12th STORY OF BHETHALA

THE STORY OF VAMSA MARGUDU

In next attempt of Vikramadithya, Bhethala had told another story. He said, “Vikramadithya! Please hear!

Once up on a time there was a city by name Vaaranavatham. The king of that kingdom was Vamsa Margudu. [The meaning of this name is pioneer to the race] He had a beautiful wife by name Chandra Vadana. [The meaning of this name is a girl whose face is like moon] He was very crazy and affection on her. That’s why he left the administration and always spending time with her.

His Minister, Neethi Vardhana was good and wise. [The meaning of this name is a person who increases the morality] He was ruling the kingdom on behalf of the king, with morals. Days passed. After some time, people were suspecting the Minister. They were blaming him as “This minister is wise. He had made the king to engage in some other things with his wisdom. On behalf of king, the minister is ruling the country.”

By hearing these blames, the Minister Neethi Vardhana felt sad. He had left the country and gone on pilgrimage. The subordinates had informed the king Vamsa Margudu about the departure of minister. The king felt sad. Then he made others to look after the administration and ruling of country. Neethi Vardhana was visiting holy places, pilgrim centers and other places. He had reached a port town. There, a merchant became close friend to the minister Neethi Vardhana. Both of them were enjoying with wise talks. Always they were living together.

One day, the merchant said with the minster, “Oh my dear friend! I’m going on tour to do my business on ship. You please be here till my return.” Neethi Vardhana said, “Dear friend! I can’t be here lonely, without your company. I’m interested to see the wonders in the world and in the Islands. I also come with you. Let us go together.” The merchant felt happy about this. They were travelling by ship through the ocean. Unfortunately, cyclone had attacked their ship. Due to the water whirl and wind whirl, the ship had hijacked to another direction. Because it was very new way to the sailors, they had feared. Fortunately and due to the kindness of God, they could manage to reach an island. They kept anchor to the ship. They got down and searched in the Island. They had found a beautiful temple. It was surrounded with beautiful garden and holy lake. The sculpture of the temple was wonderful. There were not anybody in the temple and Island. They had observed a beautiful woman under a big tree opposite to the temple. The temple was like a temple in the heaven as well the woman was like a woman in the heaven. They thought that the Island was deities land. They had feared to be there. They had rushed to their ship and started from there. After some days, they had returned to their place. As well, the Minister Neethi Vardhana and his friend, the businessman also had reached their place. Some days had passed. The minster Neethi Vardhana had wished to return his motherland. He had taken send off from his friend and returned to Varana Vatham. The king had received him with respect. He asked “Oh Minister, Neethi Vardhana! Are you safe for all these days? Why did you left me and country?” The minister said, “Because people were blaming me as I was ruling the country on behalf of you by making you to engage in other activities, I felt hurt. Hence, I had gone on pilgrimage and on tour. Until that I didn’t get peacefulness in mind.”

King Vamsa Margudu felt sad about it. He said “Well! Past had passed. What are the wonders you have seen on your tour.”

Neethi Vardhana had narrated all the things including his visit to isolated Island, temple and beautiful women in the Island, without hiding anything. The king Vamsa Margudu wanted to see the Island. He had travelled to that Island along with the minister Neethi Vardhana. They had reached the Island and watched the temple and beautiful girl who was sleeping under the tree. She was very beautiful. The king fell in love with her. He had expressed his love to her with sweet words and body language. She had observed him with sensitive looks. She had thought “This man might be a great king. He looks like God Manmadha. [In Indian Epics, God Manmadha was God of love]”.

She said, “Oh King. You are like Indra among kings. If I reject your proposal, then there won’t be any benefit by having this body. But I have a time. You please wait up to either Ashtami [8^th day in the bi-week] or up to New moon day.” The king was waiting. The day arrived. She had decided to perform a Vratham [devotional program] in the temple. She had gone to take holy bathe in the lake. The lake was very beautiful with swans, lotus and water lily flowers. The king thought, “It is not advisable to leave a baby in the water. Like that, it is not advisable to leave beautiful woman lonely.” Hence, he was escorting her by holding the sword in his hands without her notice. Oh, God! What happened there do you know? There came a big demon had caught her and swallowed her. The king Vamsa Margudu had immediately had torn off the demon’s stomach and saved her from death. She was very happy. She said, “Oh king! I’m the elder daughter to Mruganka. My father is a leading scholar in the court of Devendra, the king of deities. My name is Mruga Nayani. [The meaning of this name is ‘a girl whose eyes are like the eyes of deer’] After myself, my father had 1000 sons. My father was very fond of me. He never had taken food without my company. In those days, on Ashtami day I was performing ParVathi Vratham. [A devotional program] I was late to the lunch because of pooja in the temple. My father had waited for me for long time. He was tired and hungry. After some time I had gone to him. Due to hunger, he was very angry with me. With such anger, without sense, he had cursed me as “You will be swallowing by demon.” I had wept like anything. I had prayed him to say withdraw of curse. He had seen my position. Then his anger, which was like a ghost in him had driven out. He could recognize himself. He felt sad. He said, “My dear daughter. When any king who is capable to kill the demon come to you and love you, then your curse will be with draw. Until that on every Ashtami and New moon days the demon will come and swallow you. On the next day, the demon will release you from his stomach”. Since that, I was here. On every Ashtami and New moon days, the demon used to come here and swallow me. On next day, the demon used to release me. Now you came here to make me to get rid of the curse. Now I’m happy. As you like I’m your asset now. You can marry me and you can enjoy with me.”

Vamsa Marga felt happy. Mruga Nayani had finished her ParVathi Vratham. They got married in the temple. They returned to their city Varanavatham. After reaching the city, the Minister Neethi Vardhana had hung himself with a rope and died.

Bhethala completed the story.

He said, “Oh Vikramadithya! Tell me why this Minister had committed suicide?

Did he felt jealousy?”

Vikramadithya said, “Bhethala! The Minister Neethi Vardhana might think as “We should not say morals to bad people. It is waste. Like that, we should not give limitless sweets to the kids. It is danger to their health. In such case, I had given another beautiful divine woman Mruga Nayani to the king Vamsa Marga who is crazy man. Now he won’t attend the ruling of country. Again people will blame me with severe voice.” By thinking like this, he had hung himself and died.”

The silence was broken.

Bhethala again escaped from there.

OUT COMING SKILLS: In this story, the root cause of Ministers’ suicide is not expressive. It is hidden in the story. How Vikramadithya trace it out and how he analyzed will improve the children to think in every aspect with deep vision and approach.