Deed And Reward
Longing for a Daughter
The King of Alakapuri fathered five sons in succession, yet he yearned for a daughter. On his ministers’ advice, the king entered into marriage with a beautiful maiden named Urmila. Despite her beauty, Urmila’s heart was riddled with pride and jealousy. She could not bear any competition and harbored immense hatred towards her co-queen, Chandravathi, and eventually banished her along with her children into a forest. At the time, Chandravathi was pregnant with the king’s child. With a heart burdened by sorrow, she lived in the solitude of the forest, secretly hoping the unborn child would be a girl and won her a ticket back to the palace.
Deceit in the Palace
Meanwhile, the king’s high priest had always been loyal to Chandravathi and disclosed to her that Urmila had commanded if the new-born was a girl, she should be executed. Consequently, when Chandravathi gave birth to a daughter, she disguised the truth and announced the arrival of a son. Urmila, unaware of this trick, also bore a son named Jayavir, who grew up to be a handsome young man, much admired at the court.
The Encounter in the Forest
One day, while hunting in the nearby forest, Jayavir separated from his royals and fell into a swoon after eating a wild fruit. At that moment, Chandravathi’s sons, passing by, rescued the prince and revived him. Recognizing Jayavir, Chandravathi concealed her true identity, leading to Jayavir’s curiosity and subsequent discovery of the truth. However, once back at the palace, Jayavir’s account of his adventure sparked Urmila’s dormant rage and hatred.
The Plot
On realizing that Chandravathi had borne a girl and not a boy, Urmila hatched a deadly plan. She filled sweets with poison and instructed Jayavir to personally deliver the ‘gift’ to Chandravathi. The malicious queen also cautioned Jayavir’s escort to ensure that Jayavir himself did not consume the sweets. However, Chandravathi suspected deceit and proved her intuition by feeding the sweets to the crows, who died instantly.
The Discovery
Jayavir’s shock at the sight prompted him to confront his guard, leading to the cruel revelation of Urmila’s wicked scheme. Nayavir was livid at his mother’s wicked intentions, and returning to the palace, he fooled his mother into believing he had fallen victim to her plot. This led to Urmila’s downfall; her venomous intentions were exposed, and she was sentenced to a long imprisonment in the palace dungeons.
Joyful Reunion
The King was overjoyed upon being reunited with Chandravathi and his children, his joy didn’t know any bounds when he saw his daughter. Chandravathi went back to the palace, taking Urmila’s place, and was received warmly by all her children. As for Jayavir, he developed a deep affection for his stepmother and half-siblings and committed himself to ensure their happiness and comfort in their reformed life.
