Since Vandhiyathevan had spent his life in the arid regions north of Palar, he did not know how to swim in the floods. Once when he was guarding the border on the banks of Vadapennai, he went down to the river to bathe. He was caught in a great whirlpool of water. The vicious circle of mischief whirled around him and tormented him. At the same time, it was dragging down. Soon the whirlpool sucked away all Vandhiyathevan's strength. "I can't live anymore, I will drown myself in the vortex!" said Vandhiyathevan when he was in despair and came out of the whirlpool of the river by divine providence. The flood swept him away and saved him on the shore!
That night, when Vandhiyathevan went back and lay down, he felt the same feeling as if he had been caught in the vortex of the river. He seemed to be caught involuntarily in a great vortex of diplomatic intrigue. Is it possible to escape this whirlpool of conspiracy as you did from the vortex of the river? Will God save him again?
What he had learned from the midnight meeting at Kadampoor palace that day stunned him. It had been only a few years since the troubles caused to the Chola empire by external enemies had been removed. Prince Athitha Karikalar Mahavira, an expert in the art of war; Chanakya in diplomacy. He used his intellectual powers and the fighting skills of the Chola army to the fullest and completely eliminated the power of the Krishna king of the twin mandalams from Tondaimandalam. The external enmity was finally gone. In this situation, infighting and intrigue have begun to arise. What will be the result of this internal strife, which is more dangerous than external enmity?
Aren't the famous soldiers, ministers, leaders and officials of Chola Nadu involved in this terrible attempt? What kind of people were Pazhuvertaraiyar and his brother? What is their power? What is the influence? What name, fame, influence, and valour were the others present here today? Could this be the first such meeting? How many more places has Pazhuvertaraiyar taken Mathuranthakar in a covered palanquin? Damn! How favorable was his marriage to a young woman in his old age?
To this day, there is no doubt in Vandhiyathevan's mind that Prince Athitha Karikalar is the heir to the Chola throne. He had never dreamed of a rivalry. He had heard about Kandarathitthan's son Mathuranthakar. I know that like his father, his son is also a Shiva devotee. But I have never heard of him as entitled to the kingdom or capable of contesting for it. The thought had never entered his mind before.
But what about fairness? Who really deserves the title? Athitha Karikalar? Mathuranthakar? The more he thought about it, the more he seemed to be justified on both sides. If there really is a competition, which of them will win? What is his duty? Wow! Didn't we set out on this pilgrimage from Kanchi with a fortress in our minds? We wanted to behave in accordance with the crown prince Athitha Karikalan and attain high positions in the Chola empire. In time, we thought that we could even regain the ancestral kingdom of the Varnar tribe. It seems that the tamarind horn that we have caught as a means of all this will be broken...? Because of these thoughts, Vandhiyathevan could not sleep for a long time after his second visit. At last, in the fourth watch of the night, at the dawn of east, he fell asleep.
The next morning, when the red rays of the rising sun flashed on him, Vandhiyathevan did not get up. When Kanthamaran came and woke him up, he woke up with a bang.
"Did you sleep well last night?" asked Kanthamaran hospitably. Then he said to himself, "I came here after all the other guests had gone to sleep. You were doing good Kumbhakarna service!"
Vandhiyathevan suppressed all the thoughts that arose in his mind and said, "I know that I came here after watching Kuravai and slept here, I have just woken up. Damn! It's been so long! It looks like there will be a jam! I must leave at once. Kanthamara! Command your servants to get the horse ready!"
"It's beautiful! How do you leave in there? What's the hurry? We have to stay here for at least ten days and then leave," said Kanthamaran.
"No, Uncle! My uncle in Thanjavur is not well. The news came that it was impossible to survive. Therefore, I must go and see him soon and leave immediately," said Vallavaraiyan in one fell swoop.
"In that case, we must wait here for a few days, at least on the way back."
"Well, we'll see then, and now say goodbye to my departure!"
"Don't be in such a hurry! Lets have breakfast and leave. I will also accompany you to the Kollidam river."
"How can that be? Who, someone, big guests have come to your house, leave them behind.."
"I don't have a bigger guest than you..," said Kandan and stopped abruptly. "They are great guests, but my father is there to take care of them; There are also palace officials. I didn't talk to you for a long time last night. If I spend some time with you on the way, I will be at peace. I will definitely come up to the banks of Kollidam!"
"I have no objection. It's your choice, it's your convenience," said Vandhiyathevan.
An hour later, the two friends left Sambuvaraiyar's palace on two horses. The horses moved slowly. The journey was very pleasant. The friends did not even mind the fact that the west wind had thrown dust on them so frequently. They were so absorbed in talking about old memories.
After a while Vandhiyathevan said; "Kanthamara! Even if I stayed only one night in your house, it was of great use to me, but only one disappointment. You were describing all sorts of things about your sister on the banks of the river Vadapennai! I couldn't even see her well. When she hid behind your mother and peeped in, I could see only an eighth of her face! Shyness and stupidity are a little more with your sister than women should be."
