Amar Chitra Katha - Shakuntala

SHAKUNTALA THE FORGOITEN WIFE

The route to your roots

When they look bock at their formative years, many Indians nostalgically recall the vital part Arnar Chitra Katha picture books have played in their lives. It was AeK - Arnor ehitra Kotho - that first gave them a glimpse of their gloriOUS heritage. Since they were introduced in 1967, there are now over 400 Amor ehitro Kothe titles to choose from. Over 90 million copies hove been sold worldwide. Now the Amar Chitro Kotha titles are even more widely available in 500+ bookstores all across India . Log on to wv-.w.ack-medio.com to locate a bookstore near you. If YOu do not have access to a bookstore, you can buy a ll the titles through our online store www_theockshop.com. We provide quick delivery anywhere in the world . To make it easy fo r you to locate the titles of your choice from our treasure trove of lilies, the books are now arranged in live categories. Epics and Mythology Best known stories from the Epics and the Puro nas Indian Classics Enchanting tales from Indian literature Fables and Humour Evergreen folktales, legends and tales of wisdom ond humour Broveheorts Stirring toles of brave men and women of Indio Visionaries Inspiring toles of thinkers, .social reformers and nolion builders

Scripl

DoIot H. Doongej i and A. K. Levang ie

Illustrations

Editor

K. P. Shankar

Anont Poi

Cover illustration

by; Pralop Mulick

Amar Chitra Katha Pvt ltd c 'una. o.il '~ Kalha Pvt lid ., 1<j70, Rep.inled ~y 2009, ISBN 81-89999-48-4 I'ubl i..ood &- P. intcd by Amar Chit .... Kal!\;! Pvt . tid., '4 M~nha .-..b, 41h Il00', 11-4 1><. Annie Oes;r.nI Ro;od, Mumbai 400 0 ' 8. India

· ~lVllI
SIIA/(t/IVTAL BIROS Rt/TT£REO /lBOPE TII£ BIIBVo TilE IVO/~E O/~Tt/RBEO T#£ .s'Ar;£~ PRAY',,;';>.$'. liE LOOKEO B£fIIIVO IIIVO ~/lW T#EBABVo

I SHALL ADOPT TfjE BA61(· GIRL AND CALL HER Sf.lAKUNTALA.

T#F BABY' 6'R£W t/p /lIVO MAOE rR/EIV06' WITII 11IE IIIV/MIiLS IIROVIVO IIEI?

SIIAKt//vTALII, /VOWA 8CAt/TfFt/L WOf)1I1/V, LEO 1/ t/£,EFt/L LlFC Wf~H'h:"R I FRfiiVO$ PR/f//I/J1Y1/0A AND A/VlIg{/VI/.

PRIYAMVADA, YOUARE ~:::. ALWAYS TEASING

I SHALL :;..,-, HUNT NO MORE. BUT GO

TAKE MY ROBES AND ORNAMENTS. I WILL GO IN SIMPLE CLOI';!ES AND MEET THE SAGE.

WII£IV TII£ KIIVG II£/IPO !/OIC£f:', 11£ 1110 8£IIIIVO /I TR££

-=r---,---

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OK PRIYA, HELP ME! THERE IS A BEE WORRYING

ME.

l ~~~~:~I<~'N~~GJ~TO HELP YOU, -

II1L".IT IS DUTY TO HELP HIS SUBJECTS.

WHO ARE YOU,SIR? WHAT ARE YOU HERE?

I HAVE BEEN SENT BY THE KING TO SEE WHAT GOING ON IN HIS r=----' KINGDOM.

TilE R,wG'1I40 TilE A1'IYG.5' $OIL OIY ITOH!OUR GUEST IS THE KING

HIMSELF.

LET US GO AND GET SOME HONEY

FOR THE KING.

Of(! IIOW BEA(/17F{/L $IIEI$.'

WHIlTIl

IIANOSOME MAN IIEI$/

PLEASE SIT DOWN AND HAVE SOME FRUIT WITH US . r -...........

