Table of contents of the stories of Vikramadhithya as retold by P.R.Ramachander

1.Bhoja Raja gets Vikramadhithya's throne- http://vikramadhithya.blogspot.com/2011/04/bhoja-raja-gets-vikramadhithyas-throne.html

 2.Who was Vikramadhithya?   http://vikramadhithya.blogspot.com/2011/04/who-was-vikramadhithya.html

3.Vikramadithya I  http://vikramadhithya.blogspot.com/2011/04/vikramadhithya-and-vetala-i.html

4.Vikramadithya and Vetala stories 1 -  http://vikramadhithya.blogspot.com/2011/04/vikramadhithya-and-vetala-i.html

5.Vikramadhithya and Vetala  2-6 - http://vikramadhithya.blogspot.com/2011/04/vikramadhithya-and-vetala-stories-2-6.html

6.Vikramadhithya   and Vetala 7-10 -  http://vikramadhithya.blogspot.com/2011/04/vikramadhithya-and-vetala-stories-7-10.html

7.Vikramadhithya and Vetala  11-16   http://vikramadhithya.blogspot.com/2011/04/vikramadhithya-and-vetala-stories-11-16.html

8.Vikramadhithya  and Vetala  17-24  http://vikramadhithya.blogspot.com/2011/04/vikramadhithya-and-vetala-stories-17-24.html

9.The story told by third doll- http://vikramadhithya.blogspot.com/2011/04/tee-story-of-elalaramba-told-by-third.html

 10.The story told by 4th  doll.  http://vikramadhithya.blogspot.com/2011/05/story-of-chamapakavalli-as-told-by.html

11.The story  told by 5th doll- http://vikramadhithya.blogspot.com/2011/05/story-of-dhanapathi-gunapathi-and-pesa.html

 12.The story  told  by  6th doll- http://vikramadhithya.blogspot.com/2011/05/story-of-dhana-amaravathi-as-told-by.html

 13.The  story told  by 6th doll- http://vikramadhithya.blogspot.com/2011/05/story-of-dhana-amaravathi-as-told-by.html

 14. The  story told by 7th doll  -  http://vikramadhithya.blogspot.com/2011/05/story-of-sade-sathi-sani-ezharai-naatu.html

15. The story told by 8th doll- http://vikramadhithya.blogspot.com/2011/05/story-of-dasi-aparanji-and-neethi-vakya.html

 16. The story told by  9th   doll -  http://vikramadhithya.blogspot.com/2011/05/story-of-pavalakkodi-as-told-by-ninth.html

 17.The story told by 10th doll- http://vikramadhithya.blogspot.com/2011/06/story-of-thangamapuri-as-told-by-tenth.html

18.The story told by 11th  doll-http://vikramadhithya.blogspot.com/2011/06/story-of-sargunavathi-of-nirjeeva.html

19.The story  told by  12th doll -  http://vikramadhithya.blogspot.com/2011/06/story-of-amruthakiranakalai-of-nirjeeva.html

20. The story told by  13th doll- http://vikramadhithya.blogspot.com/2011/06/story-of-vichithrakala-as-told-by.html

 21.The story   told by 14th doll- http://vikramadhithya.blogspot.com/2011/06/story-of-dharmaseela-as-told-by.html

 22. The story   told by 15th   doll -  http://vikramadhithya.blogspot.com/2011/06/story-of-brahmin-who-fell-in-river-as.html

23. The story told by 16th doll- http://vikramadhithya.blogspot.com/2011/06/story-of-courtesan-kamalareka-as-told.html

24.The story told by 17th doll-  http://vikramadhithya.blogspot.com/2011/06/story-of-nava-mohini-manjari-as-told-by.html

25.The story told by 18th doll- http://vikramadhithya.blogspot.com/2011/06/story-of-division-of-properties-told-by.html

 26, The story  told by  19th doll- http://vikramadhithya.blogspot.com/2011/06/story-of-amruthasanjeevini-as-told-by.html

 27. The story   told by 20th  doll- http://vikramadhithya.blogspot.com/2011/06/story-of-gambler-as-told-by.html

 28.The story  told  by 21st   doll- http://vikramadhithya.blogspot.com/2011/06/story-of-indra-jala-magician-as-kanaka.html

 29.The story told by  22nd  doll-http://vikramadhithya.blogspot.com/2011/06/story-of-dhanadha-as-told-by.html

30.The story  told by  23rd doll – http://vikramadhithya.blogspot.com/2011/06/story-of-chiranjeevi-as-told-by.html

 31.  The story told by  24th doll- http://vikramadhithya.blogspot.com/2011/06/story-of-brahmachari-as-told-by.html

 32,The story told by 25th doll-   http://vikramadhithya.blogspot.com/2011/06/story-of-kamalakara-as-told-by.html

