19th STORY OF BHETHALA

THE STORY OF SNAKES

Vikramadithya didn’t feel tiresome. Moreover, he was getting curiosity to hear the stories of Bhethala trial by trial. Hence, he had bound the corpse again and travelling towards Bruhadaranyam. Then Bhethala started to tell another story.

Bhethala said, “Oh Vikramadithya Maharaja! Listen …

Once there was a city Padma Puram. There was a king by name Jeemutha Vahana. He was the best among all the kings of that time. He had good and capable army. In spite of capable staff, he used to know the affairs of kingdom personally. He didn’t depend only on the information of his spying agents. He used to wander in the kingdom in disguise, frequently to know the particulars of people.

In that time, there was a small forest beside his capital city Padma Puram in his kingdom. There were many snakes. Every day Garuda[Eagle] used to come there to eat the snakes. [In Indian epics, Garuda is a bird i.e. big eagle, which is the carrier of God Vishnu] Garuda used to eat the snakes without concern as which he had seen and how many snakes he had seen. All the snakes were scared with this. All the snakes had assembled at a place. They had discussed to solve their problem. Finally, they had decided to put on urge to Garuda. They were waiting for the arrival of Garuda. Garuda came. The snakes said, “Oh Garuda! We have a request. You please consider it.” Garuda said, “What it is?” Snakes said, “Garuda! You are the carrier to God Vishnu. We are your servants, and food to you. We are living in this forest. Every day you are eating us as whichever snake you see, you are killing it and eating it. That’s why we are living with high fear with a feeling as every minute there was death threaten to us. It seems to be every second as an era to us. Every minute, we are feeling fear. We are not able to live peacefully. Hence, we are requesting you like this. Every day we will come as food to you in sequence, as one snake per one day. We won’t overlook this turn system. Please you don’t come to other snakes to kill except the snake, which has turn to become food to you on that day. This is our request. You please kindly oblige it.”

Garuda had accepted this. Since then, Garuda didn’t kill other snakes except the snake, which had turn to become as food to him on every day. Some days passed. In sequence, on one day, it was the turn of a snake by name Sankha Chuda. He was the only child to his mother. His mother was crying like anything. The king Jeemutha Vahana arrived there, as a part of his watch of kingdom. He felt pity on her and asked, “Mother! Why are you crying?”

She had explained all the issue. Jeemutha Vahana had consoled her and assured her to save her son. He went to meet Sankha Chuda. He said, “Sankha Chuda! I assured your mother to save your life. I know that today is your turn to become as food to Garuda. Instead of you, I’ll become as his food. You go to your house and make your mother happy.” Sankha Chuda said, “Oh king! What is the use of my life to this world? I’m small creature. That to, I’m poisonous creature. If you alive, there will be great benifit to our country. In your ruling people are happy. You are not selfish king. You are moral. If you die instead of me, it won’t be correct. I won’t accept your deal.”

Jeemutha Vahana had admired Sankha Chuda’s versatility. He said, “I had promised your mother to save you. I don’t like to over throw it.” Like this, they were arguing with each other. There came Garuda with heavy hunger. Jeemutha Vahana said, “Oh Garuda. You are like Indra among birds. Today’s turn is of Sankha Chuda. But you please leave him. You eat me instead of him. He is the only son to his mother.”

Garuda was pleased with him. He said, “Oh king! I’m happy by watching your sacrifice and good nature. What is the boon do you want? I’ll give it to you. Say it.”

Jeemutha Vahana said, “Oh Garuda! I have no desire for myself. But since this day, you please do not eat the live snakes in this forest. You give this boon to me.”

Garuda promised to do so. Since then, the snakes in that forest had lived with secured feeling.

Bhethala said, “Oh Vikramarka Rajendra! Who is great among Garuda, Jeemutha Vahana and Sankha Chuda?”

Vikramadithya said, “Bhethala! Listen! Being king of a country, it is responsibility of Jeemutha Vahana to protect all lives in his kingdom. Hence, his proposal to become as Garuda’s food instead of Sankha Chuda’s turn is not great. Being living being in the kingdom, it is the responsibility of Sankha Chuda to serve the king. Hence, his rejection to the king’s offer is not great. Garuda had snakes as his food by nature and God. In spite of that, he had promised the king to leave the live snakes and to take dead snakes only as food. Hence, Garuda is great.”

Since the silence was broken, the binding of Bhethala also got broken.