The first idol said, “Oh Bhoja Raja! Why should we play joke on you? With great effort, you, your minister and your people had brought this golden throne to your city and kept in your assembly hall. There was nobody who is eligible to sit on this throne to rule his public. That’s why only, this throne had sunk into the earth. To sit on this throne you have to know the past and you have to learn much. Without considering that you are daring to climb onto it. If we keep silence by thinking as ‘let him climb up, what will to us’; then we will be liable to the guilty of ‘Non-response.’ If some bad is going on, the sin not goes only to the person who is doing that bad, but also the sin goes to the people who allow that bad to happen without responding on it. Whoever ruled the country by sitting on the throne in previous, such person only eligible to sit now on this. Otherwise, if anybody tries to sit on this, without eligibility, their head will break into thousand pieces. In past, Raja Vikramadithya sat on this throne and ruled this country with the assistance of his Minister Bhatti. Vikramadithya was knowledgeous and great worrier. He was known 64 art forms. He was dare, adventurous, ferocious, donatives natured, kind and scholar. If you have at least one quality against his 1000 good qualities, then you will be eligible to sit on this. Otherwise, drop your desire back. By knowing this, we laughed when you came to climb up on to the throne. My name is Vinoda Ranjitha.” [Vinoda Rajitha means a person who can make us happy by entertaining us.]
Bhoja Raja was shocked at this. All the courtiers were became like statues by watching this miracle. After few minutes, Bhoja Raja said, “Oh, Vinoda Ranjitha idol! You had referrer about the king Vikramadithya. Who was he? What was his history? What were his qualities? Let me know. We are very much interested to know.” The idol, Vinoda Rajitha started to narrate the story of Vikramadithya. The assembly hall was silent. Everybody was hearing the story with wonder.
THE STORY OF VIKRAMADITHYA’S FATHER
The idol, Vinoda Ranjitha said, “Bhoja Raja. Now I’m telling the past story of Raja Vikramadithya. With care, obedience, interest and devotion, you hear this.”
Vinoda Ranjitha continued …
In ancient India, the holy land, there was a town by name Nandi Puram. In that town, in the Brahmin colony, there was a handsome and young man by name ‘Chandra Varna.’ [The meaning of his name is ‘A person who has fair and white skin’.] He was good moral and scholar. He leant so many arts and Sasthras i.e. subjects. But he didn’t satisfy with what he learnt. He thought, “We don’t know how many arts, subjects and knowledge are there in this world to know. I should learn much. Hence I must locate good teacher to coach me.”
He left house, he went on search of Guru i.e. teacher. He wandered so many places, in search of teacher. He didn’t find any suitable man to teach him. He didn’t drop out his decision. He continued his journey. On the way, he had reached a thick forest. He was tired. He reached a hill. Beside the hill, there was a river. On its bank, there was a big peepul tree.
Chandra Varna had drunk water in the river. He had taken bathee in the river. He relaxed. Then he slept under the shade of Peepul tree. A demon was living on that tree. This demon was a Brahma Rakshas. [It means he was one of the best in the demons. The Brahma Rakshas usually live like saints in demons.] This Brahma Rakshas had came down of the tree to take bathe in the river after completing his meditation. He used to practice penance on the branches of the peepul tree.
By watching the glory and beauty of Chandra Varna’s face, the Brahma Rakshas felt affection towards him. He could sense the thrust of Chandra Varna towards knowledge & learning. The Brahma Rakshas had completed his bathe, devotion to Sun God and approached Chandra Varna. He made Chandra Varna to wake up.
Chandra Varna had woken up. He had seen the Brahma Rakshas and put namaskar [wish] to him. The Brahma Rakshas said, “Hai child! Who are you? Why you came to this forest? No human being will be dare enough to enter into this forest.”
Chandra Varna obediently said, “Oh great soul! My name is Chandra Varna. Nandi Puram town is my native. I’m wandering in search of Guru i.e. teacher who can make me perfect. But unfortunately, I could not succeed in my trial. You seem to be great scholar. Your face and versatile behavior is telling it. Please accept me as your disciple.”
Brahma Rakshas was pleased with his prayer. He said, “My dear boy. I accept you as my disciple. I think that God had sent you for me. I’ll make you to learn what I know within six months. But there is one condition. You should not get tire. Without taking food and rest i.e. sleep, you should learn. I’ll tell you mantra [Magic word], which can give you everlasting energy for six months. With that help, you can avoid food and rest. I’ll be on the branch of this peepul tree. I’ll drop the leaves of this tree after writing the slokas on them, for you. You collect them and learn them.”
