Shloka 16
ओमित्युक्ते यथाधर्ममुपयेमे शकुन्तलाम् । गान्धर्वविधिना राजा देशकालविधानवित् ॥ १६ ॥
om ity ukte yathā-dharmam upayeme śakuntalām gāndharva-vidhinā rājā deśa-kāla-vidhānavit
When Śakuntalā replied with silence, as if saying “oṁ,” the agreement was fulfilled according to dharma. Then the King, expert in the laws of marriage and in the rules of time and place, at once married her by the Gandharva rite, uttering the praṇava (oṁkāra).
The oṁkāra, praṇava, is the Supreme Personality of Godhead represented by letters. Bhagavad-gītā says that the letters a-u-m, combined together as om, represent the Supreme Lord. Religious principles are meant to invoke the blessings and mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, who says in Bhagavad-gītā that He is personally present in sexual desires that are not contrary to religious principles. The word vidhinā means, “according to religious principles.” The association of men and women according to religious principles is allowed in the Vedic culture. In our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement we allow marriage on the basis of religious principles, but the sexual combination of men and women as friends is irreligious and is not allowed.
FAQs
This verse describes the king marrying Śakuntalā by the Gandharva rite—marriage by mutual consent—while still acting in a way aligned with dharma and appropriate to time and place.
In the narrative, their union occurs by mutual consent; Śukadeva notes that the king, knowing proper conduct, accepted her through the Gandharva rite suitable to the circumstances.
One can uphold dharma’s essence while applying it wisely to real-world conditions—making decisions that are principled, respectful, and appropriate to one’s situation.