The story of Amruthasanjeevini as told by Sargunavalli doll

The story of Amruthasanjeevini as told by Sargunavalli doll

Retold by
P.R.Ramachander

On the nineteenth day Bhoja raja after his morning duties again started climbing on to the throne of Vikramadhithya. He was stopped on the nineteenth step by Sargunavalli 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 learned priest serving him called Vasumithra Surasena. He was a very great man and was also wealthy. After thoughtful consideration he decided to go on a pilgrimage to Varanasi and take bath in Ganges there so that all his sins are washed off. He did undertake the pilgrimage and did Sradha to his manes there. On his way back he reached a city which had a Divine damsel as a queen who had become a human being and was not married. She did not invite any one to marry her nor did she invite any one. In that town there was a huge temple dedicated to Lord Lakshmi Narayana. In front of the temple in a very big iron vessel oil was boiling always. There was a big board there announcing that whosoever jumps in that boiling oil will be married by Manmathasanjeevini, who was the divine damsel ruling over the town and that man would be made king of the city.
Vasumithra dared not do this and returned back to Ujjain, the town of Vikramadhithya; He gave the pure Ganges water to King Vikramadhithya and told him about the strange town ruled by Manmathasanjeevini.
Noticing wistfulness in his voice, King Vikramadhithya decided to visit that town. As soon as he reached that town, King Vikramadhithya went to the temple of Lakshmi Narayana, saluted the God and boldly jumped in to the vessel of boiling oil. His body became a cooked piece of meat. As soon as Manmatha Sanjeevini heard this she came running with nectar and sprinkling which Vikramadhithya became his normal self. Then she told Vikramadhithya that since he has fulfilled the condition, she was prepared to marry him. Vikramadhithya then told her that his friend Surasena was an extremely learned man and requested her to marry him. She agreed and married Surasena. He was crowned as king of that town.

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