King Dusyanta and beloved Sakuntala

Durvasha's curse

Her name was Sakuntala, she was the adopted daughter of the sage Kanva with whom she lived in a hermitage in the forest. She was beautiful.

King Dusyanta - went into the forest to hunt -  saw her, he fell in love with her and asked her to marry him.

"I do not know your name - said Sakuntala - do not know your heart, but my love for you, or cruel ,torture my body which want you." And the two were married.

After having been for a while with Sakuntala, king Dusyanta told her that he had to return to his kingdom, and that he would send a delegation to take her with full honors at the palace.

"But when you come back," asked Sakuntala who had a bad feeling.

"Here - Dusyanta said - I give you this royal ring on which is engraved my name, every day has a letter, you will be with me before the last letter."

In the meantime, had come to the hermitage Durvasha, a powerful wandering hermit. He was very irritable.

He repeatedly asked hospitality of Sakuntala, but the young - thoughting just of Dusyanta - did not hear him.

Durvasha - angry at the lack of respect - cursed the young, "the one which now you're thinking, you who do not accept the guests, will not remember you!"

The friends of Sakuntala - came to know of the terrible curse cast by Durvasha - asked withdraw it. But - as you know - the curses once launched cannot be revoked, but only changed. Durvasha then said that he who was in the mind of Sakuntala and had lost memory, he regained his memory once saw an object that belonged to him.

The friends, knowing that Sakuntala had the royal ring, calmed.

By failing to send any delegation, the father of Sakuntala - who had been ready to accept the marriage - he sent his daughter to the royal palace.

After the ritual ablutions in the river, the young woman went and stood before the king.

Dusyanta - though troubled at the sight of the girl - denied ever seeing her and married her.

"Show me something that will make me remember you," asked the king.

Sakuntala was about to take off the royal ring Dusyanta had given her, but could not find it on her finger. She had lost it in the river during ablution she had done before leaving. Desperate and humiliated, the girl was gone.

Meanwhile the king's guards had arrested a fisherman who was trying to sell a ring with the royal seal.

"Where did you steal?" asked the guards.

"I swear, I caught a fish and in its belly I found this ring."

The guards, disbelief,  brought the fisherman before the king to judge him, but as soon as Dusyanta saw his ring, the memory came back to him and was in despair for not having accepted his beloved wife.

The king tried in vain Sakuntala and spent nearly six years when he accidentally came across an incredible baby. He was strong, brave, playing with forest animals, including lions, without fear.

The king asked him who he was and the child replied, "I am the son of the king Dusyanta."

Dusyanta then was led his wife and so was able to find his beloved Sakuntala.