KÃÂlidÃÂsa (, "Servant of Kali"; 4thâÂÂ5th century CE) was a Classical Sanskrit author who is often considered ancient India's greatest poet and playwright. His plays and poetry are primarily based on Hindu Puranas and philosophy. His surviving works consist of three plays, two epic poems and two shorter poems.
Much about his life is unknown except what can be inferred from his poetry and plays. His works cannot be dated with precision, but they were most likely authored before the 5th century CE during the Gupta era. Kalidas is mentioned as one of the seven Brahma avatars in Dasam Granth, written by Guru Gobind Singh.
Kalidasa was of shepherd or Gadaria caste Scholars have speculated that he may have lived near the Himalayas, or in the vicinity of Ujjain, or in Kalinga. This hypothesis is based on KÃÂlidÃÂsa's detailed description of the Himalayas in his KumÃÂrasambhavam, the display of his love for Ujjain in Meghadà «ta, and his highly eulogistic descriptions of Kalingan emperor HemÃÂngada in Raghuvaá¹Âà Âam (sixth sarga). He is also believed to be born in Kaviltha, Rudraprayad, Uttarakhand based on the monument established in Kaviltha by the Uttarakhand Tourism Department of the Uttarakhand Government. In the Mithila region, the birthplace of Kalidasa is considered at the Kalidas Dih in the Uchchaith village of the Benipatti block in the Madhubani district.
Lakshmi Dhar Kalla (1891âÂÂ1953), a Sanskrit scholar and a Kashmiri Pandit, wrote a book titled ' (1926), which tries to trace the birthplace of KÃÂlidÃÂsa based on his writings. He concluded that KÃÂlidÃÂsa was born in Kashmir, but moved southwards, and sought the patronage of local rulers to prosper. The evidence cited by him from KÃÂlidÃÂsa's writings includes:
Another old legend recounts that KÃÂlidÃÂsa visits KumÃÂradÃÂsa, the king of Lanka and, because of treachery, is murdered there.
Several ancient and medieval books state that KÃÂlidÃÂsa was a court poet of a king named VikramÃÂditya. A legendary king named VikramÃÂditya is said to have ruled from Ujjain around the 1st century BCE. A section of scholars believe that this legendary VikramÃÂditya is not a historical figure at all. There are other kings who ruled from Ujjain and adopted the title VikramÃÂditya, the most notable ones being Chandragupta II (r. 380 CE â 415 CE) and Yaà Âodharman (6th century CE).
The most popular theory is that KÃÂlidÃÂsa flourished during the reign of Chandragupta II, and therefore lived around the 4th-5th century CE. Several Western scholars have supported this theory, since the days of William Jones and A. B. Keith. Modern western Indologists and scholars like Stanley Wolpert also support this theory. Many Indian scholars, such as Vasudev Vishnu Mirashi and RÃÂma Gupta, also place KÃÂlidÃÂsa in this period. According to this theory, his career might have extended to the reign of KumÃÂragupta I (r. 414 â 455 CE), and possibly, to that of Skandagupta (r. 455 â 467 CE).
The earliest paleographical evidence of KÃÂlidÃÂsa is found in a Sanskrit inscription dated , found at Mandsaur's Sun temple, with some verses that appear to imitate Meghadà «tam Purva, 66; and the á¹Âtusaá¹ÂhÃÂra V, 2âÂÂ3, although KÃÂlidÃÂsa is not named. His name, along with that of the poet BhÃÂravi, is first mentioned the 634 CE Aihole inscription found in Karnataka.
Some scholars, including M. Srinivasachariar and T. S. Narayana Sastri, believe that works attributed to "KÃÂlidÃÂsa" are not by a single person. According to Srinivasachariar, writers from 8th and 9th centuries hint at the existence of three noted literary figures who share the name KÃÂlidÃÂsa. These writers include Devendra (author of Kavi-Kalpa-LatÃÂ), RÃÂjaà Âekhara and Abhinanda. Sastri lists the works of these three Kalidasas as follows:
Sastri goes on to mention six other literary figures known by the name "KÃÂlidÃÂsa": Parimala KÃÂlidÃÂsa alias Padmagupta (author of NavasÃÂhasÃÂá¹ ka Carita), KÃÂlidÃÂsa alias Yamakakavi (author of Nalodaya), Nava KÃÂlidÃÂsa (author of Champu BhÃÂgavata), Akbariya Kalidasa (author of several samasyas or riddles), KÃÂlidÃÂsa VIII (author of Lambodara Prahasana), and Abhinava KÃÂlidÃÂsa alias MÃÂdhava (author of Saá¹ ká¹£epa-à Âaá¹ kara-Vijayam).
