The great works of Kalidasa (कालिदास)

Who was Kalidasa?

Regarded as one of the best Sanskrit authors of ancient India, Kalidasa (कालिदास, kālidāsa) was a classical Sanskrit writer and a playwright. It is believed that he walked the earth somewhere between 4th and 5th Century. During the reign of Gupta dynasty.

He was also one of the Nine Gems (Navratna) in the court of King Vikramaditya. In modern times, Kalidasa’s work has gained respect all around the globe and became a source of inspiration for many artists.

Mahakavi Kalidas perfected the Kavya style and the art of poetry in Sanskrit. Human emotions, presented in exquisite style, made his poetic works superb. Let’s explore the same in this article.

पुरा कवीनां गणनाप्रसङ्गे कनिष्ठिकाधिष्ठित कालिदासः।
अद्यापि तत्तुल्यकवेरभावात् अनामिका सार्थवती बभूव ॥
Transliteration:
purā kavīnāṃ gaṇanāprasaṅge kaniṣṭhikādhiṣṭhita kālidāsaḥ।
adyāpi tattulyakaverabhāvāt nāmikā sārthavatī babhūva ॥
English translation:
In ancient times, when all the poets were counted, Kālidāsa was assigned the little finger.
But, no poet of the genius comparable with him has existed till today; hence, the finger next to little finger is significantly named as ‘Anāmikā’.
Hindi translation:
पुराने ज़माने में, जब कवियों की गणना की जा रही थी, तब कालिदास को कनिष्ठिका पर विराजमान किया गया। उनसे तुलना हो सके,
इतने प्रतिभाशाली कवी का आज तक अभाव होने के कारण कनिष्ठिका के बाजू की उंगली का अनामिका यह नाम अर्थपूर्ण हो गया।

This is a very significant verse about Kālidāsa in the Indian Tradition. He has not told anything about himself in any of his works. Also, no other records about him written by anyone else are available. Very little about his personal history is known, the name ‘Kālidāsa’ has the meaning “A servant of goddess Kāli”.

But, it is evident from his literary works that, he had traveled throughout India. With that, he was very much acquainted with the Vedas, Upanishads, Purāņas, medicine, astronomy, etc. also, he must have been a modest and intelligent person of high culture and liberal ideas.

Interestingly, the above fact also reflects modesty and humility of the great poet that he does not speak much about himself in his works. This very fact brings him to the category of ‘Great’ poets.

Further, in RaghuVaṃśam, the poet says:

मन्दः कवियशः प्रार्थी गमिष्याम्यपहास्यताम्।
प्रांशुलभ्ये फले लोभादुद्बाहुरिव वामनः॥ १-३ ॥
mandaḥ kaviyaśaḥ prārthī gamiṣyāmyapahāsyatām।
prāṃśulabhye phale lobhādudbāhuriva vāmanaḥ॥ 1-3 ॥
I am like a small person with small arms who cannot pluck the fruits which only a tall one can do, will I be ridiculed by the people (for trying to write on the great Raghukul) which requires eminent poet’s skills.

Works of Kalidasa

Some of the most noted and genuinely identified works of Kalidasa are –

The dramas:-

Abhijnanashakuntala (“The Recognition of Shakuntala”)
Vikramorvashiya (“Urvashi Won by Valour”)
Malavikagnimitra (“Malavika and Agnimitra”)

And the epic poems:-

Raghuvamsha (“Dynasty of Raghu”)
Kumarasambhava (“Birth of the War God”)

And the short poems:-

Meghaduta (“Cloud the Messenger”)
Ritusamhara (“The cycle of the seasons”)

This does not mean that the other works were anyway less important and less brilliant. His genius has been recognized in India from very early times; as well as in the western world. His poetic genius has brought Sanskrit poetry to the highest level of elegance and subtlety.

His style of writing makes him different than other poets in Sanskrit literature. His style is pure, simple, genuine and brief. An unaffected simplicity of expression and easy flowing language are the markings of his writings.

His diction is marked by the absence of long compounds, complex constructions, over-written rhetoric, and artificial puns

He excels other poets in the description of the noble, the beautiful, and natural scenery and phenomena. He is a mastermind in the use of similes also –

take this verse from Makavikagnimitram for example –

स्मयमानमायताक्ष्याः किन्चिदंभिव्यक्तदशनशोभि मुखम् ।
असमग्रलक्ष्यकेसरमुच्छ्वसदिव पङ्कजं दृष्टम् ॥(माल. २.१०)
smayamānamāyatākṣyāḥ kincidaṃbhivyaktadaśanaśobhi mukham ।
asamagralakṣyakesaramucchvasadiva paṅkajaṃ dṛṣṭam ॥ (māla. 2.10)
स्मित करने की वजह से जिसके दांत किंचित व्यक्त हो रहे हैं, ऐसे इस बड़े आँखवाले स्त्री का मुख अभी अभी जो उमलने लगा है
और जिसके केसर किंचित दिखाई दे रहे हैं, ऐसे कमल की तरह दिख रहा है।
The face of a girl with big beautiful eyes, and whose teeth are slightly seen because her smile is looking like a lotus flower, which has just started blossoming, and whose fibers are partially visible.

