17th STORY OF BETHALA

THE STORY OF RATNA VATHI

Vikramadithya had returned to the Moduga tree and was carrying Bhethala on his shoulder. Bhethala started a story. He said, “Oh! Vikramadithya. Listen this story to forget your tiresome. In fact your determination is ever lasting.”

He continued …

Once there was a city by name Ayodhya Nagaram. There was a famous businessman in that city by name Veera Keshudu. He had a daughter by name Ratna Vathi. She was very beautiful. People used to say that there were no beautiful girls than Ratna Vathi among divine girls. Beside beauty, she was famous for her good qualities like obedience, learning arts and education. Because of her beauty and good nature, so many young men had wished to marry her. Some young men had contacted Veera Keshudu to get marry her. He wished to perform her marriage with suitable person. By hearing such information, Ratna Vathi informed her parents, as she was not interested to marry anybody. Veera Keshudu and his wife had tried their level best to convince her, but Ratna Vathi was determined to do not get marry. Because of their love and affection, Veera Keshudu and his wife could not force her. They were protecting their daughter like eyelid to the eye.

Days were passing like this. At this time, there was increased the robberies in Ayodhya Nagaram. The thieves were digging holes to houses and thefting the valuables. Nobody could catch the thieves. People were suffering from thefting. They gathered as a group and approached the king. They prayed to the king to save them from the thieves. The king of that city was good and capable. He had promised them to solve the problem of thieves.

The king had appointed the soldiers and officers to arrest the thieves. But there was no use. By knowing all this information, the thieves were performing their robbery and thefting with much care and talent. Hence, the army officers were not able to arrest the thieves. Hence, the king had personally gone to arrest the thieves. He had taken his weapons and wandering on the streets in disguise.

That was new moon day and mid night. There was thick dark in the city. Nobody was able to watch what was in front of him or her. The king had observed that some huge body was standing before him. He had asked “Hae! Who are you?” It was the chief of thieves. He had recognized the king. He said, “Oh King! I’m the son of this city’s Goddess Maham Kali. I’m famous by name Pothu Raju.” The king could sense him as the chief of thieves. He had pretended, as he believed him as Pothu Raju. The king said, “Oh! Pothu Raja! Excuse me, as I do not realize you. You are the son of our Goddess Kali. Hence, you are also God to us. Your mother is protecting our city. I have a desire in my mind. Since days, I wished that you also had to protect our city. Without over looking you have to give this boon to me. I’m praying you in 1000 ways. You should accept my prayer. Hence, you should guard our city.”

By hearing this, the thieves’ leader thought, “This king had believed me as Pothu Raju. I should not spoil this belief. Let me kill this king in suitable time. Later I can occupy this kingdom.” He said to king, “Oh King! I accept your prayer. Let us go to the entrance of fort.”

He had walked towards the entrance of fort and the king had followed him. They had reached the entrance. The king urged the thieves’ leader i.e. Pothu Raju to protect the fort. He had gone in side. The chief of thieves had called on all of his subordinate thieves and explained his plan to kill the king and to occupy the city. They had supported him with excitement. All the thieve team was getting ready to implement their plan.

The king’s spying agents were following the thieves’ team as per their king’s order. These agents had informed all about the thieves team’s activities to the king. In appropriate time, the king had attacked on the thieves’ team along with his army. All the thieves were got arrested. The king’s army soldiers had killed all the thieves. The king had caught the chief of thieves and ordered his soldiers to bring to the court. In the court, he declared the punishment to the chief of thieves as death sentence by cutting his head in public place; which was known as Vadhya sila. [The meaning of this name is death rock]

As per their administration, the soldiers had decorated the chief of thieves with red dress and garland of neem leaves in his neck. The soldiers were taking the chief of thieves as a procession to the Vadhya sila i.e. death rock. The king ordered them to do so and hence it would be a warning to people and thieves. On the streets, people were watching the thieves’ leader with curiosity. While the procession was passing through the street in which Veera Keshudu’s house, Ratna Vathi had seen the thieves’ leader through her room balcony. She had rejected so many wedding proposals with determination to do not get marry. Such Ratna Vathi had fallen in love with the chief of thieves at first sight. Immediately she had rushed to her parents and said, “Father! You see the man who was taking by the soldiers to the Vadhya sila, he is right person to me as husband. You please get him release. You please perform my marriage with him. Otherwise, I want to die.” Her parents had shocked by this. Veera Keshudu had tried to convince her and to counsel her. He said, “My dear little daughter! What a foolish thing this is? Is there anybody in this world to love a thief who had sentenced to death? If you marry a thief, people will blame you as you also a thief. Because of such marriage, our family respects and race respects will get spoil. Being your loving parents, we should get affect to the public blame. You should not think like that to marry a thief. There are many young men, who are handsome, educated, rich and respected to marry you. In such case, is it right to wish to marry a thief? Is it correct to us?”

