KING DUSHYANTA. BHARATA, nicknamed All-tamer, his son. MADHAVYA, a clown, his companion. His charioteer. RAIVATAKA, a door-keeper. BHADRASENA, a general. KARABHAKA, a servant. PARVATAYANA, a chamberlain. SOMARATA, a chaplain.KANVA, hermit father. his pupils: SHARNGARAVA SHARADVATA HARITA DURVASAS, an irascible sage.The chief of police. policemen: SUCHAKA JANUKA A fisherman.SHAKUNTALA, foster-child of Kanva. her friends: ANUSUYA PRIYAMVADA GAUTAMI, hermit-mother.KASHYAPA, father of the gods. ADITI, mother of the gods. MATALI, charioteer of heaven's king. GALAVA, a pupil in heaven. MISHRAKESHI, a heavenly nymph.
Stage-director and actress (in the prologue), hermits and hermit-women, two court poets, palace attendants, invisible fairies.
The first four acts pass in Kanva's forest hermitage; acts five and six in the king's palace; act seven on a heavenly mountain. The time is perhaps seven years.
