11/23/2019 Meghdoot | Introduction Of Scriptures

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Meghdoot HINDU SCRIPTURES

+ Aranyaka (1)
+ Brahmana Granth (391)
Kalidasa [कािलदास] is indisputably the greatest mastermind in Sanskrut poetry. His poetic genius
+ Buddhist Scriptures (28)
has brought Sanskrut poetry to the highest level of elegance and re nement. Kalidasa [कािलदास]
+ Darshana (0)
is the great poet of Sanskrut language, who is famous as ‘Kavi-Kulguru [किवकुलगु ]. His style is
+ Gita (0)
very simple but graceful. It is not arti cial and characterized by conciseness and clarity of
— Introduction Of
expressions. His diction can be marked by the absence of long compounds, arti cial puns and
Scriptures (83)
complex language. He excels other poets in his descriptions of the sublime and the beautiful
» Classical Sanskrut
especially of natural scenery and phenomena. His sentiment makes a direct appeal to the
Literature (12)
heart.  In Dhvanikaavya [ िनका ], the kind of poetry used suggests more than what is
» Darshana (1)
expressed; he is a master of acknowledged skill.
+ Lexicon (0)
» Other introductions
Writers have de ned KhandKaavya[ख का ] as (2)
Kaavyasyaekdeshanusari [का एकदे शानुसा र]. As said in » Purana &
Sahityadarpan [सािह दपण] any poem that is divided into chapters tells Upapuarana (9)
a story and is in verse form that is called PrabandhKaavya [ ब का ] » Smrutis (3)
or KhandKaavya [ख का ]. Generally when a poem has eight or more » Type of Gita (0)
chapters then it is named as an epic otherwise it is known as » Upanishads (7)
Khandkaavya[ख का ]. That is KhandKaavya[ख का ]resembles
» upaveda (2)
Mahakaavya [महाका ] in some of its features. Meghdoot [मेघदू त] of » Veda (3)
Kaalidas is a very good example of this type. + Vedangas (1)
+ Itihaas (0)
A Yaksha [य ] i.e. demigod sending a message to his wife, through a rain cloud is the main + Jain Scriptures (0)
concept of this poem. But the beautiful descriptions of nature, cities, people, Himalayas, Kailas + Lexicon (0)
Mountain, Alka[अलका] city and Yaksha’s [य ] wife make this poem lively and in uences the » Maitrayani Samhitha (0)
reader’s mind. Among the seven literary jewels written by Kalidasa [कािलदास] this one alone is + Other Literature (0)
capable of making him word famous and giving him the title of Kavi-Kul-Guru [किव-कुलगु ]. + Puranas (18 Puranas) –
Mahapurana (0)
  + Sampraday (20)
+ Scienti c Literature (0)
Story of Meghdoot[मेघदू त] + Sikh Scriptures (0)
+ Smrutis (0)
+ Sutra (0)
This poem is divided into two parts which are Poorvamegh [पूवमेघ]
+ Upa Purana (0)
+ Upanishad (0)
+ Upaveda (0)
+ Vedangas (0)
+ Vedas (0)
» Vedic Articles (0)

and Uttarmegh [उ रमेघ]. Most of the verses are composed in Mandakranta [म ा ा ा] meter.
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There are 120 verses in total, 65 of them are in Poorvamegh [पूवमेघ] and 55 in Uttarmegh
[उ रमेघ]. In the rst 13 verses, the Yaksha[य ] sees the rain cloud and requests him to deliver a
message to his wife who is in Alka [अलका] city. In 13 to 65th verses many beautiful places and
scenery on route to Alka [अलका] city from Ramgiri [रामिग र] mountain are described. The
heavenly beauty of Alka [अलका] city and the lifestyle of demigods i.e.Yakshas [य ] are described
in verses 66 to 79. Verses 80 to 86 paint the picture of Yaksha’s [य ] beautiful heavenly house
located near the royal palace of Kuber [कुबेर] i.e. king of demigods. The beautiful wife of Yaksha
[य ] and her state of her mind due to the separation from her husband is described in 87 to
106 verses. Then the shlokas [ ोक] from 106 to 117 have the message from Yaksha [य ] for his
wife. In the last three shlokas[ ोक] he thanks the cloud for helping him and wishes that his
travel be smooth and that he may not be separated from his wife i.e. lightening.

