1. Anecdotes of Kalidasa
By M H Gopalakrishnan

2. KalidasaA great Legendary Sanskrit Poet
Kalidasa was a great Sanskrit Poet. Very little is known about his personal life though his works speak a lot.
His anecdotes are a legend and, shows his popularity.
In spite of the dubious authenticity of anecdotes it may be worth while to record
3. Anecdote 1
He was illiterate and ignorant goat head. A typical village Bumpkin
A story often told is he was once cutting the branch in which he was sitting oblivious of the fact that he was about to fall
4. Anecdote 2
5. Anecdote 3
He refused permission to Goddess kali to enter the temple unless he was made wise. When she did ..
He sang in her praise the lyrics now known asShayamalaDhandakam
Dhandakamis a single sentence from start to end; almost a prose.
6. Anecdote 4
Afterobtaining Devine Grace from Goddess kali he wrote 3 poems using these words as first word
All 3 of them became a great master piece
They are.
7. Anecdote 4 Contd.
Kumara Sambhavam
8. Anecdote 4 Contd.
The second work was Raghuvamsham starting with the word
:
In order to understand words and their meanings (vgarthapratipattaye), I honor (vande) Prvat and the Supreme God (prvatparamevarau), who are the parents (pitarau) of the world (jagata), and who are connected (sapktau) just like (iva) a word and its meaning (vgarthv).
9. Anecdote 4 Contd.
10. Anecdote 5
Another Great poet during kalidasas time was Bhavabhuti. Once he created great work named Uttararamacharitham.
He sent the work through a boy to be reviewed by Kalidasa.
11. Anecdote 5contd
When the boy came Kalidasa was eating Pan an Indian delicacy of Betal leaves with calcium and other ingredients
While hearing through the work Kalidasa kept quite except for a comment thatchunnamis extra.
12. Anecdote 5contd
When the boy reported back to Bavabhuti he said kaildasa did not say anything. On repeatedly being questioned he said mentioned Chunnam is extra. That there was more calcium in the betal. But Bahvabuti immediately understood what was mentioned.
13. Anecdote 5contd
is wrong and is correct
14. Anecdote 6
The ring finger in Sanskrit is called anamikameaning Namless.
This because when counting the Greart Sanskrit scholars the first name comes of that of Kalidasa and index finger is folded after that there is nobody hence the Ring finger is called Anamika-Namless.
15. Anecdote 7
Jamun fruits
16. Anecdote 8
17. Anecdote 8
18. Anecdote 8 contd
19. Anecdote 8 contd
20. Anecdote 9
21. Anecdote 9contd
MeaningFlower inside a flower neither heard nor seen.
22. When she wne to the Kings court and
23. Anecdote 9contd
he had over eaten and wanted rest. On asking the reason for such feasting he said King Bhoja had died and heavy feasting was going on.
Kalidasa was shocked and immediately started singing the charamasloka(Obitury song) of Bhojaraja.
The King dressed himself like a merchant and went to kalidasas house and feigned
24. On hearing the sloka King fell dead. Kalidasarealised the mistake and Kali advised him to read the sloka in the reverse .
On doing so the Kingregainedlife