One of the greatest Sanskrit poets that India has ever had, the life history of Kalidas is absolutely fascinating and interesting. Though the exact time of his fame is not known, it is estimated that he survived around the middle of the 4th or 5th century A.D. This is roughly the period of the reign of the famous Chandragupta, the successor of Kumaragupta. An insight into the biography of the great Indian poet Kalidasa provides us with an immense amount of detailed information about the places he traveled and the kind of life he led.
The poems he wrote were usually of epic proportions and were written in classical Sanskrit. His creations were used for fine arts like music and dance. Regarded as an outstanding writer, Kalidasa resided at the palace of Chandragupta in Pataliputra (modern day Patna). He was one of the gems of the court of Chandragupta. According to legends, Kalidasa was blessed with good looks. This attracted a princess with whom he fell in love. Since Kalidas was not too good in intellect and wit, the princess rejected him. He then worshipped Goddess Kali and she blessed him with intellect and wit, thus making him one of the "nine gems" in the court of Chandragupta. Kalidasa
Perhaps the most famous and beautiful work of Kalidasa is the Shakuntalam. It is the second play of Kalidasa after he wrote Malavikagnimitra. The Shakuntalam tells the story of king Dushyant who falls in love with a beautiful girl Shakuntala, who happens to be the daughter of a saint. They get married and lead a happy life until one day, the king is asked to travel somewhere. In his absence, a sage curses Shakuntala as she offends him unknowingly by not acknowledging his presence.
Due to the curse, Dushyant's entire memory is wiped off and he doesn't remember his marriage or Shakuntala. But the sage feels pity for her and gives a solution that he will remember everything if he sees the ring given to her by Dushyant. But she loses the ring one day in the river while bathing. After a series of incidents, a fisherman who finds the ring inside a fish rushes to the king with the ring. The king then recalls everything and rushes to Shakuntala to apologize for his actions. She forgives him and they live happily ever after.
Kalidasa also wrote two epic poems called Kumaarasambhava, which means birth of Kumara and the Raghuvamsha, which means dynasty of Raghu. There are also two lyric poems written by Kalidasa known as Meghadutta that stands for cloud messenger and the Ritusamhara that means description of the seasons. Meghadutta is one of the finest works of Kalidasa in terms of world literature. The beauty of the continuity in flawless Sanskrit is unmatched till date
ValmikiValmikiPerhaps the greatest poet India has ever had, the life history of Valmiki is a roller-coaster ride. The variations that this saint has had in life are beyond anyone's imagination. Born in the Naga clan, the details of Valmiki's life are not very clear as there no written records. He was the author of Ramayana, one of the greatest epics of India. The Ramayana tells the story of Prince Rama of Ayodhya who always stuck to his morals and emerged triumphant in the battle fought with demon king Ravana. The biography of Valmiki is an intriguing one and the exact dates of existence aren't known.
Valmiki was not always a saint. He was an infamous bandit who killed many people by the time he reached his 30's. One day, he was touched by an act of love between two birds and that transformed his personality drastically. He realized the power of speech he had in him and the ability to create rhythmic verses. He then had a divine vision of Brahma, who urged Valmiki to use this potential to the maximum and write the story of Ramayana. Thus began the preparation of one of the most sacred and revered epics of India. The poetry and language used in Ramayana is commendable and unmatched.
It is said that Valmiki taught the Ramayana to the sons of Rama, Luv and Kush. He is also said to have given shelter to Sita after she was banished from the kingdom. The Ramayana is sung rather than just recited. Those who have read the Ramayana have bowed to Valmiki with great respect. It is said that when Luv and Kush were singing the Ramayana in their sweet voices in front Rama, he himself was unaware of the fact that they were his own sons! Though the epic is still there, there are no written records of Valmiki and his period of existence. .
Ved Vyas
Ved VyasThe life history of Ved Vyas is an interesting one. The author of the great epic Mahabharata, Ved Vyas was the first and greatest acharya of Sanatan Dharma. He is responsible for classifying the four Vedas, wrote the 18 Puranas and recited the great Mahabharata. In fact, the Mahabharata is often called as the fifth Veda. The most important and the most glorified section is the Bhagwad Gita, the lesson recited to Arjuna by Lord Krishna on the battlefield. The biography of Ved Vyas is very vivid and makes an interesting read.
Around some 5000 years ago, he was born on an island on the holy river Yamuna. His father was Parashar Rishi, a sage and his mother was Satyavati. He taught the Vedas to his pupils with ardent devotion and dedication. It is said that Mahabharata is the 18th Puran that was written by Ved Vyas. He fathered four famous sons, Pandu, Dhritarashtra, Vidur and Sukhdev. Ved Vyas received knowledge from great sages like Vasudeva and Sanakadik. He described that the most important goal in one's life is to attain Narayana or the Divine Supreme.
Apart from the Mahabharata, he also wrote the Brahmasootra, one of his shortest theologies on Hindu philosophy. It is said that Ved Vyas is immortal and he never died. Seeing the widespread violence in today's times, he is said to have retreated into some remote village in Northern India. The life of Ved Vyas is an example to all in the modern times on how to be selfless and devote oneself entirely to Lord in order to attain Nirvana.
