Shakuntala (epic)

Not to be confused with Shakuntala (play).

Shakuntala (epic)

शाकुन्तल (महाकाव्य)
Author	Laxmi Prasad Devkota
Original title	शाकुन्तल
Cover artist	Tekbir Mukhiya
Language	Nepali
Subject	Romance
Genre	Epic poetry
Publisher	Sajha Publications
Publication date	1945
Publication place	Nepal
ISBN	9-7899-373-2213-3

Shakuntala (Nepali: शकुन्तला) is a 1945 Nepali epic poem written by Laxmi Prasad Devkota and published by Sajha Publications.^[1][2] It is considered to be one of the greatest works of Laxmi Prasad Devkota and indeed of the entire Nepali literature.^[3][4]

Introduction

The epic is based on the classical play Shakuntala by ancient Sanskrit poet Kālidāsa. It is considered the first original epic in the Nepali language.^[5] Although it is based on an ancient work, the work has sufficient originality to be considered as such, specially compared to the first Nepali epic Bhanubhakta Ramayana which was a translation of Valmiki Ramayana. It was published in 1945. Devkota took just three months to complete the entire epic.^[3][6]

Translation

Laxmi Prasad Devkota translated the epic into English himself. It was published posthumously in 1991.^[7][8]

Adaptations

Shakuntala has been adapted into a play and performed by the students of Bidya Shankar School under the guidance of Sunil Pokharel, the director of Aroha Gurukul.^[9]

References

1. "साझा प्रकाशका कविताहरू". Sajha.org.np.
2. Chaturvedi, Namrata (10 December 2019). "Sakuntalā and/in Laxmi Prasad Devkota". La.Lit. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
3. "आज महाकवी लक्ष्मीप्रसाद देवकोटाको जन्मजयन्ती, विभिन्न कार्यक्रम गरी मनाइँदै". Avenues.tv.
4. Sharma, Bal Krishna (19 June 2019). "Culture and Nationalism in Devkota's Shakuntala". Bodhi. 2 (1): 205–210. doi:10.3126/bodhi.v2i1.2872.
5. Chaturvedi, Namrata (27 October 2019). "The genius of Shakuntalā in Nepali". Nepali Times. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
6. Rai, Indra Bahadur. “INDIAN NEPALI NATIONALISM AND NEPALI POETRY.” Journal of South Asian Literature, vol. 29, no. 1, 1994, pp. 149–154. JSTOR
7. "History of Translation in India" (PDF). Ntm.org.in. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
8. [1] ^{[dead link‍]}
9. "'शाकुन्तल' अब नाटकमा". Ujyaaloonline.com.

Bibliography

• “Shakuntala.” A Survey of Nepali Literature in English. (M. Phil. Course Packet. Unit 1: Poetry). Kathmandu: IACER, 2006. 45-57.