Dushyant and Shakuntala / दुष्यंत-शकुंतला

Documented by Coralynn V. Davis and Carlos Gomez
Transcription and Translation by Pranav Prakash

Teller: Runa Das
Location: Ranti
Date: 9/12/16

September 12, 2016: Session A5
Maithili Folklore 16_09_12_a_5

View the transcription in Maithili.

बि…हँ…बिश्वामित्र रहथिन, बहुत पैग अथि…रि..रिसि रहथिन, त उ तपस्या¹ करै लागल्खिन । 

He was Bi…er…Bisvamitra; he was a great…a great ascetic; he began performing his deep meditation.

तपस्या करै लागल्खिन त सब देबता सब घबड़ा गेल्खिन । 

When he was performing his meditation, then all gods grew anxious.

हुन्कर तपस्या देख के जे, मने, आगू जै के इ की करता…की…आगू…मने बहुत पैग…अथि..करता, तैं द्वारा उ घबड़ा गेल्खिन…त…परेशान रहथिन, हुन्कर तपस्या भंग करैके तरह तरह के अथि करै लागल्खिन ।

On witnessing his austerity, they wondered, that is, they thought what he could possibly do in future…in…future…that is, he may grow in power…that is…he may exert more power. So, they were worried…and…anxious. They began contemplating various ways to break his austerity.

त अंत में इंद्र के अपन अप्सरा मेनका के भेजल्खिन जे, “जाओ, आहाँ…हुन्के तपस्या…बिश्वामित्र के भंग करू ।”

In the end, Indra sent his courtesan Menka to him, “Go, you break…his austerity…you break Bisvamitra’s austerity.”

त मेकना एल्खिन…

So, Menka arrived…

[…अस्थिर से बाजू नऽ, अस्थिर से…]

[…speak slowly, please, unhurriedly…]

मेनका एल्खिन, तऽ ओकरा देखल्खिन…मने…भंग करै के पूरा कोशिश करलखिन ।

When Menka arrived, she saw him…that is…she tried her best to break his austerity. 

ओकर बाद उ अपन डान्स शुरू करलखिन । 

Then she started performing her dance. 

तेय्यौ बिश्वामित्र के तपस्या ने भंग भेलै । 

But it did not break Bisvamitra’s austerity. 

त उ डान्स करैत करैत मने धीरे धीरे अपन सबटा कपड़ा के, मने, अपन, शरीर से हटबै लागल्खिन, धीरे धीरे होएत होएत, जब…सबटा कपड़ा हटा लेल्खिन…त…बिश्वामित्र के ध्यान टूटलै ।

Then, while she continued to dance, she began slowly removing all of her clothes. That is, she removed clothes from her body one by one, and when…she had removed all of her clothes…then…Bisvamitra’s meditation was interrupted. 

आँख खुइल गेलैन, तऽ उ देखल्खिन, त हुन्कर तपस्या भंग भो गेलेन । 

His eyes were opened, then he saw her. Thus, his austerity was broken. 

तखन बाद आब की कैरथिन, मेनका के हुन्का से शादी करै पड़लैन, विश्वामित्र से । 

What could he possibly do now? Menka had to marry Biswāmitra. 

शादी करै पड़लैन, शादी कै क दुनु गोटै, घर बसैल्खिन । 

They had to marry. They had to marry each other. They set up their household.

घर बसैल्खिन त हुन्का एकटा लड़की भेलैन शकुन्तला ।

When they established their household, then she gave birth to a daughter called Shakuntala. 

शकुन्तला लड़की जब भेलै, त बिश्वामित्र…मेनका त अप्सरा रहथिन, हुन्का त लौटे के रहैन ।

When the daughter Shakuntala came into being, then Bisvamitra…Menka was a heavenly courtesan, so she needed to return to her divine abode.

तो अपन चाहल्खिन जे, मने, बिश्वामित्र के दॅ देल्खिन शकुन्तला के, अपना लौट गेल्खिन…अ…स्वर्ग । 

So, she wanted that…that is…she gave Shakuntala to Bisvamitra, and she returned to her abode…uh…heaven. 

