Vikramadhithya and Vetala Stories 7-10

Seventh story of the Vetala:-
Again Vikramadhithya caught hold of the Vetala from the Drumstick tree and started walking towards the house of the sage. The Vetala told its seventh story.
There was a great King. One day a hero called Veera entered his kingdom along with his wife named Dharma, Son named Surya and a daughter named kavya. He was holding in his hand a sword and a shield. He went and directly met the king and told him, “Sir, I would like to become the security guarding you. I am a great hero. But I need five hundred rupees per day as my salary.”
The king was impressed and agreed. Veera was offered the job of guarding the king. The king felt that the compensation he was giving to Veera was very high. He sent his spies to enquire about it. They came and told him that out of the five hundred rupees, One hundred rupees was given to his wife to run his household. He would spend another one hundred to for buying articles of cleanliness and cloth. Another one hundred was given to the temple and rest of the money (two hundred) was spent on poor people.
The king was extremely happy with Veera. Then the rainy season started. There were torrential rains. Veera would stand in the rain and guard the king. As and when he wakes up , the king would check up whether Veera was doing his duty. One day when he woke up , he heard the wailing of a woman. He asked Veera to go and investigate as to why the lady was crying. Veera walked in the torrential rain towards the source of that wail .The curious king also followed. After some distance Veera met the woman who was wailing, he asked her.”Mother, who are you and why are you wailing?” The lady replied, “I am the mother earth. I know that the good king of this country is going to die in three days. I am sad because of that.”
Veera then asked her,” Mother, what can we do to prevent this?”
The lady replied,” Only you can prevent it. For that you have to sacrifice your son in the Durga temple here.”
Without a moment of Hesitation Veera went to his house and explained the situation. Without any hesitation his wife told, “What is preventing you? The life of our master is more important to us than our son.”
Later they woke up their son and told him about what is happening, . The son did not even think a minute and accompanied his father to the Durga Temple. Veera’s wife and daughter followed them. The king was watching all this, Veera reached the temple and cut off the head of his son Surya in front o f the deity. A voice was heard from the temple, “Veera, now your master’s life is safe.”
But Kavya was not able to tolerate her brother’s death. So she sacrificed herself before the deity. Dharma seeing that both her children were no more, died there on the spot. Seeing all this Veera also sacrificed himself.
The king who was seeing all this felt sad and wanted to cut off his head also. When he was preparing for that, The Goddess appeared before him and gave life to Veera and all his family members.
Vetala asked Vikrama, “Whose sacrifice is greatest?”
Vikramadhithya told the Vetala, “Of course, it is the sacrifice of the king. It is the job of the Guard and citizen to sacrifice himself for the king. But it is not the duty of the king.”
Vetala immediately disengaged itself and went back to the Drumstick tree.

