The pangs of love…

Read the previous part here… The deceitful master then took out a magic pill, and placed it in his mouth. The very next moment, he was transformed into an aged man! He took out another pill, and giving it to Manaḥsvāmin, asked him to place it in his mouth. And in an instant, Manaḥsvāmin was …

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Of pills and deceit…

Read the previous part here… Manaḥsvāmin saw Śaśiprabhā, running her hands through the flowers, smelling them, laughing when the butterflies flew away in alarm…and he fell in love that very instant. He felt that his heart was no more with him, and he felt that he was no longer a master of his feelings. “Is …

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Why weep, and then laugh?

Read the previous part here… Ratnavatī folded her hands again, and said, tearfully… “O revered one! If you are truly pleased with me, then let this man, who I have already considered as my husband, rise up and be alive, and from now on, live a life of noble character!” The voice from the skies …

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Of thieves and maidens…

Read the previous part here… “You seem to be a good man, then how did you come here? This man is a thief, and he will surely rob you. Not only that, he may injure you as well!” “I haven’t seen anyone as treacherous as him, so please leave when you still can!” The king …

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A year of writing…

It’s been a year. I started to write (regularly) a year back. The lockdown had been declared and I found myself an extra hour everyday, that I did not want to waste. And so I started to write. I didn’t have a plan. I didn’t know what I would write, for how long I would …

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Of thieves and maids…

Read the previous part here… The figure often turned around and was on the lookout. “This is surely the thief that everyone has been searching for”, thought the king to himself, as he approached the figure, his hand on his sword, ready to strike at any moment. ततः स चौरो दृष्ट्वा तं नृपं को ऽसीत्य् …

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Of kings and thieves…

चतुर्दशो वतेालः The fourteenth story The thief and the merchant’s daughter स त्रिविक्रमसेनो ऽथ गत्वा तं शिंशपातरोः ।भूयो ऽप्य् आसाद्य वेतालं स्कन्धे जग्राह भूपतिः ॥ १२,२१.१ ॥ प्रस्थितं च तम् उर्वीशं स वेतालो ऽभ्यधात् पुनः ।राजञ् श्रान्तो ऽसि तच् चित्रां कथाम् आख्यामि ते शृणु ॥ १२,२१.२ ॥ King Vikram went back to the tree, and …

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Who is to blame?

Read the previous part here… “So tell me, o King, who was to blame for Harisvāmin’s death ? Was it the kite, or the snake, or Padmanābha’s wife?“ “Remember, if you know the answer, and don’t tell me the truth, your head will burst into a hundred pieces!“ Listen to this episode: इति वेतालतो राजा …

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