Thus the message is only in twelve shlokas[ ोक] while the rest narrates the beautiful natural
descriptions.

PoorvaMegh [पूवमेघ]

A certain Yaksha who is the servant of king Kuber [कुबेर], is living on Ramgiri[रामिग र] mountain
as a punishment for negligence in his duty. He has spent eight months there and at the start of
the rainy season he sees a black cloud resting on the peak of the mountain. Knowing that the
cloud would be passing above Alka [अलका] city, Yaksha [य ] who is madly in love with his wife
decides to send that cloud as a messenger to his wife. The Yaksha [य ] who is overjoyed with
this idea proceeds to describe the route the cloud must follow before reaching Alka [अलका] city
from Ramgiri[रामिग र] mountain.

The cloud encouraged by good omens and accompanied by swans which are eagerly ying
towards Manasa [मानस] lake, should y to Amrakuta [आ कूट] mountain. Resting for a while on
its peak he would be displaying his black beauty amidst the golden yellow mango fruit of the
trees which thickly line its slopes. He should next y over Vindhya [िव ] mountain where he
could see the streamlets of Narmada [नमदा] river on Vindhya’s [िव ] rocky outcrop looking like
beautiful designs on elephant’s back. After tasting Narmada [नमदा] river water he will be
obstructed by Jambu [ज ु] bowers. When the cloud showers rain, the whole of nature will
become pleasant, the Kadamba [कद ] will have new blossom and the sunburned forests will
exhale sweet odours. In course when the cloud will come near Dasharna [दशाण] country, the
ketaki [केतकी] buds will bloom, the trees will become noisy with the chirping of birds building
nests, the forests will appear dark because of the ripe Jambu [ज ु] trees. After visiting capital
Vidisha [िविदशा] tasting the sweet waters of Vetravati [वे वती] river the cloud would rest on the
Nichais [नीचैः] mountain. Proceeding on his journey, the cloud would take a detour to visit the
famous city of Ujjayini [उ ियनी]. After crossing Nirvindhya [िनिव ा] river and swelling her
stream with showers he would reach Ujjayini [उ ियनी],a  brilliant fragment of heaven, as it
were, situated on Earth. In this historic city the cloud would see the markets where loads of
precious stones and jewels are exposed for sale, palaces with casements wafting fumes of
incense, and terraces ever scented with owers and reddened with the lac-dye of the feet of
beautiful women. In Ujjayini [उ ियनी] there is a temple of Lord Shiva surrounded by a garden
whose trees sway in the breeze from Gandhavati [ग वती] river. Here the girls who are engaged
in dancing before the deity throw glances at the cloud for the early rainfall. After a night halt at
some canopy the cloud must continue his journey, he would visit Gabhira [गभीरा] river and
Devgiri [दे विगरी], the place of Kartikeya [काितकेय] the war God. Then after worshiping him the
cloud would cross Charmnavati [च णवती] river on his way. On the banks of this river is a country
named Dashpur [दशपूर], it is famous for the loveliness of the local women. Next the cloud
would visit the war- eld of kurukshetra[कु े ]. After drinking the water of River Saraswati
[सर ती] he must proceed to the holy river Ganga, who originated from the Himalayas, and fell
with her foaming waters onto the head of Lord Shiva before her descent on the Earth. After
arriving on the snow covered peaks of Himalayas the cloud would catch some rest. Here the
bamboo forests lled with wind give out musical sounds. Even the stones over here have the
heavenly fragrance of the musk-deer. Viewing several wonders of this mountain, the cloud
would then speed away towards the North through Kraunchrandhara [ ौ र ] i.e. the hollow
space in the Kraunch [ ौ ] Mountain. Then he would come upon the Kailas [कैलास] mountain.
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On the top of this mountain stands the city of Alka[अलका], in all its glory and grandeur.