Chandra Varna felt happy. There started his education. Without taking food and rest, the Brahma Rakshas was teaching and Chandra Varna was learning. There passed the time of six months.
There happened a wonder!
A divine flight came down there from sky. The Bhahma Rakshas had turn as a divine man. He said, “My dear disciple, Chandra Varna! I am a divine man. I am a scholar. But unfortunately, I became egoistic by my education. With pride, I had ill-treated the saints. They cursed me to become as a Rakshas. I begged for mercy. They told me to donate my knowledge to a suitable disciple. Since that day, I lived on this tree by doing penance. I waited for suitable disciple. Due to your obedient nature, thrust towards knowledge, now I got rid of the curse. Now I’m going to my divine world. I bless you to lead peaceful and prosperous life. Always there will be victory to you. God bless you.”
Chandra Varna put namaskar to his guru and had a send off.
The divine flight flew off from there.
Chandra Varna started from there and reached a city called Kanya Puram. By that time, he was tired. Since the boon of his Guru i.e. the effect of mantra [magic word] was getting last, the tiresome and hunger occupied him like anything. He reached a rich house. It was decorated with lights and flowers. He thought that it was some Brahmin’s house. He laid on the street bench of that house and slept. Due to weakness, he became unconscious within few minutes.
But that house was not a Brahmin’s house. [In those days, in India, there was 4-caste system as Brahmin, Kshathriya, Vysya and Shudra.] It was a prostitute i.e. royal dancer’s house. Her name was Alankara Valli [The meaning of her name is ‘Decorative garland’] She was good, beautiful and moral. Though she was prostitute by profession, she was devotee and committed to her ‘Dharma’ i.e. duty.] It became night. Alankara Valli had completed her dance programs at the temple and reached house. In the dark, she noticed some body lying on the street bench beside the entrance of her residence. She tried to make him to wake up; but could not. She had brought light from the house and watched.
What was there?
There was a handsome young man [Chandra Varna]. He was unconscious. A bag was under his head. She ordered her servants to bring him inside. She felt wonder & craze about him. She examined his bag. The peepul tree leaves were there on which Sanskrit slokas had written. She understood that he was a great scholar. She was in love with him.
She called on doctors. They examined him and said, “Oh. Alankara Valli! This man didn’t take food and rest for past six months. That’s why his condition is like this. If he leaves like this, he may die.”
Alankara Valli worried by hearing this. She said “Oh doctors. You are scholars. How to save him? Please cure him.”
Doctors said, “Every day, you have to mix one Padi [It is the measure of ancient times in India. 1Padi = 1 ½ Kg. of now-a-days MKG system] of rice and one Padi of pure ghee and paste them. Apply that paste on his body from head to toe, thrice per a day. The extract of rice and ghee paste will reach his nerves through the hair holes on his body. By that, his life can be protected. He will get conscious from sleep.”
Alankara Valli had thanked the doctors and rewarded them.
Alankara Valli personally attended Chandra Varna, treated him and served him. After 8 days, he was cured and woken up. At that time, Alankara Valli was not in that room. Chandra Varna noticed that the house was not of Brahmins and of a prostitute. He tried to leave the house without making noise.
Alankara Valli noticed this. She objected him to leave the house. She said, “Oh, the best Brahmin! I had served you. I protected you like a eyelid to the eye. For 8 days, I had personally attended you, protected your body and I had cured your illness. I had saved your life. Like that, I am the life donor to you. In such case, without saying single word including thankfulness to me, to leave my house, is it justice to you? I won’t allow you to leave me.”
Chandra Varna said, “Why are you objecting me. Why don’t you allow me to go out?”
Alankara Valli said, “Oh Brahmin young man. I love you. I want to marry you. That’s why only I had taken care of you.”
Chandra Varna said, “Oh, young dancing woman! I am Brahmin man. You are not eligible to marry me. Let me go.”
But Alankara Valli didn’t agree. It turned as quarrel in the street. The king was informed about this. The king of Kanya Puram was Shudha Varma. [The meaning of his name is Mr. Fair] He sent his soldiers to bring them to the court. They presented both Chandra Varna and Alankara Valli in the royal court.”
