Kalidas and Shakuntala: Studies on Love Part 1 of many...

KALIDASA

An ancient heathen poet, loving more

God's creatures, and His women, and His flowers

Than we who boast of consecrated powers;

Still lavishing his unexhausted store

Of love's deep, simple wisdom, healing o'er

The world's sorrows, India's griefs and ours;

That healing love he found in palace towers,

On mountain, plain, and dark, sea-belted shore,

In songs of holy Raghu's kingly line

Oh sweet Shakuntala in pious grove,

In hearts that met where starry jasmines twine

Or hearts that from long, lovelorn abscence strove

Together. Still his words of wisdom shine:

All's well with man, when man and woman love.

 Shakuntala pretending to remove a thorn from her foot, while actually looking for her lover, Dushyantha by Raja Ravi Verma 1870.