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decided spot. Shrenik had not yet arrived and suddenly
Sujyeshtha remembered her jewellery box. She told Chellana,
“Sister! You wait here, I will fetch my jewellery box in a jiffy
and be right back. The box is ready lying outside. I won’t
take long. Just in case King Shrenik arrives, stop him for a
moment. Tell him to wait till I come.” Saying so, she left.

Greed – The destroyer

At such a crucial time, almost a matter of life and death, she
felt like going and fetching her jewellery box. Innocent and
ignorant, she didn’t realise that if she receive the great honour
of becoming the main queen of the Emperor of Magadh,
King Shrenik, he would cover her from head to toe with
precious ornaments. Would her little jewellery box matter
then?

Worldly creatures also commit the same mistake. They exercise
some religious activity and then demand some meagre returns.
Innocent and ignorant, they do not realize that if those
religious activities are able to give you the pleasures of paradise
and ultimately heaven, won’t they give you such trivial fruits
and fame? Then why ask for it? But our ignorance and greed
plays a role here.

Destiny in action

The same occurred with Sujyeshtha. Inspired by ignorance
and greed, she went back to fetch the little jewellery box.
The result? Loss of the prestigious position of the queen of
Magadha. This loss also eventually proved beneficial but at

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