In the royal court, a heated exchange unfolded between King Dushyanta and Shakuntala. With a voice edged in scorn, Dushyanta began to assail Shakuntala’s character, his words sharp and unyielding. “All women,” he declared, “are dependent on others and filled with anger; all speak falsehoods. You should not speak to Kanva.” He did not spare her lineage either, casting aspersions on her mother Menaka, calling her a heartless dancer abandoned at the foot of the Himalayas like a discarded garland. Nor did he spare her father Viśvāmitra, describing him as a warrior, greedy for the status of a Brahmin and driven by desire, lacking compassion. Dushyanta continued, “The divine Menaka bore you to Viśvāmitra as she wished. I know your birth, O degraded one, from ignoble people.” Yet, in a moment of contradiction, he acknowledged, “Menaka is the best among apsaras, and your father is a great sage. Why then, as their child, do you speak like a wanton woman?” He accused her of boasting about a noble lineage while her birth was, in his eyes, lowly. “After giving birth to you, you were abandoned and raised by others, like a cuckoo’s chick.” He went on to belittle Kanva, her foster father, as a man of poor judgment who raised her as if she were a child born of misfortune. “The words you speak, O ascetic woman, are not to be believed,” he said, dismissing her claims. With finality, Dushyanta addressed her in the presence of the court: “Go wherever you wish. Here are gold, jewels, pearls, garments, and ornaments. If you desire enjoyment, O ascetic woman, accept these. I do not wish to see you; go wherever you please from here.” Shakuntala, undaunted and composed, replied with wisdom and dignity. “O king, you see the faults of others as small as a mustard seed, but your own, though as large as a bilva fruit, you see yet do not see. Menaka is among the gods, and the gods are with Menaka; my birth is exalted, Dushyanta, compared to yours. You walk upon the earth, O king, while I move in the sky; see the distance between us, like that between Mount Meru and a mustard seed. I have visited the palaces of Indra, Kubera, Yama, and Varuṇa; witness my power, O king.” She reminded him of ancient lineage, saying, “Long ago, a son was born to Urvaśī named Āyus; he was your ancient forefather, O great king. Many great sages and mighty kṣatriyas have been born from apsarases; among the sages, there is no fault in having such mothers.” With gentle firmness, Shakuntala continued, “I will also tell you, O king, a saying that is true; hear it for the sake of illustration, not out of malice, and you should forgive it. As long as a deformed man does not see his own face in a mirror, he considers himself more handsome than others. But when he sees his ugly form reflected in the mirror, then he feels shame within himself, not because of other people. One who is exceedingly handsome does not look down on anyone; but one who is excessively talkative and harsh in speech becomes a troublemaker here. Elephants in rut rejoice when dust is thrown upon them; likewise, a wicked person becomes delighted when he slanders others.” She spoke further, “Even a confirmed non-believer is disturbed by a man who has fallen from truth and righteousness, just as one is by an angry venomous serpent—how much more so a believer? If a man, after producing a son like himself, despises him, the gods destroy his prosperity, and misfortune enters him. Misfortune quickly enters one who is unworthy, untruthful, impure, atheistic, wicked in deeds, or of bad conduct; but not those who walk in righteousness.” Shakuntala went on to distinguish between the wise and the foolish. “A fool, upon hearing the words of men—good or bad—takes up the bad speech, just as a pig takes up filth. But a wise man, upon hearing the words of men—good or bad—takes up the virtuous speech, just as a swan extracts milk from water. One who knows his own wicked nature, being low and of troubled mind, also recognizes in others the qualities that accord with their own nature and duty. The lowly, burning with intense fire from others’ fame, are unable to reach that state, and so they resort to slander.” She explained how the virtuous and the wicked respond to insult and praise. “Just as a virtuous person is pained when slandered by others, so too does a wicked person feel joy when he slanders others. Fools are especially fond of slander; the virtuous, on the other hand, are never devoted to slander. Just as a virtuous man, after greeting elders, attains satisfaction, so too does a fool feel content after insulting a good person. Those ignorant of faults live happily, while fools who scrutinize faults do not; as the virtuous are spoken of by others, so do others speak of such people. There is nothing more laughable in this world than if the wicked call the virtuous wicked, while they themselves are wicked.” Shakuntala then reminded the king of the importance of lineage and truth. “Without doubt, one suffers sorrow from the harsh afflictions of the world; for the ancestors spoke to their son about the preservation of the family lineage. Therefore, among all duties, the son should not be abandoned; those obtained from one’s own wife, raised according to proper agreements. Manu declared that sons born of purchased wives and those begotten on maidens are heirs; six are heirs by kinship, six by inheritance. Sons carry out religious duties for men, increase the joy of the mind; born as the lifeboats of righteousness, they rescue their fathers from hell. Therefore, O tiger among kings, you should not abandon your son; thus, O ruler, protect both your son and truth.” She concluded with a final exhortation: “Protect both these—yourself and the law of truth; you should not speak falsehood, O king; preserve yourself and the law of truth, O ruler; lion among kings, you should not bear deceit. A pond is better than a hundred wells, a sacrifice is better than a hundred ponds, a son is better than a hundred sacrifices, and truth is better than a hundred sons. If a thousand horse sacrifices and truth are weighed together, truth surpasses a thousand horse sacrifices.” Thus, Shakuntala, with wisdom, patience, and unwavering dignity, responded to the king’s harsh words, upholding the honor of her lineage, the sanctity of truth, and the sacred duty of a father to his son.