Shloka 21
अध्याय ७४: अक्रोध–क्षमा–निवासनीति
Chapter 74: Non-anger, Forbearance, and the Ethics of Residence
सैवमुक्ता वरारोहा व्रीडितेव तपस्विनी । निःसंज्ञेव च दुःखेन तस्थौ स्थूणेव निश्चला,सुन्दर अंगवाली तपस्विनी शकुन्तला दुष्यन्तके ऐसा कहनेपर लज्जित हो दुःखसे बेहोश-सी हो गयी और खंभेकी तरह निश्चलभावसे खड़ी रह गयी
saivamuktā varārohā vrīḍiteva tapasvinī | niḥsaṃjñeva ca duḥkhena tasthau sthūṇeva niścalā ||
Thus addressed, the noble lady Śakuntalā—an ascetic woman—stood as if overcome by shame; and, stricken by sorrow as though bereft of consciousness, she remained motionless like a pillar. The scene underscores the ethical tension between a king’s public stance and the vulnerability of one who speaks from truth and prior commitment.
दुष्यन्त उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how speech and social power can wound: a king’s words, shaped by public duty or denial, can reduce a truthful, vulnerable person to silent suffering. It invites reflection on dharma in speech—truthfulness, compassion, and responsibility—especially when one holds authority.
After Duṣyanta speaks to her (in a manner that causes her distress), Śakuntalā becomes overwhelmed—ashamed and grief-stricken—standing still like a pillar, as if faint or stunned. The narration emphasizes her emotional collapse and the gravity of the moment.