WE SHALL ALWAYS BE GRATEFUL TO yOU .

HOW BRAVE AND GOOD OUR KING IS. I WISH I COULD MARRY A MAN LIKE HIM. BUT lAM A VILLAGE

SINCE YOU ARE SO SHY. WHY DON'T YOU WRITE TO HIM? HERE IS A lOrus LEAF. IAIDI'TOd ON IT WITH YOUR NAIL

COME IS TIME TO FEED C'-"=-'

DEER

II FEI1IOIlV.9 LIIT..p, A tIf~S'~IVG~R CIlIIf£

I Will COME AT ONCE .

I MUST GO NOW, DEAREST. WEAR "11 .: ~

THIS

I

VI

GOOD- BYE, Sf!AKUNTAlA! ! SHALL SOON SEND MY I TO

SOtlfETllYIE LATER, SAGE LX/RVA.9A PAlO /I V/5'1T TO TlfE IfERtlfIT/lG..- SlfAKLlN7111.11 111116' Th1NKfNG' WHERE 'S MY FRIEND KANVA ABOLITIfE'R IfLiSBIINO. DOES NO ONE WELCOME A GUEST IN THI S PLACE ?

Ot/RV'IISII8FCllII1F /ltvGRY' /ltv£) Ct/R.Q(O ~IfIIKt/IVTllLlI.

YOU HAVE mRGOTTfN 'lOUR DUTY TO A GUEST, SO THE PERSON '1O'U'RE TfiINKING OF WILL ALSO FORGET 'IOU·

HOl'l SIR, SAGE KANVA IS AWA'{. PLEASE FORGIVE SHAKUNTALA. SHE HAS NEVER HURT AN'fONE IN HER LIFE . .......--'

PERSON WILL REMEMBER SHAKUNTAlA •WHEN HE SEES liN OBJECT HE GIVEN TO

I CANNOT TAKE BACK MY CURSE.·. BUT I CAN CHIINbtl IT A LITTLE.

THE RING' SHE W~I~.~S THE Jiil

AFT!:R $OM!: WEEA'S' OH! WHEN WilL DUSHYANT SEND FOR ME?

IF ONLY FATHER KANVA WERE HERE, HE WOULD KNOW WHATTO DO.

WIIEIV SIIGE A'AIVIIA RlTb'RIVEO TO 11/$ IIERMITAGE,IIE:lIaRt) II IIEII/lEIVL'f /lOle£.

«0 SAGE, REJOICE! SHAKUN TALA IS MARRIED TO A MAN WORTHY OF HER. SHE WILL SOON HAVE A SON WHO WilL BE A GREAT EMPEROR. __ " ..ill

TlfE SIIGE WAf? WElCOMED B'f rifE 6'IRl.>'.

I HAVE HEARD THE GOOD NEWS. NOW WE MUST SEND YOU TO YOUR HUSBAND.

/ltv OiO i/I~ fI///ti ilKE /I MOTH'ER 10 5'M1K{l1V7lIi//. G'h'E#1/10£ FOR SH'/IKt/t1!i'lli/i TO L£llflt:.

S{lOO£IVN

1/ I11IRIlCi£

ON EVERY BRANCH THERE'S A SHINING JEWEL.

OH HOW LOVELY YOU LOOK IN T HESE CLOTHES.

NOW THAT YOU WILL BE LIVING IN A PALACE. YOU WI LL FORGET YOUR POOR FRIENDS.

I WILL NEVER FORGET YOU· I WILL COME TO MEET YOU

SlID liTPIIRT1IVG. TIf£ PLIINT CLU'tVG TO IfE"R. TAKE CARE OF MY FAWN AND ALL M~ OTHER

PETS ·

OH CREATURES OF THE FOREST! SAY GOOD-BYE TO SHAKUNTALA WHO ALWAYS LOVED AND CARED FOR YOU .

