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.