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Anjana and Pavananjay
275
"No. No! Prahasit, there is no need for any such thing". Pavananjay took Prahasit's hands into his and sat silent for a few minutes.
Silence and stillness prevailed in the chamber.
“Dear Pavananjay! Do you know what kind of people are called great men ?”
"You please tell me".
"Great men are those who abide by their word. When once they have said something, they would never go against it. They respect their promises”.
“That means ?”
“That means since you have already agreed to marry Anjana, you should not now go back on your word. You should not reject her now".
"I do not desire such greatness".
“No! Do you say so ?” Prahasit said in a tone of deep anguish.
Pavananjay sat silent.
“You may not desire such greatness, but we have to safeguard the name and honour of our elders and ancestors". Prahasit said changing the tenor of his talk.
"But how have I brought disgrace upon our noble elders and ancestors ?” Pavananjay said with a gloomy face.
"Don't you know that your honoured father has given his consent to this alliance ? On that day on the Nandishwardweep. King Mahendra and King Pralad settled your marriage. Are you ignorant of this? Think a little. If you now reject this alliance how can your father face the world? Will it not be a disgrace to him ? You may say: "Did he ask for my opinion about the ailiance ?" It is on account of his unshakable confidence in you that your father has settled your marriage to take
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