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Ch. 9: Mrigavati - War and Peace
inflicted on their citizens by such machinations. Rulers are supposed to protect their citizens, but their greed and arrogance often have no limits. People were so fed up with their feuds that, whether they lived under an autocratic monarchy or in a democratic ganatantra (republic), they were praying for a peaceful liberator. Everywhere I heard their cry:
"Maggadayanam Jeeyabhayanam" ("Please deliver a peaceful liberator, one who has conquered fear itself.").
Ganadhar Achalbhrat wanted me to come back to Sadhvi Mrigavati's story. He intervened, "Wise rulers and administrators bring about great social and economic progress in Wise rulers and their states. Their citizens achieve rapid
administrators bring
about great social and prosperity. A well-managed, peaceful, and
economic progress in responsible state promotes great strides in their states. Only the
foolish rulers ignore art, culture, and the spiritual life of its
peaceful alternatives people. Only the foolish rulers ignore and resort to war. peaceful alternatives and resort to war."
I continued, “You are right Ganadhar Achalbhrat, but Mrigavati's troubles did not end there. A few years later King Chandrapradyot attacked Kaushambi, the capital of Vatsa, and killed her husband King Shatanik. Mrigavati was now all alone to take care of the kingdom and Prince Udayan. Chandrapradyot wanted not only land, but also Mrigavati's hand in marriage. The murderer of her husband, wanted Mrigavati to marry him.
One can only imagine Mrigavati's trauma through all this. The daunting responsibility of looking after the young Udayan and the affairs
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