The fruit of immortality…
Many many years ago, in Bhāratvarsha, there was a kingdom called Dhārānagara. It’s king Gandharvasen, had four queens, and six well learned and powerful sons.…
वेतालपञ्चविंशति
Vetāla Panchavimshati
चन्द्राननार्धदेहाय चन्द्रांशुसितभूतये ।
चन्द्रार्कनलनेत्राय चन्द्रार्धशिरसे नमः ॥ १ ॥
candrānanārdhadehāya candrāṃśusitabhūtaye |
candrārkanalanetrāya candrārdhaśirase namaḥ || 1 ||
करेण कुञ्चिताग्रेण लीलयोन्नमितेन यः ।
भाति सिद्धीर् इव ददत् स पायाद् वो गजाननः ॥ २ ॥
kareṇa kuñcitāgreṇa līlayonnamitena yaḥ |
bhāti siddhīr iva dadat sa pāyād vo gajānanaḥ || 2 ||
Jai ho Deva, half of whose body is the moon-faced Pārvatī, who is smeared with ashes white as the rays of the moon, whose eyes gleam with a fire like that of the sun and moon, who wears a half-moon on his head!
May that Ganesha protect yoü, who, with his trunk bent at the end, uplifted in sport, appears to be bestowing successes!
An apple does a merry-go-round…
Read the previous part here… And so the Brahmin went to the king Bhartharī and narrated the course of events. “My king, I have no…
Holy smoke!
Read the previous part here… Meanwhile, rumors of Bhartharī’s abdication spread like wildfire, and soon reached King Vikram’s ears too. He was enjoying his journeys,…
The upside down…
Read the previous part here… “If you command me, and promise me the reward, I will only enter this court after bearing a child by…
Red apples and red rubies…
Read the previous part here… “I have now warned you of what is about to occur”, concluded the deva. “I will set out now, but…
A visit to the cremation ground…
Read the previous part here… “Oh great king, you have spoken the truth. One who possesses virtue, possesses everything. It is only virtue that stays…
Corpses that spin tales…
Read the previous part here… The yogi replied “I just have one task for you, o mighty king. But one, that only you can execute.…
Love is blind…and a bit dumb too
Read the previous part here… “O king! When people are learned, clever and full of wisdom, they spend their days learning and relishing the knowledge…
Of gestures and meanings…
Read the previous part here… She soon departed, led away by her attendants, but she left her heart there, beside the lake, for when she…
The code of love..
Read the previous part here… The old woman nodded. “Of course I do – he stays in that mansion”, she said, pointing to the house…
Satisfaction, and a question…
Read the previous part here… This time, Buddhiśarīra didn’t wait for VajraMukuta to question him, instead, he took the prince aside and said “Don’t despair…
Of dead dogs and wine…
Read the previous part here… When the cunning Padmāvatī heard this, she replied sweetly “My love, I have a question to ask you. Were you…
Of ascetics and stolen necklaces…
Read the previous part here… “This is an opportune moment”, said Buddhiśarīra. “Now listen carefully. Got to Padmāvatī’s house tonight, and make her drink so…
Tell me, who is to blame?
Read the previous part here… When I finished my meditation in the morning, I realized that the pearl necklace was still with me. I am…
An answer, and another story…
Read the previous part here… Now, I have a question for you. Was Buddhiśarīra guilty of the death of Saṅgrāmavardhana and his wife, or was…
Of heartbreak and anger management…
Read the previous part here… The Baitāl started to speak, once again. “O King, you have taken on a very troublesome and tiresome task! So…
Restoring the dead to life…
Read the previous part here… During his travels, he reached a village named Vajraloka. He was invited into the house of a Brahmin, who received…
The king and two wise birds…
Read the previous part here… Now I have a question for you. Who should Mandāravatī take as her husband? Tell me, o wise king. Remember,…
Of ungrateful males…
Read the previous part here… Unable to reach an consensus, the two birds had an agreement. If the parrot won, he would have the maina…
Once a crook, always a crook…
Read the previous part here… She somehow climbed up onto the ledge, her arms and legs bruised badly, and started to walk back home. Crying…
Of husbands and lovers…
Read the previous part here… One night, he murdered his wife in her sleep, took away all her ornaments and money, and fled back to…
Of dead lovers and bit noses…
Read the previous part here… The frustrated thief thought to himself “What bad luck! She is setting out now, in the dead of the night,…
Are men wicked, or women?
