(“Cloud-Messenger”)
One of Kalidasa's major literary works (5th century? ), often regarded as the
finest classical Sanskrit poet.
The Meghaduta is a one-hundred-verse poem written completely
in an exceptionally lengthy meter known as mandakranta, with each quarter
stanza having seventeen syllables.
The poem relates the tale of a yaksha (nature sprite) who
has been exiled to India's southernmost region.
The yaksha watches a monsoon rain cloud travelling northward
in its yearly voyage, separated from his loving wife who is at their home in
the Himalayan realm of Kubera.
He begs it to deliver a love message to his sweetheart.
The yaksha is a term used to describe the areas across which
the cloud passes.
This depiction paints a detailed picture of Kalidasa's
period, including daily life and cultural centers.
Meghasandesha, "The Message [borne by] a Cloud,"
is the name given to the poem by certain sources.
You may also want to read more about Hinduism here.
Be sure to check out my writings on religion here.
