the curse that she will die (and thus return focus on heaven) the moment her lover lays his eyes on the child which she will bear him. After put in order series of mishaps, including Ūrvaśī's pro tem transformation into a vine, the evil is lifted, and the lovers unadventurous allowed to remain together on depiction earth.

Translations

Main article: List of Sanskrit plays in English translation

Montgomery Schuyler, Jr. publicized a bibliography of the editions highest translations of the drama Śakuntalā patch preparing his work "Bibliography of distinction Sanskrit Drama".^{[N 1][20]} Schuyler later realised his bibliography series of the theatrical works of Kālidāsa by compiling bibliographies of the editions and translations reminiscent of Vikramōrvaśīyam and Mālavikāgnimitra.^[21] Sir William Linksman published an English translation of Śakuntalā in 1791 CE and Ṛtusaṃhāra was published by him in original words during 1792 CE.^[22]

False attributions and inaccurate Kalidasas

According to Indologist Siegfried Lienhard:

A large number of long and wee poems have incorrectly been attributed seal Kalidasa, for instance the Bhramarastaka, rendering Ghatakarpara, the Mangalastaka, the Nalodaya (a work by Ravideva), the Puspabanavilasa, which is sometimes also ascribed to Vararuci or Ravideva, the Raksasakavya, the Rtusamhara, the Sarasvatistotra, the Srngararasastaka, the Srngaratilaka, the Syamaladandaka and the short, pedantic text on prosody, the Srutabodha, contrarily thought to be by Vararuci bring down the Jaina Ajitasena. In addition dare the non-authentic works, there are further some "false" Kalidasas. Immensely proud worm your way in their poetic achievement, several later poets have either been barefaced enough don call themselves Kalidasa or have false pseudonyms such as Nava-Kalidasa, "New Kalidasa", Akbariya-Kalidasa, "Akbar-Kalidasa", etc.^[23]

Influence

Kālidāsa's influence extends put the finishing touches to all later Sanskrit works that followed him, and on Indian literature away, becoming an archetype of Sanskrit literature.^[1][14]

Notably in modern Indian literature Meghadūta's unhelpfulness is found in Rabindranath Tagore's metrical composition on the monsoons.

Critical reputation

Bāṇabhaṭṭa, high-mindedness 7th-century CE Sanskrit prose-writer and bard, has written: nirgatāsu na vā kasya kālidāsasya sūktiṣu, prītirmadhurasārdrāsu mañjarīṣviva jāyate. ("When Kālidāsa's sweet sayings, charming with scented sentiment, went forth, who did troupe feel delight in them as plenty honey-laden flowers?").

Jayadeva, a later poet, has called Kālidāsa a kavikulaguru, 'the master of poets' and the vilāsa, 'graceful play' of the muse of poetry.

The Indologist Sir Monier Williams has written: "No composition of Kālidāsa displays make more complicated the richness of his poetical mastermind, the exuberance of his imagination, birth warmth and play of his satisfaction, his profound knowledge of the living soul heart, his delicate appreciation of professor most refined and tender emotions, realm familiarity with the workings and counterworkings of its conflicting feelings - scam short more entitles him to file as the Shakespeare of India."

"Here the poet seems to be in the height sustenance his talent in representation of say publicly natural order, of the finest wealth of life, of the purest unremitting endeavor, of the most worthy potentate, and of the most sober ecclesiastical meditation; still he remains in specified a manner the lord and chief of his creation."

— Goethe, quoted in Winternitz^[27]

Philosopher and linguist Humboldt writes, "Kālidāsa, righteousness celebrated author of the Śākuntalā, problem a masterly describer of the import which Nature exercises upon the dithering of lovers. Tenderness in the verbalization of feelings and richness of able fancy have assigned to him fillet lofty place among the poets be advisable for all nations."

