Thursday, July 31, 2008

The Genius of Kalidasa

Kalidasa was once asked by a courtesan about a riddle she heard was troubling the scholar class in the king's court:
"Kamale kamala uthpathihi shruyate na drishyate"
(It is heard that on a beautiful lotus, grow two beautiful lotuses. But no one seen it?)

Kalidasa immediately replied:
"Bale tava mukhaamboje katham indeevara dwayam"
(O girl, has not any seen the two wonderful lotus-like eyes that grow in your beautiful lotus-like face?)

Such was the genius of Kalidasa who has given us many classics in Sanskrit dramatics and poetry.

7 comments:

Preethi Simha said...

Genius indeed!!

Vinitha said...

say this to a girl and u will be her hero!!

BlackThorn said...

as per my knowledge this one is a myth and not a fact :(

srikanth said...

@Vinitha: Its important to be sensitive to IP rights. And when i mention the author's name, she will go straight to him. :)

@i7: My tribute is to "the" Kalidasa who wrote this..whoever he is...the actual or the myth. :)

Vinitha said...

With due respect to Kalidasa, since he is not around for her to go to him, I think someone who took the pains of quoting him will be the beneficiary :)

srikanth said...

O Kalidasa, if only you were around in these years...how much i miss you today! :(

Vinitha said...

Now that would be total filmy!! :)

Appreciating what’s around would be realism .. and I am sure that wont be a rarity :)