STORY TWENTY
The king again
walked up to the Shimshapaa tree; placed the corpse with the spirit on his
shoulder and started walking silently. Vetaala spoke to the silent king-
“King! Why are so
adamant? Go home. Have a nice sleep. It is not proper for you to take me to
that wicked mendicant. If you are still stuck to that task only, then listen to
this story.
There is a city
named ChitraKoota. It was ruled by a
king named Chandraaloka (Light of the Moon), the crest-jewel of all kings
bathing all the people who loved him with the shower of nectar.
The learned spoke
of him as the stake which held the elephant of valor; the source-house of
charity; the sporting ground of beauty.
Though endowed with
all riches, he was apprehensive in his mind because he did not have a wife
equaling his greatness.
The king once went
to the forest along with his retinue of horses and soldiers to relax his mind.
He wandered continuously tearing open the groups of dark boar with his arrows
like the Sun tearing open the all the darkness with his rays; making the
arrogant fighters namely the lions lie on the arrow-bed; making the young
elephants looking like mountains to fall down by hitting them with the spears
sharp like Indra’s thunderbolt (Vajra). (Indra had once cut off the wings of
the Mountains by hitting them with his thunder-bolt weapon and made them fall
on the ground.)
As he hunted vigorously, he hit the horse he was sitting on
with his heels too many times in his excitement and whipped it hard. The horse
got excited and ran exceeding the speed of the wind ignoring the harshness of
the land. It crossed the forest and traversed ten Yojanas in a second.
The king lost his whereabouts and became tired and
exhausted. He wandered here and there and at last found a lake. He got down
there; unleashed the horse; bathed it; made it drink water; fed it fresh grass;
took bath himself; drank the water; rested for a while.
As he moved in that area trying to know his whereabouts, he
saw under an Ashoka tree an ascetic girl who was bereft of any ornaments or
flower decorations; wearing bark garments; with matted locks; extremely
beautiful; and accompanied by a friend of hers.
He started wondering-
“Who is this girl?
Is it Saavitri who has come here to bathe in this lake? Or is it Gouri
separated from her spouse doing penance? I will approach her and find out.”
She also saw him; was attracted by his handsome form;
stopped the weaving of the flower garland she had started; and thought-
“Who is this in this forest? Is he a Vidyaadhara? My eyes
feel fulfilled today by his sight!”
Thus thinking, glancing at him slightly with shyness she got
up; and though her hips were unmoving like pillars, tried to get away from that
place.
The king approached her and said-
“Beautiful lady! Leave out the hospitality to be offered
to the guest who has arrived from quite far and seen for the first time and
whose only purpose now is to see you; but what
rule is followed by the person belonging to the hermitage,
that you start to run away from here?”
Hearing the words of the king, the other girl made him sit
comfortably there and welcomed him.
The king then asked her with politeness-
“Good lady! Which meritorious family is adorned by this
friend of yours? What are the letters of her name which will please the ears
like nectar? How is it that her body delicate like the flower is made to suffer
like this taking the vow of asceticism in this tender age?”
The friend replied-
“Honorable man! This girl is named IndeevaraPrabhaa
(beautiful like the night-lotus) born of the divine damsel Menakaa; brought up
by Sage Kanva as a daughter. She came to this lake to take bath. The hermitage
of her father is just nearby.”
The king was pleased by this news; climbed his horse; and
went to the hermitage of the Sage to ask her hand in marriage; tied up the
horse outside; entered the hut in a humble manner.
The king saw there Sage Kanva surrounded by other ascetics
like trees wearing matted locks and bark garments; gladdening every heart by
his luster like a moon.
The Sage welcomed him; offered him the due hospitality due
to a guest. After he rested he spoke to the king-
“Child! Chandraaloka! Listen to my advice which is
conducive to your welfare.
I know what is the ‘fear of death’ experienced by the
people in this world. Then why do you hurt these animals for no reason?
The weapon in the hand of a Kshatriya (warrior class) was
created by Brahma only for protecting those that are frightened. Therefore
protect the people through righteousness. Uproot the thorns in their life.
Try to conquer the restless Goddess of wealth through
means like elephants and chariots. Enjoy the bliss of your royal status.
Give charity.
Spread your fame in all directions.
Renounce this deadly sport of hunting animals where the
killed and the killer both are in danger. Why should you engage in such a
dangerous sport?
Haven’t you heard of King Paandu’s story?”
(King Paandu while engaged in hunting killed a pair of mating
deer which were actually a Sage couple and so got cursed that he will die if he
ever sought the company of his wife and died when he was with his wife Maadri.)
The king who knew ‘what had to be done when’ apologized and
said-
“Bhagavan! I have been properly instructed. A great blessing
has been bestowed on me through these instructions. From today onwards I will
retire from hunting. Let the animals move in the forest without any fear.”
Sage Kanva said-
“I am pleased by your giving protection to all animals.
Ask for any boon you want.”
The king who knew ‘what had to be said when’, said-
“Bhagavan! If you are pleased with me, then give your
daughter IndeevaraPrabhaa to me in marriage.”
The Sage consented. IndeevaraPrabhaa, the daughter of the
Apsaraa returned after bathing in the lake. He offered her to the king.
