Chapter 7

Kannagi in the Royal Court

The Sun bore witness — "He was no thief" — then Kannagi broke her second anklet in the royal court and proved the truth

The Sun as witness

Kannagi heard the news from her friend Aiyai — "saying that he was the thief who had silently stolen the gleaming anklet from the palace, the men wearing jingling anklets executed him." Hearing this, Kannagi shook with rage, fell to the ground, then rose and cried out — "My dear husband, where are you?" Then she turned her face to the sky and asked — "O Sun, witness of every deed in this world! Speak — was my husband a thief?"

A voice rang from the sky — "He is not a thief, O lotus-eyed lady. This city will be consumed by blazing fire." Kannagi reached her husband's body — soaked in blood. Then it seemed to Kannagi as if Kovalan rose up; he wiped away her tears and bade her stay — "Stay, stay here" — and then, with the gods, passed beyond his mortal form.

In the royal court

Holding back her fury, with her remaining anklet in her hand, Kannagi went straight to the royal court. King Nedunjeliyan said — "To put a thief to death is not injustice, it is kingly justice." Kannagi answered — "Lord of Korkai, you have fallen from dharma! My anklet contains gems inside." The king said — "Well said — our anklet contains pearls inside. Bring it here."

Kannagi broke open her anklet — from inside a ruby flew out and struck the king's face. The king understood at once, and said — "Am I fit to be called a king, I who believed the words of a goldsmith? It is I who am the thief. Let me depart from this life." Saying this, the king fell in a swoon and died. Queen Kopperundevi too fell in the same instant, trembling, and said — "No woman can make good the loss of a husband" — and gave up her life there.

Source: Tamil epic — the Silappadikaram (traditionally by Ilango Adigal), Kannagi in the Royal Court

Now — how much stayed with you?

Fact

Turning her face to the sky, what question did Kannagi ask the Sun?

  • Whether her husband was alive
  • What punishment the king would get
  • Whether her husband was a thief
  • What she should do
Read the whole story — The Sun as witness

Kannagi called the Sun the witness of every deed in this world and asked her question.

The answer came from the sky — "He is not a thief."

Who said it?

"To put a thief to death is not injustice, it is kingly justice." — who said this?

  • King Nedunjeliyan to Kannagi
  • The goldsmith to the king
  • The queen to the king
  • Madalan to Kovalan
Read the whole story — The king's first answer

In the royal court Kannagi demanded justice from the king.

The king first defended himself by saying he had only done kingly duty.

Why is that?

What did the king say before his death, and why?

  • "I must pay the price of the anklet"
  • "This anklet is a fake"
  • "This is my queen's fault"
  • "It is I who am the thief; let me depart from this life"
Read the whole story — Taking the blame himself

As soon as the king saw the ruby, he understood his mistake.

He said that he himself was the thief, for he had believed a goldsmith's words without inquiry.

Fact

What was inside Kannagi's anklet?

  • Pearls
  • Rubies (gems)
  • Gold coins
  • Nothing, it was empty
Read the whole story — The proof inside the anklet

Inside Kannagi's anklet were rubies, inside the queen's, pearls.

That difference was the decisive proof of Kannagi's claim.

Fact

In what order did the king and queen die?

  • The king fell in a swoon and died, and the queen too fell at once and gave up her life there
  • The queen first, the king many days later
  • Only the king died, the queen lived
  • Only the queen died
Read the whole story — Almost together

The king's death came from grief and remorse, with no violence.

The queen too fell almost in that same instant and gave up her life.

What happened?

What did Kannagi see on reaching Kovalan's body?

  • Nothing, she only stood silent
  • Her husband rose up to life for good
  • She burned her husband's body
  • It seemed to her as if Kovalan rose, wiped her tears and bade her stay, then passed beyond his mortal form with the gods
Read the whole story — A vision-like moment

It seemed to Kannagi as if Kovalan rose up and wiped away her tears.

He bade her stay, then went with the gods beyond his mortal form — this is not told as a bodily resurrection.

Fact

Who gave Kannagi the news of Kovalan's death?

  • Madari
  • Her friend Aiyai
  • The king himself
  • Kavunthi Adigal
Read the whole story — The friend who brought the news

Kannagi got the news of Kovalan's death from her friend Aiyai.

The news came in the midst of the cowherd women's dance festival.

Fact

What did the king do on seeing the ruby?

  • Ordered Kannagi to be arrested
  • Summoned the goldsmith to answer
  • Said "It is I who am the thief," took all the blame on himself, and fell and died
  • Asked Kannagi's forgiveness and left the throne
Read the whole story — The king's end

The king takes the whole blame on himself as soon as he understands his mistake, and falls and dies at once.

This can be read as the immediate moral result of a breach of kingly dharma; "the sceptre is straightened only by repentance" is not a literal statement of the text.

Fact

What did Kannagi carry into the royal court?

  • Kovalan's body
  • A sword
  • A rope to bind the goldsmith
  • Her one remaining anklet
Read the whole story — The last proof

Kannagi went into the royal court with her one remaining anklet in her hand.

The same anklet was later broken open and became the proof of truth.

Fact

What did Queen Kopperundevi say as she died?

  • "No woman can make good the loss of a husband"
  • "This is all Kannagi's fault"
  • "Forgive me"
  • She said nothing
Read the whole story — The queen's last words

The queen said that no woman can make good the loss of a husband.

Saying this, she fell at the king's feet and gave up her life.