At the time of our story, the name of Kumbakonam is even mentioned in the English dictionary as Kudanthai and Kudamookku. Apart from the glory of the holy place, it was also famous by the 'Kudanthai astrologer'. A little distance from Kudanthai, in the southwest direction, Pazhaiyarai, the medieval capital of the Cholas, was majestic with its palace domes and temple towers that rose to the sky.
The Kudanthai astrologer had collected the horoscopes of all the royal family members who lived in the Pazhaiyarai palaces. He found the horoscope of Kodumbalur princess Vanathi by flipping through the horoscopes he had collected. After staring at the horoscope for a while, the astrologer looked at Vanathi's face. He looked at the horoscope again. He looked at him from one to the other, but he could not find a way of opening his mouth to say anything.
"What, astrologer! Are you going to say something, aren't you?" asked Kundavai Devi.
"Mother! What can I say? How to tell? I accidentally picked up this horoscope once before. I couldn't believe it; I wondered if this could be the case. Now, when I look at this woman's face and this horoscope together, I am amazed!"
"Dazzle! Dazzle! Surprise enough, and then say something specific!"
"This is a very lucky horoscope, madam! I tell you that you don't think anything differently. Even your horoscope is a step higher. I have never seen such a lucky horoscope!"
Kundavai smiled; Vanathi felt ashamed and said, "Sister! He calls this unfortunate woman the luckiest woman in the world! This is what he says!"
"Mother! What did you say? If I am wrong, I will quit my profession," said the astrologer.
"No, astrologer! No, don't do that. Saying something good to four people. But you are merely saying generally, but you are saying nothing in particular? That's why she's suspicious!"
"Need I be specific? Here I am! Four months ago, something that seemed ominous happened. Something slipped and fell; But that's not really a bad omen. And that's where all the countess fortunes will come from!"
"Vanathi! What did I say? Did you see?" said Kundavai Devi.
"You seem to have told him before!" said Vanathi.
"Have you seen this woman's speech, astrologer?"
"Let me speak, Mother! Now let's say whatever you want! Tomorrow the king will marry the king..."
"Say so. If you talk to young girls about marriage, they will be happy to listen?...
"That's what I mean, madam! Shouldn't we take up marriage talk suddenly? If you do, this old man has lost his mind!"
"Where will her husband come from? When will he come? What sign does he have? Can you tell all this from the horoscope, astrologer?"
"Aha! What's not to say? I can tell you well!" and the astrologer looked at the horoscope again.
We do not know whether he observed, or whether he pretended to observe.
Then, raising his head, he said, "Madam! This princess need not have a husband from far away. He is near; However, that brave warrior is no longer in this country. He has gone across the sea!" said the astrologer.
Hearing this, Kundavai looked at Vanathi.
She tried to suppress the excitement in Vanathi's heart, but her face showed it.
"And then? Who is he? What clan? Do you have any signs to know?"
"The fortunate one who eats well and marries this girl will have a conch shell chakra in his hands, Amma!"
Kundavai looked at Vaanathi again. Vanathi's face was downcast and looking at the earth.
"In that case, won't there be any mark on her hands too?" asked Kundavai.
"Mother! Have you ever seen her feet?..
"Why, astrologer! What a word is this! Are you telling me to hold her leg?"
"No; I am not saying that, but once upon a time, thousands of royal women, queens, queens, queens and queens would do penance for the privilege of touching the feet of this queen!"
"Sister! This old man is making fun of me. Is that why you brought me here? Get up and let's go!" said Vanathi with genuine excitement.
"What are you talking about, girl! Let him say something..."
"I didn't say anything; I am saying that everything is mentioned in this horoscope. Some poets would describe it as 'foot lotus'. Ask this woman to show her the soles of her feet a little. There must be a print of red lotus petals on it."
"Enough! If the astrologer says anything more about her, she will take me by the hand and leave. Tell me a little about her husband..."
"Aha! I'll tell you! He who is fortunate enough to hold her will be a brave warrior! He will stand in the forefront of hundreds of battles and garland the victory. The king will be king; He will sit on the throne of the emperor adored by thousands of kings for a long time.
"I don't believe what you say, how can that happen?" asked Kundavai Devi with a mixture of curiosity, happiness, doubt and worry.
"I don't believe it either. He is thinking of something. He says that you will be happy if you say this!" said Vaanathi.
"There is no harm if you do not believe today; Don't forget this poor astrologer when you believe it at some point."
