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The Revelation Of A Secret
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the harem and he had great confidence and trust in him. He sent the other three vessels to Sumitra, Kaikayi and Suprabha by three others.
These three attendants were young. So they, at once, conveyed the vessels to the chambers of the three Queens. Sumitra, Kaikayi and Suprabha received the holy water with great devotion, sprinkled it on their heads and felt supremely blessed.
When queen Aparajita found that the holy water had been conveyed to the other queens and that she had not received it there naturally arose in her mind a storm of thoughts and feelings. She began to think... "What is this? Has the king forgotten me ? Would he not remember me along with those three queens ? Actually, he should have conveyed the holy water to me first. If not first at least he should have conveyed it to me at the same time as he had conveyed it to the other queens. But no. He has not sent me the holy water. Whom shall I blame for this ? Indeed, I am unfortunate. I fear I have lost my place in the king's heart. He has treated me with terrible indifference. He has slighted me. He has done me a great injustice. In this condition I find it difficult to live. Honour is the very essence of life. I have lost my honour. The king has totally forgotten me.” As she continued to think thus she experienced great anguish. The tears began to flow from her eyes. She began to burn with anger. She developed a bitter contempt for She decided to end her life and with this decision in her mind she went into her interior chamber. At once, she hanged herself with her bed-cover. Just then unexpectedly king Dasarath came there. Fortunately, she had forgotten to bolt the door of her chamber from inside. Therefore, Dasarath could enter the chamber and see the terrible sight. His face became crumpled like that of a sick person and he began to shake with fear. His eyes were wide opened with horror. He went into the chamber and removed the cloth from her neck. He held the queen aflectionately; took her into his embrace; and then made her take a dignified seat. On seeing the king suddenly she began to weep aloud. Grieved by this sight Dasarath asked her in a voice choked with emotion;
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