SYNOPSIS- Origin of Vikrant
The Dreaded Conspiracy - 15
Story so far:
Sukhram confessed that it was Vikrant who had showed him the secret chamber during the King's absence. The minister had asked Sukhram to stay inside the passage till the time he did not give further instructions. Sukhram was only allowed to come out for getting some fresh air and eat fruits.
He was specifically instructed to not close the lid the passage from the jungle end for that would block his re-entry.
Thereby, a few days later Vikrant called out to him and Sukhram opened the lid of the passage at the jungle end.
The minister wanted Sukhram to kidnap Vijaya in the dead of the night and kill him in the jungle! Sukhram had no option but to agree. He managed to stick to the plan where he kidnapped Vijaya after making him unconscious with a liquid.
In this chapter 'Origin of Vikrant': Just then Sukhram was about to kill Vijaya with a knife the placid rays of the moon fell on the child's face. Looking at him, Sukhram remembered his own son who was his age and lost the heart to kill him. Mythology Moral Stories - King Raghavendra - 2 was published in the April 1995 issue of Chandamama. King Raghavendra insulted the brahmin boy and sent him away.
Chitrasena tried to make his friend see reason but in vain. Soon the brahmin boy returned and bemoaned the death of his father. He cursed the King that he too would die like his father longing for a herb to recover from his illness which would be elusive! Raghavendra was devastated at the curse. He realized his folly but it was now too late. Chitrasena could not see his friend in agony. After returning to his kingdom, Chitrasena could not stop thinking about Raghavendra and the curse that had befallen him. Just then a renowned sage Yogananda visited him who was on a holy pilgrimage. Chitrasena requested him to meet Raghavendra and try and make him come out of his grief. The sage agreed but would he succeed in his endeavour? Or would Raghavendra spend the last few days of his life only in grief?
Read the second part of this interesting story to find out!
THE DREADED CONSPIRACY
15. Origin of Vikrant
After Sukhram brought Vijaya out of the secret chamber, he took his knife and was about to kill him when the placid rays of the moon fell on the child’s face.
Looking at the innocent face of Vijaya, the image of his son who was of the Prince’s age, came to his mind. Sukhram lost the heart to kill Vijaya! He decided that he would not be directly involved in killing the Prince.
However, he had to obey his master’s orders! After some quick thinking, Sukhram carried Vijaya to the nearby Tataka jungle. He went a little inside this jungle and then kept the boy on the ground. He knew that this was a dangerous jungle, which was replete with wild animals. He was certain that Vijaya would meet a certain death in this jungle if he left him there.
By doing this, he would atleast absolve himself from killing Vijaya with his own hands! **
Sukhram concluded with his confession, “…Maharaj, I was happy to come home after staying in that secret chamber for a week. However, I completely lost my peace of mind! I got nightmares where I saw Vijaya crying for help when he was encompassed by wild animals.
The next day, my master called me over to a secluded place and complimented me for my work. He seemed to have learnt about Vijaya’s disappearance and had assumed that I had killed him. I told him that I had burnt him to ashes and thrown his burnt ornaments and remains in a deep trough at the end of the jungle.
My master appeared very pleased and then they were talks regarding my payment. I refused to take a pie for I had done this job against my wishes. The day after, I was happy, amused and tensed when I got the news that Vijaya was found alive in the Tataka jungle.
Happy because he was alive, amused because he survived in that jungle and tensed at the fate that I may now meet at the hands of my master. I ran away from home to another part of our kingdom but realised the futility of this exercise.
Some day my master was bound to find and kill me. Therefore, instead of dying at his hands, why shouldn’t I surrender before you and confess my wrongdoing? That would atleast provide me with an opportunity to make amends for the grave sin I had done.
Thus, here I am before you, O Maharaj!” Sukhram fell silent after this.
King Raghunathan and the others were shocked to hear all that Sukhram had to say. The King sat on his throne and looked at Sukhram with grim eyes. “You did not ask your master anything about his enmity with my son?”
“No, Maharaj! I was only concerned with my job!”
The King looked at the Queen, “Your hunch could be right, O Queen! If Vikrant had to enter the secret passage from the palace, it had to be from my chamber. That is possible only when nobody is around.
Therefore, he could have done this on those two days when Biksham gave him custody of the keys to this chamber. Still, I cannot understand as to how he learnt about this passage with such perfection without me telling him about it! Also, why did he want to kill my son?”
“Only Vikrant can answer these queries, Maharaj! Let’s call him here!” the Queen demanded.
Raghunathan called Vikrant and just then, Kartik, the physician entered in. The other day he had only searched some gardens of the kingdom for locating the herb whose mixture was given to Chandrika.
Raghunathan decided to call off his search for the master brain behind this conspiracy was found!
Soon, Vikrant entered in and quite significantly appeared of not recognising the man who called him his “master”! The King told him of what Sukhram had just confessed which stunned the minister. Vikrant maintained that he was innocent and Sukhram was speaking a lie! However, as all proof was turned against him, the King kept Vikrant under custody till more light could be shed on this mystery.
Try as he might, the King failed to make Vikrant admit that he was responsible for the twin conspiracies against his son. Efforts were also made to interrogate Sukhram’s wife, who maintained that her husband only informed her that he was a spy but never revealed the name of his master. He had told his wife that he was on an important mission during the time when he was asked to stay in the secret chamber.
A couple of days passed by. Biksham came to meet the King and the Queen. The minister appeared to be in a contemplative mood. After all of them were seated, Biksham looked at the King and revealed the purpose of his visit, “Today I have come here to tell you as to why Vikrant conceived this evil plan!”
Raghunathan and Padmavati were startled to hear this. “What!” they exclaimed in chorus. “Did Vikrant tell you about it?” the Queen asked anxiously.
“Yes! He did tell me something and thereafter I have formed my assumptions, which I would like to tell you now. Thereby, you decide if there is any logic in my mode of thinking.”
As the couple listened eagerly, Biksham began. “Maharaj, do you remember Shailendra, your former treasurer?”
Raghunathan thought for a while and recollected, “Yes I do, Biksham! I removed him years ago from service after he cheated me by diverting funds of the palace treasury for his personal use!”
“Precisely, Maharaj!” Biksham agreed with a smile.
“Vikrant is his son!” Biksham revealed which stunned the couple. The minister continued, “Today, my spies were roaming about in the kingdom just to see if everything was fine. They entered an area that is under the jurisdiction of Vikrant.
They heard the people talk about him when one man opined that Vikrant looked exactly like Shailendra’s young son, Chiranjeev. Thereby, this person lamented that Chiranjeev had vanished after the death of his parents. The others who were listening to him could not say anything in this regard for they, probably, did not know Shailendra.
My spies brought me this piece of information which made me suspect if Vikrant was the son of Shailendra. I went to meet Vikrant in the dungeon and after much persuasion, he agreed!…”