• £ R KIINIlIi WIIS IIL[lO [lIlD· TIf£ TRE"£$' $1f£0 TeARS IN TlfE" FORM 01' FIITIf L£lIlIe$. PEACOCKS [lTOPPE"D DAIVClIVG ANO TlfE" NCR I'ORGOT TO CIIT·

LET MAKE YOU PROUD AND BEA GOOD AND FAITHFUL

HOW LONELY WE SHALL FEEL WITHOUT HER.

BYE SHA KUNTALA . DO '-z..... LOOK AFTER THE RING THE KING HAS GIVEN YOU·

THEY WANT

WORKEO.

ME· SHOW

",;:=:::===:;1 SAGE I
AND HAS SENT SHA,KU~ITA-I LA,YOURWIFE, WHO WILL

SOON BE A MOTHER.

1 0:::: .~

HOW STRANGE THAT A 'MAN SHOULD FORGET HIS OWN WIFE.

SHAI
HERE IS THE RING YOU GAVE ME-OH! WHERE IS IT ? I HAD NEVER REMOVED IT·

THE RING MUST HAVE FALLEN SOMEWHERE. LET US LOOK FOR IT·

I DON'T KNOW

WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT.

SI-lAKUNTALA, RAISE YOUR VEIL.THE KING WILL SURELY REMEMBER YOU WHEN HE SEES YOUR FACE.

YOUR FACE IS INDEED LOVELY BUT I HAVE NEVER SEEN YOU BEFORE.

DO YOU REMEMBER HOW ONE DAY YOU COLLECTED RAIN-WATER IN A LOTUS FLOWER AND GAVE IT TO MY PET FAWN TO DRINK BUTSHE REFUSED·

STOP YOUR CHATTER. I REMEMBER NO SUCH THING·

YET WHEN I OFFERED IT. SHE DRANK IT GLADLY. SO YOU SAID- YOU ARE BOTH CHILDREN OF THE FOREST AND TRUST EACH OTHER···AND···

OH DUSHYANT! IT IS WICKED OF YOU TO DISOWN YOUR OWN WIFE· ,--~

=,~

IT IS NO USE - LET US GO BACK TO THE HERMITAGE AND TAKE SHAKUNTALA ~r-~~~~~W~ITH~U~S'__J

OH NO! A WIFE'S PLACE 15 WITH

GOOD;BYE SHAKUNTALA. I WILL TAKE HER TO MY I DON T LIKE LEAVING HOME AND LOOK YOU LIKE THIS· AFTER HER TI LL HER CHILD IS BORN.

I WISH I CUIJL~'II REMEMBER WHERE I HAVE THIS ,;;;::.:::..; WOMAN.

TII£ A/VA1PII CI1RRI£O AIY/IY S'1I/?1((/A/7IlLIl INTO TII£ CLO(/X THIS IS VERY STRANGE! I TEll THE KING ABOUT IT_' _ - - ' r

AFEW [),4Y$' LIITE'R II F!$II£RIWW WAg IIRRESn::O IN 71IC8I1ZIIIIR.

LET MEGO ! I DID

NOT STEAL THIS I

YOU THIEF! IT IS THE KING'S ~=-"-> RING. IT HAS HIS SEAL IT

I SUPPOSE THE RING IS A PRESENTTO YOU FROM THE KING HIMSELF. HAiHA! HA!

LIAR! TAKE THAT AND THAT.

THE RASCAL TO THE

WILL SURELY REWARD US.

YOUR MAJESTY,

THIS FISHER -

MAN WAS Tf
RING · HE IS A THIEF .

HERE ISTHE RING WITH

=~ YOUR

SEAL ON IT.

OH KING,DO Nor KILL ME. I AM TELL! NG THE TRUTH · I FOUND THIS RING IN THE BODY OF FISH I CAUGHT TODAY.

GIVE THE FISHERMAN

A BAG OF GOLD FOR HE HAS DONE ME A GREAT SERVICE.

