Inexplicable Nostalgia! -Kalidasa’s Shakuntalam

 Story Behind Verse-3 -Kalidasa’s Shakuntalam

Nostalgia has an incredible power to transport us back in time, evoking emotions and memories long forgotten. Nostalgia, a bittersweet longing for times gone by, holds a unique power to transport us to another time and place. It evokes emotions, triggers memories, and creates a deep sense of connection to our personal histories. Sometimes it comes to us gently; other times it hits us hard. And though we can usually identify the feeling as a bittersweet longing for a time gone by, the triggers and details are deeply personal.  – especially when it’s an object attached to someone you loved. These senses touch a part of our brain that processes intense emotions, and can produce powerfully good emotions.

This famous verse from of Kalidasa’s famous Sanskrit play, Abhijnana Shakuntalam explain the feeling About Nostalgia.

 

( I clicked this pic in western ghats In Monsoon Season)

रम्याणि वीक्ष्य मधुरांश्च निशम्य शब्दान्‌

पर्युत्सुको भवति यत्सुखितोऽपि जन्तुः |

तच्चेतसा स्मरति नूनमबोधपूर्वं

भावस्थिराणि जननान्तरसौहृदानि ||

रम्याणि वीक्ष्य मधुरांश्च निशम्य शब्दान्‌ (Ramyāṇi vīkṣya madhurāṃś ca niśamya śabdān): "Seeing beautiful things and hearing sweet sounds".

    पर्युत्सुको भवति यत्सुखितोऽपि जन्तुः (Paryutsuko bhavati yat sukhito 'pi jantuḥ): "When a living being (person), even though happy, becomes restless/melancholic".

    तच्चेतसा स्मरति नूनमबोधपूर्वं (Tac cetasā smarati nūnam abodha-pūrvaṃ): "Then surely the mind unconsciously remembers (something not known before)".

    भावस्थिराणि जननान्तरसौहृदानि (Bhāva-sthirāṇi jananāntara-sauhṛdāni): "Affections/friendships (that are) fixed in the heart (and belong to) another life/existence".

Meaning Of this Verse: "Seeing charming scenes and hearing sweet sounds, even a happy person becomes filled with a longing (or a vague, inexplicable sorrow). This is because [the mind/soul] surely remembers, on a subconscious level, the lasting friendships of previous lives."

In the play, King Dushyanta has forgotten his wife, Shakuntala, due to a curse. When he hears a song about a bee forgetting a flower, he feels a sudden pang of grief. 

 

A playful moment with the bee used as an instrument for fleeting flirtation ,as Dushyanta,who  is hiding behind the trees nearby and admiring her beauty, King Dushyanta observes a bee bothering Shakuntala as she waters the trees. Envious of the bee's intimacy with her, the King recites the following verse (Act 1, Verse 21):  exclaims that the bee was indeed very fortunate to get so close to Shakuntala.

Bee Hymn:

Sanskrit Verse

चलापाङ्गां दृष्टिं स्पृशसि बहुशो वेपथुमतीं

रहस्याख्यायीव स्वनसि मृदु कर्णान्तिकचरः ।

करौ व्याधुन्वन्त्याः पिबसि रतिसर्वस्वमधरं

वयं तत्त्वान्वेषान्मधुकर हतास्त्वं खलु कृती ॥

English Meaning:

Touch: "You touch repeatedly her eyes, which have tremulous outer corners and are darting about in fear".

Whisper: "Hovering near her ear, you hum softly as if whispering some secret".

Kiss: "While she waves her hands to ward you off, you drink from her lower lip, which is the very essence of love's delight".

Envy: "O bee! We are ruined by our search for the truth (waiting to know if she can be loved), while you have truly achieved your desire".

 

Pics Credit- Google Image 

King Dushyanta to a bee chasing Shakuntala. He says: "O bee! You touch again and again her eyes, moving with tremulous glances; softly humming, you move near her ear as if telling a secret; while she waves her hands, you kiss her lower lip, which is the essence of love's joy; we are undone trying to find the truth, while you are indeed fortunate

This verse explains his internal state: his soul remembers Shakuntala, even though his conscious mind cannot. It is spoken by King Dushyanta after he hears a haunting song that stirs deep, inexplicable emotions within him. This verse explains that when a happy person feels sudden, unexplained longing upon seeing beautiful sights or hearing sweet sounds, it is because their subconscious mind is remembering deep, emotional bonds of friendship and love from past lives.

    “When a person, even if happy, becomes wistful on seeing beautiful things and hearing sweet sounds, it is because their mind unconsciously remembers friendships from past lives, which are firmly fixed deep in the heart rooted “.

Kalidasa This verse expresses the profound philosophical idea suggests that when we experience something beautiful in this life and feel a sudden, inexplicable sadness or yearning, it is because our soul is recalling the love and bonds we shared in a previous life. These memories are not vivid "thoughts," but rather deep-seated emotions (Vasanas) that remain in the soul even after the physical body changes. Some words can never be completely understood just by reading. You only get to see what they truly mean through experience.

