Kale
From Orientalist scholars we pass on to a Sanskrit scholar who also happens to be Indian. The translation was published first in 1898 and has had countless reproductions after that. In his Preface to the First Edition Kale points out how the play has been admired by western scholars also, marking what is perhaps a trait that most Indians have – of the need to be appreciated by the west to feel worthwhile. He acknowledges Monier Williams's “excellent edition of the play”, besides Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar's and other Indian scholars' translations. Kale is very much a Sanskrit scholar in the translation, and has adopted a literal word-to-word translation that becomes very awkward at times. Published under the title, The Abhijnanasakuntalam of Kalidasa by Motilal Banarsidass known for publishing Sanskrit works of high quality, the reader knows what to expect from the work. Kale has an introduction to Sanskrit drama in general, Kalidasa and his works, and a detailed analysis of the play in terms of plot, character and structure. There are also detailed notes with Kale's interpretations. The edition has the original text in Sanskrit on the left-hand side, with the English translation on the other side. There are footnotes as well as copious endnotes. On the whole, this is what one can call a scholarly edition of the play. It does not try to talk down to the reader or gloss over what he considers to be imperfections. His preface and introduction do not discuss the strategy he has used in translation, either. The reader Kale has in mind is the Indian reader who is familiar with Sanskrit and the culture of the country. But Kale is not the critic who is aware of postcolonial theory. It is obvious from the way he uses Europeans like Goethe, Schlegel and others like William Jones, to validate his assessment of Kalidasa as a great writer. |
