ā na ś ā k unt ala ▁( The ▁Sign ▁of ▁Sh ak unt ala ). ▁ ▁Et ym ology ▁ ▁R ishi ▁Kan va ▁found ▁her ▁in ▁forest ▁as ▁a ▁baby ▁surrounded ▁by ▁Sh ak unta ▁birds ▁( , ▁ś ak unta ). ▁Therefore , ▁he ▁named ▁her ▁Sh ak unt ala ▁( ), ▁meaning ▁Sh ak unta - protected . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁Ad i ▁Par va ▁of ▁Mah ab har ata , ▁Kan va ▁says : ▁She ▁was ▁surrounded ▁in ▁the ▁sol itude ▁of ▁the ▁w ilder ness ▁by ▁ś ak unt as , ▁therefore , ▁hath ▁she ▁been ▁named ▁by ▁me ▁Sh ak unt ala ▁( Sh ak unta - protected ). ▁ ▁Leg end ▁ ▁King ▁D ush y anta ▁first ▁encountered ▁Sh ak unt ala ▁while ▁trav elling ▁through ▁the ▁forest ▁with ▁his ▁army . ▁He ▁was ▁purs uing ▁a ▁male ▁de er ▁wounded ▁by ▁his ▁weapon . ▁Sh ak unt ala ▁and ▁D ush y anta ▁fell ▁in ▁love ▁with ▁each ▁other ▁and ▁got ▁married ▁as ▁per ▁Gand har va ▁marriage ▁system . ▁Before ▁returning ▁to ▁his ▁kingdom , ▁D ush y anta ▁gave ▁his ▁personal ▁royal ▁ring ▁to ▁Sh ak unt ala ▁as ▁a ▁symbol ▁of ▁his ▁promise ▁to ▁return ▁and ▁bring ▁her ▁to ▁his ▁palace . ▁ ▁Sh ak unt ala ▁spent ▁much ▁time ▁dream ing ▁of ▁her ▁new ▁husband ▁and ▁was ▁often ▁dist ract ed ▁by ▁her ▁day d ream s . ▁One ▁day , ▁a ▁powerful ▁r ishi , ▁Dur vas a