530. A Friendship Revived

"Your Majesty! We have received a message from Asokavarma, the King of Varuna country" said the Minister.

"What does he say? Is he threatening to invade our country?" asked King Magizhvanan.

"No, Your Majesty. He has sent a message seeking our friendship. He says he wants to be friendly with us again, as he was in the past. He has expressed his regret for having been estranged from us, during the past few years."

"The pain of a person who was friendly with us getting estranged for no reason is intense. I experienced such a pain because of Ashokavarma's sudden alienation. Now, I am heartened by his change of heart" said Magizvanan.

"That means..." asked the Minister.

"We have always considered Varuna country a friend. Send a reply to Ashokavarma that we welcome his change of heart and are ready to accept his extended hand of friendship."

After a few days, the Minister came to the King and asked him, "Your Majesty! Please pardon me for asking this. I had misgivings about your accepting Ashokavarma's offer of friendship, without ascertaining the reasons for his change of heart. But, you have now decided to send our troops to Varuna country. Is this act not dissonant with our accepting his offer of friendship? Will this not make Ashokavarma estranged once again?"

"You know that Ashoka Varma who was friendly with us became alienated as a result of getting instigated by the foxy Sutavarma, the King of Chenny country, who poisoned Asokavarma's mind, by making him believe that we were planning to annex Varuna country and thereby creating a distrust in his mind about us. 

"Though I accepted the hand of friendship extended by Asokavarma, I asked our Chief of Espionage to find out the reason for Ashokavarma's change of heart. He has ascertained that Ashoka Varma's change of heart was caused by the realization that Sutavarma's plan was to annex Varuna country, by making Ashokavarma break his friendship with me and thereby preventing us from coming to the help of Varuna country, when it would be invaded by the troops of Chenny country. 

"After seeing through the game plan of Sutavarma. Asokavarma regretted his action of alienating us and sought to restore his friendship with us. Obviously, Askokavarma expects that if he is friendly with me, we will come to his country's help, if it is invaded by Suthavarma's troops. I have sent our troops to Varuna country, only to fulfill the expectations of Ashokavarma."

Seeing the confused expression of the Minister, the King continued, "Our troops have gone to Varuna country, not to fight, but to guard that country. Our troops will be positioned near the border of Varna country. I have already apprised Ashoka Varma of my move. Knowing that our troops are positioned near the border of Varuna country, Sutavarma won't dare to invade Varuna country. Since I have fulfilled the purpose for which Ashoka Varma wanted to reestablish his friendship with us, he will ever remain friendly with us!"

There was a broad smile on King Magizhnan's face.

Thirukkural
Section 2

Materialism

Chapter 53
Cherishing One's Kith and Kin

Verse 530 (in Tamil):

uzhaip pirindhu kAraNaththin vandhAnai vEndhan
izhaththirundhu eNNik koLal.

Meaning:

If an estranged person returns to the king's fold for some reason, the king will render him the help needed and accept him in his fold, after making a proper assessment of him.

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'mINdum thuLirththa natpu' by the same author.)

Verse 531 (Soon)
Verse 529