Kalidasa- Encyclopaedia of Saints of India (Part-1)

The theme weaved into seven chapters deal with the philosophic approach to life by Kalidasa, a renowned author and poet. In fact he devoted his whole life for scholarly pursuits which had deep bearing on societal problems. He also suggested their solutions. The concept of love and beauty in his plays and poetry are marvellous in contents. Indeed he is very clear about the ideology he preached through his writings.

The compilation of several facts on Kalidasa would be useful for teachers, scholars and students in India and abroad. The work would be fairly interesting to those who are interested in the philosophy of saint Kalidasa.

Contents include: The Age of Kalidasa; The Plays of Kalidasa; Language, Style and Imagery of Kalidasa; Concept of Beauty and Love; The Poems of Kalidasa; Kalidasa's Treatment of Nature; The Views of Kalidasa.

Dr. S.R. Bakshi, Ph.D., D.Litt. is an eminent. scholar of Modern Indian History and is the author of several works on Indian nationalism and freedom movement. His recent works include 'Encyclopaedic History of Indian Culture and Religion' (in 5 Vols.), The Great Marathas' (in 5 Vols.), The Great Rajputs' (in 6 Vols.), 'B.R. Ambedkar: His Political and Social Ideology' (in 2 Vols.), 'Encyclopaedic History of The Sikhs and Sikhism' (in 6 Vols.), The Great Moghuls' (in 8 Vols.), and Development of Women, Children and Weaker Sections' (in 5 Vols.). Dr. Bakshi is member of several academic institutions having deep bearing on historical research.

Dr. Sangh Mittra, LL.B. Ph.D. from Lucknow University, is Dy. Director (Research) in Indian Council of Historical Research. Her Ph.D. thesis on 'Iconographic Study of Minor Brahmanical Deities in Northern India' is published along with more than 20 Research Papers in reputed historical journals. She is Life Member of several academic institutions and a reputed examiner of Ph.D. thesis of Universities of North India. Besides she has actively participated in numerous national and international Seminars.

Kalidasa is known as the Shakespeare of India. If ever man won immortality by what he thought and wrote rather than what he was, Kalidasa is he. Plays, poems are all that remain; no tomb, no sculptured inscription, no city even, whose proud citizens may point and say, "that is where Kalidasa lived and worked." But it is a fact that Kalidasa lived under king Vikramaditya.

He describes the love transports of Parvati and Siva, together in wedlock offer numerous trials and privations. The tremendous ascetic has been won over at last, by Parvati, lovely of body, but not before she has undergone discipline too.

Through the mists of antiquity certain characteristics of Kalidasa the man still shine through for us. He was a man of culture and well-acquainted with the fine arts. He was a nature- student and nature-lover, as most of his race. His drama of Sakuntala is a well-knit description of romantic episode which brings forth the inner feelings of man and the woman. It is love at first sight, then separation and again meeting when she bears a child, Bharata. Ultimately she is brought to the royal palace.

"In Goethe's words, Shakuntala, Kalidasa's most famous drama, blends together the young year's blossoms and the fruits of maturity; it combines heaven and earth in one." Indeed the theme of all Kalidasa's work interprets that curious, strong blending of the flesh and the spirit, the erotic and the esoteric, which are so characteristic of his age and creed. Nymphs of unblemished, unimpeded charms distort round yogis of centuries old asceticism. All nature is called to Kalidasa's service to depict in parable the amorous joys of mankind.

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