The Birth of King Bharata

Maharshi Vishwamitra, once a king, plotted to overthrow Indra, the king of the gods, and take over Svarga (heaven). To achieve this, he underwent severe penance to obtain a boon from Lord Shiva. Appalled by the Maharshi's power, Indra sent the breathtakingly beautiful apsara Menaka to disturb Vishwamitra's meditation. Menaka descended to the place where the great sage was offering his penance.

Enchanted by her beauty, the sage stopped meditating and began to live with Menaka. Vishwamitra and Menaka had a baby girl together. Menaka's task was accomplished, and she had to return to Svarga immediately. She could not take her newborn daughter to Svarga, nor could she stay back on Earth to raise her, so she left her daughter on the Malini riverbank to her fate.

The young girl was cared for on the riverbank by Shakunta birds, who sheltered her under their wings, saving her from wild animals, heat, and rain. Later, Sage Kanva found the girl being cared for by the birds and, finding no one else nearby, took her to his ashram. Because the Shakunta birds had cared for the girl, he named her "Shakuntala."

Shakuntala was lovingly raised at Sage Kanva's ashram. As she grew into a charming young lady, one day, King Dushyanta came to the jungle where the ashram was located for a hunt. There, he unexpectedly encountered Shakuntala, and the two fell in love. After seeking Sage Kanva's permission, they got married. The King stayed at the ashram for a few days but then had to return to his palace. Upon learning about Dushyanta's departure, Shakuntala became despondent. 

Seeing tears in his wife's eyes, Dushyanta said, "My dear queen, I know you adore me, and it will be hard for you to spend even a second without me. I share the same feeling and cannot bear to live without you. Nonetheless, I cannot forget my royal duties. So, I must go. But I will return soon and then take you to the palace. Trust me, I won't be long. After that, we will live together and indulge in worldly pleasures. As the queen, you will boost the splendor of the palace. I give you this ring to seal my promise to return for you." Dushyanta left after saying these affectionate words.

One day, the irascible Sage Durvasa arrived at Sage Kanva's ashram. Shakuntala was feeling depressed due to her separation from her husband. As a result, she could not properly welcome the sage. This infuriated Durvasa, who immediately cursed her, "Just as you have ignored me, your husband will ignore you and forget you."

Shakuntala quickly apologized and pleaded with Sage Durvasa for a remedy for the curse. The sage partially forgave her, saying, "If you show your husband an article he has given you, he will immediately regain his memory."

Sometime later, Shakuntala gave birth to King Dushyanta's son and named him Bharata. The boy was handsome and endowed with godly qualities. Before turning five, he used to play with lions, cheetahs, and panthers. He also became knowledgeable about the Vedas and Shastras and quickly acquired a royal child's merits. Shakuntala was euphoric to witness her son’s unusual talents, which sometimes caused her to forget her separation from her husband.

Tired of waiting, Shakuntala traveled to Dushyanta's palace by boat with her young son. As per Sage Durvasa's curse, when she arrived at the palace, Dushyanta failed to recognize her. It was only then that she realized she had lost her ring—the one her husband had given her—underwater. Frustrated, she decided to live in the forest.

Sometime later, a fisherman found a ring in the belly of a fish he had caught. The ring had the King's emblem on it. He went straight to the palace and delivered it to Dushyanta. When he saw the ring, memories of Shakuntala came rushing back to him.

On another hunting expedition, the King saw a boy playing with a lion cub in the woods. When Dushyanta quizzed the boy, the latter said his parents were "Shakuntala and King Dushyanta." King Dushyanta's happiness knew no bounds. The boy led him to Shakuntala, after which the three of them went to the palace and lived happily ever after. When King Dushyanta grew old, Bharata became king and was given the title "Chakraborty Emperor" quickly.

King Bharata possessed numerous virtues. He was courageous and selfless, and surpassed all his predecessors in kingship. He was willing to forgo his own pleasures for the welfare of his people. He was succeeded by his son Bhumanyu. Several generations later, Kuru took the throne, and King Bharata's lineage became known as the Kuru dynasty.