myVamsam Wiki

Dushyanta

Dushyant

The king of Hastinapura who married Shakuntala and fathered Bharata.

Accounts of this vary across texts and traditions. This entry primarily follows Mahabharata, with other tellings (Kalidasa's Abhijnanashakuntalam) noted where relevant.

Explore in the family tree →

Relationships

Spouse
Shakuntala
Children
Bharata (son of Dushyanta and Shakuntala)

Introduction

Dushyanta is a king of the Puru dynasty of Hastinapura. He married Shakuntala and was the father of Bharata, the ancestor of the Kurus.

Family

Meeting Shakuntala

While hunting, Dushyanta reached the hermitage of Kanva and fell in love with Shakuntala. In the Mahabharata, he took a while to acknowledge her when she came to his court with their son, until a voice from heaven confirmed the truth.

Sources

  1. Mahabharata, Adi Parva (primary text)

This entry is independently written for myVamsam using the sources listed above. Where traditions differ, this entry identifies the relevant tradition rather than presenting one account as universally established fact.