24th STORY OF BHETHALA

THE STORY OF UNKNOWN RELATIONS

When Vikramadithya was carrying Bhethala to Bruhadaranyam, he was telling a wonderful story.

Bhethala said, “Oh Rajendra! Please listen! Once there was a king by name Sri Pathi. He wanted to take holy round around the world. He had left his kingdom and family. He had gone on tour. His wife and daughter had waited for him for long time. He didn’t return. Then they left the palace and wandering on the countryside by enquiry about him. One day they were going through a deep forest. They had taken rest for some time under the shade of a big tree and then re-started. Behind them, two Brahmin men were coming at certain distance. They were father and son.

The father said, “Look my son! Here are the footprints of two women. It seems that big footprints belong to elder woman and smaller prints belong to younger woman. Hence, you marry the woman who has small feet. I’ll marry the woman who has big feet”. The son had agreed.

Both of they had walked fast and reached the two women. They explained their commitment to the women. But when they observed the daughter had big feet and the mother had small feet. As per their commitment, the father had married the daughter in the women and the son had married the mother. After some time both the couples had sons.

Bhethala asked Vikramadithya “Oh King! Let me know what the relation of those children is?”

Vikramadithya felt puzzled to answer it. He was not able to find answer to this question. Hence, he kept calm. Since silence didn’t break, Bhethala could not escape from Vikramadithya. Mean while they had reached Kalika Devi’s temple at Bruhadaranyam. The saint Gnana Seela and his Yagna Gundam was in their visibility.