According to K. Krishnamoorthy, "VikramÃÂditya" and "KÃÂlidÃÂsa" were used as common nouns to describe any patron king and any court poet, respectively.
KÃÂlidÃÂsa is the author of two mahÃÂkÃÂvyas, KumÃÂrasambhavam (here 'KumÃÂra' meaning Kartikeya, and 'Sambhavam' meaning possibility of an event taking place, in this context a birth. KumÃÂrasambhavam thus means the birth of a Kartikeya) and Raghuvaá¹Âà Âam ("Dynasty of Raghu").
KÃÂlidÃÂsa also wrote the Meghadà «tam (The Cloud Messenger), a khaá¹Âá¸ÂakÃÂvya (minor poem). It describes the story of a Yaká¹£a trying to send a message to his lover through a cloud. KÃÂlidÃÂsa set this poem to the mandÃÂkrÃÂntàmetre, which is known for its lyrical sweetness. It is one of KÃÂlidÃÂsa's most popular poems and numerous commentaries on the work have been written.
Kalidasa also wrote the shyamala Dandakam descripting the beauty of Goddess Matangi.
KÃÂlidÃÂsa wrote three plays. Among them, AbhijñÃÂnaà ÂÃÂkuntalam ("Of the recognition of à ÂakuntalÃÂ") is generally regarded as a masterpiece. It was among the first Sanskrit works to be translated into English, and has since been translated into many languages.
Montgomery Schuyler, Jr. published a bibliography of the editions and translations of the drama à Âakuntalàwhile preparing his work "Bibliography of the Sanskrit Drama". Schuyler later completed his bibliography series of the dramatic works of KÃÂlidÃÂsa by compiling bibliographies of the editions and translations of Vikramà Ârvaà Âëyam and MÃÂlavikÃÂgnimitram. Sir William Jones published an English translation of à Âakuntalàin 1791 CE and á¹Âtusaá¹ÂhÃÂra was published by him in original text during 1792 CE.
According to Indologist Siegfried Lienhard:<blockquote>A large number of long and short poems have incorrectly been attributed to Kalidasa, for instance the Bhramarastaka, the Ghatakarpara, the Mangalastaka, the Nalodaya (a work by Ravideva), the Puspabanavilasa, which is sometimes also ascribed to Vararuci or Ravideva, the Raksasakavya, the Rtusamhara, the Sarasvatistotra, the Srngararasastaka, the Srngaratilaka, the Syamaladandaka and the short, didactic text on prosody, the Srutabodha, otherwise thought to be by Vararuci or the Jaina Ajitasena. In addition to the non-authentic works, there are also some "false" Kalidasas. Immensely proud of their poetic achievement, several later poets have either been barefaced enough to call themselves Kalidasa or have invented pseudonyms such as Nava-Kalidasa, "New Kalidasa", Akbariya-Kalidasa, "Akbar-Kalidasa", etc.</blockquote>
KÃÂlidÃÂsa's influence extends to all later Sanskrit works that followed him, and on Indian literature broadly, becoming an archetype of Sanskrit literature.
Notably in modern Indian literature Meghadà «ta<nowiki/>'s romanticism is found in Rabindranath Tagore's poems on the monsoons.
BÃÂá¹Âabhaá¹Âá¹Âa, the 7th-century CE Sanskrit prose-writer and poet, has written: nirgatÃÂsu na vàkasya kÃÂlidÃÂsasya sà «ktiá¹£u, prëtirmadhurasÃÂrdrÃÂsu mañjarëṣviva jÃÂyate. ("When KÃÂlidÃÂsa's sweet sayings, charming with sweet sentiment, went forth, who did not feel delight in them as in honey-laden flowers?").
Jayadeva, a later poet, has called KÃÂlidÃÂsa a kavikulaguru, 'the lord of poets' and the vilÃÂsa, 'graceful play' of the muse of poetry.
The Indologist Sir Monier Williams has written: "No composition of KÃÂlidÃÂsa displays more the richness of his poetical genius, the exuberance of his imagination, the warmth and play of his fancy, his profound knowledge of the human heart, his delicate appreciation of its most refined and tender emotions, his familiarity with the workings and counterworkings of its conflicting feelings - in short more entitles him to rank as the Shakespeare of India."
Philosopher and linguist Humboldt writes, "KÃÂlidÃÂsa, the celebrated author of the à ÂÃÂkuntalÃÂ, is a masterly describer of the influence which Nature exercises upon the minds of lovers. Tenderness in the expression of feelings and richness of creative fancy have assigned to him his lofty place among the poets of all nations."
