Tee story of Elalaramba told by the third doll -Komalavalli

The story told by the third doll –Komalavalli

Retold by
P.R.Ramachander
On the third day Bhoja raja after his morning duties again started climbing on to the throne of Vikramadhithya.. He was stopped on the third step by the Komalavalli 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 the Komalavalli doll, “Doll please tell me about the greatness of Vikramadhithya.. The dol started telling the following story.
Vikrama was ruling in Ujjaini in a great manner. During that time one Brahmin went to take sea bath in the ocean along with his 7 year old son. When they were taking bath, a huge whale swam near and swallowed the son of the Brahmin. The Brahmin immediately rushed to King Vikramadhithya and told him, “Oh king, there is something wrong with your reign. For a whale became bold enough to swallow my son .Please save him.”
Vikrama immediately assured the priest that he will rescue his son. And as it was time for his departure to the forest six months, entrusted the country to his minister and brother Bhatti and left in search of the Brahmin boy .He prayed Goddess Kali who came before him and gave him sacred ash, magical lemon and sacred water. Vikama also took along with him his regular weapons like the gem studded magic carpet , copper vessel , stick and magical slippers. He spread the gem studded carpet on the sea .It floated on the water. He climbed on it and started travelling on the sea in search of the whale. Then the whale came out and when Vikrama tried to attack it, but it swallowed him also. When Vikrama went inside the whale , he saw a huge city in the interior of the whale. He saw the son of the Brahmin playing with other children in one of the streets. He caught hold of him, tore the stomach of the whale and came out along with the Brahmin boy. He also repaired the tear in the stomach of the whale by using the sacred ash given by the goddess. He again climbed on his magic carpet and reached an island called Pushkara.. There he entrusted all the magical things he had brought to Vetala and went inside the town with the Brahmin boy.
That island was ruled by a king called Shambhu Natha. He did not have any children for a long time. Then by the grace of God he begot a daughter and called her Elalarambhai. When Elalarambhai reached the marriageable age, Shambhu natha asked her about whom she wanted to marry and she requested him to arrange for a swayamavara(celebration in which the girl is allowed to choose the husband of her choice). The king arranged the Swayavara and invited all the kings of the 56 kingdoms of India to attend the same. The day when Vikrama reached the island was the day of Swayamvara. When Vikrama heard about this, he also wanted to participate in the swayavara.. He entrusted the Brahmin boy to another Brahmin family and also gave them sufficient money to his upkeep. He entrusted the dress he was wearing to the Vetala and with its help dressed himself like a jewel merchant. With the grace of Goddess Kali, he also obtained very many precious and glittering jewels and gems. He opened a shop in the town. Many people purchased jewels from him. The news reached the kings of 56 kingdoms assembled there and all of them reached Vikrama’s shop. They were further attracted by the sparkling conversation of Vikrama and were remained there itself. Meanwhile when the princess came out for the Swayamvara, the entire hall was empty. Then searching for the kings they also reached the jewel shop and saw Vikrama the jewel merchant. Seeing them the kings remembered about the Swayamvara and returned back to the hall. Vikrama the jewel merchant also attended the Swayamvara. The princess disregarded all the kings and chose Vikrama, the merchant. The kings were terribly disappointed by her choice and started blaming her. Even the king Shambhu natha her father felt very sad at her choosing a merchant instead of a king. Then the princess told her father, “Daddy, I feel that this jewel merchant is not an ordinary person. There is still another two hours for sun rise. Bring this jewel merchant to my palace. I will sit there behind a thick screen and stay silent. Let us see what he does.”
Shambhu natha agreed to it and took the jewel merchant to the palace of his daughter. He was offered a nice seat but the princess was hiding behind a thick screen and was silent.
Vikrama understanding the situation, made Vetala enter the screen between him and the princess and started talking to it.”Oh screen, You are in between me and the pretty princess. If she were to talk with me , I could have had a nice time. But she chooses to be silent. Will you at least talk to me and tell me any story that you know?”
Then the screen started talking, ”Oh sir, I am tied in all directions and am stifling. In this condition how can I tell you a story?”