"Sister! Shall we go?" asked Vanathi again.
Two teardrops peeped out of the corners of her dark eyes.
"Let me tell you one more thing. Hear it and depart, how many dangers and continents will befall the warrior who is going to marry this princess; There are many enemies..."
"Alas!"
"But so many dangers and continents will fly away in the end; Enemies will be destroyed. The hero who attains this Devi will overcome all obstacles and attain a great position. There is something more important than this, Mother! I am old, so I will tell you what I am. You will see this woman's belly one day. If there are no palm leaf lines in it, I will give up this profession of astrology..."
"What's so special about the line of the banyan leaf, astrologer?"
"Don't you know who the Lord of the Upper School is? A child will be born in her womb with the aspect of Lord Vishnu. Her hero, at least, has many obstacles, obstacles, dangers and continents. But there is no obstacle to the son who is going to be born in this woman's womb. Whatever he thinks will come true; Whatsoever he hath taken shall come to pass, and whatsoever he hath touched shall be gold; Wherever he sets foot he will have dominion; The tiger flag would fly everywhere he looked. The armies led by her son will flow everywhere unhindered like the new flood of Ponni river. Jayalakshmi will serve him with folded hands. The fame of the country of his birth will spread to the three worlds. The glory of the tribe in which he was born will endure as long as the world exists..."
When the astrologer was saying this in a fit of rage, Kundavai Devi was looking at his face and listening to his words as if she was swallowing them one by one.
"Sister!" she heard a low voice and turned around, startled.
"What are you doing to me?" said Vanathi more seriously;
Suddenly she fainted and fell to the ground.
"Astrologer! Hurry up and get some water!" said Kundavai and picked up Vanathi and put her in her lap.
The astrologer brought water; Kundavai took the water and splashed it on Vanathi's face.
"Nothing will happen, Mother! Don't worry..." Said the astrologer.
"No worries; This is usual for her. It has been like this five or six times so far! If she goes a little later, she will wake up and when she wakes up she will ask whether this is earth or kailash!" said Kundavai.
Then in a low voice he said, "Astrologer! I have come to you to ask you something important. People have been talking about something for some time in the country. A comet has been appearing in the sky for a few days. Does all this really make sense? Is there any danger to the kingdom? Will there be any change and confusion?" asked the junior stateswoman.
"Don't ask me that, madam! There are no horoscopes for nations, kingdoms and royal events; You can't even tell predictions. None of that came up in the art I had learned. Jnanis, rishis, saints and yogis can perhaps see it in jnana drishti. This poor man does not have that power. In royal matters, the day, stars, horoscopes and astrology all become powerless..."
"Astrologer! You speak very cleverly! Don't look at the horoscope for the kingdom. But what about my father and my brothers? Wouldn't it be like looking at their horoscopes?"
"I'll see you another day, Mother! In general, this is a time of confusion and dangers. Everyone has to be a little careful..."
"Astrologer! My father, the emperor... Ever since I left Pazhaiyarai for Thanjavur, I have been worried."
"I told you before, madam! The Maharaja has a big continent. There are also big risks for their families. With the grace of Goddess Durga, everything will be relieved."
"Sister! Where are we?" asked Vanathi's delicate voice.
Vanathi, who was lying with her head on Kundavai's lap, plucked her eyelids like the wings of a beetle and woke up.
"Sweetheart! We are still on this earth! The Pushpak Vimana has not yet arrived to take us to heaven. Wake up! Let's get into the chariot drawn by our horse and go to the palace!" said Kundavai.
Vanathi sat up and asked, "Did I faint and fall?"
"Not fainting; You slept on your sister's lap! I even sang a lullaby, didn't you hear me?"
"Don't be angry, Sister! My head is dizzy without me knowing it."
"Dizzy, dizzy; If this astrologer had predicted me like that, even I would have been dizzy."
"That's not it, Sister! Did I believe everything he said?"
"Did you believe it or not? But the astrologer was frightened! Don't take a coward like you anywhere again."
"I told you then that it was I who did not come to the astrologer! Is that you..?"
"It's my fault, get up, let's go, can you walk four steps to the door? If not, do you have to carry it on your hip?"
"Don't! Do not! I can walk well."
"Wait a bit, madam! I will give you the prasadam of the Goddess, take it and go," said the astrologer and started tying the palm leaf manuscript.
"Astrologer! You told me everything; You didn't say anything to your sister?" said Vanathi.
