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Mahakal, The Monster
193
court who did not possess anyone of those qualities it was Prince Madhuping. As the Pandit continued to read the book, everyone's eyes turned towards Prince Madhuping. They looked at him with contempt. They seemed to be looking down upon him; and seemed to despise him. They seemed to be scoffing at him. It did not take much time for Prince Madhuping who possessed an incisive intelligence to realize that it was a conspiracy planned to dishonour and to humiliate him. He thought: "All this is a conspiracy made to humiliate and frustrate me so that King Sagar raja may get the hand of Sulasa and so that I may be defeated". But he did not have any evidence with which he could prove that the book was not authentic. He found himself in an intricate and even perilous situation. He felt greatly dishonoured and left the court, at once.
His anger knew no bounds. His body began to shake with anger. There arose hatred and bitter contempt in his heart for Sagar raja.
After leaving the royal court, he went away in an unpremeditated direction. Even after going a long distance away from the frontiers of Charanyugal, he did not stop. He continued his journey without stopping. On his way, he passed through forests; crossed fields; passed through cities and towns and villages and he continued thus leaving them behind and when completely tired, he stopped on his way. He found himself on awakening, in the midst of a thick forest. It was an absolutely desolate area for miles and miles around, abounding in green plants, trees and bowers communing with the sky; and the land was stony and flinty. These were his companions. There, he carried out an austere penance with the purpose of attaining such miraculous powers as would enable him to take revenge against Sagar raja. In fact, since he had humiliated him he wanted to send him to the Kingdom of Death.
But though he carried out countless penances, he could not attain the powers he desired. In spite of all his severe penances, his desires remained unfulfilled. King Sagar raja married Sulasa and went away to his Kingdom.
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