SAKUNTAL A, or the Lost Ring, an ancient I Sanskrit drama by Kalidasa ; translated by Sir William Jones and by Professor H. H. lYilson, 1827. In the drama Sakuntala is described. as the daughter of the rishi Visvamitm by the apsam Menaka, who was sent from heaven by Indm to allure the sacle. Sakuntala was the offspring, and was brougheup by the rishi Kanwa in a forest hermitage south of Hastinapum. King Dushyanta, the reigning monarch, beheld her on one occasion when hunting in the forest, and persuaded her to marry him, giving her his ring as a token. Dusliyanta. then returned to his own city, and Sakuntala continued in her father's cottage. Durvasa, a sage, visited her home, but he did not receive sufficient attention from her, her thoughts being with her husband. This irritated the sage, who pmyed she might be forgotten by the man she loved ; but relenting somewhat afterwards, he said her husband on seeing the ring should recognise her. Finding herself enceinte, she set off for her husband's pakice, but while bathing on the way, the ring fell from her finger and was lost, and the king failed to recognise her. Iler
mother took her back to the forest, where she bore a son, whom they called Bharata. But it so happened that a large fish was caught, and Dushyanta's ring was found in its belly, and taken to him. When he saw it all his recollection of the lovely Sakuntala returned, and he hastened to the forest, where he saw Bharata playing with young sucking lions, and putting aside their mother. Presently Sakuntala appeared, and lie recognised her, and knew that the boy wa.s his son. He took them to his city, made Sakuntala, his chief queen, and declared Bharata his suc cessor. The poet Kalidasa dramatized the story in Sanskrit under the title of Sakuntala, or the Lost Ring. Buddhism still exists among the characters of the piece, but lia41 lost its ascendency, and Siva is the chief object of worship.—Garrcit ; Douvon.