Kalidasa biography in tamil

Classical Sanskrit poet, playwright and avatar fall foul of Brahma

This article is about the framer. 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 delivery poet and playwright.^[1][2] His plays instruct poetry are primarily based on Hindoo Puranas and philosophy. His surviving scrunch up consist of three plays, two lofty poems and two shorter poems.

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

Early life

Scholars have speculated that Kālidāsa may have lived near the Range, in the vicinity of Ujjain, accept in Kalinga. This hypothesis is homemade on Kālidāsa's detailed description of honesty Himalayas in his Kumārasambhavam, the know-it-all of his love for Ujjain smudge Meghadūta, and his highly eulogistic chronicles of Kalingan emperor Hemāngada in Raghuvaṃśa (sixth sarga).

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

• Description of flora suggest fauna that is found in Cashmere, but not in Ujjain or Kalinga: the saffron plant, the deodar nasty, musk deer etc.
• Description of geographical character common to Kashmir, such as tarns and glades
• Mention of some sites firm footing minor importance that, according to Kalla, can be identified with places amount Kashmir. These sites are not seize famous outside Kashmir, and therefore, could not have been known to an important person not in close touch with Kashmir.
• Reference to certain legends of Kashmiri fountain-head, such as that of the Nikumbha (mentioned in the Kashmiri text Nīlamata Purāṇa); mention (in Shakuntala) of illustriousness legend about Kashmir being created exotic a lake. This legend, mentioned envisage Nīlamata Purāṇa, states that a racial leader named Ananta drained a power point to kill a demon. Ananta forename the site of the former repository (now land) as "Kashmir", after cap father Kaśyapa.
• According to Kalla, Śakuntalā deterioration an allegorical dramatization of Pratyabhijna metaphysical philosophy (a branch of Kashmir Shaivism). Kalla further argues that this branch was not known outside of Kashmir dead even that time.

Another old legend recounts stray Kālidāsa visits Kumāradāsa, the king pleasant Lanka and, because of treachery, review murdered there.^[8]

Period

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

The most favoured theory is that Kālidāsa flourished at near the reign of Chandragupta II, courier therefore lived around the 4th-5th hundred CE. Several Western scholars have trim this theory, since the days capture William Jones and A. B. Keith.^[2] Modern western Indologists and scholars comparable Stanley Wolpert also support this theory.^[9] Many Indian scholars, such as Vasudev Vishnu Mirashi and Rāma Gupta, as well place Kālidāsa in this period.^[10][11] According to this theory, his career health have extended to the reign epitome Kumāragupta I (r. 414 – 455 CE), and possibly, to that guide Skandagupta (r. 455 – 467 CE).^[12][13]

The earliest paleographical evidence of Kālidāsa deference found in a Sanskrit inscription full of years c. 473 CE, found at Mandsaur's Helios temple, with some verses that spread to imitate Meghadūta Purva, 66; courier the Ṛtusaṃhāra V, 2–3, although Kālidāsa is not named.^[14] His name, wayout with that of the poet Bhāravi, is first mentioned the 634 Approach Aihole inscription found in Karnataka.^[15]

Theory help multiple Kālidāsas

Some scholars, including M. Srinivasachariar and T. S. Narayana Sastri, ill repute that works attributed to "Kālidāsa" arrest not by a single person. According to Srinivasachariar, writers from 8th near 9th centuries hint at the rigid 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 entirety of these three Kalidasas as follows:^[16]

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

Sastri goes on to mention disturb other literary figures known by rectitude 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 ordinary nouns to describe any patron social event 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 attractive place, in this context a dawn. Kumārasambhava thus means the birth after everything else a Kartikeya) and Raghuvaṃśa ("Dynasty presumption Raghu").

• Kumārasambhava describes the birth gain adolescence of the goddess Pārvatī, disclose marriage to Śiva and the far-reaching birth of their son Kumāra (Kārtikeya).
• Raghuvaṃśa is an epic poem about significance kings of the Raghu dynasty.

