King.  Go.  Soothe her like a gentleman.

Clown.  I suppose I must. (Exit.)

King (to himself).  Why am I filled with wistfulness on hearing such a song?  I am not separated from one I love.  And yet

  In face of sweet presentment
  Or harmonies of sound,
  Man e’er forgets contentment,
  By wistful longings bound.

  There must be recollections
  Of things not seen on earth,
  Deep nature’s predilections,
  Loves earlier than birth.

(He shows the wistfulness that comes from unremembered things.)

Chamberlain (approaching).  Victory to your Majesty.  Here are hermits who dwell in the forest at the foot of the Himalayas.  They bring women with them, and they carry a message from Kanva.  What is your pleasure with regard to them?

King (astonished).  Hermits?  Accompanied by women?  From Kanva?

Chamberlain.  Yes.

King.  Request my chaplain Somarata in my name to receive these hermits in the manner prescribed by Scripture, and to conduct them himself before me.  I will await them in a place fit for their reception.

Chamberlain.  Yes, your Majesty. (Exit.)

King (rising).  Vetravati, conduct me to the fire-sanctuary.

Portress.  Follow me, your Majesty. (She walks about) Your Majesty, here is the terrace of the fire-sanctuary.  It is beautiful, for it has just been swept, and near at hand is the cow that yields the milk of sacrifice.  Pray ascend it.

King (ascends and stands leaning on the shoulder of an attendant.) Vetravati, with what purpose does Father Kanva send these hermits to me?

  Do leagued powers of sin conspire
  To balk religion’s pure desire? 
  Has wrong been done to beasts that roam
  Contented round the hermits’ home? 
  Do plants no longer bud and flower,
  To warn me of abuse of power? 
  These doubts and more assail my mind,
  But leave me puzzled, lost, and blind.

Portress.  How could these things be in a hermitage that rests in the fame of the king’s arm?  No, I imagine they have come to pay homage to their king, and to congratulate him on his pious rule.

(Enter the chaplain and the chamberlain, conducting the two pupils of KANVA, with GAUTAMI and SHAKUNTALA.)

Chamberlain.  Follow me, if you please.

Sharngarava.  Friend Sharadvata,

  The king is noble and to virtue true;
  None dwelling here commit the deed of shame;
  Yet we ascetics view the worldly crew
  As in a house all lapped about with flame.

Sharadvata.  Sharngarava, your emotion on entering the city is quite just.  As for me,

  Free from the world and all its ways,
  I see them spending worldly days
  As clean men view men smeared with oil,
  As pure men, those whom passions soil,
  As waking men view men asleep,
  As free men, those in bondage deep.
Chaplain.  That is why men like you are great.