Eighth story of the Vetala:-
Again Vikramadhithya caught hold of the Vetala from the Drumstick tree and started walking towards the house of the sage. The Vetala told its eighth story.
In the eastern shore there was a great town called Thamralipthi. This was ruled by a great king called Chanda Simha.
One day a valorous man called Sathya Sheela who belonged to the royal race reached Thamralipthi. He was very poor. He could not get any job in the palace. But he was offered the job of Kaarpadiga. In this job, one has to work but would not be paid any wages. Sathya sheela took up this job. But since he was not getting any wages, daily he used to collect some goose berries from the forest and tie in the corner of his dress. Whenever he felt hungry, he would quench his hunger by eating these goose berries. Life went on for ten years like this.
One day Chanda Simha went for hunting in the forest. Sathya Sheela was one of those servants accompanying him on feet. During hunting King Chanda Simha started following a wild pig which ran very fast. The king who was riding on a horse back chased him. Sathya Sheela ran behind them. All the followers of the king were left behind. At last Chanda Simha killed the wild pig. Then he saw that he was very tired and had lost his way. The only one accompanying him was the Kaarpadiga. The king asked his servant, “do you know the way back?” Sathya sheela replied” Yes, king, I know it. But since the sun is very hot we would not be able to travel back now. We would go back in the evening.”. The king agreed but told Sathya Sheela, “ I am very hungry as well as thirsty. Suppose I do not take any food now or drink some water, I will die.” Immediately Sathya Sheela climbed on a tall tree , located a river and brought water from the river. He also gave him , the goose berries. By eating the goose berries and drinking the water, the king became very much refreshed. Then he asked Sathya Sheela, “ you seem to be very poor. Are you not getting any wages?”. Sathya Sheela replied “King, I am a kaarpadiga and do not get any wages.” . After returning back, the king Made Sathya sheela as his commander and body guard. Sathya Sheela also worked sincerely for the king.
One day the king called Sathya Sheela and told him, “ I am interested in marrying the princess of Sri Lanka. You please take a ship along with some priests and go to Sri Lanka and request the king for the hand of the princess for my sake. “. Sathya sheela agreed and started the journey. When the ship was mid way to Sri Lanka, suddenly a big flag pole appeared in the sea. Near it there was a horrible whirl pool. The ship was about to be destroyed. Sathya Sheela jumped inside the whirl pool . He slowly reached a big island. In that island there was a very big Durga temple. Sathya sheela entered the temple and offered prayers to the goddess. Then a very pretty lady accompanied by several maid servants entered the temple. The lady was very pretty. Sathya Sheela wanted to marry her. The lady understood his intention and asked her maid servants to take him to the Garden of luxury. In the middle of the garden there was a pond. Sathya Sheela was requested to take bath in the tank. But when he went in to the tank and took a dip, he suddenly found himself in his town Tahmra Lipthi. He approached the king and told him all that has happened to him. The king told Sathya Sheela.” We would again go to the same place. I would help you in marrying the lady.
The king and Sathya Sheela again started the journey. When they reached the middle, the flag post came up. The king and Sathya Sheela jumped in to the whirl pool. They reached the same island and went in to the same Durga temple. Then the lady along with her maid servants came. Seeing the king, the pretty lady wanted to marry him. But the king told her, “Pretty one, It would be better for you if you marry my friend Sathya Sheela.” The lady agreed and by jumping in to the pond in the garden of luxury, the king reached back to his palace.
The Vetala asked Vikrama “ Sir, Sathya Simha gave the goose berry and saved the king’s life. The king made the lady whom Sathya Sheela loved as his wife. Whose sacrifice is greater? If you know the answer and do not tell it, your head will break in to pieces. “
Vikrama replied “ The sacrifice of Sathya Simha was ordinary , because as a servant , it was his duty to protect the king. But the king id not have any duty. So the sacrifice of the king is greater.”
As soon as he told this the Vetala disengaged itself and went to the Drum Stick tree,
(In another version the Vetals asks, “Both Sathya Sheela and the king jumped in to the whirl pool. Who was more braver?”
Vikrama replied, “Ofcourse Sathya Sheela was braver , because when he jumped he was not knowing what is going to happen to him. In case of the king, he already knew about it.”)

The ninth story of Vetala:-

Ninth story of the Vetala:-
Again Vikramadhithya caught hold of the Vetala from the Drumstick tree and started walking towards the house of the sage. The Vetala told its Ninth story.
In the city of Uvisha pura there lived a princess called Mani mala , who was extremely pretty. She was not very intelligent. Her father decided that she should be given in marriage only to a very wise person. A king called Maniman approached him and requested for her hand, as he had decided to marry only a very pretty girl. Mani mala’s father put several tests and found that Maniman was indeed wise. So he gave Mani mala in marriage to him,
One day when Mani maala and Mani man were chatting sweet nothings in their golden cot, a row of ants were passing below the cot. When the soldier ant refused to move beyond the legs of the cot, the king ant asked him, “Why don’t you throw way the cot and move?” . Then the soldier ant replied , “Sir the king and his queen are lying on the cot. Suppose I throw the cot away , they would both fall down.”. Maniman who knew the language of animals hearing this laughed uproariously. His queen asked, “What was so funny? Why are you laughing?”. When the king was about to reply, the king ant told him, “if you tell her, your head will break in to pieces.”. Then the king told Mani mala, “Darling, I cannot tell you ,because my head will break in to pieces.” Mani mala refused to believe this and started throwing tantrums. The king then told her, “OK, I will tell you. But since I will die immediately, I will lie on the funeral pyre in the cremation ground and then tell you.” Mani mala insisted he should do that. A funeral pyre was set up and the king Maniman, was lying on it. At this time one male goat and female goat were grazing in the cremation ground. The female goat wanted the luscious grass in side the well half full of water to eat and told the male goat, “Darling , get me that grass.”.Male goat replied, “Foolish girl, I will die , if I try to get that grass. So I would not do it”. The female goat became angry and walked away. The king who was hearing all this, suddenly got up from the funeral pyre and told queen Mani mala, “I simply cannot tell you what you want because I will die.”
The Vetala asked . OH Vikrama, who was wiser among the two-The goat or the king? If you know the correct answer and do not tell it your head will break in to pieces.”
Vikrama replied, “Ofcourse the goat is wiser because, even at the outset, it was not willing to obey the foolish request by the lady,”
As soon as he told this the Vetala disengaged itself and went to the Drum Stick tree,
[ Alternative ninth story of Vetala:-
(Some versions give the following as the ninth story)
Again Vikramadhithya caught hold of the Vetala from the Drumstick tree and started walking towards the house of the sage. The Vetala told its Ninth story.
There was a great king called Veera deva. He did not have any children. So he did Thapas(penance) towards Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva appeared before him and blessed him with a valorous son and a very pretty daughter. After that he had a son called Soora deva and a very pretty daughter called Ananga Rathi. Ananga rathi grew up in to a very pretty princess. Veera deva searched through out the world for a suitable groom. He could not find any. So he told his daughter, “dear daughter, I am not able to find any one suitable to marry you. So I request you to choose some one whom you like.” The princess replied “Papa, I do not have any specific dreams regarding this. Please choose any one who is pretty and well versed in any particular aspect of knowledge.”. The king was pleased and told all his friend kings about his requirement. On a particular day four youth from South India came to the king.