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UttarMegh [उ रमेघ]
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In the city of Alka [अलका], there are big palaces which raise their heads to the sky. They have
jeweled oors and decorated walls. In Alka [अलका] youth is the only phase of life, tears ow
only because of joy and separation occurs only because of lover’s quarrels and grief is caused
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only because of love. Trees here bear perennial owers. The nights are bright because of
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moonlight and owers of all seasons grow all year around. The wish granting tree supplies
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garments of every kind to the women. Houses are treasures of all types of wealth. In this
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beautiful city of Alka [अलका], the Yaksha’s [य ] house is located to the north of Kuber’s [कुबेर]
palace. The Yaksha[य ), then fondly narrates the beauty of his house. There is a small well
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whose wall is embedded with emerald steps where Golden lotuses bloom perennially. Nearby
there is a small pleasure mount with peak of sapphires set amidst golden plantain trees, an
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Ashoka [अशोक] and Bakul [बकुळ] trees. Between these two trees a golden stick is placed for the
pet peacock of Yaksha’s [य ] wife. These signs would help the cloud locate the house of the
Yaksha [य ], which is now rendered desolate because of its master’s absence. Its door is
painted with auspicious signs. There the cloud can see the Yaksh’s [य ] lonely, weeping wife,
counting the months of absence that yet remain with owers laid on the threshold or trying in FACEBOOK LIKE BOX
vain to sing of him. The Yaksha says that she must have grown slender because of her anguish,
lost interest in all pleasures and become absent minded and beside herself with the grief of HinduScriptures.com
separation. The Yaksha has told the cloud to deliver the message in a deep and assuring voice. Like Page 6.5K likes
He is to express the Yaksha’s [य ] longing, love and hope to her and bid her not to give up.
Because the curse will end after the rainy season and they will be reunited after that. The Be the first of your friends to like this
Yaksha [य ] then begs the cloud to return with a message of comfort, and dismisses him with a
prayer that he may never su er separation, even for a moment, from his wife lightening.

Critical remarks

Kalidasa’s [कािलदास] highly creative powers, his poetical uency and immense imagination and
supreme culture make him a great poet of all time. In Meghdoota [मेघदू त] the rst half is full of Follow @indianscripture

beautiful natural descriptions interwoven with human feelings and the latter half is full of
human feelings framed in natural beauty. Kalidasa’s [कािलदास] imagination paints beautiful
pictures: yet they are connected with truth of Nature. Everywhere we can see the keen VIDEOS
observant skill of the poet in the descriptions of both humankind and Nature, cities and forests
and earth and sky. This poem is governed by the sentiment of Vipralmbh Shrungar [िव ल
ार] that is the sentiment expressing separation in love, but still there are no traces of envy, Vedic …
hatred or nervousness. The whole poem is in Mandakranta [म ा ा ा] meter which enhances
the shadow of curse on the whole poem like the cloudy dull weather in rainy season. The
cursed demi god in this poem is mourning from the separation from his wife , so a mere cloud
which is a combination of dust, water and wind, seems to him, capable of delivering his
message to his wife. He is so much overtaken by this idea that he sees all of his surrounding in
the same light of love. Trees and creepers, springs and rivers, cloud and lightening seem like
more…
lovers to him. While painting these beautiful natural pictures the poet has endowed them with
a touch of reality. Like the wives of travellers hopeful of their husbands return by the mere sight
of rain clouds, peacock’s pleasure enhanced by thunder, river’s eagerness to have rains, blooms
of Kadamba [कद ] owers on mountains awaiting the arrival of rain cloud, leaves, owers,
fruits, village ladies who are very much happy because of the arrival of rainy season, songs of
river – all these are not merely mentioned but each and every description is imprinted with
emotion and appropriate thought. The poem, subject matter and poetic power of Kalidasa
[कािलदास] are really blended very well in this work.