King, Shudha Varna said, “Why are you quarrelling in the street?”
Chandra Varna said, “Maharaja! I’m a Brahmin. Some days back I slept on the street bench of this woman’s house. I thought that the house is a Brahmin’s house. I didn’t know that the house belongs to this prostitute. Because of my tiresome, I didn’t know anything. Now this woman is saying that she had treated me, cured my illness with the help of doctors and served me to save my life. As a return, she is demanding me to marry her.”
By hearing his words and by watching his glory king Shudha Varma wished to make him as his son-in-law by giving his daughter Chitra Rekha.[The meaning of this name is wonder line] At the same time, the royal Purohit and the minister got same thought.
Shudha Varma asked the scholars to solve the dispute among Chandra Varna and Alankara Valli. They said, “Maha Raja. If a Brahmin wants to marry other caste woman, there is a way. He has to marry a Brahmin, a Khsathriya, a Vysya and a Shudra woman at a time. If he wants to marry only one woman, he has to marry only Brahmin girl.”
The king Shudra Varma said, “I am pleased with this young man. I would like to marry my daughter Chitra Rekha with him.”
The Minister, Soma Sekhara said, “There is same case with me. I belong to Vysya section. Let this young man marry my daughter Komalangi.”[The meaning of this name is ‘a girl who has delicate body]
The royal Purohit said, “Maha Raja! I’m ready to give my daughter Kalyani to this young man.”
Every body felt happy. Chandra Varna had accepted all of this.
On an auspicious day, it was celebrated. Chandra Varna married 1. Kalyani [Brahmin girl] 2. Chitra Rekha [Khsathriya girl] 3. Komalangi [Vysya girl] 4. Alankara Valli [Shudra girl]
Days were passed. Everybody was pleased with the behavior of Chandra Varna. He got 4 sons by his 4 wives. Kalyani had given birth to son. Chandra Varna kept name Palla Varshi to him. Chitra Rekha had given birth to a son. Chandra Varna kept name Vikaramadithya to him. Komalangi had given birth to a son. His father Chandra Varna kept name Bhatti to him. Alankara Valli had given birth to a son. Chandra Varna kept name Bharthru Hari to him. Boys are growing like moon in the biweekly before full moon day. There started their education. They were learning well.
Shudha Varna passed away due to old age. Because he had only daughter Chitra Rekha, he made his son-in-law Chandra Varna as his heir. Chandra Varna became the king of Kanya Puram. He was ruling his kingdom ideally. People were happy in his ruling. The weather was co-operative and the crops were prosperous. Everybody was happy and peaceful.
Chandra Varna personally had taken care of his sons and taught them to learn what he learnt. [People who learnt education from their parents as Guru i.e. teachers had achieved great things and became fame. Vikramadithya was more successful and fame than Chandra Varna. Chandra Varna learnt education from Brahma Rakshas [divine man who got cursed] where as Vikramadithya was educated by his father himself. In history of India, we have such examples for this.]
His 4 sons became young and Chandra Varna became old. Due to old age, his death approached. On deathbed, he was watching his son Bharthru Hari and getting tears in eyes. His all sons had observed it. All were thought that Chandra Varna had more affection on Alankara Valli and her son Bharthru Hari.
Bharthru Hari sensed the thought of this father. He said, “Dear father! You are fearing that you may loss heaven or Mukti if I get sons, because I’m the ‘servant son’ to you. [It was the belief of those days] I promise you. I prevent marriage. If I get marry, I prevent to have children. Don’t worry. You be peaceful.”
Chandra Varna felt happy. He asked his all sons to hear and said, “Dear sons. I got marry to your mothers and I became as a king of this land, because of Bharthru Hari’s mother Alankara Valli. Hence, I want to make him as king. You serve as princes.”
Bhatti and Vikramadithya obediently accepted this. Pallavarshi said, “Father! I don’t like this wealth and physical world. I’m interested on penance. I want to go to forest and live like a saint. Please permit me.”
Chandra Varna understood the maturity and detachment of Palla Varshi. He blessed him and permitted him to go to penance.
Chandra Varna called on his ministers and purohith i.e. priests and ordered them to make Bharthru Harias king and Bhatti Vikramadithya as princes. The occasion was celebrated. With satisfaction, Chandra Varna passed away.
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