Retracing his own footsteps, King Vikramaditya once again reached the peepal tree and found Betal hanging in his usual place on one of the branches. Bound by his promise given to the sage, he pulled the corpse onto his shoulders and began walking towards the cremation ground.
“Vikram, you look very tired. I know that, but what can I do? This is the way I am, and if you want to fulfill your promise, then you have to bear the burden of my repeated escapes,” said Betal.
Betal then said, “Now listen to another story of mine and answer my question at the end.”
Betal began telling his story:
On the perennial Kaveri River, in the ancient port city of Poompuhar, lived a Brahmin family of four. The head of the family was Naveen, who lived with his wife, son, and daughter. As the years passed, Naveen’s daughter, Amrapali, blossomed into a woman of beauty and intelligence. Being of marriageable age, her father sought a suitable groom.
One day, at the marketplace, Naveen met his old friend Prakash, who was visiting the town after a long time. After exchanging greetings, they had a long chat about their respective lives over the years. During their friendly conversation, Naveen mentioned Amrapali’s marriage. Prakash quickly interrupted Naveen, saying, “I have a son named Manoj Kumar, a well-educated and handsome man. Why not strengthen our friendship by marrying Amrapali to Manoj Kumar?” Upon hearing his friend’s marriage proposal for his daughter, Naveen promised to contact him after consulting with his wife and daughter.
At home, Naveen’s wife was also eager to share good news about Amrapali’s marriage. While Naveen was at the market fetching vegetables, another family approached her with a marriage proposal for their son, Kishore Kumar, for Amrapali. Kishore Kumar had a well-established sweet shop in Nimar. He was a handsome and accomplished man with a pleasant personality. Naveen’s wife assured them that they would consider their proposal upon Naveen’s return.
Later that evening, Naveen’s son arrived home with yet another marriage proposal for Amrapali. This suitor was Surya Kumar, who belonged to a respected family from Mangalapuram. He was a well-settled and worthy young man with a trading business and four ships.
As all three suitors were exceptional and well-established, Amrapali’s parents found it difficult to choose the right groom. Finally, they decided to hold a Swayamvara, inviting all three suitors to their home and allowing Amrapali to choose her life partner. On the day of the Swayamvara, all three suitors arrived. They were all well-mannered and worthy of becoming Naveen’s son-in-law. After serving them a home-cooked meal, Amrapali entered to choose her husband. She was the epitome of grace and beauty. The moment the three grooms saw her, they were captivated. But before Amrapali could see them, a cobra appeared from nowhere and bit her foot. She fell to the ground and died instantly, before anyone could react.
This tragic turn of events shook the entire family. Amrapali’s parents died of heart attacks, while their son, who couldn’t cope with the triple loss of his family members, also ended his life.
That day, there were three more heartbreaks—those of the three suitors who came for the Swayamvara in the hope of marrying Amrapali. This tragedy had an untold effect on their well-being in the coming days. The first suitor, Manoj Kumar, who was spellbound by Amrapali’s charm, performed her last rites by lighting the funeral pyre and went on to live the life of an ascetic on the banks of the Kaveri River.
The second suitor, Kishore Kumar, couldn’t bear the loss of his soon-to-be bride, collected her ashes, and stored them in an urn. He built a cottage near the cemetery and lived an isolated life, with only the memory of Amrapali as solace.
As for the third suitor, Surya Kumar, he lost his desire to live as he couldn’t bear the thought of living without Amrapali’s presence. With a grief-stricken heart, Surya Kumar wandered aimlessly from one place to another.
One cold morning, Surya Kumar passed by the house of a Tantrik, who was in deep meditation. Before him, a fire was burning to ward off the extreme cold. Suddenly, his son came running out of the house while his angry mother chased him. In his hasty escape, he didn’t see the fire burning before him and fell into it, turning to ashes. The Tantrik’s wife cried inconsolably due to the loss of her only child. Her heart-wrenching cries broke the Tantrik’s deep trance. When he understood the cause of his wife’s cries, he chanted a few mantras and sprinkled some drops of holy water on the ashes of his child. The ashes were first assembled into a complete skeleton of a young boy, then the skeleton was clothed with internal organs and flesh, and lastly, it was covered with skin. The Tantrik then recited a life-giving spell, restoring his son’s lifeless body.
Surya Kumar couldn’t believe his eyes as he witnessed something amazing, unexplainable, and unthinkable. In his amazement, he approached the Tantrik to teach him the mantra that had just revived his son from the ashes. The Tantrik was kind and taught him the mantra and the correct procedure to perform it.
Jubilant, Surya Kumar thanked the Tantrik for his kindness and headed towards the banks of the Kaveri River to meet Manoj Kumar. From there, they went to the cemetery where Kishore Kumar had kept Amrapali’s ashes. The three gathered, and following the Tantrik’s instructions, invoked their gods in prayer. After completing the rituals to revive Amrapali, Surya Kumar chanted the mantra the Tantrik had taught him. Soon, Amrapali stood before them, as gorgeous as she had been on the day of the Swayamvara when the three suitors first saw her.
Betal ended his story and asked, “Vikram, who do you think Amrapali should choose to marry among these three suitors?”
Dear readers, who do you consider to be the right groom for Amrapali among these three suitors? Make your choice before you read Vikramaditya’s reply.
King Vikramaditya thought for a while and said, “Betal, Manoj Kumar performed the last rites for Amrapali, acting like a dutiful son. Surya Kumar recited the mantra that brought Amrapali back to life, which was more like the action of a caring father. However, it was Kishore Kumar who collected and stored Amrapali’s ashes in an urn and stayed near the cemetery. According to my analysis, Kishore Kumar is the one Amrapali should have chosen as her husband.” (Analysis of Vikramaditya’s Reasoning is at the end of the story)
Betal said, “O King, your analysis is superb once again, and I am highly impressed with your explanation too. But you broke the silence, and therefore, I must leave you, King Vikramaditya.”
Saying so, the ever-mischievous Betal flew away into the sky while Vikram desperately chased after him to catch him again.
A complete analysis of Vikramaditya’s reasoning is below this picture.
Analysis of Vikramaditya’s Reasoning:
- Manoj Kumar (The Son):
- Performing the last rites is a dutiful act, showing respect and fulfilling a societal obligation.
- However, it signifies the end of Amrapali’s life, not the beginning of a marital relationship.
- Surya Kumar (The Father):
- Reciting the mantra to revive Amrapali is a powerful act of care and intervention.
- But, it aligns more with a paternal role, emphasizing protection and life-giving, rather than a romantic partnership.
- Kishore Kumar (The Husband):
- Collecting and preserving Amrapali’s ashes demonstrates a deep, enduring emotional connection.
- His constant presence near the cemetery signifies unwavering devotion and a refusal to let go.
- This action shows the most romantic connection to Amrapali.
- This action shows the most emotional connection.
Dear readers, do you agree with King Vikramaditya’s choice of Kishore Kumar as the most suitable husband for Amrapali? Share your verdict in the comments section.
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