King Vikramaditya reached the tree and found a corpse hanging upside down. Determined to complete his task, he pulled it onto his shoulder and began walking towards his destination.
Little had he walked when Betal, in the corpse, spoke out,“Vikram, we have to travel together until we reach the destination. It’s better if we spend our time in an interesting way. Listen to my story keenly and answer my question only if you know it.”
Betal narrated the following story:
The King of Vaishali was blessed with a daughter named Pushpa, who was the perfect model of brains and beauty. Numerous princes from far and near were eager to make her their wife. However, Princess Pushpa’s unparalleled charm and wit made it difficult for her parents to find a suitable match easily.
One day, when the court of Vaishali was in full swing, a young prince named Paras visited the court. After paying his respects to the king, he said, “Your Majesty, I am the prince of the Kalinga state. I aspire to marry Princess Pushpa”.
The king heard him and said politely, “O young prince, I respect your wish, but I would like to know about your abilities beyond just coming from a royal family, for my daughter is no ordinary princess.”
Prince Paras from Kalinga replied, “Your Highness, I am an adroit archer. My arrows never miss the target, even if I’m blindfolded.”
“It’s indeed an exceptional feat,” exclaimed the king. “Enjoy our hospitality for a few days and give me some time to discuss the proposal with my daughter.”
So the prince stayed in the king’s guest palace for a few days. The next day, the king’s court was visited by another prince named Paramvir from Kampilya. He too expressed his desire to make the princess his wife. The king again wanted to know about his distinct abilities beyond just belonging to a royal family.
Prince Paramvir from Kampilya said, “Your Majesty, I am blessed with the ability to weave exquisite cloth. My proficiency makes me unparalleled in this field.”
While saying so, the young man displayed a piece of cloth, which was truly unique in its softness, texture, and color.
The king admired the youth for his talent and found the proposal worth considering. So, he asked Prince Paramvir to stay in his guest palace until he discussed the matter with his wife and daughter.
On the third day, Vaishali’s court saw another extraordinary visitor. This time, it was Prince Pushpa Raj from the Anga kingdom. He too had heard about Princess Pushpa and came with the aspiration to marry her.
“Your Majesty, I can understand the language of birds and animals with the same ease with which I understand my own language, ” claimed Prince Pushpa Raj of Anga.
The king found him interesting and asked him to stay in his guest palace until he discussed the matter with his daughter, Pushpa.
On the fourth day, another young man walked into the Vaishali court. He introduced himself as Prince Parikshith from Kanchi and showed his eagerness to marry Princess Pushpa. He described himself as an eminent scholar of the Vedas, Shastras, and Puranas, the rich ancient legendary books.
The king was quite impressed and asked him to accept his hospitality until he knew his daughter’s wish.
Though the king assured the four princes that their proposals would be considered, he was quite puzzled. All of them were handsome, talented in various fields, and belonged to royal families. The king first discussed the matter with his wife, but she too could not choose anyone. At last, the king decided to leave the decision to his daughter, Pushpa.
Betal stopped here and asked, “Vikram, whom do you think the princess should choose to marry? You must answer the question. If you knowingly avoid it, you know the consequences.”
Dear readers, whom do you think Princess Pushpa should marry? Is it Prince Paras, Prince Parikshith, Prince Paramvir, or Prince Pushpa Raj? Make your choice before checking your guess against Vikramaditya’s reply.
King Vikramditya said, “Betal, besides being beautiful, the princess was intelligent. So, according to me, she must have selected Prince Paras from Kalinga, since his talent suited his royal background well. If a person is accomplished in the field they will pursue in the future, it always helps them. Therefore, Prince Paras was the right choice for Pushpa because she herself was a princess. As for the other princes, although they belonged to royal families by birth, their talents did not match their backgrounds, making them unsuitable for the princess.”
Betal said, “Vikram, your answer is right, and your analysis is superb. Princess Pushpa chose Prince Paras as her husband. But for me, it’s time to go back to my tree, and you know very well why!”
Saying so, Betal flew swiftly towards the tree, and King Vikram, holding the sword in his hand, rushed after him.
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