In the beginning the cloud which seems non-living comes into life while following the path
directed by the Yaksha [य ]. Kalidasa [कािलदास] describes the places to be seen by the cloud
from a high altitude so marvelously that merely imagining that pleases the reader’s mind. Such
as the streamlets of Narmada river on Vindhya [िव ] mountain look like the rangoli designs on
elephant’s back , and the other one when the cloud will bend down a little to drink some water
on River Charmnavati [च णवती] then he would look like an sapphire in a pearl strand. In this
poem, the poet has revealed his keen sense of observation and heightened self-experience. All
forms of nature from a mountain to the tiniest ower have for him a consciousness like an
individual, like men or gods. The a ection which the Yaksha [य ] feels for the cloud is also

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spectacular. The Yaksha[य ] has not falsely praised the cloud because he wanted him to deliver
his message. The Yaksha[य ] thinks of the cloud as his own brother and says that he should
deliver his message not only for Yaksha [य ] but also for his own good.

While describing the route to the city of Alka [अलका] he has skillfully blended the portrayal of
the various aspects of nature with the various human emotions. This description of the route in
the rst half of this poem is the one where the powers of Kalidasa [कािलदास] are to be seen at
his best. Even in the second part in which he has to give the “message” he lls its major part
with the descriptive picture of Alka [अलका] city, making each stanza a piece of masterly
miniature painting. The poem never becomes a master piece because of the variety of gures
of speeches used in it, but those should be blended well with the subject. In Meghdoot[मेघदू त],
not even a single gure of speech seems to be out of place. Kalidasa [कािलदास] has utilized each
word meaningfully. All the words have melody, shades of pictures and depth of Kalidasa’s
[कािलदास] poetic excellence. According to the subject and mood of the poem the Mandakranta
[म ा ा ा] meter is used very skillfully by Kalidasa[कािलदास] throughout the whole poem. In
Poorvmegh [पूवमेघ] nature has become very emotional while in Uttarmegha [उ रमेघ] the
personality of Yaksh’s [य ] wife has shadowed even the beauty of Alka [अलका] city. The grief of
the Yaksha’s [य ] wife is beyond words and time and place like the beauty of Alka [अलका] city.
The condition of Yaksha’s[य ]wife in separation is described with such delicateness and
tenderness as to verge almost on pathos.

The distinguishing qualities of Kalidasa’s [कािलदास] style are sweetness, grace and purity. Every
line has the evidence of the poet’s maturity of judgment. Simple short compounds keep this
poem away from extravagance. Kalidasa [कािलदास] is an expert of all the gures of speeche but
his specialty is de nitely the “Upma” i.e. simile. Actually Kalidasa’s [कािलदास] style is the perfect
union of pictorial power with musical expression which cannot be equaled by any other
sanskrut poet. Meghdoota [मेघदू त] is one of the most popular works of Kalidasa [कािलदास].

Characteristics of Yaksha [य ] and Yaksha’s[य ]wife

Yaksha [य ]

Meghdoot [मेघदू त] is also known as ‘Muktak” [मु क] poem. Simple words have deep meanings
and the sweet language enriched with proper sentiments makes it a world class poem. The
hero of this poem is not any God or a prince but a demi-god, a servant of Kuber[कुबेर]. This
Yaksha[य ] who is the resident of divine Alka [अलका] city gets separated from his wife because
of his mistake. While spending his sentence of living on Ramgiri [रामिगरी] mountain for a year,
after eight months he sees a rain cloud. As the popular saying goes, even a family man
becomes desperate after seeing the rain cloud then what to say about the Yaksha [य ] who is
separated from his lovely wife for a year? The memories of Alka[अलका ]city his palatial house
and his wife ood his mind and without thinking about the cloud’s non-livingness, he welcomes
that cloud and requests him to give a message of wellbeing to his wife. He navigates the whole
route to Alka [अलका], his house, description of his wife, and gives the message for his wife.

