The Twenty-Third Statue: Dharmavati & The Starving Doe
त्रयोविंशति पुतली धर्मवती: मृग-शिशु की करुणा, व्याध का बाण और सम्राट का अभय-दान
The Twenty-Third Dawn & Dharmavati
तेईसवाँ सूर्योदय और धर्मवती का प्रबोधन
On the twenty-third dawn in Dharanagari palace, morning sunlight streamed across the sandstone colonnade onto the thirty-two-step golden throne.
Draped in sacred saffron silks, King Bhoja approached the twenty-third step of the golden throne with solemn, reverent stride.
As King Bhoja lifted his right foot toward the twenty-third step, the marble dais erupted with brilliant emerald-green and solar golden radiance!
The twenty-third carved bronze statue—**Dharmavati (धर्मवती)**—opened her glowing emerald-green eyes, laughing with melodious temple-bell chime!
"Halt, King Bhoja! Dare not place your foot upon this twenty-third step!"
King Bhoja halted in deep reverence with folded hands, gazing in awe at the living celestial bronze maiden holding a golden deer fawn and protective Dharma shield.
"O divine Dharmavati! What tale of universal compassion and protective benevolence of Emperor Vikramaditya do you bring today?"
Dharmavati raised the golden fawn, speaking with sovereign authority:
"Do you possess the universal compassion of Emperor Vikramaditya when he placed his own warrior chest before a hunter's poisoned arrow to shield a pregnant doe, feeding the starving hunter with royal gold and establishing wildlife sanctuaries?"
The Forest Hunt & The Desperate Hunter
विन्ध्याचल का सघन अरण्य, गर्भवती मृगी और व्याध का बाण
Through the dense, sun-dappled sal forests of the Vindhyas, Emperor Vikramaditya rode on a quiet border patrol.
Beside a crystal-clear mountain stream, a gentle pregnant doe drank peacefully amidst blooming wildflowers.
In the dense thicket, emaciated hunter Lubdhaka drew his weathered horn bow, aiming a poisoned iron arrow: his family had eaten nothing for four days in their mountain hut.
"If I do not bring meat today, my wife and three starving children shall perish before sunset!"
The doe sensed the drawn bow, gazing back with large, soulful, tear-filled eyes, pleading silently for the unborn fawn in her womb!
"Hold your arrow, hunter!"
Lubdhaka released the bowstring; the deadly poisoned arrow streaked through the green forest canopy toward the defenseless deer!
In a blinding flash of crimson and steel, Vikramaditya leaped from his warhorse, throwing his armored warrior chest directly in front of the flying arrow!
The King Shields the Doe with His Own Chest
सम्राट का आत्म-बलिदान, बाण का प्रतिघात और व्याध का पश्चाताप
The heavy iron arrow struck Vikramaditya's golden royal medallion, sparking violently and shattering into the forest loam without harming the King!
The pregnant doe scampered safely into the dense fern thicket, looking back with boundless animal gratitude at her royal savior.
Recognizing the crowned Emperor of Ujjayini, hunter Lubdhaka collapsed onto the forest floor in shivering horror, weeping bitterly!
"Mercy, O King of Kings! I have committed high treason against the Emperor! Cut off my head!"
Instead of drawing his sword in wrath, Vikramaditya extended his hand with gentle paternal kindness, lifting the trembling hunter from the dust.
The Emperor asked gently: *"Why do you hunt a pregnant mother animal with poisoned arrows in this sacred woodland?"*
"Voiceless creatures have their own families and pain; understand their silent suffering."
Lubdhaka broke down in tears: *"Severe drought destroyed the mountain game, O Sovereign! In my hut on the ridge, my wife and three infants are dying of hunger!"*
The Hunter
पहाड़ी झोंपड़ी की दुर्दशा और सम्राट की करुणामयी आँखें
Vikramaditya walked alongside the hunter through the thorny jungle trails toward his dilapidated mud hut on the mountain ridge.