अपना लौट गेल्खिन, त बिश्वामित्र शकुन्तला…म…लालन-पालन ठीक सॅ करै लागल्खिन । 

She went back herself, then Bisvamitra…um…began nurturing and raising Shakuntala affectionately.

उ जंगले में रहथिन, हरिण सब से खेलैत रहथिन, जंगली जानवर सब सॅ खेलैत रहथिन, रिसिकन्या सब के साथ खेलै रहथिन । 

She lived in the forest. She played with deer and other animals. She played with wild animals. She played with the daughters of other sages in the forest. 

धीरे-धीरे शकुन्तला पैग भेल्खिन । 

Shakuntala gradually grew up.

एक दिन दुष्यंत…मने…उ कतौके राजा रहथिन…उ आबैत रहथिन, त शकुन्तला के देखल्खिन, त शकुन्तला पर मुग्ध भौ गेल्खिन ।

One day Dushyant…that is…he was a king somewhere…as he was passing by, he saw Shakuntala, and he became infatuated with her.

मुग्ध भौ गेल्खिन, त दुनु शादी करैल चाहल्खिन । 

He was smitten with her, so he desired that the two of them be married. 

त…बैठल रहथिन, शकुन्तला अपन हिरण के साथ खेलत रहथिन, त हुन्का देखल्खिन, दुनु गोटे में लव भै गेलैन ।

Then…he was sitting there. Shakuntala was playing with deer when she saw him. They fell in love with each other. 

लव भै गेलेन, त फेर दुनु गोटे प्रेम करै लागल्खिन । 

They fell in love, and began loving each other. 

प्रेम करे…करलखिन, तकर बाद गेल्खिन, मने, अथि सॅ…विश्वामित्र से…म…आज्ञा ले लॅ, विश्वामित्र आज्ञा देल्खिन बियाह करै के, दुनु गोटे बियाह कैल्खिन जंगले में, गन्धर्व विवाह । 

They loved…loved each other. Then he went, that is, he…to Bisvamitra…he went to Bisvamitra to seek his permission. Bisvamitra gave him the permission to marry Shakuntala. They both were married in the forest. They performed the “gandharva” marriage.

ओकर बाद…म…कनि दिन साथ रहल्खिन, तेकर बाद दुष्यंत के त अपन राज-पाठ रहैन, राजा रहथिन, त उ अपन राज लौटे लागल्खिन…लौटे के बेर भेलै, त शकुन्तला के अपन जाएत कला एकटा अँगुठी देल्खिन निकाएल क, “इ अँगुठी लाए कॅ जहिया आहाँ हमरा पास आएब, त हम…मने…हमरा याद आएब जैत जे आहाँ हमर पत्नी छी ।”

Afterwards…er…they stayed together for a couple of days, and then Dushyant needed to take care of his subjects and administration. He was a king, so he had to return to his kingdom…It was time to return. And so removed his ring and gave it to her, saying “When you come to me with this ring, then I will be remember that you are my wife.”

त कहल्खिन, “ठीक छै ।” 

Then she responded, “OK.” 

त उ राखने रहथिन उ अँगुठी के शकुन्तला । 

So, she kept that ring, Shakuntala did. 

याद करै लागल्खिन । दुष्यंत अपन राज गेल्खिन, त शकुन्तला के करीब-करीब भूइल गैल्खिन ।

She would always remember him. Dushyant was looking after his kingdom, and he almost completely forgot Shakuntala. 

शकुन्तला के भूइल गेल्खिन, उ अपन काम में, राज-पाठ में लाग गेल्खिन । 

He forgot Shakuntala, he was caught up in his work, he was taking care of his subjects and administration.

शकुन्तला हुन्कर याद में हमेशा रहथिन बैठल । 

Shakuntala used to sit down and think about him all the time.

हरदम याद में हुन्का याद करै रहथिन, उदास रहथिन, बैठल रहथिन, त एकटा रिसि एलै माँगै लॅ भीक्षा ।

She was always lost in thoughts of him. She was sad. She was sitting when a sage came asking for alms.

