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Forty-fifth Chapter
426
"We did not give her to him to take as his wife," said the messenger, "but the blame lies not with the gods, but with the worshipper, for the gods are angered by his transgression."
"These are all my descendants, my own creations, my brothers, and they are always affectionate towards me. How can I punish them? It would be like punishing your own son if he were to commit a crime. This is the justice you have established."
"Therefore, O Lord, tell us what punishment we deserve for this transgression. What kind of punishment should be given? Should we be hanged? Should we be tortured? Or should our wealth be confiscated?"
"O Lord, by following your commands, we will be blessed in this world and the next. Therefore, please punish us according to our transgression."
Thus spoke the humble messenger, his words pleasing to the heart of the king. He then fell silent, as if by a gesture from the king.
"The words of the righteous can even captivate the hearts of demons. What then of the peaceful words of a great soul like Bharata, who sees all beings as equal?"
With a cheerful smile, the king said, "Come here," and motioned for the messenger to sit near his throne. Then he began to speak: "Why did the great Akampan send you here? He is like a father to us, and he is the eldest among us all."
"In the household, he is our revered elder, our brother. What else can I say? He is the one who would stop me from going down the path of injustice."
"Just as Lord Vrishabhadeva is the guru for the path of liberation in this age, and King Shreyans is the guru for the tradition of charity, and I am the leader for the wisdom of the emperors, so too is he the guru for the tradition of the Swayamvara. If the great Akampan were not here, who else would have carried on this ancient tradition of the Swayamvara?"