Shloka 13
श्रीशकुन्तलोवाच विश्वामित्रात्मजैवाहं त्यक्ता मेनकया वने । वेदैतद् भगवान् कण्वो वीर किं करवाम ते ॥ १३ ॥
śrī-śakuntalovāca viśvāmitrātmajaivāhaṁ tyaktā menakayā vane vedaitad bhagavān kaṇvo vīra kiṁ karavāma te
Śakuntalā said: I am the daughter of Viśvāmitra. My mother, Menakā, abandoned me in the forest. O hero, the mighty sage Kaṇva knows all this; tell me, how may I serve you?
Śakuntalā informed Mahārāja Duṣmanta that although she never saw or knew her father or mother, Kaṇva Muni knew everything about her, and she had heard from him that she was the daughter of Viśvāmitra and that her mother was Menakā, who had left her in the forest.
FAQs
This verse states that Śakuntalā is the daughter of Viśvāmitra and was abandoned by Menakā in the forest, a fact known to the sage Kaṇva.
She cites Kaṇva as an authoritative witness who knows the truth of her parentage, establishing her identity and credibility within the narrative.
She speaks truthfully about her origins and appeals to a trustworthy authority—teaching honesty, clarity, and reliance on genuine guidance when one’s integrity is questioned.