Hearing the screen talk, the princess asked her friends to untie the screen and placed it on the floor. The screen then thanked Vikrama and started telling the following story:-
There was a country called Chandragiri. It was ruled by a king called Gendheswaran. Though he had 101 wives he did not have any children. So the king prayed God and as a result his first wife gave birth to a pretty son. He was fondly called Kantharoopa by the king. When he became a Lad , king Gendeswaranm wanted to search for a suitable bride for his son. He then made a pretty picture of his son and entrusted his very able ministers to search for a suitable bride for his son. They with the picture of Kantharoopa started travelling everywhere. One day they were camping in a town called Thanthrapura.
At the same time another king called Maheswara was in search of a suitable groom for his daughter called Kantharoopi and his envoys also reached Thanthrapura.
Both of them met with each other and were satisfied by the prettiness of the groom and bride. The marriage was arranged and went off well. Kantharoopa and Kantharoopi were so pretty that Gendeswaran built a seven floor building and asked them to live in the seventh floor so that no evil eye will fall on them. When they were living happily there, seven Apasara maidens happened to see Kantharoopa on the seventh floor terrace and all of them fell in love with him. They by using their magical powers took Kantharoopa to their place and started enjoying life with him.
The curtain suddenly stopped telling the story and told that it knows only that much of the story and the rest of the story is known only to the lamp burning in front of the princess. Vikrama then requested the lamp to continue with the story. ,.It agreed and related the rest of the story as follows:-
As soon Kantharoopa vanished, Kantharoopi shouted for help. All the kings men and woman searched for Kantharoopa but could not find him. The king requested Kantharoopi to stay in the seventh floor of their house. The seven apsara maidens felt a pity for Kantharoopa’s wife and after every seven days, used to bring Kantharoopa and leave him by the side of Kantharoopi and by the spell of magic made her forget what happened at night. After some time when Kantharoopi showed signs of pregnancy , her in laws drove her out of her house into a deep forest. Kantharoopi , wandering in the forest one day reached a cremation ground of her own city. There a prostitute named Chithravalli was cremating her dead pregnant daughter. When she saw Kantharoopi , she gave her shelter in her house and looked after her like her own daughter. When a son was born to Kantharoopi , Chithravalli gave the child to the midwife and asked her to kill it and throw in the forest. She also told Kantharoopoi that only an wooden doll was born to her. But the midwife seeing the pretty baby left the baby near the ant hill frequented by a five headed serpent , near the local Devi temple.
The lamp in front of the princess stopped telling the story and told Vikrama that it knew only this much. It further told that remaining part of the story was known only to the pillow on which Elalarambai was reclining. Vikrama requested the pillow to continue the story. The pillow continued with the story:-
The five headed serpent in the ant hill came out and saw the crying child. Due to its divine sight , it knew that it was Gendheswaran’s grandson. So it took the child and kept in the sanctum sanctorum of the Goddess. Immediately afterwards Gendheswaran came to the temple, adopted the very pretty child and named him as Madana Kesari. When that boy became around 18 one day he saw Kantharoopi in the street. There was some great attraction in him to be with her. So he send money to Chithravalli and wanted her make arrangements to be with the girl for one night. Under duress and punishment, Kantharoopi was made to go to the bed room. When the prince was going there , he heard a cow telling its calf that the prince was despicable as he was going to make love to his mother. He was shocked. As soon as he saw Katharoopi, milk burst from her breasts and made him completely drenched. The prince ran away from the room and asked Gendheswara as to who his parents were. When the king told the truth, the police started enquiry and caught hold of the mid wife who abandoned the child near the temple.
The king and Madana Kesari went to the temple and prayed the goddess with tears. The goddess came before them and told all the story. The goddess also told that Kantharoopi was innocent and can get back her husband by praying on Mondays along with penance to the seven Apsara maidens,. Kantha roopi did accordingly and got back her husband.
Then the pillow continued, “Oh king Vikramadithya, me and the lamp and the curtain told stories like this because you asked.,”
Elalaramba and her father understood that the jewel merchant was none other than King Vikramadhiytthya. All the 56 kings begged for his pardon.
Vikrama along with his new wife went to the Brahmins quarters and took the Brahmin boy and returned to his country. The Brahmin was very happy to get back his son.
The doll of the throne then told Bhoja, “ Such was the valour of the great Vikramadhithya . Are you in any way comparable to him. “
By that time it was evening and Bhoja returned back to his palace.