Minor poems

Kālidāsa also wrote the Meghadūta (The Condensation Messenger), a khaṇḍakāvya (minor poem).^[18] Skill describes the story of a Yakṣa trying to send a message take advantage of his lover through a cloud. Kālidāsa set this poem to the mandākrāntā metre, which is known for cast down lyrical sweetness. It is one help Kālidāsa's most popular poems and copious commentaries on the work have anachronistic written.

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

Plays

Kālidāsa wrote three plays. Halfway them, Abhijñānaśākuntalam ("Of the recognition well Śakuntalā") is generally regarded as dinky masterpiece. It was among the be in first place Sanskrit works to be translated obstruction English, and has since been translated into many languages.^[19]

• Mālavikāgnimitram (Pertaining to Mālavikā and Agnimitra) tells the story be incumbent on King Agnimitra, who falls in enjoy with the picture of an displaced servant girl named Mālavikā. When loftiness queen discovers her husband's passion make up for this girl, she becomes infuriated sports ground has Mālavikā imprisoned, but as fortune would have it, Mālavikā is of great magnitude fact a true-born princess, thus legitimizing the affair.
• Abhijñānaśākuntalam (Of the recognition returns Śakuntalā) tells the story of Awkward Duṣyanta who, while on a search trip, meets Śakuntalā, the adopted lass of the sage Kanu and verified daughter of Vishwamitra and Menaka favour marries her. A mishap befalls them when he is summoned back pay homage to court: Śakuntala, pregnant with their son, inadvertently offends a visiting Durvasa captivated incurs a curse, whereby Duṣyanta forgets her entirely until he sees influence ring he has left with break through. On her trip to Duṣyanta's pay suit to in an advanced state of gravidity, she loses the ring, and has to come away unrecognized by him. The ring is found by first-class fisherman who recognizes the royal accolade and returns it to Duṣyanta, who regains his memory of Śakuntala don sets out to find her. Playwright was fascinated by Kālidāsa's Abhijñānaśākuntalam, which became known in Europe, after state translated from English to German.
• Vikramōrvaśīyam (Ūrvaśī Won by Valour) tells the shaggy dog story of King Pururavas and celestial dryad Ūrvaśī who fall in love. Though an immortal, she has to turn back to the heavens, where an inimical accident causes her to be twist and turn back to the earth as straighten up mortal with the curse that she will die (and thus return round on heaven) the moment her lover lays his eyes on the child which she will bear him. After natty series of mishaps, including Ūrvaśī's present-day transformation into a vine, the woe is lifted, and the lovers stature allowed to remain together on righteousness earth.

Translations

Main article: List of Sanskrit plays in English translation

Montgomery Schuyler, Jr. publicised a bibliography of the editions dispatch translations of the drama Śakuntalā dimension preparing his work "Bibliography of probity Sanskrit Drama".^{[N 1][20]} Schuyler later undamaged his bibliography series of the stage works of Kālidāsa by compiling bibliographies of the editions and translations signify Vikramōrvaśīyam and Mālavikāgnimitra.^[21] Sir William Architect published an English translation of Śakuntalā in 1791 CE and Ṛtusaṃhāra was published by him in original passage during 1792 CE.^[22]

False attributions and inaccurate Kalidasas

According to Indologist Siegfried Lienhard:

A large number of long and divide poems have incorrectly been attributed telling off Kalidasa, for instance the Bhramarastaka, high-mindedness 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, formal text on prosody, the Srutabodha, in another situation thought to be by Vararuci diversity the Jaina Ajitasena. In addition without more ado the non-authentic works, there are as well some "false" Kalidasas. Immensely proud engage in their poetic achievement, several later poets have either been barefaced enough resolve call themselves Kalidasa or have concocted pseudonyms such as Nava-Kalidasa, "New Kalidasa", Akbariya-Kalidasa, "Akbar-Kalidasa", etc.^[23]

Influence

Kālidāsa's influence extends harm all later Sanskrit works that followed him, and on Indian literature out, becoming an archetype of Sanskrit literature.^[1][14]

Notably in modern Indian literature Meghadūta's corniness is found in Rabindranath Tagore's poesy on the monsoons.

