A king named Pratapmukut used to rule over Kashi. He had a son named Vajramukut. One day the prince went to the forest to hunt with the Diwan’s son. While roaming around, he found a pond. Lotus bloomed in its water and swans were cooing. There were dense trees on the sides, on which birds were chirping. Both the friends stopped there and washed their hands and face in the water of the pond and went up to the temple of Mahadev. They tied the horses outside the temple. When he came out after visiting the temple, he saw that the princess had come to bathe with her friends on the banks of the pond. The Diwan’s boy kept sitting there under a tree, but could not stay with the prince. He went ahead. When the princess looked at him, he was infatuated with her. The princess also kept on looking at him. Then what did she do that she took out a lotus flower from the bun, applied it to her ear, bit it with her teeth, pressed it under her feet and then applied it to her chest, went away with her friends.
On her departure, the prince came to his friend disappointed and told everything and said, “I cannot live without this princess. But I neither know his name nor his whereabouts. How will she get it?
The Diwan’s boy said, “Prince, don’t be so nervous. She has told everything.
The prince asked, “How?”
He said, “When she removed the lotus flower from her head and applied it to her ears, she told that I am from Karnataka. Bitten by the teeth, it meant that I am the daughter of Dantabaat Raja. Pressing the feet meant that my name is Padmavati and hugging the chest, he told that you have settled in my heart.
Had to hear this the prince was jubilant with joy. Said, “Now take me to the country of Karnataka.”
Both friends moved on. While roaming around, both of them reached there after many days. When he went near the king’s palace, he found an old woman sitting at her door spinning a charkha.
Going to her, both got down from the horses and said, “Mother, we are merchants. Our stuff is following. Give us some place to live.
Seeing his face and hearing his talk, the old woman’s heart swelled with affection. She said, “Son, this is your house. Stay as long as you can.
Both stayed there. The Diwan’s son asked her, “Mai, what are you doing? Who is there in your house? How is your passing?
The old woman replied, “Son, I have a son who is in the service of the king. I was the nanny for the king’s daughter Padmavati. Now, I stay at home due to old age. The king gives food and drink. Once a day I go to the palace to see the princess.
The prince gave some money to the old lady and said, “Mother, tomorrow you go there and tell the princess that the prince you found at the pond on Jeth Sudi Panchami has arrived.”
The next day when the old lady went to the palace, she gave the prince’s message to her. On hearing this, the princess got angry and applied sandalwood in her hands and slapped him on the cheek and said, “Get out of my house.”
The old woman came home and told everything to the prince. The prince was stunned. Then his friend said, “Prince, don’t be afraid, understand his words. He hit ten fingers in white sandalwood, by this he means that there are still ten days of moonlight. I will meet him in the dark night when he passes.
After ten days, the old lady again told the princess, this time she dipped three fingers in saffron and hit her on the face and said, “Run away from here.”
The old lady came and told everything. The prince quivered in sorrow. The Diwan’s boy explained, “What is there to be surprised in this? She has said that I am menstruating. Wait three more days.
After three days, the old woman reached there again. This time the princess reprimanded him and threw him out of the west window. He came and told the prince. Hearing this, the dewan’s boy said, “Friend, he has called you to that window tonight.”
The prince jumped out of happiness. When the time came, he put on the old lady’s dress, applied perfume, tied his arms. After two o’clock in the night, he reached the palace and reached inside through the window. The princess was standing there, all set. She took him inside.
Prince learnt a lesson after having a look at the conditions inside. There were more than one thing. The prince stayed with the princess throughout the night. As soon as the day came, the princess hid the prince and took him out again at nightfall. Like this many days passed. Suddenly one day the prince remembered his friend. He was worried that he did not know what would have happened to him. Seeing sad, the princess asked the reason, then he told. Said, “He is my very dear friend, very clever. You were able to meet me only because of his cleverness.
The princess said, “I cook a wonderful meal for him. You feed him and come back after giving him consolation.
Taking the food with him, the prince reached his friend. They haven’t met in a month. On meeting, the prince told the whole situation and said that I have told all the things about your cleverness to the princess, that is why she has prepared and sent this food.
The diwan’s son started thinking. He said, “You did not do well. The princess understood that as long as I am there, she cannot keep you under her control. That’s why he has sent this food mixed with poison.
Saying this, the boy of Diwan picked up a laddu from the plate and put it in front of the dog. The dog died immediately after eating.
The prince felt very bad. He said, “God save us from such a woman! I will not go near him anymore.
Diwan’s son said, “No, now such a solution should be taken, so that we can take him home.” Tonight, you go there. When the princess falls asleep, make a mark of a trishul on her left thigh and bring her jewelry.”
Prince did exactly the same. On his arrival, the Diwan’s son took him with him, disguised as a Yogi, went to Marghat and asked the prince to take these ornaments and sell them in the market. If someone catches you, tell him to go to my teacher and bring him here.
The prince took the jewels to the city and showed them to a goldsmith near the palace. The goldsmith recognized him as soon as he saw him and took him to the Kotwal. When Kotwal asked, he said that my teacher has given it to me. Guru was also caught. Everyone went in front of the king.
The king asked, “Yogi Maharaj, where did you get these ornaments?”
The Yogi-turned-Diwan’s son said, “Maharaj, I was proving the Dakini-mantra to Kali Chaudas in Masan when the Dakini came. I took off her ornaments and made a mark of a trishul on her left thigh.
Hearing this, the king went to the palace and asked the queen to see whether there was a mark of a trident on the left thigh of Padmavati. When the queen saw, it was there. The king felt very sad. Coming out, he took the Yogi to one side and said, “Your Highness, what is the punishment for unfaithful women in the scriptures?”
The Yogi replied, “If a king, a Brahmin, a cow, a woman, a boy and those who are in their shelter commit any wrongdoing, they should be banished from the country.” Hearing this, the king got Padmavati released in the forest by making her sit in a doli. The prince and the Diwan’s son were sitting in wait. After finding the princess alone, he returned to his city with him and started living happily.
After narrating this much, Betal said, “Rajan, tell me who has sinned?”
The king said, “The king felt guilty. The diwan’s son did the work of his master. Kotwal obeyed the king and the prince proved his wish. The king committed a sin, who without thinking gave him the country.
The king had so much to say that Betal again went and hanged himself on the same tree. The king went back and set off with Betal. Betal said, “Listen, Rajan, let me tell you one more story.”
