Divya went to her great-grandfather only next day at noon, when she found him alone, resting in his room. The elderly sage was reclining against a pillow on his bed. Stroking his snow-white hair, Divya gave him news of Prithusen’s visit, and also casually mentioned the attitude of her grand-uncle, Vishnu Sharma.

With his hand to his forehead, the old man listened to all that she had to say. When Divya fell silent, he looked up, and seeing that she was waiting for a reply, said, ‘My child, I believe Devi Mallika has recovered from her grief and is once again devoting herself to her art.’

‘Yes, Grandfather,’ answered Divya, her eyes resting on his hair. ‘Now there is regular training in her palace. She has also taken on a few new pupils.’

‘There is nothing more paralysing than grief at the death of one’s own child,’ said the old man, heaving a deep sigh. ‘Which of her pupils does Mallika propose to appoint as her successor? Does any one of them have the same talent as Ruchira? Mallika used to say that you and Ruchira were to her like her own two eyes.’

‘I think she will select Madulika … but she is not fully satisfied with her yet. Madulika lacks the ease and grace of movement that Devi Mallika has.’

‘Yes, you are right, I think. It is asking a great deal of Mallika’s successor to have the same talents as she has. Nature does not always manifest itself in the same way. In her time, Mallika even excelled her teacher, Indira. People completely forgot Indira …’

Divya was feeling restless. Her great-grandfather had not paid any attention to the question that she had, with difficulty, put before him. ‘Grandfather, isn’t it true that all citizens are equal in the eyes of the law?’

Removing his hand from his forehead and placing it on Divya’s head, he said in an amused tone, ‘Child, why must you bother about these complicated things when you have your garland-weaving, painting and music to occupy you?’ But then his voice changed, ‘Divya, there was one kind of justice during the reign of King Paurav and a different kind in the days of the victorious King Milinda, and now we have yet another one in the kingdom of the caste dynasty.’ After a slight pause he continued, ‘Justice is not an independent and self-existent entity. It is a manifestation of the aspirations of a society and the system prevailing in that society. Having administered justice for such a long time, I have come to the conclusion that justice is subservient to the ruler. During the days of my father, may his memory be revered, the verdicts of the Paurav dynasty and of its nobility, and the system that protected their rights and privileges, represented justice. In the days of the victorious King Milinda, justice meant divesting the Pauravas of all their power and protecting the rights of King Milinda and his nobles. At that time, in the kingdom of Madra, the Buddhist tenets constituted justice and animal sacrifice became a crime. Under the present rule of the caste dynasty of Madra, the power of the noble families forms the basis of legislation. The caste system once again is being given the place of honour.’