Kumarasambhava

(“Birth of the Prince”) One of the
finest poetic works written by Kalidasa,
who is generally considered the
greatest classical Sanskrit poet. The
Kumarasambhava is an epic poem
377
Kumarasambhava
based on a mythological theme. It
begins by describing the ascendancy of
a demon named Taraka, who receives a
divine boon that he can only be killed by
a son of Shiva. The poem describes the
extended courtship of Shiva and
Parvati, their marriage, and ends with
an account of their lovemaking. The text
ends before the birth of the god Skanda,
who in other mythical accounts of this
tale kills Taraka. This abrupt ending has
led some interpreters to consider the
play unfinished. Others simply view
these later events as a foregone conclusion, by which the poet does not waste
his hearers’ time.