The mayor then sent men to investigate. But he swayed them with money and other gifts. Seeing such a generous man in the house, the people reported:
«Lord! Vimala is at home, and the one standing at the door is a notorious rogue.»

Then the mayor ordered both to be brought. And no one could identify the deceiver. A great uproar and commotion arose, distracting all the citizens from their work and escalating into vilification of the ruler. For rulers, in order to ascend to heaven, to Svarga-loka, must punish the wicked and protect the pious.

It is said:
Agni, the devourer of holy offerings, inflamed by the oppression of his subjects, will not rest until he has consumed the ruler’s family, well-being, and very life.

So the raja, in seclusion, began to ponder a solution regarding these two. «Tell me, Prabhavati, what solution is possible here?» That’s the question,» Shuka continued.

The raja found a way out of the dilemma. He separated Vimala’s two wives and began questioning them separately:
«What ornaments and jewels did your husband give you on your wedding day? What did you talk about and do during your first intercourse with your husband? Who is your father and who is your mother? From what clan and tribe are you?»

The wives, questioned in this way, recounted everything: what they received, what they did, what they talked about, how they slept. Then the two disputing husbands were questioned separately. And the one whose testimony agreed with that of both wives—Rukmini, Zlata, and Sundari, Krasa—was deemed the true husband, while the other was deemed a deceiver, whom the lord banished from the city. The real husband and his wives were shown favor by the ruler, and they returned to their homes. Thus the great ruler demonstrated his wisdom.

After hearing this story, Prabhavati went to bed.

This is the third story from the book
«Seventy Tales of the Parrot Shuka.»