OH, NOW I EVERYTHING. THIS IS THE RING I HAD GIVEN TO SHAKUNTALA , MY WIFE. WHEN I LEFT HER·

Tf{E FfSf{ERIIIIAN GOTf{($ REWARD· OK MOST GENEROUS KING! I SHALL NEVER FORGET YOUR KINDNESS TO ME·

OH SHAKUNTALA ! HOW CRUEllY I HAVE TREATED YOU. HOW ~~.!..I!;FORGET '{OU

CALL THe CHIEF PRIEST.

A NYMPH CARRIED HER AWAY AND SHE IS LOST ;:--' FOR EVER.

70 LE"6'6'FN 1((6' GRIFF, 711F KING' PIiINTFD 6'lfIiKt/NTIILII6> PICTt/R£.

HERE IS LOVELY SHAKUN _ TALA IN THE G!\RDEN. HERE IS HER JASMINE CREEPER AND THERE IS HER PET FAWN .•.

FOR II FFW VFIIRS TIIF KING LFO II Qt/IFT LlFF TlfINKING' OF 6'IIIIKt/NTIILII IILL TlfE" TIME".

II~~~~.ii~~ i YOURGODS HELPWANT IN A WAR AGAINST THE DEMONS·

=--1

1-_II_Tt;RRf8Lt; WAR WAS FOt/Gl/T 8t;TWt;t;/V Tf(t; Dt;II?O/VS' A/vD Tf(t; GODS,

Tf(t; G'Qru' WO/V Tf(t; WIIR II/vO Dt/S'H'V.4/VT CliME 811CK TO £/IRTH'IIV I11/iTAt.I'6' Ft0'lYG CHIIRIOT.

WHAT LOVELY SCENERY! HOW HAPPYTJ-<E CREATURES OF THE EARTH

LOOK, I ALONE AM UNHAPPY.

GooDDUSflYANT!

MAY THE

v '-....J GODS

REWARD

V{)IIe'

FOR VOUR BRAVERY.

WHERE AM I ~,SSAASffiArii(lE PLACE WHI CH I HAVE NEVER SEEN BEFORE.

TilE KING IIEIIRO 11 CYlILO~ YOIC£ I WONDER WHO THIS CHILD IS· WHAT IS HE DOING WITH A LION CUB

TWO VYOMEN CliME FROM SEII/IVO TilE TREES. YOU ARE A NAUGHT\, LITTLE FELLOW· LET THE CUB GO OR THE LIONESS WilL COME AND Kill YOU ·

WHAT A BRAVE HANDSOME

BOY

HEI S !

GIVE ME THE TOY FIRST AND THEN WE SHALL SEE . ABOUT THE CUB·

OPEN YOUR MOUTH IAJ"'" IJ AND LET ME COUNT YOUR TEETH.

WHAT IS

THE BOY WONT LET THE CUB GO·

YOU LOOK 1,..'-<:1 SO MUCH LIKE B4ARAT.

STOP! DONi TOUCH THAT AMULET!

WHY SHOUlD I NOT TOUCH

THE AMULET?

ITISA AMULET GIVEN BY SAGE MARICHA. , IT WAS TIED ROUND THE CHILD'S ARM TO KEEP HIM FROM HARM. ONLY HIS PARENTS CAN TOUCH IT. IT TURNS INTO A SNAKE AND BITES THAT PERSON. TflE nlVG R{/6'flEO TO TflE CYrIlO .tINO A'CKEO flfM {/P.

OH,MY SON! MYSON~

DONT CALL ME YOUR """"1 THE GREAT KING DUSHYANT IS MY "ATHER, NOT YOU.

MOTHER, HERE'S A MAN WHO KEEPS

I\"~'~,;;~~~M~E I ~ TOHIS_~ur"1

LITTLE ONE,TAKE

ME TO

I MUST TAKE YOU

BOTHTOMV KINGDOM AT ONCE.

I'nTIJ
MARICHA,FATHER MARICHA!

