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Chandra: I do not wish for the throne, kingdom or wealth brother, but please spare Dhruva. She’s betrothed to me, she is my fiancée. Bedside I am in love with her.
Rama (Laughing hysterically): Don’t you know brother, a king must have what he wants, I am now the king and If I have my father’s crown, sure I can have my brother’s girl. Of course you are invited brother, in our marriage.
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Dhruva: How could you accept such heinous proposal? I am engaged to you, how could you let me taken away by your step brother? I shall die before I marry him.
Chandra: I am helpless my princess, He is the king now and his wish will be his command. And he wishes you for himself.
Dhruva: Are you not the rightful heir of this kingdom? Are you not chosen by your father, the mighty king in his deathbed? What has changed?
Chandra: The royal politics my dear. He has the support of all the nobles in the courtyard
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Madhava: I feel honoured by your presence everyday prince. But what keeps you so gloomy all the time my cherished?
Chandra: You don’t want to know. My pain is my own, and I must deal with it.
Madhava(Sadly): As my prince wishes, after all I am just a courtesan, a personal entertainer of yours.
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Rudra: So what do you say O king? Your army is badly trapped and awaited to get slaughtered. What’s your idea to deal with this situation?
Rama: I am sure we can come to some terms.
Rudra: Of course there is a way. I have already won your land. Now I can spare your life, if only you agree to send your wife to me. I heard she’s the most beautiful woman of your whole kingdom.
Rama: *Silent and speechless*
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Chandra: What??!! Is he out of your mind? Has the king gone insane?
Messenger: King has faced a heavy defeat by the Satrap ruler. To save himself be executed he agreed to trade our queen for his life.
Chandra: What a disgrace he is in the name of our blood and royalty? Has he no respect for our pride, legacy and ancestry?
Madhava: I shall go my prince, Satrap king Rudra doesn’t know our Queen Dhruva. I can be presented to him in disguise of her.
Chandra: But Madhava………
Madhava (With tears in her eyes): My prince, your kindness for this low life slave girl is more than enough. But I can not see my kingdom and my people to sink in public shame. For them, for you I have to make this sacrifice my beloved.
Messenger: Your chariot awaits.
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Rudra: Ahh, queen Dhruva, why are you hiding behind those colorful clothes, show me your face my possession. Your husband, your king sold you to me like a maid to save his wretched life, I wonder how it feels to be the wife of such coward. But I promise you, once I am done with you I shall take care of him by myself.
Chandra: Do not worry, I shall take care of him myself, but first we have our unfinished business.
Rudra: You!!!! Guards!!!!!!! We are betrayed, kill him.
Chandra (with his sword risen): They are already silenced by my troops. It’s your turn now.
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Rama: Brother! Forgive me. I beg of you.
Chandra: A weak and coward king who runs away in the first sign of trouble and stoop to any low to save his own life is neither capable nor deserve this kingdom and legacy our father has established. I am taking back what was rightfully mine, My Throne…. And My Queen.
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(Chandragupta II was the son of the mighty ruler Samudragupta of Gupta Empire. As per the fragment from Vishakadatta’s “Devichandraguptam” (who also wrote Mudrarakshasa) and the drama NatyaDarpana written by Jain scholars Ramachandra and Gunachandra state, after Samudragupta’s death his elder son, Ramagupta, took over the throne and married Chandragupta II’s fiancé Dhruvadevi by force.
The king Ramagupta, the elder brother of Chandragupta II, deciding to surrender his queen Dhruvadevi to the Saka ruler of the Western Kshatrapas Rudrasimha III after a defeat at the Saka ruler’s hands. To avoid the ignominy the Guptas decided to send Madhavasena, a courtesan and a beloved of Chandragupta II, disguised as the queen Dhruvadevi. However, Chandragupta himself changed the plan and went to Rudrasimha III disguised as the queen. He then assassinated Rudrasimha III and later his brother Ramagupta. Dhruvadevi was then married to Chandragupta II)
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