The Twin Princes of Singhala
Once upon a time, there was a kingdom called Singhala — a rich and powerful land ruled by King Vairava. He was married to Vaishnavi, a princess from the distant kingdom of Indrapuri. Vairava and Vaishnavi loved each other deeply and cared for one another dearly.
After some time, Vaishnavi became pregnant. The king was overjoyed when he learned the news. They summoned the royal vaidya (physician), who bowed and announced,
“My king, the queen carries two children.”
Vaishnavi, startled and delighted, asked, “Is it twins?”
The vaidya smiled and confirmed, “Yes.”
The royal couple’s happiness only grew.
When the time came, an ominous sign marred the joy — a solar eclipse began as Vaishnavi went into labor. The court held its breath. After several tense minutes, the eclipse started to wane. It was raining heavily, and thunder and lightning filled the sky. The first child was born — Indraa. Two minutes later, when the skies cleared and the eclipse ended, the second child was born — Suryaa.
Both children were healthy. Exhausted from the birth, the queen fell into a deep sleep. King Vairava entered the chamber and wept with joy at the sight of his newborn sons. He bowed his head in gratitude and whispered to Lord Shiva,
“Thank you for this day of my life.”
Immediately, he announced across the kingdom that the crown princes had been born.
“For ten days,” he declared, “we will celebrate!”
He kissed Vaishnavi’s forehead and placed the newborns under the care of the royal vaidya, giving him a garland as a token of trust.
Then Rajguru, the sage of Singhala, and the Rajmata, the king’s mother, came to congratulate the king. The Rajguru said,
“Maharaj, I have decided upon the divine names for your children.”
The king asked, “What are they?”
The Rajguru replied,
“When your first child was born, it was raining heavily, with thunder and lightning filling the sky. Therefore, his name shall be Indraa, after the God of Storms and Lightning. When your second child was born, the sun’s rays pierced through the clouds — therefore, his name shall be Suryaa, after the Sun God.”
That night, the palace glimmered with celebration. The streets filled with music and revelers as Singhala rejoiced at the promise of a new generation.
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