Koperundevi was alone in the temple, the rest had gone. She was contemplating her worries when the sly Mahamantri came to her to put oil in the fire.
"Uchit hi hai, chhote bhai ko bade bhai ki parchhai mei hi rehna hota hai." The Mahamantri said earning a glare from Koperundevi.
"Maharani, aapka shubh chintak hu iss liye katu satya kehta hu. Kya aapne dekha nahi Maharaj kaise Rajrajan ke prati anyaye kar rahe the ? Apne putra ka tiraskar dekh ke aapko bura nahi laga ?" Mahamantri asked.
"Mahamantri !" Koperundevi scolded.
"Kshama kare Maharani, kintu aapka apna putra, aapka apna rakt, jisko aapne swayam janm diya hai, uska adhikaar chhin kar kisi anya ko de diya gaya hai. Aise hi dheere dheere uske sabhi adhikaar, Manikantha le jayenge." Mahamantri said.
"Mahamantri, Maharaj ne Manikantha ko aur usne apne Anuj ko upyukt adhikaar diye hai. Waise bhi Jyesht ka adhikaar sarvapratham hota hai, aur mujhe pata hai ki Mera Putra Ayyappa, apne Anuj ke saath kabhi anyaye nahi karega." Koperundevi said.
"Kintu Bhaiyo ka prem kab tak rahega ? Satta paa ke koi apna nahi hota Maharani. Shudh hridaye ke Mata Pita ki santaane bhi shudh ho aisa awashyak nahi, aur waise bhi Manikantha ko toh aapne Goud liya hai. Yadi bhavishya mei woh Rajrajan ka virodh kare toh ? Unhe maar daale toh ?" Mahamantri said.
"Nahi Nahi ! Aisa nahi ho sakta !" Koperundevi said.
"Satta ka lobh vyakti se kuch bhi karwa sakta hai Maharani. Waise bhi Maharaj ne Rajrajan ke sabhi adhikaar bade Rajkumar ko de rakhe hai. Ab chhote Rajkumar ki suraksha aapke haatho mei hai." Mahamantri said.
Koperundevi clutched her heart hearing the words of the evil minister, which had settled in her mind.
"Rajrajan ke saath aisa nahi ho sakta, mai kya kar sakti hu uske suraksha hetu ?" Koperundevi asked.
"Vishayla paudha ped bane, usse pehle use jad se ukhad fekna chahiye. Isse pehle Manikantha, Rajrajan hetu sankat bane unhe samapt kardena hi uchit hoga. Keval ek upaye hai, Manikantha ka vadh." Mahamantri said.
"Y-Yeh kya keh rahe hai aap ? M-Mujhse yeh nahi hoga..." Koperundevi said.
"Aapko kaha kuch karna hai Maharani ? Aap keval aadesh de, baaki Mai sambhal lunga. Aisa upaye karunga ki Manikantha swayam ko mrityu ke mukh mei le jayega." Mahamantri said.
The evil minister had made the mistake of taking advantage of a mother's love and innocence and turned Koperundevi against her beloved son.
---
The entire palace started to bustle, with maids and servants running here and there. Their Maharani was in 'great pain', the Vaid who was paid extra by the Mahamantri made a false diagnosis of the queen's pain.
"Vaid ji ? Kya huya hai Mata ko ? Woh thik toh ho jayengi na ?" Ayyappa swami asked.
"Aapki Mata ko aisa rog huya hai jiska upchaar sambhav hai." The vaid lied.
"Aisa na kahe Vaid ji, koi na koi upchaar toh hoga !" Rajshekhara said looking at his wife who was wincing and screaming in 'pain'
"Upaaye hai kintu woh itna jatil karya hai ki use karna asambhav hai." Vaid said.
"Batayiye woh kya hai ?" Ayyappa asked.
"Maharani ke upchaar hetu Baaghin ka dugdh chhaiye. Aur wahi dugdh jo woh swayam de, aakrosh ya bandhi ban ke nahi." The vaid said.
At that all fell silent, who was brave enough to retrieve the milk of a tigress.
"Mai launga Baaghin ka dugdh." Ayyappa swami said without any second thought.
"Kya ? Tum jaante ho ki tum kya keh rahe ho ? Isme tumhare praan jaa sakte hai !" Rajshekhara said.
"Yadi Mata ke kasht dur karne ke liye, mere praan jaye toh mujhe lagega ki mera jeevan safal raha." Ayyappa swami smiled.
Koperundevi kept looking at her son who left the room, it gave her a second thought about whether she did the right thing by playing in this pretence. But she shrugged off those thoughts seeing the face of her younger son Rajrajan.
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A/N
Now it is time for the most fun part of the story of Ayyappa Swami 🙏
आप पढ़ रहे हैं
HARIHARESHWARI 8 : MANAV-AVATARAM
ऐतिहासिक साहित्यThe age of Treta Yug has begun, new challenges and threat await the cosmos. New journeys will be undertaken new accomplishments will be made. Be it a curse or a boon, moments of happiness or moments of helplessness, all will be endured with a smile...
