18th STORY OF BHETHALA

THE STORY OF BHAGAVATHI

With repeated efforts, Vikramadithya didn’t give up his determination. Again, he had bound Bhethala and walking towards Bruhadaranyam with silence. Again, Bhethala had narrated a story.

Bhethala said, “Oh the best among the kings. Listen …

Once there was a big and beautiful city by name Gopala Puram. Karthikeya was its king. He was ruling with morals. He was favorable by public. He had a daughter by name BhagaVathi. She was young and beautiful. People used to say that she was a mine of beauty. She was talented in music and literature.

One day evening she was drying her long and beautiful hair on the terrace of her palace. At that time, a Brahmin young man was going on the road. His name was Dhana Swami. He was handsome. He was in love at first sight with her. BhagaVathi also had seen him. She also felt love on him. Both had thrown deep sights to each other. They sensed love mutually. But how to meet? BhagaVathi was princess. Dhana Swami was an ordinary Brahmin’s son. How it was possible for him to meet her? Hence, they were not able to meet each other. Dhana Swami was thinking to achieve the task of meeting the princess throughout the days and nights. Finally, he had came to a decision. He had approached his friend Loka Deva, a wise man. He had narrated all the issue and requested him to say any idea. Loka Deva felt surprise by hearing his friend’s desire. He said, “Hae Dhana Swami! What are you saying? Where are you? Where is the princess? To fulfill your desire, it is impossible. In spite of this, because you are my friend, I will play some trick. You don’t worry.”

By saying like this, Loka Deva explained a plan to implement. According to it, Loka Deva had put himself in disguise of a saint and made Dhana Swami in the disguise of a young girl. He had met the king Karthikeya and said, “Oh king. There should be all the best to you. God may bless you. I’m going to Kasi on pilgrimage. This is my daughter, by name Sukesini. [The meaning of this name is a girl who has good hair] I don’t like to take this young beautiful girl up to such long distance, because it is not safe. Please, you protect this girl by keeping in your palace until my return.”

The king had accepted his request. Since he didn’t know that Sukesini was a man in the disguise of woman, he had sent him to his daughter’s palace; by thinking both were at some age. Sukesini had mingled on the servant-maids of BhagaVathi and waiting to find lonely time. One day she could manage to talk with BhagaVathi lonely. She had narrated everything to BhagaVathi and revealed his identity. BhagaVathi had love on him. But without revealing it, she said, “What? How dare you are to enter into king’s palace like this? Did we became easy approachable to you? I’ll inform this to my father. Look, what I’ll do for you?”

But the Brahmin young man Dhana Swamy didn’t fear towards it. He said, “My darling! I had done like this due to love and affection on yourself but not for anything else. I know that you are also in love with me at first sight. Don’t try to threaten me. It will be waste. Please accept me. Why do you eager to inform to your father about me? You can save me. You are eligible to do so. I sincerely love you. That’s why, I had taken this much of risk to reach you. It is your decision either to save me or to punish me. Whatever you do, I’ll be happy.”

BhagaVathi had felt happy with his dare and risk taking. She had impressed by his sweet and loving words. She had hugged and kissed him. She said, “I’ll do this only. Don’t fear.” They had smiled at each other. Since then, they were enjoying with each other’s company in secrecy. Nobody had noticed their affair. Days were passing like this. One day a prince from neighboring kingdom had approached the king, Karthikeya and asked for the hand of his daughter BhagaVathi. The king didn’t like to give his daughter, to that prince. That’s why, the king had performed the marriage of that prince with Sukesini, on behalf of princess BhagaVathi.

After marriage, the bridegroom had taken his wife, Sukesini to his kingdom. On the way Dhana Swami who was in the disguise of woman, i.e. Sukesini had escaped from the bridegroom’s party. Mean while, Loka Deva had approached the king Karthikeya as per their previous plan. He was accompanied with a young man. As per his plan, he said, “Maharaja! You please call my daughter Sukesini. This is my disciple. I want to perform my daughter’s marriage with this boy. And I’m very thankful to you for protecting of my daughter.”

The king felt shock. He had explained everything to the saint. He didn’t bluff because of the fear of curse by the saint. He said, “Swami! Please excuse me. Without your permission, I had performed your daughter’s marriage with prince of our neighboring kingdom, to prevent my daughter’s marriage. Instead of your daughter, please take my daughter BhagaVathi. I’m donating my daughter to your disciple as his wife.”

Loka Deva who was in the disguise of saint feared by hearing this. He didn’t expected this. With that shock, he didn’t object the king. The king had performed the marriage of BhagaVathi with the disciple of Loka Deva. They were going to their native. On the way, Dhana Swami met them. He said, “BhagaVathi and I loved each other. Hence, she is my wife. Leave her to me.” The disciple said, “Her father had given me as my wife. Our marriage was performed in the palace. Hence, she is my wife.”

Bhethala finished the story and said, “Oh Vikramadithya! Can you tell the princess BhagaVathi belongs to whom?”

Vikramadithya said, “In my opinion, marriage means it is a declaration as so and so boy and so and so girl belong to each other. It is a declaration, as the couple will live together. Such that, marriage is official and authoritative. Like that, the king, being father of princess BhagaVathi had given his daughter to the disciple. He had performed their marriage in public. Though BhagaVathi and Dhana Swami loved each other, though they had enjoyed with each other’s company for some time, their relation was not declared one. It was secret. It had involved sin. Hence, BhagaVathi belongs to the disciple of Loka Deva only.”

Within a moment, Bhethala disappeared because the silence had broken.