Read the previous part here… When it was morning, the bound husband was taken to the king, along with his injured wife. The king, on…
Of bravery and sacrifice…
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,…
Spending coins and weeping tears…
Read the previous part here… The king, impressed by his appearance and his confidence, decided to give him the salary that he had demanded. But…
Of death and the ultimate sacrifice…
Read the previous part here… And while the king was lost in the admiration of his loyal guard, he suddenly heard the sound of a…
A family torn apart…
Read the previous part here… Vīravara turned around, and rushed towards his house, not wishing to waste any more time. The king followed him, curious…
Of lives lost and gained…
Read the previous part here… “My dear, we have now saved the king and the kingdom, but both my children lie dead. Poor Vīravatī, that…
Who is the bravest of them all?
Read the previous part here… “Oh Devi, you are the protector of this whole world, and so please confer a boon on me. Let this…
From bravery to marriage…
Read the previous part here… Now I have a question for you. Who was the bravest of them all? Who was the greatest? Tell me,…
Of talent, knowledge and bravery…
Read the previous part here… As soon as Harisvāmin was back, he was approached by a Brahmin youth, who had heard of the beauty of…
Operation rescue Somaprabhā
Read the previous part here… The mother then proceeded to question him on the scriptures, the Vedas, Upanishads, and even matters of the past, and…
Somaprabhā’s groom and changed heads…
Read the previous part here… Now I have a question for you. Who deserves to marry Somaprabhā ? Who does she belong to? Tell me,…
Cutting-edge bhakti…
Read the previous part here… Vimala asked Śuddhapaṭa for his daughter’s hand in marriage for his son, and Śuddhapaṭa readily agreed. They saw a good…
So who is the husband?
Read the previous part here… Not knowing what do to, and how to handle such a situation, he blamed himself for spoiling his sister’s life,…
The story of Sattvaśīla
Read the previous part here… Now I have a question for you. Which of the two people, mixed in such a manner, was Madanasundarī’s husband…
Of loyalty and rewards
Read the previous part here… Only Sattvaśīla had managed to follow the king – running through the deep woods, disregarding his own life, hungry and…
A perilous journey…
Read the previous part here… The king then called a meeting at his palace the very next day and described in detail Sattvaśīla’s devotion, and…
Of water tanks and beautiful maidens…
Read the previous part here… In the middle of all this, was a large temple of Mā Durgā, as tall as Mount Meru, with walls…
A friend in need…
Read the previous part here… “This brave and loyal friend of mine went to fulfill a task that I had given him, but is now…
A generous offer…
Read the previous part here… “I came here to have a darshana of the Devi, hearing about her magnificent temple, from this man over here”,…
I have a question for you…
Read the previous part here… “They have a speciality – you can find anything that your heart desires in these cities, and old age and…
The three sensitive Brahmins…
Read the previous part here… Now I have a question for you. Which of the two – Caṇḍasiṃha or Sattvaśīla, was braver? Who showed the…
Of goats, and corpses, and hair…
Read the previous part here… “Well, if you feel disgusted to touch it, why won’t we feel the same?” “But you too should carry this…
Of goats, and corpses, and hair- part 2
Read the previous part here… After they all had finished their dinner, the three brothers retired to the guest quarters in the royal palace. He…
The most sensitive of men…
Read the previous part here… Now I have a question for you. Which of the three brothers was the most sensitive? Remember, if you know…
Who should marry Anaṅgarati?
