Betaal Pachisi - Story 3 - King Yashodhan and Chief Commander

Vikrama tries again to catch vetala. After several attempts he succeeds and starts taking him to the ascetic. Vetala starts narrating him a story so that they can easily complete the long journey once again but warns him not to speak anything else he will go back to his place again. He begins narrating story about King of Kanakpur, Yashodhan and his commander. Everyone was really happy with the king in his kingdom.

One day when Raja was in his kingdom, he was watching the dance performance of dancers. He was really happy with them and asked them who have brought them here. King is told that they have been brought here by the business man of out kingdom Kaushal Sen. Kaushal Sen offers the dancers to the king so that he can see their performance at his will. Listening this, king gets angry and tells him that by doing this you must be trying to get your loan waived from us but this is incorrect. He orders him to set free the girls and imposes fine of 1000 gold coins on him. He directs his people that we should think of the benefits of state affairs before thinking of king’s benefits.

In the same kingdom, there was a beautiful daughter of a rich businessman. His father wanted her to marry the most handsome person. So, he went to the king with the marriage proposal. King said that he would not like to say No if he doesn’t like the girl, so he asks his court men to visit his place. If they are fine with the proposal then he will marry her. Court men visit his home and find the girl very beautiful. When they are leaving from his place, they meet Kaushal Sen on the way and tell him that they have selected their queen. She is very beautiful. Kaushal Sen at once agrees but tells them that if King marries that girl then he may not focus on his duties as she is very beautiful. Court men are confused and decide that they will inform the king that girl is not beautiful. They do the same and king hence rejects the proposal.

In the meantime, the businessman gets her daughter engaged with the commander of the kingdom. They start meeting in their courtship period when one day, girl asks for a ride on the horse. Horse goes out of control and she starts screaming for help when king Yashodhan listens. He at once controls the horse and helps the lady go back to her place. King is mesmerized at once by her beauty and asks his court men about her father. They tell king that she is the same girl whom he had rejected earlier as they thought that she will not let you focus on state affairs. King feels sad about the same and discusses it with his commander. Commander says he will talk to girl’s father. He goes to their place with the court men and is surprised to know that it is his own in-laws house.

Commander decides to sacrifice his love for the king and convinces the girl and her parents to marry king. On the day of marriage, court men propose commander’s name for the award and tell him that he deserves the same as he sacrificed his love for you. King is embarrassed to know that and on the wedding day he asks commander to marry the girl. Both are happy to find each other again.

At the end of the story - Vetala again asks a question to Vikrama to tell whose sacrifice was bigger - King’s or the commander’s. Vikrama at once replies that it is of the commander since he was for a longer time in a relationship with the girl. So, he must have started loving her a lot more than the king who had just seen her once. Vetala is happy with Vikrama’s answer but he again flies back to his abode telling that he could not keep quite. Vikrama runs behind him again to catch him.

Moral: We must see the things by ourselves before believing anyone.