156. The Queen's Necklace

"Nandhini! Your pearl necklace has been recovered" King Madhisudan told his queen Nandhini. 

"How was it recovered?"

"It was stolen by a guard working in our palace. When the security guards searched his house on suspicion, the necklace was recovered. Here it is!" said Madhisudan, handing the necklace to Nandhini.

Nandhini confirmed that the necklace was hers, by looking at it closely and feeling it with her hands.

"What are you going to do about the man who stole the necklace?" asked Nandhini.

"He would have been imprisoned by the security guards. He will be produced before a judge tomorrow. The judge will hear the case and award him the appropriate punishment."

"Can you not hear the case?"

"Normally, these kinds of cases are heard by judges, designated for this purpose."

"I have read that that Pandya King Nedunchezhiyan heard the case in which Kovalan was accused of stealing the anklet of the Pandya Queen!"

"If you want, I will hear this case myself" said the King. 

"I have a request. Before awarding punishment to the accused, please consult with me."

"Why? Do you want the punishment should be severe?" asked Madhimaran.

Nandhini smiled, without saying anything. 

"Nandhini! As desired by you, I had the person accused of stealing your necklace brought to my court and conducted the inquiry. The accused confessed to the crime. I have announced that I would pronounce the sentence tomorrow. Tell me what punishment you want me to award him" said Madhisudan. 

"If the case was heard by a judge, what sentence would he have awarded?" asked Nandhini.

"Normally, he would have sentenced the thief to jail for 10 years. But, since this is a crime against the Queen, the judge might have even awarded death sentence."

"If the judge had wanted to pardon the thief, could he have done so?"

"No. The judge has the power to award punishment. He has no power to pardon the criminal. Only the King has the power to pardon the wrongdoer."

"That was why I wanted the case to be heard by you!"

"What do you mean, Nandhini? Committing a robbery in the palace is a grave offense. Why should we pardon the thief?"

"Whether a person steals from a poor man or from the king, stealing is the same kind of offense. Instead of thinking that the thief stole the queen's necklace, why shouldn't you look at this as his first crime and pardon him? If he is pardoned, there are chances of his getting reformed."

"Nandhini! The system of justice requires that a person who commits a crime has to be punished."

"I understand that it is your duty to uphold the law and justice by punishing people who commit crimes. But, if the person whose necklace was stolen, pardons the thief and requests that the thief be spared the punishment, should you not accept that request?"

"I will definitely accept your request, Nandhini. I understand your sense of forbearance. I will get your act of pardoning a crime committed against you etched in stone inscriptions, so that your noble act of compassion and forbearance will be known to posterity" said Madhisudan. 

Thirukkural

Section 1
The Path of Virtue

Chapter 16
Forbearance 

Verse 156 (In Tamil)

oRuththArkku oru nALai inbam poRuththArkkup
ponRum thuNaiyum pugazh.

Meaning:

One who punishes the person who had wronged him may rejoice for a day. But, the reputation of one who shows forbearance will last till the end of the world.

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'muthu mAlai' by the same author)

Verse 157 (Soon)
Verse 155