37
in the tenth and ends with the fifteenth canto. The poem closes rather abruptly with the death of the voluptuous Agnimitra. The tradition is that the poem is longer than it really now is. Indigenous Indian scholars opine that the sequel to the history of the Raghu-race has been lost .to us, Kalidasa's works generally have a natural conclusion and the rhetorical canons enjoin either a benediction or a happy Completion of t£e story at the conclusion of a poem. The last canto presents to us the widowed Queen of Agnivarma on the throne in trust for a posthumous prince, whose history we know, not. The people are anxiously awaiting the birth of a prosperous prince. This curiosity our poem does not abate. Certainly Kalidasa was not the poet to leave his work open to rightful criticism. He was more aesthetic and delicate in his tastes. " His object might have been to connect some one L of the dynasties of Kings existing in his time with the race anciently descended from the Sun." Either Kalidasa could not finish his poem or the work has not descended to us in its entirety.
The Kumara-Sambhava—another poem of 17 cantos-operas with the courtship and wedding of Siva and Uma and concludes with the destruction of the demon Taraka by Kumara or the War-God. In short the Biith of the War-God is ttie subject of the poem.
KLalidasa's poems have been taken as a standard of poetic perfection and natural melody. His similies are apt and striking and it needs no effort to understand him. The st9ry of the Ragtiuvamsa has more matter and has consequently to avoid |' all detail and to run fast over the riarration. The story of the Kumara-Sambhava has less stuff and necessarily affords th© horses shed tears and would notf eat fodder before him. Hence his name. .,.......... accurately 18 different works *£