The Bhikṣuṇī Maṇimēkhalai

227
Book XXII
[Protection of the Chaste]
The day having dawned, early worshippers at the temple of
Champāpati found the prince there cut in two, and informed the holy
ones in residence at the Cakravāḷakoṭṭam. They naturally enquired of
Maṇimēkhalai if she knew anything about it, and she recounted all
that had taken place. Leaving her and the remains of the prince
hidden in a place apart, they went to the palace and sent word to the
king of their arrival. Obtaining audience, one of them, after the usual
salutation, said,
‘It [167] is not at this time alone that such sad occurrences have
happened. Many have suffered cruel death due to them by giving way
to the impulses of guilty love to women of inexorable chastity and
constancy. By way of illustration, we may mention one or two.
When Paraśurāma had taken it upon himself to uproot the race of the
Kṣatriyas, Goddess Durgā warned Kāntan, the ruling Cōḻa at the time,
that he should not go to war against him. As a result of the warning,
the king wished to go away from the capital and live in hiding till the
danger should have passed. He, therefore, looked out for someone
who could be entrusted with the administration during his absence
and who would not be in the same danger to which he was actually
exposed.
Fixing upon his natural son Kakandan, the son of a courtesan, but
withal a very valiant prince, he entrusted him with the administration.
He exhorted him to keep watch over the city till he should himself
return with the permission of Rishi Agastya.