Page 17 - Courage Redifined

2. Kamlata's Wicked Plan

The King permitted Kamlata to give charity according to
her own free will and hence she started her donation center.
Hearing this, seekers started coming from far and near. Among
them was her husband. She immediately identified him and
took him aside and gave him a box full of jewellery and
money. She told him, “Take this with you. Come at the temple
of Goddess located outside this city on the night of Kali
Chaudasa. I will also come there, accompanied by the King.
I will then murder him and come home along with you.”

The Brahmin was astonished to hear this. But he had received
abundant wealth and jewellery and was now on the verge of
getting his beautiful wife back. In this greed, he convinced
his mind thinking, “Women are weak and dependent. What
could she do ? How could she escape from the clutches of
the King ? How could she have protected her character in the
King’s trap ? But she regrets her actions which means she is
still good at heart. Let the sinful King die. I am getting my
wife back. I should give her refuge and protect her.”

The greed for sensual pleasures and wealth converts a human
into a devil. For the poor Brahmin, giving refuge to his
characterless wife out of sympathy was merely an excuse.
In reality, he wished to fulfill his own desires. As a result,
breaking the King's trust and thus murdering him was also not
a big deal for the Brahmin and he did not regret it at all.

One cannot even imagine the extent to which such sinful
people can fall for their self-interests.
Kamlata's Wicked Plan 7