Read the previous part here...
“I wonder how the king managed to obtain this beautiful maiden, one that I caught a short glimpse of, that too in the middle of the ocean, much like one witnesses a flash of lightning. But, as they say…”
Whatever is written on a man’s forehead, whatever is written in man’s fate, happens. However improbable it may seem!
इत्य् अत्र मन्त्रिमुख्ये ऽस्मिन् ध्यायत्य् अन्यजने ऽपि च ।
दिव्यस्त्रीप्राप्तिसाश्चर्यं राजागमनसोत्सवे ॥ १२,१९.१५६ ॥
सा मृगाङ्कवती दृष्ट्वा तं स्वदेशगतं नृपम् ।
इयेष पूर्णसप्ताहा यातुं वैद्याधरीं गतिम् ॥ १२,१९.१५७ ॥
नाविरासीच् च विद्यास्याः स्मृताप्य् उत्पतनी तदा ।
ततः सा मुषितेवात्र विषादम् अगमत् परम् ॥ १२,१९.१५८ ॥
किम् अकस्माद् विषण्णेव दृश्यसे वद मे प्रिये ।
इत्य् उक्ता तेन राज्ञा सा विध्यादर्य् एवम् अब्रवीत् ॥ १२,१९.१५९ ॥
स्थिताहं शापमुक्तापि त्वत्स्नेहाद् यद् इयच् चिरम् ।
तेन विद्या मम भ्रष्टा नष्टा दिव्या च सा गतिः ॥ १२,१९.१६० ॥
तच् छ्रुत्वा हन्त सिद्धेयं मम विद्याधरीति सः ।
राजा ततो यशःकेतुः पूर्णं चक्रे महोत्सवम् ॥ १२,१९.१६१ ॥
तद् दृष्ट्वा दीर्घदर्शी स मन्त्री गत्वा गृहं निशि ।
शयनीयगतो ऽकस्माद् धृत्स्फोटेन व्यपद्यत ॥ १२,१९.१६२ ॥
While Dīrghadarśin was lost in his thoughts, the rest of the kingdom celebrated the return of the king, and also celebrated the marriage.
But Mṛgāṅkavatī, who had found herself in bhulokā, in the middle of human beings, started to feel uneasy and longed to return to her father’s abode.
She tried to recall the mantra that had enabled her to transport herself from one place to another in an instant…but, however hard she tried, she could not recollect it.
And this made her feel cheated and depressed.
Yaśaḥketu saw his wife feeling sad and lonely, and said…
“My dear, why are you silent? What makes you so depressed? Do tell me, please…”
Mṛgāṅkavatī replied…
“I have been redeemed of the curse on me, but I stayed with you out of my love for you. Unfortunately, it seems that I have lost my divinity in the process, and I am sad because I lost this divine knowledge…”
Yaśaḥketu was overjoyed. He thought to himself “Now she is mine forever, she cannot go anywhere!”
The minister Dīrghadarśin, on the other hand, went home that night, went to sleep dejected and never woke up.
The royal physician said that Dīrghadarśin had died of a broken heart.
King Yaśaḥketu mourned for long, but eventually ruled the kingdom for long, with Mṛgāṅkavatī by his side.
इत्य् एतां कथयित्वा मार्गे तस्मै कथां स वेतालः ।
अवदत् पुनस् त्रिविक्रमसेनं नृपतिं तम् अंसगतः ॥ १२,१९.१६४ ॥
तद् ब्रूहि भूपते ते संपन्ने स्वामिनस् तथाभ्युदये ।
हृदयं सपदि स्फुटितं तस्य महामन्त्रिणः किम् इति ॥ १२,१९.१६५ ॥
दिव्यस्त्री न मया किं प्राप्तेति शुचास्फुटद् धृदयम् ।
किं वा राज्यम् अभीप्सोर् राजागमजेन दुःखेन ॥ १२,१९.१६६ ॥
एतच् च यदि न वक्ष्यसि मह्यं जानन्न् अपीह तद् राजन् ।
धर्मश् च तव विनङ्क्ष्यति यास्यति दलशश् च झटिति शिरः ॥ १२,१९.१६७ ॥
The Vetāla finished his story, and then addressed King Vikram and said…
“So tell me, o King, why did the minister die of a broken heart? That too, on the day when the king had succeeded in his quest?”
“Was he disappointed that he did not win Mṛgāṅkavatī himself?”
“Or was it that he wanted to rule over the kingdom himself, and would not be able to do that once the king returned?”
Remember, if you know the answer, and don’t tell me the truth, your head will burst into a hundred pieces!
King Vikram replied…
to be continued…