Read the previous part here…
Now I have a question for you. Are men wicked, or women? Who is more wicked and deceitful? Tell me, o wise king. Remember, if you know the answer, and don’t tell me the truth, your head will burst into a hundred pieces!
एतन् निशम्य वचनं वेतालस्यांसवर्तिनस् तस्य ।
स जगाद भूपतिस् तं योगेश्वर योषितः पापाः ॥ १२,१०.९३ ॥
पुरुषः कोऽपि हि तादृक् क्वापि कदाचिद् भवेद् दुराचारः ।
प्रायः सर्वत्र सदा स्त्रियस् तु तादृग्विधा एव ॥ १२,१०.९४ ॥
इत्य् उक्तवतो नृपतेः प्राग्वत् स्कन्धात् स तस्य वेतालः ।
नष्टो ऽभूत् स च राजा जग्राह पुनस् तदानयनयत्रम् ॥ १२,१०.९५ ॥
King Vikram replied “At times, men and women can both be wicked and deceitful. However, women are usually seen and heard as filled with deceit. It is the perception of the world.”
As the king uttered these words, the Vetāla flew off his shoulder, laughing. And King Vikram once more started to walk towards the banyan tree, determined to fetch him.
चतुर्थो वतेालः
The fourth story
The bravery of Vīravara
ततो गत्वा पुनस् तस्य निकटं शिंशपातरोः ।
स त्रिविक्रमसेनो ऽत्र श्मशानं निशि भूपतिः ॥ १२,११.१ ॥
लब्ध्वा मुक्तात्तहासं तं वेतालं नृशरीरगम् ।
निःकम्पः स्कन्धम् आरोप्य तूष्णीम् उदचलत् ततः ॥ १२,११.२ ॥
चलन्तं च तम् अंसस्थो वेतालः सो ऽब्रवीत् पुनः ।
राजन् कुभिक्षोर् एतस्य कृते को ऽयं तव श्रमः ॥ १२,११.३ ॥
आयासे निष्फले ऽमुष्मिन् विवेको बत नास्ति ते ।
तद् इमां शृणु मत्तस् त्वं कथां पथि विनोदिनीम् ॥ १२,११.४ ॥
King Vikram reached the banyan tree and again grabbed the corpse, put it across his shoulders, and started to walk towards his destination.
As he walked, the Vetāla spoke once again “Oh King, why are you going through all this trouble for a mere yogi? There is no wisdom in performing labour that does not yield in anything fruitful.. Anyway, since we are on a long journey, let me tell you an interesting story.
अस्ति शोभावती नाम सत्याख्या नगरी भुवि ।
तस्यां च शूद्रकाख्यो ऽभूद् भूपतिः प्राज्यविक्रमः ॥ १२,११.५ ॥
यस्य जज्वाल जयिनः प्रतापज्वलनो निशम् ।
बन्दीकृतारिललनाधूतचामरमारुतैः ॥ १२,११.६ ॥
अलुप्तधर्मचरणस्फीता मन्थे वसुंधरा ।
राज्ञि यस्मिन् विसस्मार रामादीन् अपि भूपतीन् ॥ १२,११.७ ॥
तं कदाचिन् महीपालं प्रियशूरम् उपाययौ ।
सेवार्थं मालवाद् एको नम्ना वीरवरो द्विजः ॥ १२,११.८ ॥
यस्य धर्मवती नाम भार्या सत्ववरः सुतः ।
कन्या वीरवती चेति त्रयं गृहपरिच्छदः ॥ १२,११.९ ॥
सेवापरिच्छदश् चान्यत् त्रयं कट्यां कृपाणिका ।
करे करतलैकत्र चारु चर्म परत्र च ॥ १२,११.१० ॥
तावन्मात्रपरीवारो दीनारशतपञ्चकम् ।
प्रत्यहं प्रार्थयामास राज्ञस् तस्मात् स वृत्तये ॥ १२,११.११ ॥
राजापि स तम् आकारसूचितोदारपौरुषम् ।
वीक्ष्य तस्मै ददौ वृत्तिं सूद्रकस् तां यथेप्सिताम् ॥ १२,११.१२ ॥
अल्पे परिकरे ऽप्य् एभिर् इयद्भिः स्वर्णरूपकैः ।
किम् एष व्यसनं पुष्णात्य् अथ कंचन सद्व्ययम् ॥ १२,११.१३ ॥
इत्य् अन्वेष्टुं समाचारं कौतुकात् स महीपतिः ।
प्रच्छन्नान् स्थापयामास चारानस्यात्र पृष्ठतः ॥ १२,११.१४ ॥
There is kingdom in Bhāratvarsha, named Śobhāvatī. It was once ruled by a mighty king named Śūdraka. He was a great warrior, and one who expanded the kingdom far and wide. It is said that the earth was so glorious in his reign, that she forgot all the other kings who had ruled before him, even Maryāda Purushottama Rama.
It happened one day that a strappy young man named Vīravara, who hailed from the city of Mālava, arrived in the kingdom, and at the king’s court, eager to serve Śūdraka. He was accompanied by his wife Dharmavatī, his son Sattvavara and his daughter Vīravatī. He also had three personal attendants – a dagger, a sword and a massive shield.
He was just one, and had just three weapons, yet said that he wanted five hundred coins a day, as salary.
The king, impressed by his appearance and his confidence, decided to give him the salary that he had demanded. But he felt curious, and wanted to know what Vīravara would do with so much money, given that he had a small family and hardly any other visible expenses. And so he asked his spies to follow Vīravara, and asked them to report back as to what he did with the coins that he earned.
The next day…
to be continued…