This servant of Kuber[कुबेर] has been punished and is very sad because of separation from his
wife but still the artiste in him is alive. Although he is sad due to separation he does not look at
the world in a sad light. He suggests to the cloud that he should rest on the mountains, watch
the beautiful designs made by Narmada River on Vindhya Mountain, dancing peacocks and
mountains blooming with owers. He also suggests taking a detour for experiencing the beauty
of Ujjayini city [उ ियनी] and purity of Mahakal [महाकाल] temple. The cloud bending on the river
Charmnavati [च णवती] for drinking water seems to the Yaksha [य ] like an emerald in a pearl
string, somewhere he looks like black collerium. He describes Himalayas as sharpened elephant
tooth and Kailas Mountain like the smile of lord Shiva. On one hand he wants the cloud to travel
fast and give his message to his wife but at the same time he wishes that the cloud should drink
in the view of beautiful natural surroundings. The Yaksha’s [य ] generous and pleasant nature
makes this poem impressive. He is very noble in his thoughts and conduct. He loves his wife
very much and compares her to Seeta and indirectly himself with Lord Rama. He is very
religious because he asks the cloud to stop at the holy places of Mahakal [महाकाल] temple,
Devgiri [दे विगरी] mountain. He can easily connect with people through a friendly manner. Even in
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the end he wishes for the cloud’s safe journey without being separated from his wife lightening.
This shows his non-envious nature, who always thinks of the good of others.

Yaksha’s[य ]wife

The picture of Yaksha’s[य ] wife is painted very delicately and

tenderly. She is living in the magni cence of the Yaksha’s [य ] house, in a city where people live
in perfect bliss, she alone is without joy. Her heart, sour with grief, tries to nd comfort in
counting months of Yaksha’s [य ] absence that yet remain, or in recalling sweet memories of
their love. She passes sleepless nights on hard bed, every day she grows thinner; loses all
interest for ordinary pleasures. But her heart is kept from breaking only by the hope of re-
union with her beloved husband. Truly this is a picture of the noblest form of love. The
Yaksha’s[य ] wife deserves a place side by side with the other heroines of Kalidasa [कािलदास],
Shakuntala [शकु ला], Parvati [पावती], Indumati [इ दुमती] and Seeta [सीता].

Time of Meghdoot [मेघदू त]

Like other Sanskrut poets, Kalidasa’s [कािलदास] time is also a matter of dispute among the
scholars. Tradition thinks that he was the poet at Vikramaditya’s [िव मािद ] royal assembly. But
there is more than one king, who had adopted the title of Vikramaditya [िव मािद ].   According
to many theories his time is tentatively decided between 4th and 5th century A.D.

Sources of Meghdoot [मेघदू त]

Unlike the epics Kumarsambhavam [कुमारस वम्] and Raghuvansham[रघुव म्]which have
historical background, Meghdoot[मेघदू त] is the poet’s own creation. But the poet may have got
an idea of Meghdoota[मेघदू त] from Rama’s message to Seeta through Hanuman in Ramayana.
The line “she [Yaksha’s[य ] wife] will look like Seeta looking at Hanuman, while hearing the
message from Hanuman.

{इ ा य़ाते पवनतनयम् मैिथलीवो ुखी सा।[Uttarmegh(उ रमेघ)40]}.

Critics have pointed out that some expressions in Meghdoot [मेघदू त] are based on Ramayana.
But this hardly distracts from the originality of his conception or the execution of his design,
which is preeminently his own. Thus Meghdoot [मेघदू त] is a beautiful creation of
Kalidasa[कािलदास]. His highly creative powers, his massive intellect, immense imagination, his
poetic uency and supreme culture have placed him in the very front rank of the great poets of
all ages. He was the best exponent of the times in which he lived. Hindu culture found its
expression in the poetry of Kalidasa. Nature plays a very important role in this poem and seems
like the leading character of the story. This poem captures readers’ minds and pleases its
readers by its natural descriptions, elegant linguistic characteristics and heavenly descriptions
of Alka [अलका] city. As said earlier about the greatness and importance of Meghdoota [मेघदू त]
this creation alone would have earned for Kalidasa, fame and respect in the literary world.

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References
Published On: 04-02-2015
(Book/s):

Kale. M.R. 1969. The Meghdoota of Kalidasa.

Delhi, Varanasi, Patna. Motilal Banarsidas

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