The first one told, “ My name is Panchaputtiga, I daily weave five pieces of exquisite cloth. One cloth, I give it to God , one I give it to charity and one use it for myself. If I marry this princess, I will give her one and the last one I will sell in the market and manage my day to day expenses. So please give the princess in marriage to me.”
The second one told ,” I am a merchant and people call me Bhashagna. I am an expert in languages and even understand the language of birds and animals. So I can make a living wherever I go.”
The third one told, “ I am called Gadgadhara. I am a soldier. There is none in the world who can defeat me in sword fight. So please give this girl in marriage to me.”
The fourth one told, “ I am a Brahmin and My name is Jeevadatha. I am an expert in magical chants. I can even give life to a dead man.”
Since all the four of them were equally pretty and seemed to be experts as they claimed, The king and the princess were puzzled. Hey Vikrama, can you help them to take the correct decision.”
King Vikramadhithya replied, “Ananga rathi belongs to a king’s family. She cannot be given in marriage to a merchant nor to the weaver and nor to the Brahmin as they would not be suitable husband to her. She should definitely choose Gadgadhara.”
As soon as he told this the Vetala disengaged itself and went to the Drum Stick tree . ]

The tenth story of the Vetala:-
Again Vikramadhithya caught hold of the Vetala from the Drumstick tree and started walking towards the house of the sage. The Vetala told its Tenth story.
In the city of Anangapura there was a great merchant called Arthadatha,. He had a very pretty daughter called Madanasena. Both Madanasna and Arthadatha never told a lie in their life. Madanasena grew up and attained marriageable age. Her elder brother’s friend Dharmadatha , who knew and played with her from infancy fell hopelessly in love with her. But he did not have the courage to tell her. After quite some time , he did told her, “Dear Pretty girl, I love you a lot.. If I cannot even spend a night with you, I would prefer to die.”. Madanasena replied, “My dear friend, you have proposed too late. My father who never tells a lie has fixed my marriage with another merchant friend of his called SAmudhradatha. Then darmadatha told, “Dear friend, then I will take out my life as I do not want to live without you.”. Madanasena told him.” I already love Samudhradatha but since you are also my friend I do not want you to die. So After my marriage, I would ask my husband to give me permission to spend my first night with you. This would make you live.”. Dharmadatha agreed to this proposal. After marriage when Madanasena and Samudradatha were left alone to spend their first night, Madana sena told all that has happened to her husband and asked his permission to spend her first night with Dharma Datha. Though terribly disappointed , Samudradatha agreed to her request. Fully dressed and decorated with several ornaments, Madanasena went to the house of Dharmadatha. However on her way she was caught hold by a very ferocious robber , on seeing her the robber said that he was not interested in her ornaments but her. Then Madanasena told him about the entire story and requested him to leave her without molesting her. She also promised that on her way back, she would make love to him, before going to her husband. The robber agreed. Madanasena went to Darmadutta’s house. On seeing her Darmadatta was shocked . He asked her about that night’s happenings. She also told him how her husband has given her permission and how a ferocious robber stopped her on the way and how she has promised to spend some part of the night with him on her way back. Dharmdutta was aghast. He feel t her feet and asked her to pardon his lust. He promised her that he would never ever behave badly with any other girl. So Madanasena returned unharmed and met the robber on the way and agreed to spend some time with him. The robber also asked as to what happened. She narrated all the details. The robber fell at her feet and craved her pardon and asked her to go back to her husband. At that time Madanasena offered all her ornaments. But the robber told her, “mother , how can I take them. Seeing how good a person you are , I have decided to leave robbery and become a good man. Madanasena went back to her husband and told him everything. He became happy to know how her action has reformed and accepted her as his.
Then Vetala asked Vikramadhithya, “Whose behaviour and sacrifice was great among these three people?”
Vikramadhithya replied, “ Ofcourse that of the robber because the other two were noble people brought up with respect and respectability. So such a behaviour was expected out of them. But in case of the robber, this sort of behaviour was not expected.”
As soon as he told this the Vetala disengaged itself and went to the Drum Stick tree