SITA’S SISTER Read Free Page A

and the younger brother of Seeradhwaj Janak.
    ‘…And so about these princes…’ continued Mandavi, her authoritative tone breaking through Urmila’s anxious thoughts. ‘The older one is Ram and Lakshman is his younger brother, and they are here with Rishi Vishwamitra.’
    ‘Sage Vishwamitra?’ Sita echoed, the surprise apparent in her voice.
    Urmila was intrigued. Vishwamitra was not a person whom anyone could meet easily. He was one of the most renowned and revered rishis of the country—a brahmarishi—a sage who has understood the meaning of brahman, the ultimate reality, and has attained the highest divine knowledge, brahmajnana. The story, from what Urmila could recall, was that the rishi was previously a king. He was earlier known as King Kaushik who clashed against none other than the mighty Rishi Vasishtha, a brahmarishi and the royal priest of the court of Ayodhya, and was routed. This defeat made him realize that the power obtained by penance was far superior to military strength. The humiliated king relinquished his kingdom and began his pursuit of the supreme and spiritual knowledge to become a bigger rishi than his rival, Sage Vasishtha, and took on the name of Vishwamitra. After many trials and tribulations and the severest of penance and austerities, the sage at last received the title of brahmarishi from Vasishtha himself.
    Though Vishwamitra had changed his vocation, he could not change his essential nature; like the glorious king he formerly was, the brahmarishi maintained his regal hauteur and arrogance and was greatly feared for the same. The mightiest kings trembled before him. So why had that mighty sage come to her father’s kingdom, wondered Urmila? And who were the two princes with him?
    ‘But why are they with Rishi Vishwamitra?’ Urmila could not help asking. Sita nodded eagerly.
    Urmila’s questions were swiftly answered by her voluble cousin, who was still gushing about the young princes of Ayodhya.
    ‘It seems Sage Vishwamitra asked King Dashrath of Ayodhya for the help of his two sons, Ram and Lakshman, to kill some demons who were disrupting his penance in the Dandaka forest. I don’t remember their names…’ she frowned. ‘Oh yes, the she-demon Taraka and her sons Subahu and Mareecha. These demons were very powerful and none could kill them. But these two young princes did! Mareecha escaped but they killed both the dreaded Taraka and Subahu.’
    ‘But why have they come
here
?’ Urmila asked sharply. Was her father in trouble with the influential, irascible sage? Had he sent the princes as a silent warning? Was tension brewing between Mithila and Ayodhya? Urmila couldn’t stem her troubled thoughts.
    ‘Oh, nothing. They are here just to enjoy themselves!’ Mandavi shrugged airily. ‘It seems the revered sage wanted the princes of Ayodhya to meet the famous King Janak of Mithila, my renowned uncle!’ she guffawed.
    ‘Don’t be so flippant, dear!’ chided Sita good-humouredly. ‘You must have found out why they are here through your sources…’
    Mandavi nodded, ‘But seriously, Vishwamitra came to Mithila to attend the yagna uncle is performing for which he has invited all the rishis of the country. You can well imagine his delight when Vishwamitra paid an unexpected visit!’
    ‘So these two young men with the rishi are here to visit Mithila…?’ said Kirti softly. ‘Or are they here for Sita’s swayamvar?’ she asked flatly.
    Kirti had incisively voiced Urmila’s doubts but she knew there was more to it than what was apparent. She glanced at Sita who was frowning and seemed to share her apprehensions.

    That morning was not their usual morning. Sita, who had been unusually silent during the past few days, was late in returning from the temple. Her cousins had gone off to help her mother in the wedding preparations. And instead of joining them, Urmila was waiting for Sita to return. Where was she, Urmila could not stop fretting. She wasn’t in the