33.The story  told  by 26th doll- http://vikramadhithya.blogspot.com/2011/06/story-of-long-homa-of-brahmin-as-told.html

34.The story told by   27th doll-  http://vikramadhithya.blogspot.com/2011/06/story-of-gem-merchant-as-told-by.html

 35.  The story told by 28th doll http://vikramadhithya.blogspot.com/2011/06/story-of-bad-act-in-return-to-help-as.html

 36.The story told by 29th doll- http://vikramadhithya.blogspot.com/2011/06/story-of-chithrarekha-and-also-four.html

37. The story told by   30th  Doll-   http://vikramadhithya.blogspot.com/2011/06/story-of-wild-boar-as-told-by.html

38.The story told by  31st doll-http://vikramadhithya.blogspot.com/2011/06/story-of-eight-deva-maidens-as-told-by.html

39. The story told by 32nd doll-  http://vikramadhithya.blogspot.com/2011/06/story-of-shalivahana-as-told-by.html

Afterward

This story of Vikramadhithya (Singhasan Bathisi) presented by me is the version that is popular in Tamil Nadu. The version popular in North India is almost same but the order of the dolls and their names are very different.
I have summarized the stories in to a very short form as the original stories are very lengthy , with very many descriptions.

The story of Shalivahana as told by Jnanaprakasavalli doll

The story of Shalivahana as told by Jnanaprakasavalli doll

Retold by
P.R.Ramachander

On the thirty second day Bhoja raja after his morning duties again started climbing on to the throne of Vikramadhithya. There was only one more step guarded by Jnanaprakasavalli doll. It told him that he has all great qualities of the king Vikramadhithya and is fit to occupy the throne. It invited him to occupy the throne. Then king Bhoja asked that doll, “Doll, please tell me how the great king Vikramadhithya died. The doll started telling the following story.
“In the shores of river Cauvery there was a town called Pallandupuri. There was very learned Brahmin called Ramakrishna in that town. At the right age he got married. But the astrologers told him that a son born to him in the month of Chithra on a Friday and with the star Rohini after twelve years would become one of the greatest people on earth. So he immediately left his wife and undertook a pilgrimage for twelve years. He was returning on the appointed night to home to meet his wife. There was a sudden floods and he was stopped in Prathishtanapuri. There he told about his problem to a potter. The potter told him that he has an unmarried eligible daughter who would be willing to bear his child. That night he spent with the potter’s daughter and later went home. After ten months the potter’s daughter bore a son and he was named as Shalivahana.
The boy Shalivahana was extremely intelligent and had an extreme fascination towards pottery. From the time he was a child he started making dolls of soldiers, cavalry, infantry, soldiers of elephant regiment, chariots, weapons and so on. When he grew up he became such a wise man that the king Viswanatha Raja appointed him as his second minister. That king was paying tribute to king Vikramadhithya. Shalivahana the minister stopped paying Tribute. When Vikramadhithya sent his emissaries he haughtily replied them, “If emperor is capable let him wage a war against me and take away the tribute.”
When he heard this Vikramadhithya got very angry and marched with all his army towards the kingdom of Viswanatha Raja. Shalivahana sprayed magical water on his dolls and crores of them came alive, pounced on the armies of Vikramadhithya and killed them. Realizing that his end was near, Vikramadhithya tried to flee. Then Shalivahana send a mud arrow against him. That arrow cut off the head of king Vikramadhithya and it fell amidst his queens. They all died in the pyre that was lit to burn Vikramadhithya. Afterwards Shalivahana ruled over Ujjaini for a very long time.”
Then the doll told king Bhoja to occupy the throne of Vikramadhithya. It also told him that all the 32 dolls are now free of their curse and would return to heavens. King Bhoja asked the doll about the nature of the curse. Then the doll told, “We were all the maid servants of Goddess Parvathi. When once Lord Shiva entered her chamber he saw us and looked at us with passionate eyes. This infuriated Goddess Parvathi, who cursed us to become dolls as we stood in front of Lord Shiva like the dolls. When we begged for forgiveness, she told us to become dolls in the throne of King Vikramadhithya, tell the story of that great king, to king Bhoja and then return to her. Since our job is over we are returning. Do you need any boon king?”
King Bhoja replied, “I personally do not need anything as God has blessed me with all that I need. I request you to bless all those who hear the stories of Vikramadhithya which were told by you to me, to live with peace, happiness and valour.” The dolls gave him the boon and vanished.
King Bhoja kept the idol of Lord Shiva on the throne and did pooja to it. As soon as it was over the throne rose up to heavens and vanished. After that king Bhoja ruled his kingdom in a just manner for a long long time.

