King Ugrasena (Govindarajula Subba Rao) of Dhara Nagaram has 3 daughters - Rupasundari (Shantakumari), Hemasundari (Malathi) and Gunasundari (Sriranjani). Rupa and Hema are married to their cousins, Haramati (Subba Rao) and Kalamati (Relangi) respectively.
Guna comments one day in a discussion that the husband is the most important entity for a girl. Her angered father, the King, then marries Guna to a blind, limp, mute and deaf pauper, Daivadeenam (Kasturi Siva Rao).
When it is discovered that Daivadeenam is in fact a prince under a curse, Guna and Daivadeenam are banished from the kingdom. They live far away in a small hut. The King is fatally ill. Only a precious gem, the Mahendra Mani, can save him. So the three sons-in-law set out to find the gem and Daivadeenam finds it. Haramati and Kalamati steal it from him and the King is cured.
Another curse hits Daivadeenam, who now turns into a bear. Pleased with Gunasundari's devotion, Lord Shiva and Parvati bless Daivadeenam and he becomes normal once again. The King, understanding the truth finally, makes Daivadeenam the King.