Kanthamaran's mouth and lips quivered to say something. But no word was evolving.
"But it doesn't matter, you're the one who wants me to stay at your house for a few days when I return? Then you can see and talk. By then, your sisters shyness will be gone, won't she? Kanthamara! What did you say your sister's name was?"
"Manimekalai!"
"Oh no! What a sweet name! If only there was beauty and character like the name."
Kanthamaran interrupted and said, "Friend! I beg you one thing, forget my sister; Forget all I have said about her; Don't talk to her!"
"What is this, Kanthamara! There is only one reversal! Even last night you hinted that I was going to come to your house as a son-in-law!"
"What I said that is true. But then a different situation arose. My parents have decided to get my sister married off elsewhere; Manimekalai has also agreed to that!"
Vandhiyathevan said to himself, "Long live Manimekalai!" He had no difficulty in guessing to whom Manimekalai was destined to be. Prince Mathuranthakar who emerged from the covered palanquin would have been engaged. They are also establishing such relationships to strengthen Mathuranthakar's party. Pazhuvertaraiyar is a wicked and clever man!
"Wow! You planned to groom one of the rich guests who came last night! Kanthamara! I am not surprised at this; I wasn't disappointed, just what I expected..."
"How did you expect that?"
"Who will give a girl to a poor orphan like me? What woman would agree to marry a man who has no home? If the ancestors of my tribe once ruled over, what will it do now?"
"Friend! Stop enough; Dont talk so badly about me and my family! There is no reason for what you say. There is another more important reason. If you know that, you'll admit it. But I can't reveal that now. You'll know when the time comes!"
"Kanthamara! What kind of mystery are you talking about today?"
"Forgive me for that. It's such a big deal that I cant even speak to you. Trust that no matter what, our friendship will not be affected. When the time comes for the news to come out, Ill run to you and tell you first. Until then, have faith in me. I will never abandon you, trust me..."
"Thank you very much for this promise. But I don't know what makes me abandon myself! I am not dependent on another, Kanthamara. I rely on my sword and my handiwork!"
"The time may soon come when I will have to use that sword and work. Then we will stand in the same party and fight shoulder to shoulder; So your purpose will be fulfilled..."
"What is this? Do you expect a war to come soon? Or do you intend to go to the war in Eezham Nadu?"
"To Eezham? You will be surprised to hear about the beautiful war in Eelam! Rice and other food items should go from Chola Nadu for our soldiers in Eelam! Shame! What I am saying is something else. Have a little patience, and I will tell you when the time comes; Please don't tear my mouth out now!"
"All right, all right! If you don't want to, don't say anything. Don't even open your mouth, Kollidam also appears!" said Vandhiyathevan.
In fact, the flood of the Kollidam river could be seen at a distance. In a few minutes the friends reached the riverbank.
A new stream swept over the river. The other bank seemed far away. The trees on the other side were like little shrubs. Vandhiyathevan was amazed to see the red water rushing towards the lower sea, roaring 'Ho!' in whirlpools and whirlpools, making circular forms, beating drums, trying to break the bank.
A boat stopped at the jetty. Two runners were ready with long sticks in their hands. A man had already boarded the boat. He looked like a big Shiva devotee Shikhamani.
Looking at the people coming on the shore, he asked, "Sami, are you going to come in a boat? One of the boatmen asked.
"Yes; He is coming, stop the boat!" said Kanthamaran! The two friends jumped off their horses.
"Did I come without a thought? What to do with this horse? Can you put him in the boat?" asked Vandhiyathevan.
"No need, here are two men following us. Someone will bring your horse from here to Kadampoor. Another man will come with you in a boat and earn you another horse on the other side!" said Kanthamaran.
"Wow! How much forethought? Aren't you a true friend!" said Vandhiyathevan.
"You would have thought of Kollidam like Palar and Pennaiyar. You wouldn't have thought you couldn't take a horse here!"
"Yes; Forgive me for thinking so carelessly about your Chola Nadu river! What is this river? What flood is this? Isn't it like the ocean?"
The two friends embraced each other and said goodbye.
Vandhiyathevan went along the river bank and got into the boat.
One of the men who came with Kanthamaran also got in.
The boat was ready to leave. The runners began to score.
Suddenly, from a distance, he shouted, "Stop! Stop stop! Stop the boat!" said a voice.
The runners hesitated a little without scoring.
The man who had come running shouting came to the shore very soon. Vandhiyathevan knew who he was at first sight; He is Azhvarkadiyan Nambi.
Knowing that the visitor was a Vaishnava, Saiva in the boat said, "Leave! Release the boat! I will not come in the boat with that hypocrite; Let him come in the next boat!"
But Vandhiyathevan said to the boatmen, "Wait a bit, let him come too! There's plenty of room on the boat! Let's take it and go!"
Vandhiyathevan wanted to hear many things from Azhvarkadiyan about last night's events.