The story of eight deva maidens as told by Neethivakyavalli doll

The story of eight deva maidens as told by Neethivakyavalli doll

Retold by
P.R.Ramachander

On the thirty first day Bhoja raja after his morning duties again started climbing on to the throne of Vikramadhithya. He was stopped on the thirty first step by Neethivakyavalli 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.
Vikramadhithya had a very wise minister called Budhisindhu. He had a son called Anarghala. Like all young people Anarghala was wasting away his time in empty pursuits. So one day Budhisindhu called his son and told him about the need for utilizing his time properly and learn all that has to be learnt. Anarghala realized that what his father was advising was correct and went to the northern part in search of a teacher. He found a good one and learned all that needs to be learned. Afterwards, he was returning to his own country. On the way he found a lake and by the side of it a very pretty temple. Half the lake had warm water and the other half cold water. Anarghala decided to spend his night by the side of the temple. That night eight deva maidens rose from the warm water side of the lake, went to the temple and did pooja. The God came in person and talked with them. Later when they were going back, they invited Anarghala to accompany them and jumped inside the lake. Since Anarghala was afraid of jumping in the lake, he did not follow them.
Later when he went to his home and later Visited Vikramadhithya, he told him about this incident. King Vikrama immediately visited the lake and the temple along with Anarghala. He also saw the eight deva maidens and was invited to follow them. Without any hesitation he jumped in to the water and reached along with them to their golden house. All of them were greatly appreciative of the valour of Vikramadhithya and offered him of their services. They told him they were the eight occult powers, Anima, Garima, Mahima, etc. When Vikramadhithya said he was not interested, they converted their powers as eight gems and gave them to him. They said that anyone having those gems will have those powers.
While he was returning he met an old man who was completely neglected by his family members. Taking pity on him king Vikramadhithya gave all those eight gems to him. He was that generous.

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.

The story of the wild boar as told by Rukhmanivalli doll

The story of the wild boar as told by Rukhmanivalli doll
Retold by
P.R.Ramachander

On the thirtieth day Bhoja raja after his morning duties again started climbing on to the throne of Vikramadhithya. He was stopped on the thirtieth step by Rukhmanivalli 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.

One day when Vikramadhithya was meeting with several great princes, a hunter rushed in and told Vikramadhithya “Sir, In the Anjana Mountain a huge wild boar has come. We are scared because of it. Please help us and save us.”
Immediately the king along with all the princes left for Anjana Mountain in search of the wild boar. With lot of difficulty they found it and started chasing it. All the princes were not able to follow the boar but Vikrama gave a good chase and saw it enter a cave. Vikrama followed the boar in side. There he saw a shining town made of gold. He went on touring the town till he reached a palace. When he entered the palace, he saw a great king sitting there. That king introduced himself as Maha Bali the son of Virochana. When Vikramadhithya introduced himself, king Bali expressed great happiness in being able to receive such an honoured guest. Vikrama told the king that the pleasure was his because he has been able to meet Bali, with whom the Lord Vishnu himself came to beg. Maha Bali enquired with Vikrama as to why he has come. When he said he came simply, Maha Bali told him that he himself wanted to see the great king Vikramadhithya and sent a wild boar to bring him here. Then Maha Bali wanted king Vikramadhithya to ask for any present of his choice. When Vikramadhithya told him that he needed nothing, Maha Bali gave him a juice drinking which an old man will become a youth and an acid by pouring which everything will become gold.
King Vikramadhithya accepted the presents. While on his way back a poor very old Brahmin and his son met him and asked him for wealth. When king Vikramadhithya told that he has nothing except the juice which will make old ones young and an acid which would make all metals in to gold. He asked them to choose one of them. The old man wanted the juice and the Youngman the acid. When they were not able to take any decision, king Vikramadhithya gave both the juice and acid to them and returned to his kingdom. That was the generosity of our king.


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.

The story of Chithrarekha and also four gems as told by Sampradayavalli doll

The story of Chithrarekha and also four gems as told by Sampradayavalli doll

Retold by
P.R.Ramachander

On the twenty ninth day Bhoja raja after his morning duties again started climbing on to the throne of Vikramadhithya. He was stopped on the twenty ninth step by Sampradayavalli 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.

