STORY TWENTY FOUR
The king ignoring the terrifying Night-demoness with the
eyes of the cremation fires and dark hued because of the darkness; went near
the Shimshapaa tree in that terrifying cremation ground; placed the Vetaala on
the shoulder and started to walk.
Vetaala said to the silent king-
“Hey King! I am tired of going to and fro like this; but
you do not appear to be so.
So I have got one question to ask. Listen!”
In the past, in the southern region there was a
Mandaleshvara (Ruler of twelve kings) named Dharma, the foremost among the
noble and with many families. He had a wife named Chandraavatee born of Maalava
country. They had a daughter.
When she attained the age of marriage, a calamity happened.
The king was overthrown by his relatives who plotted against
him. The king escaped from his city along with his beautiful wife and daughter
with a store of diamonds. They were on their way to Maalava, the wife’s
father’s place. They reached the outskirts of the Vindhya forest on the way.
Since his wife and daughter were tired, he spent the night in that wilderness
itself distressed and worried.
In the morning Lord Vibhaavasu (Sun) ascended the eastern direction
spreading out his hands (rays) which seemed to block the king saying-“Do not
enter this forest, the abode of thieves!”
The king, his wife and daughter walked on the forest paths,
getting their feet wounded by thorns and stones. They entered a village in that forest which
was peopled with Bhillas (hunter-clan) and cruel men who would kill any one for
meager gains. The village had no good men even for namesake. The thieves saw
from a distance the king wearing expensive garments and ornaments; and rushed
towards him to rob him of his belongings. The king saw them and said to his
wife and daughter-
“Let these lowly beings not touch you. Escape into the
deep forest.”
The frightened queen took her pretty daughter’s hand and
entered the deep forest as instructed by her husband. The king who had a shield
and sword bravely attacked the hunters who shot arrows at him and killed many.
Then by the order of the chief all those men got together and fell on the king;
hit him all over; and killed him. They took away the ornaments concealed in his
garment and went away. The queen who was hiding inside a bush with her daughter
saw her husband getting killed. Grieving for the dead king yet intent on
protecting her daughter she ran with her and entered the deep forest.
The sun was n the center of the sky. All the birds and
animals were hiding in the shade by the heat of the Sun. Queen Chandraavatee
with her daughter Laavanyavati soon reached a lotus-lake. They both tired and
exhausted sat under an Ashoka tree near the lake.
“Son! If we follow these beautiful foot prints we will
soon reach two ladies. Then you can choose one of them whomever you like (and
marry her).”
SimhaParaakrama said-
“Father! The one with smaller foot prints looks like my
wife. You can take the other one with bigger foot-prints who seems to be
older.”
ChandaSimha said-
“What are you saying? Your mother departed for the other world
in front of our eyes. When I have lost such a good wife, what desire do I have
for other women?”
SimhaParaakrama then said-
“Father! Do not say like that! Without a wife, the
householder’s house is empty.
And did you not hear what MoolaDeva has said?
Where there is no wife with huge breasts and hips waiting
for your arrival, which fool will enter that dungeon without chains wastefully
called a house?
Therefore father, I vow on my life if you do not accept
the other one as your wife.”
ChandaSimha agreed to his words.
They both followed the foot prints seated on their horses.
Soon they saw the beautiful queen and her daughter sitting under the Ashoka
tree. They both approached the ladies. The queen stood up in fear thinking them
to be thieves. But the daughter removed her apprehension by saying-“Let us
not be frightened. These two do not look like thieves. They are well-dressed
and appear to be peaceful. They might have come to this forest to hunt
animals.”
ChandaSimha climbed down from the horse and said to her-
“Beautiful lady! Enough of apprehension! We have come
here to hunt. Talk to us freely.
You both look like Rati (attraction) and Preeti (love)
the two wives of Manmatha sheltering in the forest when Manmatha was burnt by
the fire of Shiva’s eyes!
Why have you come to this desolate forest?
Your bodies are to be sheltered in bejeweled mansions.
Why do your feet deserving to tread the court-yards covered with flowers,
walking on this thorn-filled forest terrain?
It is strange indeed that the dust falling on your faces
by the wind taint our faces instead; the hot rays of the Sun falling on your
limbs burn us instead.
So please tell us about you both. Our hearts are
distressed by seeing you both in this condition. We are not able to bear the
distress of seeing you both in this forest filled with wild animals.”
The queen sighed and feeling shy and saddened at heart
slowly related al the events of their life. ChandaSimha understood her to be
without her husband. He consoled her with sweet words and promised to take care
of her along with her daughter.
He along with his son took the queen along with her daughter
to his city prosperous like the city of Kubera ,
the God of wealth.
The queen felt as if she had got another birth; feeling
helpless and orphaned and in dire circumstances accepted his words. What can
the poor woman (widow) do?
The queen was found to have smaller feet and the daughter
had bigger feet.
So as previously agreed, SimhaParaakrama took Chandraavatee
the queen as his wife and her daughter Laavanyavati became the wife of
ChandaSimha.
Who can break the promise made previously?
Because of the foot-steps being different, the mother and daughter
married the son and the father respectively and the daughter became the
mother-in law of her mother.
In course of time both had many sons and daughters by their
husbands.
END
Vetaala finished the story and said-
“King! The mother and daughter got children from the son
and the father. What will be the relationship of these children to each other?
If you know and do not answer remember the curse will
take effect.”
The King thought for some time but was not able to answer
the question. He walked silently.
Vetaala understood that he had no answer for that question
and laughed in its mind thinking-
‘This king cannot answer this question. That is why he is
walking silently. He cannot be cheating me because my curse is powerful. I am
pleased with the noble characters of this great king. Therefore I will cheat
that deceitful mendicant and bestow the Siddhi (result) of this task to this
king for the good of the world.’
So thinking, Vetaala said to the king-
“King! Though exhausted by walking to and fro in this
cremation ground in this terrifying dark night, you look happy only. You do not
feel disturbed in any way.
I am amazed at your determination. I am pleased also by
your courage.
You take this corpse and go. I will also leave. But
follow my instructions carefully.
That mendicant for whose sake you are taking this corpse
is a wicked man.
Tonight he will invite me to manifest in this corpse and
will worship me. He will want to offer you to me by killing you. He will ask
you to lie down on the ground prostrate and salute the deity. Great King! At
that time you tell that wicked man-“I do not know how to salute. Please show me
how to do it.”
When he is prostrate on the ground and shows you how to do
it, you take your sword and slice off his head.
The emperorship of Vidyaadharas desiring which he is
doing all these efforts will then belong to you. Otherwise this mendicant will
kill you and fulfill his desire.
That is why I delayed you all this time breaking you
silence again and again.
May you succeed! Go now!”
Vetaala left the corpse on his shoulder and vanished.
The king understood by the words of Vetaala, the wicked
nature of the mendicant and his evil plan to kill him to get his desire
fulfilled. Pleased at heart by the Vetaala’s timely advice, he walked towards
the fig tree ready to face the evil mendicant.
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