On a barren rocky ridge stood a decaying thatch-and-mud hut surrounded by dry parched scrubland.
Inside the dark hut, three emaciated tribal children sat shivering on the dirt floor, crying softly from acute hunger.
"Mother! Hunger hurts so much... please give us something to eat..."
The hunter's wife wept as she boiled bitter wild tree bark in an empty earthen pot to deceive the starving infants into sleep.
"Sleep, my little ones... the food is still cooking..."
Deeply moved to tears, Vikramaditya realized that hunting was born not from innate malice, but from the unbearable agony of starvation!
The Emperor stepped forward, gently stroking the children's hair and wiping their tears with his own royal silk angavastram.
"While Vikramaditya lives, no child in this realm shall ever weep from hunger!"
The Gift of Gold & The First Wildlife Sanctuary
सुवर्ण-दान, अभयारण्य की घोषणा और धनुष-भंग का संकल्प
Vikramaditya unbuckled his heavy leather pouch of two hundred gold dinars, placing it directly into the hunter's trembling hands!
"Take this gold! Buy fertile valley farmland, sturdy bullocks, and grain seeds; from this day forth, you are a feeder of men, not a slayer of animals!"
The Emperor proclaimed that all forest-dwelling tribal families would receive fertile agricultural land, irrigation, and state grain stipends.
"The Emperor's decree shall be fulfilled; all hunters shall receive land and plows!"
Vikramaditya signed an imperial copper decree: the five-hundred-league Vindhya forest was declared **Abhayaranya (Sacred Wildlife Sanctuary)**—forbidding the killing of pregnant animals, fawns, and birds forever!
In tears of profound spiritual awakening, Lubdhaka snapped his hunting bow in two across his knee, vowing to protect the forest creatures forever!
"O King! Today you have delivered my entire family from both sin and starvation!"
At twilight, the pregnant doe and a herd of gentle spotted deer returned fearlessly, grazing peacefully around Vikramaditya's feet in sacred harmony!
In the golden dusk, humanity and voiceless wildlife stood united in the sacred bond of Dharma; universal compassion triumphed over violence!
Dharmavati
धर्मवती का निर्णय और राजा भोज का संकोच
Back in the grand audience hall of Dharanagari, the living statue Dharmavati looked directly into King Bhoja's eyes with penetrating emerald-green radiance.
Dharmavati delivered her decisive challenge:
"Now tell me, King Bhoja—have you ever placed your own body in the path of a poisoned arrow to shield a voiceless deer, transforming an impoverished hunter into a peaceful farmer and declaring the forest a sanctuary? If you possess such universal compassion, ascend this step! If not, turn back!"
King Bhoja lowered his head in deep humility and introspection:
"I lack such boundless universal compassion, the fearless courage to risk my life for voiceless animals, and the systemic benevolence to uplift the impoverished, O celestial maiden. I am not yet worthy of the twenty-third step."
King Bhoja stepped down from the twenty-third step, decreeing state wildlife sanctuaries (*Abhayaranyas*), hunting bans on pregnant animals, and tribal rehabilitation funds established across all districts of Malwa.
Protected wildlife sanctuaries and tribal agricultural grants were established throughout the kingdom.
Twilight conches echoed across Dharanagari as Dharmavati smiled warmly and froze back into silent speculum bronze. **The twenty-third day of *Singhasan Battisi* had concluded!**
The remaining nine celestial statues gleamed in the evening torchlight, awaiting the dawn of the twenty-fourth test (**Season 3 Finale: Karunavati**).
King Bhoja departed the throne hall in quiet contemplation, inspired by the universal animal compassion and systemic benevolence of Emperor Vikramaditya.
"कल प्रातःकाल हम चौबीसवीं सीढ़ी पर कदम रखेंगे और चौबीसवीं पुतली—करुणावती—की अमर गाथा सुनेंगे!"