1877.] G. S. Leonard— 'Polygamy of Kalidasa's Heroes. 161 
the royal dames in his seraglio, plainly enough indicates his having more than 
one wife at home, thus: 
“ Dusha. Oh how charmingly they look ! If the beauty of maids, who 
dwell in woodland retreats, cannot easily be found in the recesses of a palace, 
the garden-flowers must make room for the blossoms of the forest, which 
excel them in colour and fragrance.” 
In the next place we see that Sakuntala’s female friends would not 
consent to her marriage with the king, unless he would plight his faith to 
love her more than the rest of his harem. Thus : 
“ Anusuya (laughing). Princes are said to have many favourite consorts. 
You must assure us, therefore, that our beloved friend shall not be exposed 
to affliction through our conduct. 
Dusha. What need is there of many words P Let there he ever so 
many women in my palace, I will only have two objects of perfect regard; 
the sea-girt earth, which I govern, and your sweet friend, whom I love. 
Both. Our anxiety is dissipated.” 
With reference to the passage “ women in my palace," there can be no 
room for supposing that the royal consorts alluded to, were concubines or 
sweethearts, as the word parigraha in the text bespeaks them to have 
been the Prince’s partners, by vinculum matrimonii . # 
In the 7th chapter of the story of Sakuntala in the 1st book of the 
Mahabharata (and it must be borne in mind that the Mahabharata is the 
ground-work of our poet’s drama), Sakuntala makes Dushyanta promise 
the regency and succession to her issue, should she have any, in preference 
to those of his other consorts before she would consent to wed him. Thus: 
“ Sak. If this be right, then attend to my vow, the son to be born in 
me must be elected prince regent. If so it be, then let me be joined to 
thee. Be it so, replied the king, without any deliberation.” 
Nothing can be more explicit and plain of this hero’s polygamy, than 
the love ditty of queen Hansamati in Act Y, whereupon Dushyanta smil¬ 
ing, says : 
“ I was once in love with Hansamati, I am now reproved for con¬ 
tinuing so long absent from her.—Priend Madhavya, inform the queen in 
my name, that I feel the reproof.” 
Again the speech of the chamberlain in the palace garden scene, plainly 
indicates the hero’s plurality of wives. 
Chamb. “-mistaking the women in his apartments, and through 
distraction, calling each of them Sakuntala; then he sits with his head 
long bent on his knees.” 
Siva, the hero of Kalidasa’s poem Kumara Sambhava, is well known 
* The words Avarodha, Suddhantar, are synonymous with ywcuKwvhis, zenana, 
seraglio, and harem, where none hut espoused wives are kept. 
x 