I HAVE THE MOST WONDERFUL N£II'IS ' fOR 'IOU· MV FATHER HAS AT LAST COME TO TAKE ME WITH HIM TO KINGDOM·

-

I BLESS YOU. MY DAUGHTER. IT WAS BECAUSE OF SAGE ~URVASA'S CURSE THAT DUSHYANT FORGOT YOU·

YOUR YOUR SON BHARAT Will ONE DAY BECOME A GREAT EMPEROR.ANDOUR COUNTRY WILL BE CALLED SHARAT AFTER

WHICH OF THE ACKS HAVE YOU STILL NOT READ? ACK EPICS AND MYTHOLOGY Be.f known

,/or;,,, from the Epics

and rhe Puranas ABHIMANYU

ANOHAKA ANIRUDDHA ARJUNA. TALES OF

ARUNI AND UTTANKA ASHWINI KUMAR5 AVYAPPAN BAHUBALI BAlARAMA, TALES OF BHEEMA AND HANUMAN

BHEESHMA CHANDRAHASA CHUR NING OF THE OCEAN DASHARATHA DHRUVA AND ASHTAVAKRA DRAUPADI DRONA DURGA, TALES OF ElEPHANTA GANDHARI GANESHA GANGA GAJl:UDA GHATOn
RAMA RAVANA HUMBLED SATI AND SHIVA SAVITRI SHIVA PARVATI SHIVA, TALES OF SONS OF RAMA, THE SUDAMA SURYA SYAMANTAKA GEM, THE TRIPURA UlooPI UPANISHADS, TALES fROM VAll

VISHNU, TALES OF VlSHWAMITRA

YAYATI YUDHISHTHIRA, TALES OF ACK IN DIAN CLASSICS Enchanting taJ.., /rom Indian

LEARNED PANDll, THE

SHIVNI

SHIVAJI, TALES OF

MARYADA R,.O.J.AA, TALES OF PANCHATANTRA TALES

SUSHAS CHANDRA BOSE

lilero/vre

ANANDAMATH

DULLARD AND OTHER

KANNAGI

KAPALA KUNDALA MALAVIKA RATNAVAU SHAKUNTALA UDAYANA URVASHI VASANT ASENA VASAVADATIA ACl( FABLES AND HUMOUR

Evergreell foIkloles, IcgemJ, amJ lois. of wisdom and hUmo<Jr ACROBAT AND OTHER BUDDHISTTALES, THE ADVENTURES OF AGAD DATIA, THE ADVENTURES OF SADDU AND CHHOTU, THE AMRAPAU ANGUlI.v.ALA BAG OF GOLD COINS, A BATIlE OF WITS BIKAl THE TERRIBLE IIIRIlAl STORIES BIRBAl THE CLEVER BIRBAl THE GENIUS BIRBAL THE JUST BIRBAL THE WISE BIRBAl THE WInY BIRBAl TO THE RESCUE THE INiMiTABLE 81RBAL CElESTIAL NECKLACE, THE CHANDRALALA T COWHERD OF ALAWI, THE FEARLESS BOY AND OTHER BUDDHIST TALES, THE FOOL'S DISCIPLES, THE FRIENDS AND FOES GOPAl AND THE COWHERD GOPAl THE JESTER HITOPADESHA TALE S CHOICE Of FRIENDS HOW fRIENDS ARE PARTED JATAKA TAt ES BIRD STORIES DEADLY FEAST, THE DEER STORIES ElEPHANT STORIES GIANT & THE DWARf, THE HIDDEN TREASURE, THE JACKAL STORIES MAGIC CHANT, THE MONKEY STORIES MOUSE MERCHANT, THE NANDfVlSHALA STORIES OF COURAGE STORIES OF WISDOM TALES OF MISERS

