Upon the word of the attendant who came to say that his mother had summoned him, Madurantakan went to see Sembiyan Maadevi. The fame of that venerable old lady, renowned for her deep devotion to Shiva, had spread throughout the land. Once, Madurantakan too had possessed boundless devotion towards his mother. Now, that devotion had transformed into a furious resentment. In all the tales he had heard, never had a mother been known to betray her own son and side with the heirs of another! Must such a mother befall him? The more he thought of it, the more the love in his heart turned to hatred, which, over time, had grown and flared within him.

Yet, upon seeing the mother’s face, suffused with an extraordinary peace, some of his anger abated. Following old custom, he bowed to her and stood up.

“May the wealth of your Shiva-bhakti ever increase and flourish!” blessed the queen, bidding him to be seated. That blessing pierced Madurantakan’s heart like an arrow.

“Madurantaka! Is my daughter-in-law well? Are all well in your father-in-law’s house and in the household of the Danadhikari?” the mother asked.

“All are well enough. Why should you be concerned about that?” the prince muttered.

“Before you left Thanjavur, did you see the Emperor? How is his health these days?” the queen asked.

“I saw him and took my leave before departing. The Emperor’s body grows weaker by the day. More than physical pain, it is mental anguish that torments him,” Madurantakan replied.

“What is this, child? What could have happened to cause the Emperor such mental distress?”

“Those who have committed wrongs—those who have acted unjustly, who seize and enjoy the possessions of others—it is natural for them to feel mental anguish, is it not?”

“What are you saying? What crime or injustice has the Emperor committed?”

“What else is there? Is it not enough that he has sat on the throne that should rightfully be mine for all these years? Is that not a crime? Is it not injustice?” “My child! How did this poison find its way into your heart, which was once as pure as milk? Who has corrupted you with evil counsel?” asked the mother in a voice filled with compassion.

“No one has corrupted me with evil counsel. Why do you consider your son so naive? Do you think I have no understanding of my own?”

“No matter how wise one is, the mind can be led astray by bad influence. Even stone can be dissolved if the right solvent is used, can it not? Was not Kaikeyi’s mind ruined by the evil counsel of the hunchback?”

“I too know that women’s minds can be corrupted in such a manner!”

“Madurandhaka! Whom are you referring to?”

“Mother! Tell me, for what reason have you called me here?”

“Just a while ago, you seemed happy at the celebration, did you not?”

“I was. You had a young boy, who was passing by, brought here in a