Vishwamitra and Menaka: A Tale of Divine Temptation, Penance, and Destiny
Shakuntala was the adopted daughter of Rishi Kanva, but her biological parents were none other than the mighty sage and apsara duo—Vishwamitra and Menaka. Her story, both mystical and layered, was once narrated by Rishi Kanva himself to a visiting sage who had inquired about the extraordinary circumstances under which Shakuntala, the daughter of Vishwamitra and Menaka, came to be born.
It dates back to the ancient times when Vishwamitra was engaged in performing severe penances. His intense austerities disturbed the balance of the cosmos and alarmed even the gods in heaven. Lord Indra, the king of the gods, feared that Vishwamitra’s growing powers might eventually pose a threat to his own throne.
Determined to prevent Vishwamitra from succeeding in his penance, Indra devised a plan to seduce and distract him. He summoned Menaka, the most beautiful of the apsaras, and said to her:
“This great ascetic, Vishwamitra, blazing like the Sun, is engaged in the most severe penance. I fear that he might one day dethrone me. I want you to go and disrupt his austerities. Tempt him with your beauty, your smile, and your youth. Win him away from his penance.”
Menaka, upon hearing this, grew worried. She was afraid not only of failing the task but of incurring Vishwamitra’s wrath. She replied:
“I am equally afraid of him. Before he took to penance, he was a Kshatriya, and his anger spelled destruction for whoever crossed him. This is the same sage who caused the untimely death of the sons of Vasistha, the same who forged the Kausiki river from his sorrow. If a man can make even Indra tremble, imagine what harm he could cause me if he realized I was sent to deceive him. I am terrified. He can burn the three worlds with his fury, hurl Mount Meru across the earth, and cause earthquakes with just the stamp of his foot.”
Yet duty to Indra compelled her. She made a request:
“Perhaps if the wind god (Marut) could rob me of my garments at the right moment, and if the fragrance of flowers were to spread around us, I may succeed. I would also need the assistance of Manmatha, the god of love.”
Indra granted all that she asked for. Thus prepared, Menaka descended upon Vishwamitra’s retreat.
On the day of her mission, she walked into the hermitage just as Vishwamitra had burnt away all his sins through penance. Aware of his presence, she began to move gracefully toward him. Suddenly, Marut blew her garments away. Menaka, with an annoyed yet playful look, began to chase her flying clothes. All of this unfolded before the sage’s eyes.
Vishwamitra was captivated. The sight of the apsara—beautiful, playful, and vulnerable—broke his meditation. Enchanted by her charm, he gave in to desire and signaled to her that he desired companionship.
Time passed in blissful union. They lived together, and eventually, Menaka became pregnant. When she was in the advanced stages of her pregnancy, she left for the beautiful Himalayas. On the banks of the river Malini, in the shadow of the great Himavat, she gave birth to a daughter. But soon after, Menaka abandoned her newborn and left.
The child was left alone by the riverbank. Yet she was not entirely unprotected. A group of vultures stood guard around her fragile form, keeping away wild animals and even the rakshasas who roamed the forest.
Rishi Kanva, walking toward the river Malini, heard the cries of the baby. Following the sound, he found the infant lying helpless, yet miraculously unharmed, watched over by the birds.
Struck by compassion and awe, Kanva picked up the baby. He brought her to his ashram and decided to raise her as his own daughter. Since she was protected by birds—“shakuntas”—he named her Shakuntala, which means “the one protected by birds.”
And that is how Rishi Kanva became the father of Shakuntala, and she, his beloved daughter.
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