I. : ]

SHAHJAHAN SHAllVAHANA

MAGIC GROVE, THE

BRAHMIN & THE GOAT CROWS AND OWLS

ANCESTORS OF RM\A DeVI CHOUOHURANI

SIIMUORA GUPTA

TRUE FRIENDS KESAR l lHE FLYING THIEF KING KUSHA

STORIES

GREEDY MOTHER -iN-LAW, THE

SULTANA RAIlA I ANNI Tl PU SULTAN veER HM'.NIIR VEER $AVARKAR

VIKRAMADITYA

HOW THE JACKAL ATE THE ELEPHANT JACKAL & THE WAR DRUM, THE PRICElESS GEM, THE PRINCE AND THE .v.AGtClAN QUEEN 'S NECKLACE, THE PANDIT AND THE MILKMAID RAMAN OF TENAU RAMAN THE.v.ATCHlE$S WIT SAKSHI GOPAl SHRENIK TIGER & THE WClOOPECKER, TIGER·EATER, THE VIKRAMADITYA'S THRONE ACl( llRAVEHEARTS

Slirrj,lg telss af brave men alld women of ImJia AlATASHATRU AKBAR AMAR. SINGH RATHOR ASHOKA BAGHAJATIN BAli RAO I BALADITYA & YASHODHARMA BANDA BAHADUR BAPPA RAWAl BKAGAT SINGH BIMBISARA CHAND BI81 CHANDRA SHEKHAR AlAD CHANDRAGUPTA .v.AURYA DURGADAS EllORA CAVES HARSHA HISTORIC CITY Of DELHI, THE JAHANGIR JAlliANWALA BAGH KAl PANA CHAWLA KRISHNADEVA RAY A LACHIT 8ARPHUKAN LAlITAOOYA MANGAL PANDE NooRJAHAN PADMINI PANNA AND HADI RANI PAURAVA AND ALEXANDER PRITHVlRAJ CHAUHAN RAJA BHOJA RAJA RAJA CHOLA RANA KUMBHA RANA PRATAP RANASANGA RANI DURGAVATI RANI OF JHANSI RANJIT SINGH RASH BEHARI BOSE

All titles availa ble o n www.Ama rChitra Ka fha.com

ACK VI SIONARIES

In."iring ta/". of thillk",., social reformer> amJ nation builder> ADI SHANKARA AMBEDKAR, BABASAHEB BASAVESHWARA IIIRLA G,D. BUDDHA CHANAKYA CHAITANY A .v.AHAPRABHU CHIN.v.AYANANDA, SWAMI CHOKHA MELA DAYANANDA DESHBANDHU CHmANRANJAN DAS FA HIEN GURU ARJAN GU~U GOBIND SINGH GURU NANAK GURU TEGH SAHADUR HIUEN TSANG J.R.D.TATA JAGADIS CHANDRA BOSE JAMSETJI TATA JAWAHARLAl NEHRU JAY APRAKASH NARAYAN JNANESHWAR KASIR KAliDASA LAl BAHADUR SHASTRI LOKAMANYA TILAK MAOHVACHARY A MAHAT.v.A GANDHI MAHA~RA

MEGASTHENES MIRABAl PRANAVANANDA, SWAMI RA81NDRANATH TAGORE RAMAKRISHNA, SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI RAMANUJA RAM SHASTRI SAIBABA, TALES OF SHANKAR DEV SooRDAS SUBR.A.MANIA BHARATI TANSEN TULSIDAS VIDYASAGAR v/VEKANANDA ZARATHUSHTRA ACK SPECIAL ISSUES BHAGAWAT· THE KRISHNA AVATAR DASKA AVATAR JESUS CHRIST MAHABHARATA RAM CHARIT MANAS VALMIKI'S RNMYANA

ISBN 81-89999-48-6

Cnitro Katnos are a glorious tribute to Indio's rich cultural heritage. These booh have been on integral part 01 my cniklren's f!CJI'ly years, os they nave been For many other fomi/ies ocross Indio_ Comics are 0 grea/ way reaching out fO children, Inculcating reading habits and driving their qu~t to !earn more about our roots.· - NARAYAN MURTHY, CHIEF MENTOR, INFOSYS ~Amor

or

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