The death of the King⁹

Chandra Gupta returned home after slaying the evil King Shaka, bringing with him his brother, King Rama Gupta, and the Queen, Dhruva Devi, who had been held captive for several weeks. Everybody was appreciating and admiring Chandra Gupta for his heroism. At the same time, they were criticising and cursing the King, for agreeing to give his own wife away in order to regain his kingdom. Everybody was filled with hatred for the undivine King.

The King felt miserable that everybody was appreciating his brother. “Something should be done,” he said. “Why has this happened to me?”

His evil minister read the King’s mind. “O King, you were a fool to expose your cowardice.”

But Rama Gupta said, “Still I am the King. Yet nobody gives me any importance.”

“What can you expect from your subjects?” the minister asked. “They all love and admire their Queen and they are angry that you wanted to give her away.”

Rama Gupta became very agitated. “Even my own wife is more venerated than I am. This is my fate!” A friend of the undivine minister happened to overhear this conversation. He was extremely jealous of Chandra Gupta and had a clever idea.

“O King,” he said, “I could not help overhearing your words. I fully sympathise with you. But I must tell you that you will never be happy as long as your brother stays on earth.”

The King said, “Indeed, I fear you are right. I should banish him from the kingdom.”

“He would only gather an army and return to challenge you. But,” the friend continued, “O King, if your brother were dead, everybody would forget all about him. Then all the glory in this kingdom would be totally yours.”

“I need glory, name and fame,” agreed the King. “But alas, my brother will live on earth for many years.”

“We can change his fate and our fate,” said the minister. “What if poor Chandra Gupta were killed mysteriously in his sleep?”

“An excellent idea,” said Rama Gupta.

“Tonight!” said the minister’s friend. “You should kill him tonight, before another day passes and you lose more glory, name and fame.”

“We shall help you rule the kingdom without him,” said the minister. “Boundless will be our wealth and power!”

That night Chandra Gupta was sleeping when he heard a loud sound. “Who is there?” he demanded.

Someone was approaching him in the dark, sword in hand, and was about to stab him. “Villain!” Chandra Gupta cried out. “At this hour you have come to kill me?” With that, he pushed aside his assailant, grabbed the sword and stabbed the person.

When Chandra Gupta turned on the light, he saw it was his own brother that he had stabbed. “What can I do? Forgive me, forgive me. I didn’t know it was you. If I had seen you, if I had known it was you, I would have allowed you to kill me and put an end to all your suffering. You should have asked me to leave the kingdom. I would have gladly gone away. I don’t need name and fame. I am happy with what I have and what I am.”

Chandra Gupta could do nothing to save his brother, who died in his arms. “What have I done, what have I done!” Chandra Gupta cried out. “I did not know it was my brother. Alas, my father was so great and good. Is this the fate of his sons and kingdom?” Chandra Gupta buried his head in his hands totally crushed and heartbroken.