Betaal Pachisi - Story 23 - Justice of the king

Vikram again controlled Vetala and took him on his shoulder. Vetala started narrating him a story so that they could easily complete the long journey. He once again warns the king not to speak anything, else he would go back to his place again.

In the kingdom of Vijay Nagar the king Satya Dev ruled. He had a beautiful daughter named Sunanda. In the kingdom there was a poor poet named Hari Bhatt. Sunanda once attended his poetry recitation program and was fascinated towards him. She wrote him praising his poetry and manner in which he narrated the poem of love. Gradually their love for each other increased and they started meeting at the temple or such places and also exchanged love letters.

In the same kingdom, a thief named Kalia was also operating. The thief had created a terror in the

kingdom. King was wondering why his men were unable to catch him.

Hari Bhatt was anxiously waiting for the day when he would marry the princess and become the son in law of the king and will enjoy the comforts of the palace. He was fed up of staying in a

cottage. With that intention he went to the palace and requested the king that he wants to have a talk with him in private. But before they could talk, a message came that the King Dharam Dev of Magadh who was his enemy had come to meet the king Satya Dev.

Suddenly the king Dharam Dev of Magadh arrived. Straight forwardly he said that he has come as a friend and he has come all alone without an army. Then he said that he has come with the good intention of uniting both the nations and proposed the marriage of his son with that of princess Sunanda. The king thought over it and gladly accepted the offer.

When Sunanda learnt about it, she approached the king and said that he should have taken her consent before accepting the offer. She frankly told the king that she was in love with someone else. The king explained her that it was in the public interest and so for that very reason she to

too should sacrifice her love for the people of the land. She finally agreed with the king and accepted.

She sent a message to Hari Bhatt and asked him to meet her at the temple. Hari Bhatt came

there. The princess very politely apologized for all that happened and for the people she has to sacrifice her own love. The dream of Hari Bhatt becoming king’s son in law was shattered. He tried to blackmail the princess. He asked her that she should bring all her ornaments or else he will pass on her love letters to the king Dharam Dev. The princess had no choice and accepted to handover the ornaments for getting the love letters. At that time when the conversation of the princess and Hari Bhatt was going on in the temple, the Kalia thief also happened to be there and he did not like Hari Bhatt threatening to blackmail the princess.

At night the thief Kalia went to the house of he Hari Bhatt and showing him the knife demanded the love letters. There was a good fight between the two. As a result Hari Bhatt got killed. Kalia took the letters and at the appointed time gave them to the princess. He told her that he is the thief Kalia and that he has killed the mean fellow Hari Bhatt who was trying to blackmail her. At that time the king’s men came there. The princess hid herself and Kalia was caught by them.

The princess was wondering about the behavior of both Hari Bhatt whom she loved and Kalia the thief. She was grateful to Kalia who saved her honor. With a view to help Kalia, she told about it to the king that how Hari Bhatt tried to blackmail her and how Kalia saved her honor. The king assured her that he will decided about Kalia in the Court.

After having narrating the story so far Vetala stopped and asked Vikram to rightly say what should be just action of the king towards the thief Kalia. Vikram replied that as a father the king may forgive him but as a king who has to ensure law and order, it is necessary that he should be severely punished so that others learn a lesson. The king gave Kalia the theif and the murderer, a death penalty.

Vetala said yes you have given the right decision. But since you have spoken, I am leaving. And he slipped away. Vikram chased him again.