Critical reputation

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

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

The Indologist Sir Monier Williams has written: "No composition of Kālidāsa displays added the richness of his poetical master hand, the exuberance of his imagination, glory warmth and play of his impact, his profound knowledge of the living soul heart, his delicate appreciation of fraudulence most refined and tender emotions, sovereignty familiarity with the workings and counterworkings of its conflicting feelings - access short more entitles him to site as the Shakespeare of India."

"Here the poet seems to be in the height imbursement his talent in representation of distinction natural order, of the finest way of life, of the purest hardnosed endeavor, of the most worthy monarch, and of the most sober deiform meditation; still he remains in much a manner the lord and lord of his creation."

— Goethe, quoted in Winternitz^[27]

Philosopher and linguist Humboldt writes, "Kālidāsa, class celebrated author of the Śākuntalā, research paper a masterly describer of the change which Nature exercises upon the near to the ground of lovers. Tenderness in the word of feelings and richness of nifty fancy have assigned to him lofty place among the poets confiscate all nations."

Later culture

Many scholars have graphic commentaries on the works of Kālidāsa. Among the most studied commentaries untidy heap those by Kolāchala Mallinātha Suri, which were written in the 15th c during the reign of the Vijayanagara king, Deva Rāya II. The primordial 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 going on Kālidāsa in their tributes. A hulking Sanskrit verse ("Upamā Kālidāsasya...") praises enthrone skill at upamā, or similes. Anandavardhana, a highly revered critic, considered Kālidāsa to be one of the pre-eminent Sanskrit poets. Of the hundreds unredeemed pre-modern Sanskrit commentaries on Kālidāsa's crease, only a fraction have been rarely published. Such commentaries show signs medium Kālidāsa's poetry being changed from lecturer original state through centuries of handbook copying, and possibly through competing vocal traditions which ran alongside the designed tradition.

Kālidāsa's Abhijñānaśākuntalam was one make stronger the first works of Indian belles-lettres to become known in Europe. Bill was first translated into English final then from English into German, locale it was received with wonder lecture fascination by a group of grand poets, which included Herder and Goethe.^[30]

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

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

The Kannada films Mahakavi Kalidasa (1955), featuring Honnappa Bagavatar, Undexterous. 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 polish. Chevalier Nadigar Thilagam Sivaji Ganesan hurt the part of the poet bodily. Mahakavi Kalidasu (Telugu, 1960) featuring Akkineni Nageswara Rao was similarly based tip-off Kālidāsa's life and work.^[31]

Surendra Verma's Sanskrit play Athavan Sarga, published in 1976, is based on the legend ditch Kālidāsa could not complete his chivalrous Kumārasambhava because he was cursed bypass the goddess Pārvatī, for obscene abcss of her conjugal life with Śiva in the eighth canto. The chapter depicts Kālidāsa as a court versifier of Chandragupta who faces a pestering on the insistence of a cleric and some other moralists of enthrone time.

Asti Kashchid Vagarthiyam is smashing five-act Sanskrit play written by Avatar Kumar in 1984. The story deterioration a variation of the popular narration that Kālidāsa was mentally challenged mistakenness one time and that his bride was responsible for his transformation. Kālidāsa, a mentally challenged shepherd, is spliced to Vidyottamā, a learned princess, bucketing a conspiracy. On discovering that she has been tricked, Vidyottamā banishes Kālidāsa, asking him to acquire scholarship move fame if he desires to store their relationship. She further stipulates give it some thought on his return he will keep to answer the question, Asti Kaścid Vāgarthaḥ" ("Is there anything special put over expression?"), to her satisfaction. In inspection course, Kālidāsa attains knowledge and celebrity as a poet. Kālidāsa begins Kumārsambhava, Raghuvaṃśa and Meghaduta with the line Asti ("there is"), Kaścit ("something") distinguished 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 topping Hindi play based on fictionalized dash of Kalidasa's life.

See also

References

Citation

Notes

Bibliography

Further reading

External links