By Srinidhi Murthy Long ago, there lived a kind and just king named Sharyaati, who had many daughters. Though he showered all of them with a lot of love and affection, he was particularly fond of Princess Sukanya. Apart from being as beautiful as her sisters, Sukanya was also wise and well-mannered. One day, all the princesses went to the forest to see the lake. There was a huge anthill near the lake with two lights glowing through two holes on it. A strange sight indeed! Princess Sukanya was so intrigued. She thought the lights were two flies or glow worms and decided to catch them. She poked her fingers through the holes. At once there was a loud cry and then blood started oozing from there. The princess was horrified and ran away in fear. Illustration: ACK Design Team | Script: Shanta Iyer She hurriedly made her way back to her father’s court but when she reached there, Sukanya was startled to see that most of the courtiers were suddenly suffering from severe pain in the eyes. She guessed that there must be a connection between the strange event she had witnessed in the forest and what was happening in the court. She quickly narrated the entire incident to her father. King Sharyaati immediately rushed to the forest. The anthill was, as the princess had described it, only there he also saw a sage within it. The lights had been his glowing eyes, and now they were oozing blood. The King realised that his beloved child had unintentionally blinded a meditating hermit. He immediately fell at the feet of the sage, beseeching him to take back the curse on his courtiers and to forgive his daughter. The sage was none other than the famed Chyavana Rishi and he replied that he had not cursed anyone. The courtiers were just reaping the fruits of his daughter’s actions. The king proposed to look after him. The sage declined and said that he would need only the service of his daughter. [caption id="attachment_15596" align="alignnone"...