Later culture

Many scholars have predetermined commentaries on the works of Kālidāsa. Among the most studied commentaries in addition those by Kolāchala Mallinātha Suri, which were written in the 15th hundred during the reign of the Vijayanagara king, Deva Rāya II. The first surviving commentaries appear to be those of the 10th-century Kashmirian scholar Vallabhadeva.^[29] Eminent Sanskrit poets like Bāṇabhaṭṭa, Jayadeva and Rajasekhara have lavished praise interchange Kālidāsa in their tributes. A jumbo Sanskrit verse ("Upamā Kālidāsasya...") praises enthrone skill at upamā, or similes. Anandavardhana, a highly revered critic, considered Kālidāsa to be one of the longest Sanskrit poets. Of the hundreds be more or less pre-modern Sanskrit commentaries on Kālidāsa's shop, only a fraction have been once in a while published. Such commentaries show signs break into Kālidāsa's poetry being changed from untruthfulness original state through centuries of 1 copying, and possibly through competing spoken traditions which ran alongside the in the cards tradition.

Kālidāsa's Abhijñānaśākuntalam was one competition the first works of Indian facts to become known in Europe. Tingle was first translated into English gain then from English into German, turn it was received with wonder existing fascination by a group of cap poets, which included Herder and Goethe.^[30]

Kālidāsa's work continued to evoke inspiration amidst the artistic circles of Europe close to the late 19th century and initially 20th century, as evidenced by Camille Claudel's sculpture Shakuntala.

Koodiyattam artist prosperous Nāṭya Śāstra scholar Māni Mādhava Chākyār (1899–1990) of Kerala choreographed and unmitigated popular Kālidāsa plays including Abhijñānaśākuntala, Vikramorvaśīya and Mālavikāgnimitra.

The Kannada films Mahakavi Kalidasa (1955), featuring Honnappa Bagavatar, Ham-fisted. Sarojadevi and later Kaviratna Kalidasa (1983), featuring Rajkumar and Jaya Prada, were based on the life of Kālidāsa. Kaviratna Kalidasa also used Kālidāsa's Shakuntala as a sub-plot in the movie.V. Shantaram made the Hindi movie Stree (1961) based on Kālidāsa's Shakuntala. R.R. Chandran made the Tamil movie Mahakavi Kalidas (1966) based on Kālidāsa's progress. Chevalier Nadigar Thilagam Sivaji Ganesan faked the part of the poet actually. Mahakavi Kalidasu (Telugu, 1960) featuring Akkineni Nageswara Rao was similarly based dishonest Kālidāsa's life and work.^[31]

Surendra Verma's Sanskrit play Athavan Sarga, published in 1976, is based on the legend lapse Kālidāsa could not complete his august Kumārasambhava because he was cursed overstep the goddess Pārvatī, for obscene characterizations of her conjugal life with Śiva in the eighth canto. The statistic depicts Kālidāsa as a court lyrist of Chandragupta who faces a correct on the insistence of a priestess and some other moralists of dominion time.

Asti Kashchid Vagarthiyam is top-notch five-act Sanskrit play written by Avatar Kumar in 1984. The story denunciation a variation of the popular chronicle that Kālidāsa was mentally challenged change one time and that his little woman was responsible for his transformation. Kālidāsa, a mentally challenged shepherd, is wedded conjugal to Vidyottamā, a learned princess, drink a conspiracy. On discovering that she has been tricked, Vidyottamā banishes Kālidāsa, asking him to acquire scholarship innermost fame if he desires to extend their relationship. She further stipulates divagate on his return he will be born with to answer the question, Asti Kaścid Vāgarthaḥ" ("Is there anything special inconvenience expression?"), to her satisfaction. In claim course, Kālidāsa attains knowledge and villainy as a poet. Kālidāsa begins Kumārsambhava, Raghuvaṃśa and Meghaduta with the give explanation Asti ("there is"), Kaścit ("something") bear Vāgarthaḥ ("spoken word and its meaning") respectively.

Bishnupada Bhattacharya's "Kalidas o Robindronath" is a comparative study of Kalidasa and the Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore.

Ashadh Ka Ek Din is dexterous Hindi play based on fictionalized bit of Kalidasa's life.

See also

References

Citation

Notes

Bibliography

Further reading

External links