STORY SIX
Then the king again went to the Shimshapaa tree; took the corpse
possessed by the spirit and silently started walking towards the tree where the
mendicant was sitting.
Vetaala again addressed the king and said-
“King! You are a
wise man! You are man of determination too! I will entertain you with another
story, Listen!”
Once there lived a king named YashahKetu (one who had the flag of fame
flying high).
His capital city was named Shobhaavati. One excellent temple of Goddess Gouri
Every year people from various countries came there to take a holy dip
on the fourteenth day of the full moon phase in the month of ‘Aashaada’.
Once, a washer man named Dhavala (white) from the village of BrahmaSthala
He approached his son and saw the emaciated condition of his son and
said-
“Son! Why do you
suffer like this? What you desire not difficult to attain. When I meet
ShuddhaPata and request him, he will surely give his daughter in marriage to
you. By family, wealth or deed, we are in no way lower than him; I know him and
he knows me.
It is not a
difficult thing to do.”
Having consoled his son like this, he made him eat some food. Next day
Vimala went to ShuddhaPata’s house accompanied by his son. He asked for the
hand of the girl for his son Dhavala. ShuddhaPata felt happy and promised to
give his daughter to Dhavala. On an auspicious day ShuddhaPata got his
daughter Sundari married to Dhavala.
After marriage Dhavala who became attached to her just by sight, felt
that his life was fulfilled and went to his father’s house with her. They were
happily living together when once his father-in-law’s son and MadanaSundari’s
brother visited them.
After mutual enquiries about the welfare of both the families, he was
embraced with great affection by his sister. He rested for awhile and then
said-
“I have been sent
by my father to invite my sister MadanaSundari and his son-in-law to our house.
There is some religious festival to be conducted at our house.”
All the people there agreed to send Dhavala and his wife to the father-in-law’s
house. They pleased him by offering food
and drinks.
Next day Dhavala left for his in-law’s house along with his wife and
brother-in-law. As they entered the city of Shobhaavati ,
Dhavala saw the huge temple
of Goddess Gouri
Then he said-
“First I will go
and finish my worship. You both wait here till I return.”
He entered the temple; saluted the Goddess. He contemplated on the
Goddess who destroyed all the demons with her eighteen mighty shoulders and who
was keeping her lotus foot on the defeated demon Mahishaasura.
By the act of the Creator a strange thought rose in his mind-
“This goddess is
worshipped by all by offering various types of animals. Why not I please her by
offering my own life and attain the greatest merit?”
Having thought like this, he entered the sanctum sanctorum; took the
sword from there; and as no one was around there to stop him, he cut off his
head and made it fall at her feet. Next moment, worried by his delay, his
brother-in-law also entered the temple; saw the dead husband of his sister with
his head cut off. Shocked by the sight,
he took the same sword and cut off his own head too.
When he also did not return, MadanaSundari felt worried and entered the
temple hurriedly. She saw the dead bodies of her husband and brother with heads
cut off.
“Ha! What is
this? I am ruined!” crying like this she collapsed on the ground
unconscious. Again within moments she got up; and crying for the untimely death
of her husband and brother she thought-“Why should I live anymore?”
She decided to give up her life and prayed to the Goddess-
“Goddess! You are
the sole controller of the good fortune of the people and their good characters!
You have taken away half the body of Shiva the slayer of Manmatha!
You are the
shelter for all the women! You are the remover of all sufferings!
How did you get
my husband and brother both killed at the same time?
What you have
done is not fair! I have worshipped you with devotion all these days!
I have taken
shelter in you! You are my only support! Listen to my one pleading!
I will discard
this body stuck with misfortunes here itself!
Goddess! Wherever
I get born again, let this husband and brother both bear the same relationship
to me.”
Having prayed in this manner, she recited hymns on the Goddess; saluted
her with devotion; tied a rope on the Ashoka tree in that temple premises.
As she tied the noose to her neck, a voice spoke from the sky-
“Daughter! Do not
do such a daring act! I am pleased by your devotion though you are so young.
Throw away the rope. Join the heads to the bodies of your husband and brother.
Let them both get up alive by my grace.”
MadanaSundari threw away the rope; was senseless with happiness;
hurriedly went inside; without observing properly joined the head of the
brother to her husband’s body and the head of her husband to the brother’s
body. Then both of them got up and stood there as if woken up from sleep without
any wounds on their body. Then they all recounted their experiences to each
other; saluted the Goddess and started for their house.
As they both walked in front, MadanaSundari saw her mistake in joining
the heads to the bodies and remained confused.
END
Vetaala finished the tale and asked the king-
“King! Tell me
who now should be her husband? If you know and yet do not answer, the curse as
before will be on you.”
The king said-
“That body to
which has been joined the head of the husband, that person alone will be her
husband. Among all the limbs a man has, head is the most important limb which
gives him identity.”
As he broke his silence, Vetaala flew back to the tree and hung there
as before. The king undaunted walked back to the Shimshapaa tree to bring it
down again.
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