Many scholars have written commentaries on the works of KÃÂlidÃÂsa. Among the most studied commentaries are those by KolÃÂchala MallinÃÂtha Suri, which were written in the 15th century during the reign of the Vijayanagara king, Deva RÃÂya II. The earliest surviving commentaries appear to be those of the 10th-century Kashmirian scholar Vallabhadeva. Eminent Sanskrit poets like BÃÂá¹Âabhaá¹Âá¹Âa, Jayadeva and Rajasekhara have lavished praise on KÃÂlidÃÂsa in their tributes. A well-known Sanskrit verse ("UpamàKÃÂlidÃÂsasya...") praises his skill at upamÃÂ, or similes. Anandavardhana, a highly revered critic, considered KÃÂlidÃÂsa to be one of the greatest Sanskrit poets. Of the hundreds of pre-modern Sanskrit commentaries on KÃÂlidÃÂsa's works, only a fraction have been contemporarily published. Such commentaries show signs of KÃÂlidÃÂsa's poetry being changed from its original state through centuries of manual copying, and possibly through competing oral traditions which ran alongside the written tradition.
KÃÂlidÃÂsa's AbhijñÃÂnaà ÂÃÂkuntalam was one of the first works of Indian literature to become known in Europe. It was first translated into English and then from English into German, where it was received with wonder and fascination by a group of eminent poets, which included Herder and Goethe.
KÃÂlidÃÂsa's work continued to evoke inspiration among the artistic circles of Europe during the late 19th century and early 20th century, as evidenced by Camille Claudel's sculpture Shakuntala.
Koodiyattam artist and NÃÂá¹Âya à ÂÃÂstra scholar MÃÂni MÃÂdhava ChÃÂkyÃÂr (1899âÂÂ1990) of Kerala choreographed and performed popular KÃÂlidÃÂsa plays including AbhijñÃÂnaà ÂÃÂkuntala, Vikramorvaà Âëya and MÃÂlavikÃÂgnimitra.
In 1910, the English classical composer Gustav Holst based his large-scale choral work, The Cloud Messenger upon Kalidasa's Meghadà «ta.
The Kannada films Mahakavi Kalidasa (1955), featuring Honnappa Bhagavatar, B. Saroja Devi and later Kaviratna Kalidasa (1983), featuring Rajkumar and Jaya Prada, were based on the life of KÃÂlidÃÂsa. Kaviratna Kalidasa also used KÃÂlidÃÂsa's Shakuntala as a sub-plot in the movie.V. Shantaram made the Hindi movie Stree (1961) based on KÃÂlidÃÂsa's Shakuntala. R.R. Chandran made the Tamil movie Mahakavi Kalidas (1966) based on KÃÂlidÃÂsa's life. Chevalier Nadigar Thilagam Sivaji Ganesan played the part of the poet himself. Mahakavi Kalidasu (Telugu, 1960) featuring Akkineni Nageswara Rao was similarly based on KÃÂlidÃÂsa's life and work.
Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay's Bengali novel Kumarsambhaber Kobi is a fictional biography on Kalidasa.
Surendra Verma's Hindi play Athavan Sarga, published in 1976, is based on the legend that KÃÂlidÃÂsa could not complete his epic KumÃÂrasambhava because he was cursed by the goddess PÃÂrvatë, for obscene descriptions of her conjugal life with à Âiva in the eighth canto. The play depicts KÃÂlidÃÂsa as a court poet of Chandragupta who faces a trial on the insistence of a priest and some other moralists of his time.
Asti Kashchid Vagarthiyam is a five-act Sanskrit play written by Krishna Kumar in 1984. The story is a variation of the popular legend that KÃÂlidÃÂsa was mentally challenged at one time and that his wife was responsible for his transformation. KÃÂlidÃÂsa, a mentally challenged shepherd, is married to VidyottamÃÂ, a learned princess, through a conspiracy. On discovering that she has been tricked, Vidyottamàbanishes KÃÂlidÃÂsa, asking him to acquire scholarship and fame if he desires to continue their relationship. She further stipulates that on his return he will have to answer the question, Asti Kaà Âcid VÃÂgarthaḥ" ("Is there anything special in expression?"), to her satisfaction. In due course, KÃÂlidÃÂsa attains knowledge and fame as a poet. KÃÂlidÃÂsa begins KumÃÂrsambhava, Raghuvaá¹Âà Âa and Meghaduta with the words Asti ("there is"), Kaà Âcit ("something") and VÃÂgarthaḥ ("spoken word and its meaning") respectively.
Bishnupada Bhattacharya's "Kalidas o Robindronath" is a comparative study of Kalidasa and the Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore.
Ashadh Ka Ek Din is a Hindi play based on fictionalised elements of Kalidasa's life.