A Sanskrit play like Shakuntala typically begins with which opening?

• A. Invocation of the Muse
• B. Prologue by the King
• C. Description of the Battlefield
• D. A Moral Tale

Answer: (A)

In classical Sanskrit drama, opening with an invocation to the divine sets the mood for sacred, inspired storytelling. A play like Shakuntala begins by calling on Saraswati and other deities, asking for blessings and guidance as the story about love and fate unfolds. This Mangala-charan frames the performance as a respectful, arts-led enterprise and invites the audience into a reverent, poetic space from the very start. Starting with a king’s prologue, a battlefield description, or a moral tale would introduce extraneous frame elements and disrupt that mood, whereas the invocation directly aligns with the tradition of beginning any great Sanskrit drama by seeking auspicious inspiration.