Read the previous part here…
You have double the intelligence that I have. Your lover is gone. You lost your husband as well. Oh naked lady, what are you waiting for?
RaktaMukha said “How did that happen?”
KarālaMukha replied…
नग्निकाहालिकवधूकथा
The story of the farmer’s naked wife
In a village not very far away from here, lived a rich farmer named DhanaPati (the one with riches) and his wife VimalaChitta (one with pure thoughts). The farmer was very old, and the wife was always thinking of new lovers, and so could not possibly be contented at home. She kept roaming in the village, and finding new lovers.
One day, a cheat named SatyaVakta ( one who speaks the truth) came across her. Knowing her husband to be rich, he decided to seize the opportunity. “O beautiful lady”, he said. “My wife is long dead. I had forgotten her, but today, after seeing you, my passions have stirred again…”
“O handsome man”, she replied. “I am smitten by you too. My husband is rich, but old. He cannot even walk, leave alone do anything else. And so, let me take all his money and come with you. We can then leave this village, go someplace and settle down as lovers.”
“I like the idea”, said SatyaVakta, smiling. “Let’s not wait anymore. Tomorrow morning, grab whatever you can and come to the riverside. We will go north, to the village I am from, and live there happily.”
She promised to meet him the next morning, and went home with a big smile on her face.
The next morning, when the world, and her husband was asleep. VimalaChitta put all his money in a big bag and set out of the house. The riverside was not very far away, and she reached in time. SatyaVakta was there, waiting for her. They started to walk northwards, along the banks of the river.
After walking for over an hour, SatyaVakta thought to himself “What will I do taking this young girl with me? It will only attract undue attention, and someone may also come searching for her. It is better that I just steal the money and run away.”
And so he said “My dear, let us now cross the river. My village is on the other side. Since the currents are strong and the river is deep, let us do this in steps. First, I will go and keep all our luggage on the other side. Then, I will carry you on my back and take you across.”
VimalaChitta agreed, and gave him all the money.
He then said “My dear, this river looks too deep, your clothes will get wet when you cross. And, you haven’t even brought any other clothes to wear. Take off your clothes as well. I will pack them in the luggage, take it to the other side and then come back to carry you.”
And so she did that too.
SatyaVakta, untrue to his name, took away her money and clothes and swam across the river, and walked away. VimalaChitta sat down on the river bank, her chin in her hands, waiting for him.
In the meantime, a female fox came to walking towards the river bank, holding a piece of meat in her mouth. As she approached the water, she saw a big fish lying very close to the river bank. The fox dropped the piece of meat, and rushed to catch the fish. A vulture, that was circling above, quickly descended, grabbed the piece of meat, and flew away. The fish noticed the commotion, saw the fox approaching, and swam away.
The poor fox looked up at the vulture, hoping against hope that it would get that piece of meat again.
VimalaChitta, who had observed this whole incident, smiled and said…
गृध्रेणापहृतं मांसं मत्स्यो ऽपि सलिलं गतः ।
मत्स्य-मांस-परिभ्रष्टे किं निरीक्ष्यसि जम्बुके ॥ ७० ॥
gṛdhreṇāpahṛtaṃ māṃsaṃ matsyo ‘pi salilaṃ gataḥ |
matsya-māṃsa-paribhraṣṭe kiṃ nirīkṣyasi jambuke || 70 ||
The meat was stolen by the vulture, the fish went into the water, you lost the meat, and the fish, so what are you waiting for, o fox?
The fox heard her speak, laughed aloud and replied…
यादृशं मम पाण्डित्यं तादृशं द्विगुणं तव ।
नाभूज् जारो न भर्ता च किं निरीक्षसि नग्निके ॥ ६९ ॥
yādṛśaṃ mama pāṇḍityaṃ tādṛśaṃ dviguṇaṃ tava |
nābhūj jāro na bhartā ca kiṃ nirīkṣasi nagnike || 69 ||
You have double the intelligence that I have. Your lover is gone. You lost your husband as well. Oh naked lady, what are you waiting for?
As KarālaMukha concluded this story, another friend of his came around and said…
to be continued…