तॅ भीक्षा माँगै लॅ एलै, तॅ शकुन्तला के…बहुत बेर कहल्के भीक्षा दै लॅ, “भीक्षां देहि,” कहल्खिन, तॅ उ त रहथिन दुष्यंत के याद में भुलाएल, त उ नै सुनलखिन इ बात कै । 

So, he was asking for alms, and he requested several times to Shakuntala to give him alms, “Offer some alms to me.” But she was so lost in the memory of Dushyant that she did not hear his requests. 

त उ रिसि ओकरा श्राप दै देल्खिन जे, “जेकर याद में आहाँ छी, उ अहाँ के भूल जाएत । आहाँ जे हमरा भीक्षा नै देलों तऽ ।” 

So, that sage placed a curse on her that, “Whoever is present in your thoughts now, he will not remember you. This is because you did not offer me alms.” 

तऽ शकुन्तला के खूब याद…मने याद….मने…चौंक गेल्खिन…चौंक गेल्खिन इ श्राप सुइन के । 

Now, Shakuntala was deeply lost in his memory…that is…she was taken aback, taken aback when she heard his curse. 

तऽ बहूत उनका क्षमा याचना करलखिन, त उ कहल्खिन, “ठीक छै, आहाँ के कोनो निसानी अगर उ देनै हेता, त उ देखके आहाँ के याद आब जाएत…हुन्कर ।” 

So, she beseeched the sage several times to forgive her. Then he said, “Fine! If you have received any token of rememberance from him, then, seeing that, he will remember you.” 

कहल्खिन, “हुन्कर याद आएब जाएत ।” ए दुआरे…शकुन्तला देखल्खिन जे, “हमरा पास अँगूठी ऐछै, याद आएब जाएत ।”

He said, “He will remember you.” That is why…when Shakuntala noticed that she had the ring with her, she was assured that, “he will be able to recognize me.”

बहुत दिन भेलै । 

Many days passed by.

त हुन्का पता चललै जे उ…मने…गर्भ से छथिन…शकुन्तला । 

Then she found out that she…that is…she was pregnant…Shakuntala did. 

तब…तब दुस…अथि…बिश्वामित्रों के भेलै…अथि…जे…मने…बच्चा होयेवला छे अ पति से अलग छै, त राज…म..दुष्यंत के पास हुन्का लॅ के गेल्खिन । 

Then…then…Dush…that is…Bisvamitra too felt…that…since…that is…while she is expecting a child, she is alone, so, he brought her to King…er…King Dushyant. 

लॅ के गेल्खिन त देखल्खिन जे…शकुन्त…दुष्यंत…एकदम भूइल गेल रहथिन, हुन्का रिसि के श्रापो रहैन । 

When he brought her to him, then…Shakun…Dushyant…saw her but he had completely forgotten about her. Afterall, they were suffering from the curse of the sage. 

एकदम भूइल गेल्खिन । 

He had totaly forgotten about her. 

त रास्ता में हुन्का याद…म…शकुन्तला के…प्यास लागलेन, त उ नदी में गेल्खिन पाएन पीये लॅ । 

On their way, they remembered…but…Shakuntala felt…thirsty, so she went to a river and started drinking water. 

त हुन्कर हाथ से अँगूठी स्लीप कै कॅ, मने, पीछैड़ के चैल गेलैन, एकटा माछ के पेट में ।

At that point, the ring slipped out her hand and fell into the river. It went into the belly of a fish.

एकटा माछ नीगैल लैलकेन अँगूठी कॅ, नदी में चेल गेलै तऽ ।

A fish had swallowed the ring when it fell into the river. 

ताब हुन्का पास त अँगूठियो नै रहैन । 

Thus, she no longer had the ring. 

गेल्खिन तऽ दुष्यंत एकदम भूलल रहथिन हुन्का । 

And when she arrived there, Dushyant had completely forgotten about her. 

कहल्खिन, “नै ।” 

He replied, “No.”

मने, हटाए देल्खिन, कहल्खिन, “नै, हमर पत्नी नै छी ।” 

That is, he dismissed her, he said, “No, you are not my wife.” 

आब शकुन्तला कॅ बहुत दुख भेलैन । 

Now Shakuntala felt very hurt. 

उ विश्वामित्र के साथ वापस एब गेल्खिन जंगल । जंगल में रहै लागल्खिन । 

She and Bisvamitra returned to the forest. They resumed their life in the forest. 