The king married her; was adorned by the auspicious bracelet
of marriage; took his wife IndeevaraPrabhaa who was decorated well by the
ascetic ladies. IndeevaraPrabhaa took leave of all the ascetics who tearfully
bid farewell to her and accompanied her till the border of the hermitage. The
king climbed the horse with her and returned to his capital.
Meanwhile looking at the king who was tired by the long
journey, Lord of the thousand rays (Sun) became distressed as it were and sat
off on the peak of the western Mountain.
The night-lady like a girl eager to meet her lover appeared
with eyes like deer (with stars named Mrgashira etc); with increasing passion (increases
passion in all); covered by a dark garment at night (darkness covering all
over).
The king saw on the bank of a small pool an Ashvattha tree
which had covered the grass filled dark green ground with its leaves from the
branches; and decided –
“I will stay here this night.”
He got down from the horse; fed the horse with grass; made
it drink water; drank some water along with his wife and rested.
At that time Moon with the mark of the rabbit शशलाञ्छन filled with love सराग(slightly reddish in
color) tearing away the screen of the darkness kissed the face of the eastern
direction.
All the directions shone forth without leaving any gap (losing their
shyness) pleased by the embrace of the Moon’s hands (rays).
In the meantime, the base of the tree shone forth brightly like the shine
of jewel-lamps by the moon rays piercing through the gaps in the groves of the
creepers.
The king embraced IndeevaraPrabhaa who was filled with the joy of the new
experience of love, and made love to her; loosened the knot tied to her
waist-garment like her shyness; bit off her lips like her innocence with his
teeth; decorated her breasts like the head-regions of the youthful elephants
with his nail wounds as if by a garland of stars made of excellent gems; again
and again kissed her cheeks and eyes as if drinking the nectar of charm oozing
out of all her limbs.
In this manner that night was spent by the king as if in a
minute by having amorous sports with his wife.
In the morning, he got up; performed the twilight rites; and
started to leave that place along with his wife wanting to find his lost
retinue of soldiers and horses.
Vivasvaan (sun) –
who wanted to kill the ‘Lord of the night (Moon) with his
lost luster hiding in the cave of the
Astaachala (Western
Mountain) feeling guilty
of making the lotus pale away at night’-
extended his arms throwing afar the sphere of the moon, with
his reddish rays spreading out all over because of his anger.
{Dawn appeared; Moon set; lotuses bloomed.}
At that time, suddenly there appeared a terrifying
BrahmaRaakshasa. He had glittering reddish brown locks; was as black in hue as
the collirium; was like a dark cloud descended on earth; wore a garland made of
intestines on his shoulders; wore the sacred thread made of hairs; was eating
human flesh; was drinking blood from his bowl made of skull.
He laughed boisterously. Then as if spitting the fire of
anger addressed the king and spoke in a reproaching manner-
“You sinner!
Know me to be a BrahmaRaakshasa named ‘JwaalaaMukhi’
(splitter of flames)!
This Ashvattha tree is my abode. Even gods do not
trespass here. And you have dared to
enter this place with your wife and polluted it by having
her company.
You have acted wrongly you wicked one!
You will experience the result of your wicked action now.
I will now tear apart your heart blinded by passion and devour
it!
I will drink your blood.”
The king heard what he said and looking at that huge
terrifying form of the Raakshasa understood that he could not be vanquished. He
saw the fear filled face of his beloved and replied politely showing fear-
“I have done this mistake unknowingly. Forgive me. I am a
guest seeking shelter in your hermitage. I will give you whatever you want to eat,
either a man or an animal to satiate your hunger. Please grace me. Do not be
angry.”
BrahmaRaakshasa was pacified by the king’s words and said-
“King! If a seven year old Brahmin boy of noble
characters and learned should offer himself to you for your sake; if when he is getting killed his mother holds
the hands, and father holds the legs and press him hard to the ground; if within seven days you bring
such a person and kill him with your sword yourself and offer him to me to be
devoured; then I will forgive the insult
you have rendered to this place. Otherwise I will kill you along with your
wife.”
The king said with fear- “I will do whatever you say.”
BrahmaRaakshasa vanished the very next moment.
King Chandraaloka climbed the horse along with his wife
IndeevaraPrabhaa and feeling very much distressed wandered here and there
searching for his retinue.
“Alas! I was deluded ‘by the craze for hunting’ and ‘by
the God of passion’ and have ruined my life like Paandu who died before he
completed his life. Where will I get such a food for this Raakshasa? Now I will
first reach the capital and see what could be done!”
He searched for long and collected his people together and
returned his city ChitraKoota.
All the people were happy by the arrival of such a bride of
extraordinary beauty and character. Festivities were conducted in all grandeur
all over the city, yet the king was very much distressed inside his mind and
grieved much unknown to others. Next day he called for all the ministers and
told them about the BrahmaRaakshasa and his demands.
One of the ministers named Sumati said-
“Lord! Do not worry!
I will search everywhere and find such a food demanded by
the Raakshasa.
This world is indeed a strange place!”
After consoling the king, the minister got made a golden
statue of a seven-year old child studded with diamonds all over.