Read the previous part here… “I consider the man who was sensitive about what he slept on, as the most sensitive of the three. The…
Who should marry Anaṅgarati?- Part 2
Read the previous part here… As she came of marriageable age, the king decided to find for her a suitable husband. And so he arranged…
The beauty of Madanasenā…
Read the previous part here… Now I have a question for you. Which of the four youth deserved to be the husband of princess Anaṅgarati?…
Of marriages and promises…
Read the previous part here… Even the evening sun sank slowly into the horizon, red, as if inflamed by the sinking passions in the young…
Of thieves and promises…
Read the previous part here… When she heard this, she wiped her tears and said softly “I love you more than I love myself, but…
All is well that ends well…
Read the previous part here… “Here”, said Madanasenā, as she began to remove her bangles. “Take all my ornaments, and let me go.” “Why would…
Of delicate darlings…
Read the previous part here… Now I have a question for you. Who among the three – Samudradatta,Dharmadatta or the thief, was the most generous?…
Of blisters and bruises…
Read the previous part here… Indulekhā was playing with the king’s hair, when a blue lotus accidentally slipped from her ear and fell onto her…
Who is the most delicate of them all?
Read the previous part here… When she said this, and burst into tears, the king, being distressed, summoned her attendants, who ran there in trepidation…
The saga of Dīrghadarśin…
Read the previous part here… Now I have a question for you. Who among the three – Indulekhā, Tārāvalī or Mṛgāṅkavatī, was the most delicate?…
The pilgrimage…
Read the previous part here… Dīrghadarśin however, continued to work responsibly, shouldering the king’s duties as well as his own. He worked relentlessly day and…
The island of gold…
Read the previous part here… The king refused to relent, and as they were speaking, the king’s attendant entered and said “My king! The sun…
The maiden who sang about karma…
Read the previous part here… A huge wave rose high into the sky, and as it receded, a huge कल्पवृक्ष (Kalpavriksha) came into view. It…
The king’s quest…
Read the previous part here… Yaśaḥketu, who had been very badly affected by the minister’s absence, came out of the palace gates to personally welcome…
Of melodious songs and splendid cities…
Read the previous part here… Incidentally, Lakṣmīdatta was about to set out to SvarnaDeepa. The merchant greeted Yaśaḥketu, having noticed the signs of royalty that…
And there she was…
Read the previous part here… She was his wife in their previous janma (birth), and hence his deep desire to have her. He will return…
I have one condition…
Read the previous part here… The maiden slowly opened her eyes, which fell on the handsome king, a warrior whose wounds spoke of a hundred…
The curse…
Read the previous part here… When she said this, the king recalled what Kuśanābha had told him, and he brought her close to him and…
The curse – part 2
Read the previous part here… The king was taken aback by what he saw, and blood rushed to his head in anger. He unsheathed his…
Hearts won, and hearts broken…
Read the previous part here… “I didn’t know what to do, so I fell at his feet and begged him to lift the curse”, continued…
A broken heart, and a question…
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…
Of wasted efforts…
Read the previous part here… “So tell me, o King, why did the minister die of a broken heart? That too, on the day when…
He lost his wife, and then his life!
Read the previous part here… त्रयोदशो वतेालः The thirteenth story The Brāhman Harisvāmin, who first lost his wife, and then his life अथ गत्वा पुनः प्राप्य शिंशपातस् ततो…
The harsh summer and a broken heart…
Read the previous part here… “My beloved wife! Where have you gone! Did this night, after seeing your beauty as fair as moonlight, get jealous…
When food turns into poison…
Read the previous part here… He then reached a village, and chanced upon the house of a Brāhman named Padmanābha, who was conducting a yagna.…
A death, and a question…
Read the previous part here… Writhing in agony, he exclaimed… “Oh, when fate is against you, even good things that happen to you turn bad…
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,…
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 ॥…
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…
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…
Of near death and varadānas…
Read the previous part here… He then went to meet the king, and offered him all his wealth, and more, if only he would pardon…
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…
Of spring, flowers and beautiful maidens…
Read the previous part here… “So tell me, o King, when the thief was impaled, and nearing death, and when he saw Ratnavatī coming there…
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…
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…
The pangs of love…again
Read the previous part here… “From that day, I have not been myself. I seem to see him everywhere, and in everything I do. I…
Another marriage, and another deception…
Read the previous part here… People started to notice his dejected appearance and alerted his father Prajñāsāgara, who came running to see what had happened.…
Once competition, and now?