His works mainly focus on the suggested meaning rather than the literal meaning. Suggested meaning is said to be the best expression of sentiment in poetry. Hence, Kālidāsa’s works fall under the category of ‘Uttama kāvya’; on the basis of Indian poetics

Kālidāsa is considered as the representative of Indian Culture. His character follows the ideals of Indian thought process. At the same time, their natural feelings are expressed by him very delicately and effectively. Many Arthantaranyasas are used by him which are able to express deep meaning in minimum words. Some of them are;

अर्थो हि कन्या परकीय एव। (शाकुन्तल – ४.२२)
artho hi kanyā parakīya eva।
कन्या पराया धन है।
Daughter is an object belonging to someone else!

रिक्तः सर्वो भवति हि लघुः पूर्णता गौरवाय। (मेघ. – २०)
riktaḥ sarvo bhavati hi laghuḥ pūrṇatā gauravāya। (megha. – 20)
जो चीज रिक्त होती है, वह हलकी हो जाती है, और जो भरी हुई है, वह भारी, और श्रेष्ठ होती है।
Every one of void substance become light, fullness contributes to heaviness, i.e., respect.

All of these peculiarities make him the best poet in the world of Sanskrit literature. He is significantly known as ‘Kavikulaguru’; i.e., ‘Magnificent among poets’.

His works mainly include three dramas, namely ‘Malavikāgnimitram’, ‘Vikramorvashīyam’, ‘Abhijnānashākuntalam’; two epics, namely ‘Kumārasambhavam’ and ‘Raghuvansham’; and two minor poems (Khand-kāvyas), namely ‘Meghadūtam’, and ‘Ŗtusanhāram’. ‘Kuntaleshwaradautyam’ is also a work assigned to Kālidāsa, but it is not available now.

Influence of Kalidasa on eastern and western world

His writings made a great influence on the Indian and western world. In India, these works became an inspiration for many later literary works. The traditions of the Khand-kāvyas, Dūta kāvyas were started after the Meghadūta. Also, the maha kāvyas. Raghuvansham and Kumārasambhavam are two important Kavyas among the five Mahā –Kavyas in the Indian Tradition.

Scholars like Rabindranath Tagore and Yogi Aurobindo were in love with Kalidasa. Rabindranath Tagore has written a beautiful poem named ‘Cloud Messenger’ based on Meghadutam. Yogi Aurobindo says, “Vālmiki, Vyāsa, and Kālidāsa are the essences of the history of ancient India; if all else were lost, they would still be its sole and sufficient cultural history.” With that, these works were translated into many Indian languages. They are being performed all over India till today’s date.

The western world had a miraculous effect of Kālidāsa’s work. Sir William Jones was the first one to translate them. Abhijnānaśākuntalam in English, in the year 1789. Then, it was translated into German, which was read by German dramatist Goethe. He was so overwhelmed, that he says,

एकीभूतमभूतपूर्वमथवा स्वर्लोकभूलोकयो:
ऐश्वर्यं यदि वाञ्छसि प्रिय सखे ! शाकुन्तलं सेव्यताम॥
ekībhūtamabhūtapūrvamathavā svarlokabhūlokayo:
aiśvaryaṃ yadi vāñchasi priya sakhe ! śākuntalaṃ sevyatāma॥
हे प्रिय मित्र, स्वर्गलोक और भूलोक का अभूतपूर्व ऐसा संगम और उनका ऐश्वर्य देखने की यदि इच्छा हो, तो शाकुंतल का आस्वाद लो ।
Dear friend, if you wish to enjoy the unprecedented union of the Earth and the Heaven, and their enrichment;
get acquainted with Śākuntala.

When Friedrich Schlegel; a German poet, Indologist, philosopher, and pioneer of Indo-European studies, as well as comparative linguistics; came in contact with Shakuntala, he went to Paris, learned Samskrta, and started the course of Indology in Germany. After that, all other works of Kalidasa were translated and performed all over the world.

With that, the study of Sanskrit, as well as the branches like comparative linguistics was accelerated all over the world. The western world got attracted towards Indian culture, and philosophy. Hence, Kalidasa became an important connection between India and the rest of the world.

Hence, Kalidasa is a milestone in the history of India. Though his personal details are still unknown, his literary works have been the source of delight, knowledge, Indian culture, Indian philosophical thought process, and wisdom; for the whole world.

Hence, Bāņa is very honest about his observations when he says,

निर्गतासु न वा कस्य कालिदासस्य सूक्तिषु।
प्रीतिर्मधुरसान्द्रासु मञ्जरीष्विव जायते॥ (हर्षचरित – बाण)
nirgatāsu na vā kasya kālidāsasya sūktiṣu।
prītirmadhurasāndrāsu mañjarīṣviva jāyate॥ (harṣacarita – bāṇa)
कालिदास के आम्रमंजरी के समान मधुर और सरस सूक्तियों के प्रवाहित होने पर ऐसा कौन है, जिसके ह्रदय में उनके प्रति प्रेम का आविर्भाव नहीं होता!
After hearing the maxims of Kalidasa, which are sweet like a mango-sprout, and sensible; who will not be attracted towards Kalidasa? Everyone will have his influence.

We hope you liked our version of the ‘Great Works of Kalidasa’, we strongly recommend you to check out his work in detail. Here are some books that you can start with-