Sakuntala

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The Role of Rasa in Shakuntala
Rasa is a Sanskrit word that means juice, taste, or essence. It refers to the aesthetic flavor in any work of art in Indian culture. Rasa is provoked by particular language or actions as a state of mind – whatever one sees and hears creates images in mind, and these images are tied to varying emotions such as love, hatred, anger, and joy, among others.
There are several instances whereby Rasa is expressed in Shakuntala. One of these instances involves the first meeting between the King and Shakuntala. The King hides behind bushes as he observes Shakuntala and her friends water the plants. When a bee attacks Shakuntala she starts fighting it off, her efforts appeal to the King and make him fall in love. In this case, love (a form of Rasa) is provoked by Shakuntala’s actions – she must have seemed so innocent and naïve trying in vain to fight off one bee, and the King couldn’t have helped but step in as a protector. As the king watches the drama from the cover of the bushes, his thoughts and feelings are expressed in a poem (Ryder p. 11). One of his passions is jealousy for the bee that has the privilege of touching Shakuntala.
Rasa is also provoked and expressed as anger. At one point, a sage comes to the sacred grove where Shakuntala and her friends are watering the plants. The sage should be welcomed warmly and accorded respect and reverence according to tradition. However, Shakuntala and her friends are too preoccupied to notice his presence or his voice.

Their actions (indifference) provoke the sage’s anger, and he places a curse on Shakuntala. Anusuya, one of Shakuntala’s friends, says, “…he is anger incarnate! Who can appease him…?” (Ryder p. 40).
Work Cited
Ryder, Arthur W. “Kalidasa: Shakuntala and Other Writings.” (1959).