But these all became as sweet sound of holy cone in front of deaf man. She didn’t convinced by her parents counseling. What could the businessman Veera Keshudu do? He felt sad about his daughter’s foolish determination. He had thought to do what. He had taken Valuable diamonds and gems and visited the king. He had kept the valuable diamonds at the king’s feet. He said, “Oh king! You are great. You had ordered the thieves leader to implement death. I pray you to order to release him. By watching him, my daughter had loved him. She is wishing to marry him. I had this daughter after long time after my marriage. I had this only daughter. If she dies, I can’t live. Hence in helpless situation, I’m praying you to release the thief.”

Like this, Veera Keshudu had prayed the king like anything. The king felt wonder first and then anger. He fired on him. He said, “Oh Business man! Are you mad? Why are you trying to save the thieves’ leader? You might be big thief. Otherwise, you won’t try to save the thief. The thief might give the things such as money, gold, and other valuables which he had robbery in the city. Otherwise, why are you trying to save him by showing your daughter as a reason? I know all of your business tricks. Get away from here. If you stay here for one more minute, you will get the same punishment as that of the thief. Go. Get last. Get out from here.”

With frightfulness, Veera Keshudu had rushed to his house. He had explained all to his daughter Ratna Vathi. By hearing that, she had fallen on to the ground as if a banana tree which was cut off at its root. She became unconscious. Her parents had treated her with cool water and sandal powder paste. Within few seconds, she got up and ran onto the road. She was crying with loud voice and following the thief in the procession. By watching her position, Veera Keshudu and his wife were not able to be in the house. They were crying and following her.

It was spread in the city. People felt surprise. With high curiosity and interest people gathered around them. All of them and the procession had reached the Vadhya sila i.e. death rock in the burial ground. The soldiers had made the thief to take 3 holy rounds around Vadhya sila. They had put the body of the thieves’ leader in the Vadhya sila. The chief of thieves had seen Ratna Vathi and her parents. First, he had laughed loud. Later he had cried aloud. Then he lost life.

By watching the thief’s death, Ratna Vathi became panic. She had made pyre in the burial ground and got ready to die by jumping into the fire on the pyre. God Shiva and Goddess ParVathi Devi were watching all of this. They felt kind to Ratna Vathi. They had appeared in front of Ratna Vathi and stopped her from her trial to die. They had asked her “Oh daughter! What do you want?”

Ratna Vathi had put namaskar [wish] to God and Goddess. She praised them with joy. She said, “Oh God Girisha! Oh Goddess Girija Devi! You are like my parents. If you have kindness on me, you please make this thief alive. I had taken this man as my husband. If you admire my decision, you please donate me husband. Except this, I have no other wish.”

God Shiva and Goddess ParVathi Devi had admired her determination and sincerity in love. As per her wish, they had given boon to her by making the thief alive. He got up as if he got up from sleep. By blessing them, the God and Goddess disappeared from there. Veera Keshudu and his wife had felt extreme happy by watching all of this. People praised Ratna Vathi’s determination and sincere love. Veera Keshudu had performed his daughter’s marriage with the chief of thieves after inviting all his relatives and friends. The king was informed all of this through his spying agents. He felt high surprise and fear towards the determination and sincere love of Ratna Vathi. He felt that Ratna Vathi was chaste woman. He had called on the chief of thieves and appointed him as the army chief. The thieves’ leader also realized the human values such as determination, devotion, good, evil and sincerity in doing works. He had turned as a good and capable army chief.

Bhethala completed the story and said, “Oh king Vikramadithya. Now you please tell me why the chief of thieves had laughed first, cried later before he died?”

Vikramadithya said, “The thief laughed by watching Ratna Vathi. He sensed fun as Ratna Vathi loved him without knowing his particulars. The thief had cried by watching her parents. He sensed sorrow as Veera Keshudu and his wife were crying for her daughter.”

The silence was broken; Bhethala disobeyed Vikramadithya and escaped from there.