‘Prajapal’ was the name of the king who ruled over the city of Ujjayani. He was a brave and courageous king who maintained a huge army, artillery and wise and experienced ministers. He was rich, powerful, wise in all aspects; ready to lay his life for the sake of his people. Therefore he was widely respected and obeyed.




The king had a queen ‘SaubhagyaSundari’ and two daughters ‘Sursundari’ and ‘Madan Sundari’/ ‘MainaSundari’. Both his daughters were extremely pretty and as beautiful as a heavenly nymph.

Daughters of King Prajapal
Prajapal sent his elder daughter to the gurukul of a Brahman ‘Shiv Sharma’. She gained proficiency in Vedic texts- Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samveda, Atharvaveda, Markandeya Purana etc. She also learnt various art forms like acting, drama, dance, painting etc. Sursundari was much talented, skillful and an intelligent girl.
Due to her hard luck, she was sent to an unrighteous, iniquitous Brahman teacher who made her well versed in Vedic religion. He taught her that gods would be pleased by the religious sacrifices conducted by priests. Humans and animals are to be killed at the deity’s altar or even burnt alive in the ‘yajnas’ to please Vedic gods in order to be more rich and powerful.

sacrificing buffalow in a 'Vedic Yajna'

Moreover, Shiv Sharma Brahman taught Sursundari that the humans and animals who were burnt in the ‘yajnas’ or killed, die pain-free because they are sacrificed to the chanting of Vedic mantras and therefore they go straight to the heaven. He also taught that bathing in rivers, eating meat and drinking alcohol left at the end of such a ‘yajna’ lets you earn holy virtue, brings peace to the spirit of your ancestors and make you spiritually powerful.
Burning alive a deer in Vedic Yajna

All such ill, violent and evil education was learnt and grasped by heart by Sursundari. She was too proud of her study and learning.
Although her education led to the path of wrong doing, vicious trap of ill deeds and eventual hell but Brahman teacher taught it all in a way that such Vedic education is most pious and virtuous.
After acquiring profound knowledge of “religion of sacrifices”, she became a haughty, offensive, obstinate and unscrupulous princess.
Such is the influence of an evil company. It just produces more demons though having impressive outer beauty.

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