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JAÍN RAMAYAN
through years of unflinching purity. In the same manner, Anjana who has been guarding her chastity with the greatest care all these twenty-two years might have committed a mistakė. Is it not likely ? And now to cover up her mistake she may be uttering lies."
"Your Excellencey, we should not act hastily and emotionally in this situation and we should not inflict unjust punishment upon an innocent person. If we do so later we will have to pay heavily for it. It would be good if you could give me a day's time for thinking over the matter calmly so that I may think about it and take some decision about it. I will carefully examine the situation. I will go into all the details of the case and tomorrow, I will meet you and tell you about my opinion”....
“But, Queen Ketumati has ordered Anjana to leave the palace at once.”
. "Pardon me, Your Excellency ! It is not proper for the queen to interfere thus in matters relating to the polity and affairs of the state ?"
“Now, what is to be done ?”
"Please prevail upon the queen to have patience for one day. Tomorrow, anyway we are going to take a decision”.
"If she does not pay heed to my advice what shall I do ?” said King Prahlad who knew very well the obstinacy of the queen.
"In that case, all the people of the city will be angry. They too desire to be satisfied with an explanation of the situation because the citizens and the members of the royal family have the highest regard for Anjana's indisputably sublime character. All have been adoring her as a Mahasati, a woman of absolute chastity and loyalty. In this situation, if we punish Anjana without taking the people of the city into our confidence and without convincing them of the justness of the step we take, there will be a terrible consequence, and we will be in an extremely difficult position. All will condemn us.”
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