He sent drummers again and again thousands of times on the
roads along with that golden statue and got the announcement made like this-
“Whoever gives his seven year old Brahmin son of all good
characters permitted by the parents
to be offered as food to be devoured by the BrahmaRaakshasa; he who gets his
hands and feet pressed to the ground by his parents when getting killed; for
such parents the king will offer this golden statue studded with diamonds along
with hundred villages.”
In the Brahmin’s colony there was one child of seven years,
very brave, very good-looking, always interested in the good of others, a
personification as if of all the merits of all the people. He said to the
drummers-
“Good men! I will give myself to you for your purpose.
Wait here! I will get the permission of my parents and come.”
Permitted by them, he went inside, folding his hands said to
his parents-
“Mother! Father!
I will offer this ephemeral body for the good of all the
people. Please give your permission. I will give you the golden statue studded
with diamonds along with hundred villages and leave along with the king’s men.
In this manner I would have fulfilled my obligations to you
as the son and will reach higher worlds after death. You both will be never be poor
again and would be able to get many more sons.”
The parents objected immediately saying-
“Son! What are you saying?
Are you ill by any chance? Or some planetary constellation
has deluded you?
Why then are you talking like this?
Who will kill a child to obtain wealth?
And which child can bear the pain of getting killed?”
The child answered-
“I am not deluded in any way. Listen to my sensible
words.
This body is the field of pains; is a disgusting thing being
filled with unspeakable dirt; it will perish some day or other.
If by this essenceless thing some good thing happens,
then that is the fulfillment of life, so say the wise.
What is better than helping all the beings of the world?
Even in such a case, if one serves the parents also, then
what more can be achieved by this body?”
The brave child fully determined to offer his body for the
good of the world, made his parents agree to his words; went to the king’s men
and with their help gave the golden statue to them.
Later he followed the king’s men and accompanied by his
parents started towards the city of ChitraKoota.
Seeing the boy filled with extraordinary luster, the king
felt very happy as if seeing a gem created for his protection.
The boy was decorated with fine garments; applied fragrant
pastes all over; garlanded with beautiful flowers; was made to sit on an
elephant. The king took him along with his parents to the place where
BrahmaRaakshasa lived. Next to the Ashvattha tree an auspicious place was
selected; the priest performed worship of the deity; and the sacred fire was
lit.
Immediately the BrahmaRaakshasa appeared there.
JwaalaaMukhi, the Brahma Raakshasa was laughing
boisterously. He was reciting the Vedic hymns. He was hopping here and there. He
was drunk by drinking blood. He was breathing heavily. He was yawning
repeatedly. His eyes were emitting fire. He was darkening the entire area by
his shadow. He was extremely terrifying to look at.
The king politely saluted him and said-
“Bhagavan!
I have brought the
food you ordered to be devoured by you. Today is the seventh day as you
prescribed. Please be graceful and accept this offering as you deem fit.”
The BrahmaRaakshasa licking his saliva examined the Brahmin
boy who was ready to become his food.
At that moment the boy of noble characters thought-
‘With whatever merit I will get by offering this body
today, let me not get the heaven or the wasteful liberation. Let me get a body
in every birth which will be useful to others.’
As he was thinking like this, gods showered flowers on him seated
in their air-vehicles in the sky.
The boy was placed in front of the BrahmaRaakshasa. His
parents held his hands and feet pressed to the ground. The king took his sword
and got ready to cut his head.
At that moment the boy laughed so much that all the people
there including the BrahmaRaakshasa stopped whatever they were doing; looked at
his face; saluted him and became happy.
END
After relating this strange story, Vetaala asked the king-
“King! Why did the boy laugh at the time of losing his
life? I am very eager to know the answer. If you do not answer even when you
know the answer, then your head will burst into hundred pieces.”
The King said-
“The reason behind the boy’s laughter is this.
Any weak person when he is stuck by fear takes shelter in
the father or mother or if they are not there with the king to save his lives.
This is the rule ordained by Lord Brahma.
If none of them are there, he takes shelter in a god.
One of them surely will protect him.
But in his case everything went astray.
The parents held his hands and feet by their desire for
wealth.
King was ready to kill a child to save himself.
The BrahmaRaakshasa though a supernatural deity was ready
to devour him.
All these actions were done by these idiots just to
protect the impermanent body which had no essence and which had to die some day
or other.
When even Brahma, Vishnu and Rudras are sure to perish in
the end, these beings with such perishable bodies were so much attached to it!
What a strange thing it is!
Observing the strange ways of delusion, and feeling the
fulfillment of his own wish, the boy was moved by the emotions of surprise and
happiness both at the same time and laughed aloud.”
{The king did not kill the boy; the parents left the feet
and leg; BrahmaRaakshasa
did not devour the boy or any one else. They all understood their folly and
were ashamed of their own actions.}
Hearing the king’s answer Vetaala flew away from his shoulder to its own
abode on the tree. The king determined to complete his task followed it.
अम्भोनिधीनामिव सतां हृदयमक्शोभ्यं हि ॥
Like the deep oceans
filled with waters,
the minds of the great are always immovable.