Read the previous part here… “But I will consent to this marriage only on one condition. I am not to be considered as his wife…
The plot thickens…
Read the previous part here… “My dear, this story makes my body tremble, and my heart sinks. It feels as if I long something, but…
So who is the husband?
Read the previous part here… Mṛgāṅkavatī could not stop herself, and they spent many a night passionately, with Manaḥsvāmin transforming himself back into a woman…
The Sacrifice of Jīmūtavāhana
Read the previous part here… “So tell me, o King, to whom did the princess Śaśiprabhā belong? To Manaḥsvāmin, or to Śaśin? “Remember, if you…
Noble thoughts…
Read the previous part here… He was named Jīmūtavāhana. He was courageous and yet compassionate, and attentive to the teachings of his gurus. When he…
Renouncing a kingdom…
Read the previous part here… “Where are those ancestors of ours, who always thought this tree to be their personal possession? For which of them…
Falling in love…
Read the previous part here… And so Jīmūtavāhana, his father and his mother, left that very night and went to the Malaya mountains. They made…
Falling in love…2
Read the previous part here… “What is your friend’s name, and what beautiful family is she from?” The attendant replied… “She is the sister of…
Of prayers answered…
Read the previous part here… She then performed the arghya, offering the guests water to wash their feet and hands, and then garlanded him with…
Fixing a marriage…
Read the previous part here… As soon as she said this, she made a noose with a cloth, fastened it to a branch of the…
Of snakes and Garuda
Read the previous part here… “The king felt happy at this suggestion and approved of the marriage, and so your brother has now gone to…
The pain of sacrifice
Read the previous part here… “And from that day, Vāsuki sends a snake to this shore every single day, and Garuḍa eats them. This heap…
A kind-hearted savior…
Read the previous part here… It seemed that some soldiers had brought him there, and just left. An old woman, who had followed them, stayed…
Making a sacrifice…
Read the previous part here… “Mother, I am a Vidyādhara, and I have come here to save your son. I will offer my body to…
Making a sacrifice…Part 2
Read the previous part here… And Garuḍa arrived, his large body temporarily blocking out the sun, and swooping down, picked up the valiant Jīmūtavāhana with…
A tragedy…
Read the previous part here… “I am a Nāga! And why do you ask such questions? You are to act in accordance with your natural…
And resurrection…
Read the previous part here… “This is the same Jīmūtavāhana who sacrifices his life for others, and is renowned in the three worlds for his…
A happy end to the story…and a question…
Read the previous part here… “Oh king of kings! I am pleased; you are a man of extraordinary abilities and compassion, and matchless in generosity.…
Ordinary, and extraordinary…
Read the previous part here… “So tell me, o King, who was more noble, Jīmūtavāhana or Śaṅkhacūḍa? Who deserved more praise? “Remember, if you know…
The story of the beautiful Unmādinī
Read the previous part here… “Being ordinary, he yet went to extraordinary lengths to save an innocent life, and offer himself even though he faced…
Yaśodhana’s dilemma…
Read the previous part here… “And so we must tell the king that she does not have the requisite qualities.” The ministers decided this, and…
An offer he did refuse…
Read the previous part here… King Yaśodhana saw her, shining like a flame rising from the fire of love, when fanned by the winds from…
An offer he did refuse…part 2
Read the previous part here… “My dear king, why are you so disturbed? You are the king of this city – you can take her…
He is more praiseworthy…
Read the previous part here… “So tell me, o King, who was more noble, Yaśodhana or Baladhara? Who was more praiseworthy? “Remember, if you know the…
Oh, why did you gamble…
Read the previous part here… आरब्धे हि सुदुःकरे ऽपि महतां मध्ये विरामः कुतः? How can great men leave in the middle of a task that…
Left for dead…