हुन्का एकटा लड़का भेलैन । 

She bore a son.

लड़का के नाम भरत राखल्खिन । 

She gave him the name of “Bharat.”

भरत राखल्खिन । 

She named him “Bharat.” 

भरत कॅ जंगले में बढ़ै-पढ़ै लागलै । 

Bharat was growing up and learning in the forest. 

हुन्का बड्ड…बहुत…अथि…रहैन ।

She felt, uh, very badly.

तब तक की भेलै तऽ…मने…एकटा मछुआरा माछ मारैत रहै ।

Then what happened was…that is…a fisherman was catching fish. 

त माछ जे माड़लकै । 

He caught some fish.

त देखल्कै जे…म…माछ लै कॅ गेलै राजा के ओइठमाँ । 

He saw that fi…fish. He brought the fish to the king’s palace. 

राजा के औइठमाँ जे राजा के दासीन माछ काटै लागलखिन, त माछ के पेट से अँगूठी मिल्ल…मिल्लैन दुष्यंत के ।

The maid, who worked at the king’s palace, began to cut the fish. The she found the ring in its belly…King Dushyant’s ring.

त उ देखेल्खेन राजा के राज मुद्रिका छीयै । 

Then she noticed that it was the royal ring of the king. 

त राजा के गेलैन, राजा के पास । 

So, it was sent to the king; the king received it. 

तऽ राजा अँगूठी देखेल्खिन, त हुन्का शकुन्तला के याद एलै…जद…,“शकुन्तला से हम शादी करनै रहियै,” त उ जंगल एल्खिन शकुन्तला के खोजै लॅ । 

When the king saw the ring, so he recollected Shakuntala…that…”I had gotten married Shakuntala.” So, he went to the forest in search of Shakuntala.

त देखल्खिन एकटा बच्चा छे बैठल औएठाँ, और शेर के पकैड़ के, ओकर मुँह खौएल के, ओकर दाँत गीन रहल छै । 

Then he saw that a child was sitting there. This boy has caught hold of a tiger. He had opened its mouth and he begun counting its teeth. 

त उ देख कॅ आश्चर्य लाएगलके इ कत्तै बीर…बालक छै जे इ शेर के मुँह के दाँत गिन रहल छै ।

So, the king was amazed at seeing how brave the boy was…he was still a child, yet he was counting the teeth of a tiger.

त कहल्खिन कि, “ठीक छै ।”

Then he said, “Well, then.”

गेल्खिन त देखल्खिन, उ पूछल्खिन, “कै छीयै ?” 

So, he went and saw him. He asked, “Who are you?” 

त उ अपन बतैल्कै पीता के नाम, “दुष्यंत ।”

In response, he revealed the name of his father, “Dushyant.” 

माए के नाम, “शकुन्तला ।” 

His mother’s name, “Shakuntala.” 

तब शकुन्तला से हुन्का भैंट भेलैन । 

Then he went to meet Shakuntala. 

भैंट भेलैन तकर बाद शकुन्तला कॅ लै आनलखिन राजा दुष्यंत । 

He went to meet her. Then, King Dushyant brought Shakuntala back to his palace.

आएन के…मने…रानी के अस्थान देल्खिन सिंहासन पर अपना, कुछ देर राज करै के बाद, तब तक भरत कुछ पैग भै गेल छलै । 

After bringing her back…I mean…he seated her on the royal throne. After he ruled his kingdom for some additional time, Bharat came of age.

तऽ भरत के राएज सौंएप के दुनु गोटे अपन जंगल प्रस्थान करलखिन, बाद में…त लोग मने तपस्या करे लागैत रहै ।

So, he gave charge of his kingdom to Bharat. Both of them went to the forest. Afterwards…people used to practice austerities in forest.

तपस्या करै लागेत रहै । 

They used to perform austerities in the forest. 

तपस्वी जीवन बितावै लागेत रहै ।

They used to live like hermits. 

तै ल चएल गेल्खिन और भरत नाम के अथि पर भारत के नाम पड़लै है ‘भारतबर्ष’ । वैह हीन्कर कहानी छलैन । 

That is why they left the kingdom, and it was after Bharat was call, Bharat was called “Bharatbarsha.” This is their story.