chapter 12

From childhood to adolescence, he had become many friends. Which gave him deep love and trust. The chatter was in everyone's veins. Swinging on swings, walking in gardens, running after butterflies, determined to catch animals and birds, all the friends used to laugh and laugh. This thought started smiling slowly.

Once she had gone far away from the palace with her friends, listening to the rumblings of the horses coming from behind, all the friends hid under the cover of the tree, in the caravan that passed by, in the hearts and minds of Princess Mandvi, a handsomely handsome prince. It was over. She kept staring at him from behind the tree. The caravan passed, all the friends started returning, but there was a big difference between the departure and arrival. The condition of the princess had become strange, she was unable to forget that prince even after wishing, how could she even find him?

Only his image was in her eyes. The friends knew her mood, but they too could not help her.

Days passed, but the princess never mentioned it to her parents. Even if she had spoken with a suppressed tongue, her parents would have tried their best to fulfill her wish.

The princess reached puberty from adolescence. She used to suffocate inside remembering that beautiful and handsome Prince. His fickleness had vanished.

Then King Janak announced Sita Swayamvar and invited the nearby princes to come. The eminent King Maharaja was also invited to that Swayamvara. Upon hearing this, Mandvi's heart rose and danced. The withered bud was moving like a blooming bud in the courtyard of the whole house.

Today, the parents were stunned to see this form of her. Sisters were asking the reason for happiness, the friends knew her mood, they were also very happy today.

Slowly the date of Swayamvar was getting closer. Entire Janakpuri was filled with enthusiasm. She was being decorated like a bride, the girls of the whole city were busy grooming themselves, all their age was lost in the imagination of the prince. The drums were mesmerizing the whole environment with their sounds.

Time was moving on. Today that date had also come, when Princess Sita's swayamvar was going to happen.

Mandvi was thinking,

Alas! I too would have made a mistake like Sita.

But what could happen now? Adolescence had come from childhood, now I had to live in the present.

The kings, maharajas, princes, gandharvas(musicians), eunuchs etc. of the country and abroad were coming to take part in the Swayamvar. They were being welcomed by King Janak and arrangements were being made for their refreshments and accommodation. Everyone was praising the beauty of Janakpuri, everyone was also eager to see Princess Sita. Here, King Janak was thinking of giving her the right to choose a bride from among the guest princes who had come for Urmila and King Kushadhwaj for Mandvi and Shrutkirti. King Janak and King Kushadhwaj smiled knowing each other's mind.

How ironic that every person thinks differently in a situation, is overwhelmed, sad, there are moments of despair and the truth of happiness!

it was then

"All the guests take their places, Swayamvar is about to start."

The king had come to the royal court, brother Kushadhwaj, his wives, sisters, courtiers had all taken their seats, Sita was also coming slowly with her friends. Vishwamitra came and sat in the court with the four princes (Rama, Lakshmana, Bharata and Shatrughna). King Maharaja was trying to lift the bow. But there was a bow that he was insisting on. King Janak was getting upset thinking that Sita's vow should not remain unfulfilled. Suddenly Ram got up from his seat by the Guru's command, and broke the rope mounted on the bow. There was cheering all around, but Mandvi's distraught mind was looking for her lover Prince, but she could not see him anywhere. There were clouds of despair in his eyes.

The king requested Vishwamitra to get his daughter Urmila and his brother Kushadhwaj's daughter Mandvi and Shrutkirti married with his three prince disciples (Lakshmana, Bharata and Shatrughna).