Shloka 16
कच-देवयानी संवादः
Kaca–Devayānī Dialogue and the Curse on Vidyā
निर्जने तु वने यस्माच्छकुन्तै: परिवारिता । शकुन्तलेति नामास्या: कृतं चापि ततो मया,निर्जन वनमें इसे शकुन्तोंने घेर रखा था, इसलिये “शकुन्तान् लाति रक्षकत्वेन गृह्नाति' इस व्युत्पत्तिक अनुसार इस कन्याका नाम मैंने 'शकुन्तला” रख दिया
nirjane tu vane yasmāc chakuntaiḥ parivāritā | śakuntaleti nāmāsyāḥ kṛtaṃ cāpi tato mayā ||
కణ్వుడు పలికెను—నిర్జన వనంలో ఆమె శకుంతపక్షులచే చుట్టుముట్టబడి పోషింపబడింది; అందుకే నేను ఆమెకు ‘శకుంతలా’ అని నామకరణం చేసితిని.
कण्व उवाच
Educational Q&A
A guardian’s dharma includes protecting the vulnerable and honoring their circumstances through meaningful rites such as naming; identity is linked to care, origin, and social recognition.
Kaṇva explains why he named the girl ‘Śakuntalā’: she was found/kept in a lonely forest while surrounded by śakuntas (birds), and this circumstance became the basis of her name.