Read the previous part here… One day, this son of Devasvāmin entered a gambling den, to fulfill his desire to gamble. The tumbling dice of…
The teacher and the student…
Read the previous part here… “Now where can I go in this pitiable condition, all beaten up, naked and covered in dust and grime? What…
A request…
Read the previous part here… There, he saw a maiden who seemed to be their mistress. She was exceedingly beautiful, and it was as if…
The lesson…
Read the previous part here… And so, prodded on by his fate, he went to the sanyasi, fell at his feet, and pleaded with him……
The experience…
Read the previous part here… “My son, when, while repeating this mantra, you see the illusion, I will recall you to consciousness by the power…
An unwavering mind, and a firm resolve
Read the previous part here… “So tell me, o King, why was the power of that illusion lost to both the sanyasi and Candrasvāmin, even…
He had everything, except…
Read the previous part here… “Candrasvāmin performed all the tasks in the required manner, yet his mind was far from pure. His dedication was only…
The wife and the thief…
Read the previous part here… The talk of मार (Manmatha) only happened during lovemaking, and not due to people speaking of death… हेमदण्ड (clubs of…
The thief’s proposal…
Read the previous part here… As she ran along in the darkness, as fate would have it, her shoulder brushed hard against a thief who…
The newly-wedded widow…
Read the previous part here… “I may have done a lot of bad deeds in my life, but I want to make up for at…
A deal is a deal…
Read the previous part here… Even through Manaḥsvāmin was of high birth, and well-educated, he was so bound by his desires that he fell in…
Candraprabha…
Read the previous part here… When Manaḥsvāmin received the money, he went with the maid to the chambers of Dhanavatī, where she was waiting for…
One for the father…
Read the previous part here… “This child has been given to me by none other than Śiva himself” thought Sūryaprabha as he took the infant…
The pilgrimage…
Read the previous part here… “You should not have such doubts, and hesitate so much! I have to go, for my father’s sake, and I…
The dilemma…
Read the previous part here… In this city, King Candraprabha fasted and performed tapasya, distributed more of his wealth and fed more Brāhmans, and performed…
Who is the true father?
Read the previous part here… “So tell me, o King, to which hand should the king offer the pinda-dānā? And what did this all mean?“…
The pain of Candrāvaloka…
Read the previous part here… Manaḥsvāmin was paid for his services, and so he wasn’t considered the father. The thief, on the other hand, gave…
The love of Candrāvaloka…
Read the previous part here… Like Indrā, he made mighty birds fall to the ground, by clipping their wings with his sharp vajra-like arrows… In…
Meeting Rishi Kaṇva…
Read the previous part here… “Truthfully, his beauty can satisfy the thirst of the whole wide world…” As she thought this way, she rose up,…
Advice and a boon…
Read the previous part here… The āshrama was full of rishis and sādhakās, who went about their daily tasks. In the middle, under a tree,…
The journey back home…
Read the previous part here… Rishi Kaṇva was pleased. “You have promised to protect all living beings, and have thus made me very happy. You…
Jvālāmukha…
Read the previous part here… And so the tired King Candrāvaloka dismounted from his horse, fed it some grass and water, so that it was…
Find a boy!
Read the previous part here… “Please forgive me, I have committed a sin but unknowingly. Please think of me as someone who has come to…
The statue of gold…
Read the previous part here… The next morning, he called a meeting of his cabinet of ministers, and told them what had happened. One of…
Little in age, wise in thought…
Read the previous part here… The boy was special. Even at this tender age, he always took pleasure in being of assistance to his fellow…
Preparations for the sacrifice…
Read the previous part here… “This body is impure, and gathers dirt from the day it is born. It is the abode of all pain,…
Why did he laugh?
