The story of Indra Jala magician as told by Kanaka Ranjithavalli doll

The story of Indra Jala magician as told by Kanaka Ranjithavalli doll

Retold by
P.R.Ramachander

On the twenty first day Bhoja raja after his morning duties again started climbing on to the throne of Vikramadhithya. He was stopped on the twenty first step by Kanaka Ranjithavalli 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 king Vikramadhithya was sitting in his court along with his ministers and counselors a man named Soora came to the court and told that he was a magician who was an expert in Indra Jala. Vikramadhithya told him that he was busy and asked him to come the next day and show his magic.
Next day when they assembled in the court one valorous individual with a great strength and with a flowing beard came to the court along with a lady. He addressed Vikramadhithya and told, King, I am a courtier of Indra of heaven. Once due to disagreement he cursed me to become a human being. As a human being I married this lady. Now I know that there is a war going between Devas and Asuras and I deem it my duty to go to heaven and help my king. Since I cannot take my wife with me I wanted her to be safely looked after till I return. All people told me that you are a gentleman and will look after her like your sister. Would you please help me?” Vikramadhithya agreed and that gentleman immediately travelled towards the sky. From that time all people in the court started hearing the sound of war in the heavens. Suddenly, the cut hand holding a sword of that gentleman who went to heaven fell down from the sky. As soon as she saw this his wife started crying. After another few moments the cut head of the gentleman and body fell down from heavens. Everybody was shocked. His wife started crying and requested that arrangements may be made to cremate her husband. She was particular that she wanted to jump and die in the funeral pyre. Though Vikramadhithya assured her that he will look after her well, she said that she does not want to live without her husband. So the pyre was set up and the lady jumped in to the pyre and was turned in to ashes. The court rose with great sorrow.
Next day when they assembled that Valorous individual came back completely alive and demanded his wife back. With great sorrow Vikrama told that man all that happened. Then the individual told that he was actually the magician who had come two days before and all that happened was due to his power of magic. Vikrama was extremely pleased and wanted to give him a suitable present. At that time the emissary of Pandya king came with the tribute of fifty elephants, three hundred horses, one hundred dancing damsels and 100 pounds of Gold. Vikrama simply handed over all these things to the magician as a gift. Our king Vikrama was that generous in accepting greatness of any individual.


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