Kālidāsa and Dhanapāla

[Vyom A. Shah]

Today, the first day of Āṣāḍha, is popularly celebrated as the remembrance day of Kālidāsa.

Dhanapāla, in his Tilakamañjari, praises Kālidāsa as follows:

म्लायन्ति सकलाः कालिदासेनासन्नवर्तिना।

गिरः कवीनां दीपेन मालतीकालिका इव॥

In the presence of Kālidāsa, even the artful speech of poets begins to fade — just as a Mālatī bud withers in the closeness of a lamp.

कालिदास के निकट, कवियों की कलावती भी वाणी मलिन पड़ने लगती है — जैसे मालती की कली दीपक के समीप कुम्हला जाती है।