Read the previous part here… King Candrāvaloka beheld the boy who stood before him, his courageous demeanor, and the tej (glow) on his face, and…
This is why he laughed…
Read the previous part here… “So tell me, o King, why did the boy laugh when his death was imminent?” “Remember, if you know the…
Anaṅgamañjarī…
Read the previous part here… एकिवशंोवतेालः The twenty-first story The story of Anaṅgamañjarī अथ गत्वा पुनः प्राप्य शिंशपातस् ततो ऽग्रहीत् ।स त्रिविक्रमसेनो ऽंसे वेतालं तं…
Love strikes…
Read the previous part here… But even though she was married, Arthadatta would not let his daughter leave his house and go to her husband’s,…
A friend in need…
Read the previous part here… The sight of each other bound them into a fascination for each other, as if Kāma himself had brought them…
Is a friend indeed…
Read the previous part here… Mālatikā then sprinkled cold water on her friend’s face, and lay her on a bed of lotus leaves, placed a…
An arrangement is made…
Read the previous part here… “Look around, O Kamalākara, this is such a beautiful garden! Try to get out of this sad mood, and cheer…
Tragedy strikes…
Read the previous part here… “Tonight, I will bring Anaṅgamañjarī to the garden that forms part of her house. You should be present outside at…
A resolution…and a catch…
Read the previous part here… In the morning, the relatives of the lovers came to the garden, called by the gardeners who discovered the corpses.…
It was Maṇivarman…
Read the previous part here… “So tell me, o King, who among the three was more blinded with passion? Who was the most infatuated?” “Remember,…
The four brothers and a lion…
Read the previous part here… “But Maṇivarman? When he saw. his wife lying dead in another man’s arms, from the intense longing that she had…
If fate does not want it…
Read the previous part here… When they finally reached Yajñasthala, they came to know that their maternal grandfather had long died. Their uncles gave them…
Of magic and skill…
Read the previous part here… “If fate does not want it, you cannot even die by your own wishes.” “I now intend to visit a…
The worst mistake of all…
Read the previous part here… “And when the flesh of any animal has been included on a piece of bone, I can produce the skin…
Don’t showoff…
Read the previous part here… “So tell me, o King, who among the four was guilty of bringing the lion to life? Who made the…
The sanyasi who first wept, and then danced…
Read the previous part here… “The fourth however, saw that the result was a body of a lion. He knew the dangers of making that…
The guru and the shishya fight…
Read the previous part here… When Devasoma became sixteen years of age, that boy, who had captivated everyone’s hearts with his knowledge, modesty and good…
He is alive, but…
Read the previous part here… “You are the fool, not me, you old idiot! I am no longer your shishyā, and you are no longer…
Crying, and dancing…
Read the previous part here… “So tell me, o King, why did the sanyāsi first weep before entering the young man’s body? And then why…
Of cross-connections…
Read the previous part here… “At first he cried because he was sad that he had to abandon his body, one that had grown with…
Of wives and promises…
Read the previous part here… This village was the abode of thieves, people who robbed even their own neighbors of life and property…there was not…
Of convincing and relenting…
Read the previous part here… “Father, don’t speak this way. A man’s house is empty, without a wife. Have you not heard what Mūladeva said?…
Will King Vikram reply?
Read the previous part here… “My mind is tortured at the thought of your feet, that deserve to walk on flowers, walking on thorns instead.…
The twist…
Read the previous part here… “So tell me, o King, about the children who were born in the course of time to the mother and…
The conclusion…
Read the previous part here… “So, when he asks you to perform the ashtānga-namaskarā, you should reply – “I don’t know this method. Please demonstrate…
The king is triumphant…
Read the previous part here… “To think that you would take up this task at such a desolate place, in the dead of the night!”…
The finale…
Read the previous part here… “Oh mighty king! The sovereignty of the Vidyādharas,which was desired by the evil ShāntiShila, is now yours, once your life…