In the town of Baikantpur, a Brahmin named Nandhsan lived a sorrowful life as he was
childless. Day after day, he prayed fervently to God for the blessing of a child. His prayers
were eventually answered when a son was born to him. Overwhelmed with joy, Nandhsan
named his child Vishal Dat and thanked God endlessly for this blessing.
Years passed, and Nandhsan cherished his son deeply. However, tragedy struck when Vishal
suddenly fell gravely ill. Despite consulting numerous doctors, no cure could be found, and
Vishal succumbed to his illness. Devastated, Nandhsan lost his grip on reality. He clung to his
son’s lifeless body, crying uncontrollably and refusing to let him go. Eventually, the
community convinced him to perform the last rites.
Carrying Vishal’s body on his shoulders, Nandhsan walked to the cremation ground with
others. In the cremation ground, a Sadhu sat deep in meditation. Hearing the commotion of
approaching footsteps and the barking of dogs, the Sadhu opened his eyes and looked
toward the grieving father.
As the Sadhu gazed at Vishal’s lifeless body, a thought occurred to him: why not give life to
the boy? This idea brought a mix of emotions to the Sadhu—he rst cried bitterly and then
laughed loudly. With resolve, the Sadhu relinquished his own body, allowing his soul to enter
Vishal’s body.
The Sadhu’s physical form became lifeless, but Vishal came back to life, astonishing
everyone. Nandhsan’s happiness knew no bounds. However, what no one realized was that
Vishal’s body now contained the Sadhu’s soul. The Sadhu had sacri ced his old body to gain a
new one, ful lling his wish for rejuvenation while also giving a grieving family their son back.
Betal’s Question
As Betal concluded the story, he posed a question to King Vikramaditya: “Tell me, O King,
why did the Sadhu rst cry and then laugh? If you know the answer and do not speak, I will
shatter your head into pieces.”
King Vikramaditya thought for a moment and replied, “The Sadhu cried because he had to
sacri ce his own body, which he had lived with for years. Yet he laughed because he was
going to gain a young and vibrant body in return. The act was bittersweet—a loss and a gain
at the same time.”
Betal, impressed with the king’s answer, said, “You are indeed wise and just, King Vikram.
But because you have spoken, I will return to the Peepal tree.” With that, Betal ew away as
Vikramaditya, true to his word, followed him to bring him back once more