"Mother! I have told everything to the junior stateswoman, what new should I say?"
"The brave warrior who is going to marry his sister"
"Asagaya Surar," interrupted Kundavai.
"What's the doubt?.. The mighty prince..."
"Thirty-two Samudrika is also of character; Brihaspati in the intellect; Saraswati in magic, Cupid in beauty; Arjuna in energy!"
"Where and when will the prince, the prince who is suitable for the junior stateswoman, come from?.."
"He is coming, madam! Coming! He is sure to come, and he will come very soon."
"How will he come? Will he come on horseback? Will he come in a chariot? Will the elephant come on top? Will he come on foot? Or will he jump straight from the sky to the roof!" asked Kundavai Devi mockingly.
"Sister! I hear the horse's footsteps!" said Vanathi a little excitedly.
"What no one hears, only you will hear wonderfully!"
"No, I'm not joking, listen to me!"
Indeed, I heard the footsteps of a horse galloping down the street.
"What do you mean? Won't horses go through the streets of Kudanthai Pattanam?" said Kundavai.
"No; It seemed like it was coming here!"
"Something sounds strange to you, get up, let's go!"
At this moment there was a confused noise at the door of the house; Voices were also heard.
"Is this the astrologer's house?"
"Yes; Who are you?"
"Is there an astrologer?"
"Don't you want to go in?"
"That's how I'm going!"
"I won't give up."
"I want to see an astrologer."
"Come on then."
"Then you can't come; I'm in a hurry!"
"Oh! Whoops! Stand! Stop!"
"Sometimes! Get away! If you stop me, I will kill you..."
"Sir! Sir! Do not! Don't go inside!"
Such a confused shout was heard nearer and nearer; The door opened. A young man burst in with such a splendid pomp and bustle. A man was trying to pull him by the shoulders from behind. The young man stammered across the threshold and came in. Readers would have guessed who the young man was, our hero is Vandhiyathevan! The eyes of the three men inside the house looked at the soldier at the same time.
Vandhiyathevan also looked at the people inside. No; He saw only one of the people inside. Not even that; He did not see Kundavai Devi completely, he only saw her golden face. If he saw the whole face, he didn't! He looked at her coral petals, slightly spread in astonishment; He looked into her wide eyes, full of majesty, surprise, and mischievous smile. He looked at the eyelids and the black eyebrows; He looked at his saffronred sunken cheeks. He looked at the smooth neck of the conch. He looked at them all at once. Individually, they stuck in his mind.
All this lasted only a few seconds, and he turned quickly to the astrologer's disciple and said, "Why don't you say that there are girls inside? Would I have come like this if I had told you?" he asked, pushing the disciple to the other side and crossing the threshold again. However, before going out, he looked back at Kundavai Devi one more time.
"Oh my God! Isn't it as if the storm has passed?" said Kundavai.
"It's not over yet; Listen to that!" said the Kodumbalur princess.
There was still an argument going on between Vandhiyathevan and the astrologer's disciple at the door.
"Astrologer! Who is he?" said Kundavai.
"I don't know, Mother! It looks like someone is the original. Looks like a big rough kid."
Kundavai suddenly thought of something and burst out laughing.
"Why are you laughing?"
"For what? I laughed thinking about whether my fiancé was going to come on a horse, an elephant, or jump through the roof!"
Now Vanathi could not bear to laugh. The laughter of both of them mingled in waves. Even the sound of the quarrel outside was drowned out by the laughter of the two ladies.
The astrologer, deep in silent contemplation, gave vermilion to the two royal daughters. Receiving it, they both rose; They went out of the house. The astrologer also came.
Vandhiyathevan, who was standing a little aside at the door of the house, when he saw the women, said, "Sorry, this clever man did not say that there are women inside. That is why I came in such a hurry. I'm sorry about that!" he said in a loud voice.
Kundavai looked at Vandhiyathevan with a smiling face and eyes full of mischief and mockery. Not a word answered. She grabbed Vaanathi with one hand and dragged her towards the banyan tree where the chariot was standing.
"The women of Kudanthai town seem to have no respect. Why don't you look back and answer a word just because a man comes and speaks to you?" they heard Vandhiyathevan say loudly.
The charioteer had yoked the horse to the chariot and kept it ready. As soon as the two princesses got into the chariot, the charioteer also got into the front. The chariot hurried towards the banks of the Arisilaru. Vandhiyathevan stood watching the chariot until it disappeared.