The Origin of the Young God: Kalidasa's Kumarasambhava

by Kālidāsa, Hank Heifetz, Marisa Crane, et al.

Book Overview

The Birth of the War God is a poem written by Kalidasa in 1879. It tells the story of the birth of the Hindu god Skanda, also known as Kartikeya or Murugan. The poem is set in ancient India and... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0520071263
• ISBN13: 9780520071261
• Release Date: August 1990
• Publisher: University of California Press
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 0.54 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.5" x 8.2"

Customer Reviews

Sublime and priceless

Kalidasa is considered the greatest poet/playwright of India, and this work not only his best but the best long poem in classical Sanskrit, as well. Rich in allusions to the mythology and stories of the Vedic hymns, epics and Puranas, the poem retells the story of the birth of Kartikeya, son of Lord Shiva and Parvati, Daughter of the Mountain, who was born destined to destroy the demon Taraka. Graceful Kalidasa's ("servant of Kali") blessed tongue (blessed by Kali to speak only words of pure gold) shines through every phrase in this superb translation. Although not considered a devotional work, the love expressed for Lord Shiva and his consort Uma, Mistress of Tapas, flows from every line of the poem, overflowing with that voluptuous spirituality known only in India. This work puts to shame translations of better known devotional works such as the "Saundaryalahari" or "Tripurasundari" of Sri Shankara--in English translation, that is. (One of my life-goal's might become to master Sanskrit in order to translate those works of Sri Shankara properly). The work also makes me think: we have been so decieved by modern Western secular education that we fail to see how the original inspiration of poetry, literature and music is love for the Divine. How could we have missed it? "Art" in the olden times was inspired, in-spired, it breathed of Spirit. Today, fallen from classical standards whether Greek or Vedic, "art" is a cheap, standardized, ritualized, adolescent devaluation. How much we have lost. How much we stand to gain. If you can find it, buy this book and read and treasure it.

Excellent Book

The incredible language and images of the master poet Kalidasa are brought to life in this translation as it conveys the ideal vision of True Love of the Divine for itself.