5th STORY OF BHETHALA:

THE STORY OF NEETHI VAMSA KETHU

Vikramadithya again bringing Bhethala and again Bhethala started to narrate a story.

He said, “Vikramadithya Maharaja! You please hear the story. Once upon a time, there was a city Soma Vedika. [The meaning of this name is holy stage] Its king was Neethi Vamsa Kethu. [The meaning of this name is a person who has moral race fame as his flag] He was very good and capable. He was the devotee of Goddess Bhadra Kali. He was worshipping her as his race Goddess. He had constructed a very big and beautiful temple to the Goddess. He had made golden chariot and other ornaments to the Goddess. Every year he was celebrating temple fair and festivals at the temple. In one year, there was a big temple fair on account of festival celebrations at the temple. A very big gathering was there. People came from near and far villages to participate in the fair. Among them, there was a beautiful young girl by name Viri Boni. [The meaning of her name is a girl who has delicate body like flower] There came a young man by name Yasho Vantha. [The meaning of this name is a person who has fame] He had seen her. He was in love with her at first sight. He wished to attract her. He had gone into the temple and prayed Goddess as “Oh Mother! You will fulfill all the desires of your devotees. You are like Kalpa Valli to people. [Kalpa Valli is a tree in the deities’ city AmaraVathi. As per Hindu’s belief, it will give whatever we want by standing in its shade]. You please influence this girl to love me and to marry me. If you do so, if it happens, I will give my head as a sacrifice to you. I promise you to keep my head on alter by cutting off at your feet. Oh, Mother! Let me get marry this beautiful girl. Bless me like that.”

Then Yasho Vantha had approached his parents and shown that girl, Viri Boni to them. He said, “Oh Mother and Oh father. I like this girl. You please get me marry her.” They had accepted his desire. They had enquired about her parents and address. After the fair, on one auspicious day, Yasho Vantha’s parents had gone to the village of Viri Boni. They had approached the parents of Viri Boni and introduced themselves. After the cordial talks, they had asked their daughter Viri Boni to give to their son Yasho Vantha to marry. They had accepted the offer.

On an auspicious day, both the parents had celebrated the marriage of Yasho Vantha with Viri Boni, by inviting all of their relatives and friends. After the marriage feast and celebrations, Viri Boni was sent to her mother-in-law’s house at Soma Vedika city. Yasho Vantha was happy with his wife Viri Boni. Because she was good in behavior, his parents also were happy with their daughter-in-law. Days were passing happily.

By the way, after some months, Viri Boni’s parents wanted to see their daughter and son-in-law. They had called their elder son and said, “Dear son. You go to Soma Vedika city. You bring your younger sister Viri Boni and your brother-in-law, Yasho Vantha here. Let us celebrate the occasion to have nice time.”

He had reached Yasho Vantha’s house and conveyed the message. They had accepted the invitation. They had decided to go to Viri Boni’s parent’s house. That day, before travel Yasho Vantha, Viri Boni and her brother had gone to Bhadra Kali’s temple to pay their tributes. After devotion, they sat near the holy lake in the temple surroundings. Yasho Vantha said, “One minute. I have forgotten to pray Goddess Kalika Devi. I’ll be back within minutes.”

By saying like this, he had gone into the temple. He prayed, “Oh Kalika Mother! I’m putting my head on alter as per my promise.” He had wound his hair to one of the branches of a banyan tree, which was in front of Kalika Devi’s idol and cut off his head with a long sword. Viri Boni was worrying about her husband. Her brother told “My dear younger sister! Don’t worry. I’ll go to bring him.” He went into the temple. What did he see there? A terrible sight. His loving brother-in-law died. His cut off head was hanging to the branch of banyan tree. His body was on the floor. He was frightened with the terrible scene. He didn’t like to tell this sad news to his sister. He got desperate.

In the same manner as Yasho Vantha, the brother of Viri Boni also wound his hair to the branch of banyan tree and cut off his head.

When the both, husband and brother didn’t return, Viri Boni had gone into the temple to know what happened. There she had seen terrible scene. Both her husband and brother had died. She had cried like anything. She thought, “My loving husband and brother had died. Why should I live?”

She got ready to cut off her head. At that moment, Goddess Kalika Devi appeared in front of her. Goddess Kalika Devi said, “Oh girl! Stop! Stop your adventure. What do you want? I give you boons. Don’t die.” Viri Boni said, “Oh Mother! Please make my husband and brother alive.”

Goddess Kalika Devi said, “Well! I’ll do so. You attach their heads to their respective bodies.”

With great excitement and anxiety, Viri Boni attached the heads to their bodies. With the boon of Bhadra Kali, both of they got alive. But what happened you know? With excitement and anxiety, Viri Boni had attached the head of her husband to her brother’s body and her brother’s head to her husband’s body. That’s all the story.

Bethala said, “Oh! Vikramadithya! You are the best among the kings. Now tell me who is husband to that girl, Viri Boni?”

Vikramadithya said, “When they got alive, whoever treats her as wife, he will be her husband.”

Again, Bhethala escaped from there!

OUT COMING SKILLS: By this story, children will thrill by the twist in the ending. When the heads are interchanged to bodies, what will happen? In this story Vikramadithya told, “Who is able to recognize her as wife, he will be her husband.” Is it not clear answer? Children will inspire by this to learn logical thinking.