“Bitterness is like swallowing poison and waiting for the other person to die.”   Dighiti and the Queen sent their son, Dighavu, to live with his grandmother to protect him from harm by king Brahmadatta.

Unfortunately, events unfolded just as Dighiti feared. King Brahmadatta’s barber was from Kosala and had worked for Dighiti many years before. One afternoon, as the barber made his way through the busy marketplace, he spotted a familiar figure begging in the streets. Recognizing his former employer, the scheming barber saw an opportunity for his own advancement.

He secretly followed Dighiti through the crowds and found out where he lived. Then he quickly returned to Brahmadatta’s palace and, claiming he had important information, requested an audience with the king.

Brahmadatta listened intently as the barber explained his discovery and revealed the whereabouts of Dighiti and his wife.

What will Brahmadatta do with word of Dighiti’s presence in his city?

Next time: “A Father’s Last Words”