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In The Forest Of Dandakaranya
The king stood up in anger.
"Dear king! I am speaking the truth. I have known Skandak for many years. He has brought with him five hundred armed soldiers. Indeed his hypocrisy is shocking!"
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"No. No, this is not true. Such a thing cannot happen," King Dandak spoke angrily.
"Oh king, I am speaking the truth. This is not a concoction but a truth. If you cannot believe it you can see it for yourself. At least, then you will believe it. I have some proof and I am prepared to show it to you."
"Well, what proof do you have ?"
In the garden where the acharya is staying, his soldiers are hiding themselves in bushes and trees. You can yourself go and see this."
"Anything else ?"
"The officer in charge of your arsenal was killed in the night. If you want any more proof I can give it to you."
"In that case, I have to examine the situation;" said the king with agitation. Then King Dandak ordered his spies to verify the words of Palak. He himself went to the garden. He closely observed every bush and tree. Indeed there were soldiers hidden in those places. The king's sorrow knew no bounds. Palak was with him. Making use of the advantage, he said:
"Oh king! Skandak can capture your kingdom and become the king of Kumbakarakat. He is not only a pretender but also a valiant fighter."
"Palak! You are right. Till now I believed that Skandak was a great man. I thought he was a man of truth and virtues. He received initiation from Munisuvratswamy and became an Acharya but now I find that he is a hypocrite."
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"My Lord! In this world we cannot easily distinguish good men from hypocrites. It is a good thing that I came to know of the truth in time. Otherwise, a calamity would have occurred."
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