Kumarasambhavam celebrates the love story of Siva and Parvati, whose passionate union results in the birth of their son, the young god Kumara. Beginning with a luminous description of the birth of Parvati, the poem proceeds in perfectly pitched sensuous detail through her courtship with Siva until the night of their wedding. It plays out their tale on the immense scale of supreme divinity, wherein the gods are viewed both as lovers and as cosmic principles. Composed in eight scintillating cantos, Kumarasambhavam continues to enchant readers centuries after it was first written. Hank Heifetz's sparkling translation brings to life the heady eroticism and sumptuous imagery of the original.

A bi-lingual Sanskrit/English classic rarely available.

ABOUT THE BOOK:The Kumarasambhava of Kalidasa is a tour-de-force of literary effort of a very high order, and is in fact the oriflamme of Indian Poetic genius. It is a gem among Kalidasa's poetic works. It Sings of divine love and of the strife betwee

The Kumarasambhava of Kalidasa varies from the loveliness of spring and the delights of married love to the utter desolation induced by the death of beloved. The subject is unquestionably a daring one: the events which bring about the marriage of Lord Siva to Uma and the birth of Skanda. The prose order of each sloka has been given in the commentary by using bold type, the words not actually repeated by Mallinatha being enclosed within rectangular brackets. The notes explain allusions, grammatical peculiarities not noticed by Mallinatha, copious extracts from other commentaries being given for this purpose. The book includes text, the commentary of Mallinatha, a literal English translation, notes and introduction.

For centuries, the pandits who owned this manuscript, kept it concealed because of its erotic content. Since the book came to light, it was acclaimed all over the world as a masterpiece of devotional and erotic writing combined with vignettes of nature not to be found in the literature of any language. The content is erotic, but never vulgar. The Kumarasambhavam is a poem for the devotees of Shiva. It tells the story of the birth of Parvati, her penance to achieve her union with Shiva, the marriage of Mahadeva and its consummation.

Adaptation of Kalidasa's three verse works in prose form.

Kalidasa is the major poet and dramatist of classical Sanskrit literature - a many-sided talent of extraordinary scope and exquisite language. His great poem, Meghadutam (The Cloud Messenger), tells of a divine being, punished for failing in his sacred duties with a years' separation from his beloved. A work of subtle emotional nuances, it is a haunting depiction of longing and separation. The play Sakuntala describes the troubled love between a Lady of Nature and King Duhsanta. This beautiful blend of romance and comedy, transports its audience into an enchanted world in which mortals mingle with gods. And Kalidasa's poem Rtusamharam (The Gathering of the Seasons) is an exuberant observation of the sheer variety of the natural world, as it teems with the energies of the great god Siva.

This volume comprises three famous plays of Kalidasa: Abhijnanasakuntalam Malavikagnimitram and Vikramorvasiyam. They represent the skill and artistry commanded by the immortal figure of Indian dramatic literature.Each of the plays opens with an Introduction. This is followed by the text in original. Then the translation of the text appears. elaborate critical explanatory notes form the last section of each play.

Kalidasa was a Classical Sanskrit writer, widely regarded as the greatest poet and dramatist in the Sanskrit language. His plays and poetry are primarily based on the Hindu Puranas. List of Works: Shakuntala: A Play in Seven Acts The Story of Shakuntala: The Epic Tale The Dynasty of Raghu The Birth of the War-God The Cloud-Messenger Former Cloud Latter Cloud