*Once there lived a great and wise sage by the name Kanva. His Ashram was in the heart of a forest on the banks of the river Malini.

One hot summer day, Rishi Kanva went to take a dip in the river. He saw a little baby girl lying all alone on the river bank. A pack of vultures was sitting around the child with their wings spread out trying to protect the baby. The sage bent down to see the little girl. She was very beautiful. Kanva gently picked up the baby and took her to the ashram. There at the ashram, the sage handed over the baby to his sister Gautami and said to her, "I found the child in the forest. She was looked after by the Shakunt Birds. So let us call the girl Shakuntala."

Gautami was curious to know whose child Shakuntala was.

Kanva like all other great sages had divine powers to find out the past and future of anyone.

"It's an interesting story." Kanva started telling about the child. "She is the daughter of Vishwamitra and Menaka. Vishwamitra was a great King. He gave up his crown and kingdom and went to the forest. He was eager to have through meditation greater spiritual powers than Vasishta had. Pleased with King's meditation, Lord Vishwamitra would be the greatest of all sages. Though Vishwamitra got what he wanted, he did not stop his meditation.

Seeing Vishwamitra's meditation, the Devatas were worried. They were jealous of Vishwamitra. At last they went to Indra, the King of Heaven. They spoke to him about their fears.