STORY NINE
The king again went to the Shimshapaa tree; placed the Vetaala on the
shoulders; and the Vetaala started to talk as before-
“King!
Why are you
suffering like this in the cremation ground at these dark hours? Don’t you see
how terrifying is this cremation ground where all fore-fathers get burnt to
ashes; where ghosts wander with abandon; where mist covers the terrain like the
smoke from the burning bodies; and the night is so fearsome? Just because that
mendicant requested you to do this task, why do you tire yourself like this?
At least listen
to this story now and answer my question…!
In the country of Avanti there was a city named Padmaavati in the KrtaYuga.
It was built by the Gods; it was adorned by ashes and riches and was in an
elevated place like the form of Shiva. In Tretaa Yuga the same city was known
as Bhogavati; in Dvaapara Yuga as Hiranyavati; and in KaliYuga as Ujjayini.
The city of Ujjayini
was ruled by a king named VeeraDeva. PadmaRati was his queen.
The king had no children. So he performed penance on Shiva on the bank
of the Ganges along with his wife. After a
long time, he heard Shiva’s voice from the sky-
“King! You will
get a valorous son who will bring fame to your dynasty and a daughter who will
be more beautiful than a heaven-damsel!”
The king was very much happy by the boon and returned back to his city
with his wife. In his wife named PadmaRati, he had a son named ShooraDeva and a
daughter named Ananga-Rati whose charms could entice even the God of love.
When the daughter came of age, the king sent invitations to the kings
all over the world and invited them to his kingdom, desiring to find a suitable
life-partner for her. But he was not satisfied by any one of them.
The king called his daughter near him and spoke with affection-
“Daughter! I do
not find any one fit to marry you. Let us arrange for a Svayamvara; you choose
and marry whomever you want to.”
The princess said-
“Father!
Svayamvara is very embarrassing! I do not want it. If a good-looking youth is
there who has mastered a single talent fully, that is enough for me. You can
give me ff to him in marriage. I am not much concerned about other things like
caste or riches!”
The king searched for talented youths of his country. Hearing the news
about this, four valorous talented men from the southern region approached the
king. They were welcomed by the king heartily. Each of them reported to him
what talent he had.
One of them said-
“I am of a low
caste. My name is PanchaPhuttika. I weave five fine garments every day; one I
offer to the God; another to the Brahmin; another to myself; another to my
would-be
wife; and I sell the fifth one and buy provisions with
that money. So please offer me your daughter AnangaRati to me as I am highly
talented.”
The second one said-
“I am a merchant.
My name is Bhaashaajna; I understand the language of all animals and birds. So please
give me your daughter.”
The third one said-
“I belong to the
warrior class. My name is KhadgaDhara (Sword-Holder). I am well-known for my
courage and valor. There is no one who can defeat me in a sword-fight.
O King! Give your
daughter to me.”
The fourth one said-
“King! My name is
JeevaDatta. I am a Brahmin. I can make any dead thing alive immediately. As I
am a Siddha, I deserve your daughter.”
All of them were handsome and talented in some special way. The king
now wondered about who would be fit to marry his daughter.
END
Vetaala stopped the story at that point and asked the king-
“King! Remember
my curse and tell me which young man has to be married to the princess!”
The king said-
“You just want to
waste my time and ask such ordinary questions! What profound question is it
supposed to be? Anyhow listen! How can a princess born in the warrior class be
married to a low-caste man or a merchant? By understanding the language of the
animals and birds, what can be achieved? What is that princess with the royal
blood do with a man who magically makes alive the dead ones?
She must be
offered in marriage to the valorous man who wields the sword!”
Vetaala disappeared immediately and hung on the branch of the
Shimshapaa tree. The king tirelessly treaded back to the tree to complete his
mission.
सोत्साहधने हि वीरहृदये न जातु खेदोऽन्तरं लभते ॥
A valorous man with enthusiasm
never gets disheartened
by the obstacles that appear in his life.
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