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150
JAIN RAMAYAN
"Your excellency! The messenger who has come from Mahapur seeks your permission to meet you".
"Bring him in !" King Simharath said a little surprised.
The messenger appeared before King Simharath, saluted him and then communicated to him the message he had brought from the king of Mahapur: "May the king be victorious. I have come from the King of Mahapur bearing a message from King Sodas to you".
"Dear brother, Mahapur is a friendly kingdom. The king of Mahapur has been our friend. The great hero Kirthidhaval is the king of Mahapur. Then who is this Sodas who has sent us the message ?"
"Your excellency! Probably you do not know that King Kirthidhaval died an untimely death. Since the king had no children, the ministers decided that they should install upon the throne anyone whom the royal elephant chose by consecrating him with holy water. Accordingly, the royal elephant was sent out with a vessel of holy water. It poured the holy water on a traveller by name Sodas who possessed extraordinary heroism and who was radiant with many virtues. As a result of this, Sodas was crowned the king of Mahapur."
"We are extremely grieved to hear the news of the death of King Kirthidhaval but we wonder how the royal elephant chose Sodas who is a cannibal. Well! An animal has consecrated an animal. Even this looks proper from one point of view !"
Simharath's jeering laughter shook the walls of the palace.
"Your excellency ! You will come to know later whether the animal chose an animal or a great hero. Our king's message is this: "You must at once accept the overlordship of king Sodas and you must become his subordinate king. This will conduce to the welfare of Ayodhya".
"Oh you mean fellow! Stop your prattle. Do you realise where you are standing? Do you dream that the king of
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