The story of a Brahmin who fell in the river as told by Sanjeevavalli doll

The story of a Brahmin who fell in the river as told by Sanjeevavalli doll.

Retold by
P.R.Ramachander
On the fifteenth day Bhoja raja after his morning duties again started climbing on to the throne of Vikramadhithya. He was stopped on the fifteenth step by Sanjeevavalli doll. It told him that he does not have great qualities of the king Vikramadhithya and is not fit to occupy the throne. Then king Bhoja asked that doll, “Doll please tell me about the greatness of Vikramadhithya. The doll started telling the following story:-

During one of his six month sojourn to the forest, Vikramadhithya resolved to go alone in the garb of sage. He stayed for one night in a village and next four days in towns around. One day after a long travel he reached a village on the banks of a river. There was a temple in the village. In the temple one learned sage was talking about the sacrifices one can make. He told that the greatest sacrifice that one can make is to save a man in danger without even bothering about one’s own life. All the people who heard this advice were taken aback, when they heard of cries for help from the river. When they rushed to the bank of the river all of them saw the swift tides of the river dragging an old man and his wife. Both of them were shouting for help but none dared to help them as they felt that getting in to the river was dangerous. But Vikrama though in the garb of a sage got in to the river, fought bravely with the tide and with lots of difficulty saved the elderly couple. Once they came out the old man thanked Vikrama and told him that he wanted to compensate for his efforts. Then Vikrama told the old man that he was the king of the country and it was his job to help and save all the people in his country. Then the old man understood that he was king Vikramadhithya and told him, “Sir, I am thankful to your majesty for helping me out. I simple cannot compensate your efforts in any way but I want to give you two presents. Please accept it. “When Vikrama agreed that Brahmin gave him the power to summon the plane of Gods and travel in it and reach any place he wants. And also gave him all the effect of all the good deeds done by him.” Vikrama thankfully accepted them and went on his way. He eventually reached a forest which was not cool but very hot. This forest had only horror sounds of bison and such wild animals. The forest instead has only thorny shrubs like the cactus. In the middle of the forest was a thousand branched banyan tree and hanging on his branches a Brahma Rakshasa. As soon the Brahma Rakshasa saw Vikrama it told him, “King, I was a very pious and well known sage but because I insulted sage Narada, he cursed me to become a Brahma Rakshasa. The only way for me to escape from this torture is to get the two boons given by the Brahmin to you. Would you please give them to me?”King Vikramadhithya gladly agreed and gave the two boons to him. Then the Brahma Rakshasa became a sage and went to heaven.

The doll then told, “Oh king Bhoja, this is the greatness of Vikramadhithya who occupied this throne. If you think that you are equal to him, then you can definitely go up. Bhoja returned back that day without further climbing