The Kachapi Veena & Melodious Voice of Devi

Soundarya Lahiri-AdiSankaracharya

Book Ref-Swami Satyasangananda Saraswati

Story Behind Verse-2( Cont)

 

The 66th hymn from the Stotra kavya of the Soundarya Lahari, a famous hymn attributed to Adi Shankara reveals the sweetness and divine nature speech of Lalita Tripurasundari!

विपञ्चया गायन्ती विविधमपदानं पशुपतेः

त्वयारब्धे वक्तुं चलितशिरसा साधुवचने।

तदीयैर्माधुर्यैरपलपिततन्त्रीकलरवां

निजां वीणां वाणी निचुलयति चोलेन निभृतम्॥

vipañcayā gāyantī vividhamapadānaṁ paśupateḥ

tvayārabdhe vaktuṁ calitaśirasā sādhuvacane |

tadīyairmādhuryairapalapitatantrīkalaravāṁ

nijāṁ vīṇāṁ vāṇī niculayati colena nibhṛtam ||

Vipañcayā gāyantī: Singing (while playing) the stringed instrument (Veena)

Vividham-apadānaṁ paśupateḥ: The various glorious deeds of Lord Shiva (Pashupati)

Tvayārabdhe vaktuṁ: When You (Parvati) began to speak/sing

Calitaśirasā sādhuvacane: Noddng Your head in appreciation (saying "Sadhu" - Excellent!)

Tadīyair-mādhuryair-apalapitatantrīkalaravāṁ: Because the sweetness of Your voice overshadowed the faint notes of the Veena strings

Nijāṁ vīṇāṁ vāṇī: Goddess Sarasvati (Vani)

Niculayati colena nibhṛtam: Secretly hides/covers her Veena

Meaning: “O Mother! Goddess Saraswathi is acclaiming on the veena, the heroics of Your spouse Kamesa, in front of You. Involved in appreciation of her praise, You are nodding your head! You are about to compliment Goddess Saraswathi on her performance! The extraordinary and incredible sweetness of your speech put to shame the melodious sound of the veena! Goddess Saraswathi had no other alternative but to stop playing on it and put it under cover!”

"Vipanchya Gaayanthi vividamapadhaanam Pasupathe"The Veena is considered as a Divine instrument. It is not that all can master it. Goddess Saraswathi's Veena is called “Kachchapi” She is represented as holding the Veena in her hands.

 

The Kacchapi Veena is an ancient Indian stringed instrument, often identified as the original form of the Saraswati Veena held by the goddess of knowledge. Its name derives from kachhapa (tortoise), referring to its resonator shape, symbolizing the withdrawal of senses for spiritual wisdom. It is a form of lute.

Key Aspects of Kacchapi Veena:

Symbolism: The tortoise-shaped body (or gourd) signifies the ability of a seeker to withdraw their senses, just as a tortoise hides in its shell, to achieve focused knowledge.

   Its Association with Saraswati and it is the traditional instrument held by Goddess Saraswati, representing divine music and wisdom.

    Structure: It is a plucked string instrument (lute). While often associated with the modern Saraswati veena, it has also been referred to as a form of vina.

 Saraswathi playing Veena containing the many different accounts of Parameshvara's  sport,and plays the veena at the same time Saraswathi too knows how to please the one before whom she sings and plays the Veena. In the presence of Amba She sings the glory of Parameshwara so as to make Amba happy!

"Thvayaarabhe vakthum chalitha shirasaa saadhuvachane"-Amba who was shaking her head in appreciation of Saraswathi's recital though thawas not enough and that she must speak one or two words,"saadhuvachanam"(words of appreciation). During music recitals,Amba express her appreciation of the performance by exclaiming, good, excellent ("Bhale!Sabash! ) These are part of saadhu vachanam. In this way one or two similar words came from Amba's mouth.

 

Thethirdverse- "Thadeeyaih maadhuryaih apalipita-thanthri kalaravaam."-"Saraswathi,having observed that the melodious strains of the strings of the veena were disgraced by the sweetness of the words that Amba had just begun to speak.

 The last verse,-"Nijaam Veena Vaani nichulayathi cholena nibhrutham...."Its literal meaning,In the sweetness of Amba's speech the sound of the veena was vanquished; When Sarasvati heard Her voice, she felt ashamed, as Her voice was much more melodious and sweeter than her singing and the melody of her Veena. Unable to bear this humiliation, she stood up and covered her Veena.

Sankara's description is in line with what Sri Lalita Sahasra Nama Stotra has described in the first line of the eleventh sloka is निजसल्लाप माधुर्य विनिर्भर्त्सित कच्छपी Nija-sallāpa-mādurya-vinirbhartsita-kacchpī and is explained thus: “Sarasvati’s Veena is called kachapi. which means “the speech of Goddess is more melodious than the Veena of Sarasvati known as Kachhapi” this also mean that Devi”s speak more melodiously and softly like the nada that comes from a Veena.

Sankara visualizes the sweetness of Amba/ Devi’s speech! How much must one love to be able to express this and imagine this? Sankara's vision is itself extraordinary and metaphorical! In every aspect of his Divine Mother he sees something significant and special! Coupled with his inner eye and inspiration he sees pictures of Amba   which none else can see! Is it possible for anyone else to conjure up such images of Devi? It is because of his intense bhakti and total dedication to worship of Devi that such scenes come to his memory and vision!