King Vikramadhithya was so great that he never saw any differences between beings and helped them all. Because of this the Devas and Gods helped him always. Don’t you know that once a man takes a firm decision Gods would help him? Have you heard the story of princess Chithrarekha regarding this? When king Bhoja feigned ignorance of the story of the princess the doll started telling the story of Chithrarekha.
Chithrarekha was the pretty princess of the country called Pundravardhanam. In that country lived a great carpenter and weaver. They were very close friends. One day the weaver happened to see Chithrarekha and fell in love instantly with her. But he was told by the people of the country that the princess had decided to marry Lord Vishnu and no one else. When with great dejection the weaver told this to his carpenter friend, he promised to help. The carpenter built a flying doll of garuda, the eagle on which Lord Vishnu rides. The weaver himself weaved remarkably great yellow silk cloth. Then he dressed himself as Lord Vishnu and flew in to the terrace of the palace in which Chithrasena lived. Chithrarekha thought that he was Lord Vishnu and treated him with reverence and informed him her wish to marry him. The weaver gladly agreed and the marriage and it was performed the Gandharwa way. From then on daily the weaver used to visit the princess at night. Due to her bodily changes, her friends informed the king, that there was something wrong with the princess. When the parents confronted her, the princess told that Lord Vishnu was her husband and he was daily visiting her at night. He asked her parents to hide in the terrace and watch coming of Lord Vishnu. When they say the weaver dressed in silk coming on flying Garuda, they were convinced. But the king started becoming very proud that Lord Vishnu himself was his son in law. So he stopped paying tribute to his emperor. The emperor, who was very strong, came with a large army to attack him. Then the king approached Chithrasena and asked her to request Lord Vishnu to save her father. The weaver readily agreed and started towards the army of the emperor. Seeing this the devas went to Lord Vishnu and appraised him of the situation and also told that if the weaver was defeated all human beings would lose faith in Lord Vishnu. Lord Vishnu was convinced and riding on Garuda, he exterminated the army of the emperor using his Chakra. The weaver was pleasantly surprised.
Ending the story like this Sampradayavalli doll continued with the story of king Vikramadhithya. Once king Vikramadhithya thought that there was no point in keeping great riches. So he decided to give it all away to the needy people He sent invitations to all Gods. Among them he sent a poor learned Brahmin to invite the God of the sea. The Brahmin went to the sea, prayed God of the sea and told him that he has been invited by king Vikramadhithya. Nothing happened and was returning. The God of the sea took a human form and approached that Brahmin. He told him that due to his position he cannot attend any function in earth. So he gave him 4 gems to him, which were to be delivered to king Vikramadhithya as his present. The first gem would get all wealth that is desired. The second gem would give the food that is desired. The third one would give a powerful army and the fourth one would give luxurious home, dresses, wealth etc. When he gave them to the king, he told that he was happy with the present but wanted to give one of those to the Brahmin. The Brahmin wanted to consult his family before making the choice. While his son wanted gem giving army, he himself preferred that which would give wealth. His wife preferred that which would give food while his daughter in law preferred that which would give luxuries. Not able to take any decision the Brahmin went and told the king that he does not want any of them. Understanding the reason, the king gave him all the four gems.


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.

The story of bad act in return to help as told by Manuneethivalli doll

The story of bad act in return to help as told by Manuneethivalli doll

Retold by
P.R.Ramachander

On the twenty eighth day Bhoja raja after his morning duties again started climbing on to the throne of Vikramadhithya. He was stopped on the twenty eighth step by Manuneethivalli 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.

When Vikramadhithya was ruling the country there was a very learned Brahmin in his country, though he was devout he did not get any children so he along his wife started the Worship of Rudra. One day God came in his dream and instructed him to start Pradosha pooja. Soon his wife became in the family way and a s on was born to him. That Brahmin called his son as Devadatha. He taught him all Vedas and got him married to a suitable girl at the age of sixteen. He along his wife then left for a pilgrimage to Benares. While going he instructed him in the proper method of living in a pious way.
One day when Devadatha went to forest to collect Dhurbha grass, he met King Vikramadhithya who had lost his way in the forest. Devadatha helped the king by bringing out of the forest and helped him to reach his country.
King Vikramadhithya was very pleased with Devadatha, presented him with lots of money as well as a small job in his court. The king never forgot the help rendered by Devadatha and used to mention to his friends, that what little he does can never compensate for the help rendered to him by Devadatha at the proper time.
Devadatha wanted to test the greatness of the king. So one day he took the son of Vikramadhithya to his house and through his servant sent the ornaments of the prince for sale in the market. Since the police were searching for the prince they suspected Devadatha and produced him before the king. Before the king Devadatha admitted that he has killed the prince due to avarice. Though all ministers of the king advised him to award capital punishment to Devadatha, the king left him free citing the great help render4ed by Devadatha to him. Then Devadatha went home and brought back the prince and entrusted him to the king. He told the king that he did this only top test the greatness of Vikramadhithya.

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.