King Chandrasena has two wives, Gunavathi and Rupavathi. Rupavathi has three sons. Rupavathi's brother Vakraketu has an eye on the king's throne. When Gunavathi gets pregnant with the blessings of the goddess Parvathi, Vakraketu and Rupavathi bribe the astrologer by saying that the King loses his eyesight if he sees the child and tries to murder the infant, but he is rescued and brought up by a shepherd couple and named Vijay.