King Vikramaditya carefully made his way to the Peepal tree. As always, he brought down
the corpse of Betal, placed it on his shoulders, and began his journey. On the way, Betal
started telling another story.
The Beauty of Manimala
Long ago, in the kingdom of Malaidhesh, there ruled a learned and courageous king named
Samarjit. One day, a courtier named Krishnanan approached the king and said, “Maharaj,
there is a wealthy businessman named Chandramani in our kingdom. He has a daughter
named Manimala who is renowned for her extraordinary beauty and intelligence. I believe
she would make a perfect queen for you.”
Intrigued, King Samarjit summoned his trusted maids and instructed them to visit Manimala
and assess whether she would be a suitable queen for the kingdom. The maids, upon
meeting Manimala, were stunned by her beauty and intelligence. However, fearing that such
beauty might distract the king from his duties, they deliberately gave false feedback upon
their return.
“Maharaj,” they said, “we met Manimala and spoke with her, but she does not seem suitable
to become the queen of this kingdom.”
Trusting the judgment of his maids, King Samarjit dismissed the idea of marrying Manimala.
The Marriage of Manimala
Not long after, Chandramani arranged Manimala’s marriage to a noble courtier named
Krishna Anand. The marriage was celebrated with great pomp and joy.
One day, as King Samarjit passed by Krishna Anand’s house, he noticed a young woman
standing on the roof. Her stunning beauty captivated him, and he turned to his minister to
inquire about her identity.
“That is Manimala,” the minister replied, “the wife of your courtier Krishna Anand. She is the
same woman you had once considered as a potential queen.”
King Samarjit was shocked. He summoned the maids who had visited Chandramani’s house.
“You told me that Manimala was not suitable to be my queen,” he said angrily, “but today I
have seen her beauty with my own eyes. Why did you lie to me?”
The maids, trembling with fear, confessed, “Maharaj, please forgive us. We feared that her
beauty might distract you from ruling the kingdom e ectively. If she had gained inuence
over you, it could have disrupted the administration. That is why we lied.”
The King’s Dilemma
At that moment, Krishna Anand entered the court and folded his hands in front of the king.
“Maharaj,” he said, “I have heard everything. As your loyal servant, I am ready to o er my
wife, Manimala, to you. You deserve the best, and she is yours if you wish.”
King Samarjit was taken aback. “Krishna Anand, how dare you insult me in this manner?” he
exclaimed. “I would never cast my eyes upon another man’s wife. Such an act is a grave sin.”
Angered by the situation, King Samarjit ordered the maids to be hanged. “Had it not been for
their deceit,” he said, “Manimala would have been my queen, and the palace would have
shone with her beauty.”
Betal’s Question
After nishing the story, Betal asked King Vikramaditya, “Tell me, O King, where does the
fault lie? Was it the maids’ fault for lying, or was King Samarjit at fault for punishing them
unjustly? If you do not answer, your head will shatter into pieces.”
King Vikramaditya’s Answer
After a moment of silence, King Vikramaditya replied, “The fault lies with King Samarjit. While
the maids acted out of misplaced loyalty and fear for the kingdom’s welfare, it was King
Samarjit who committed the greater wrong. By punishing the maids, he crossed the
boundaries of justice and demonstrated his inability to control his anger. A true king should
act with wisdom and fairness, not let personal frustration lead to cruelty.”
Betal’s Response
Hearing the king’s answer, Betal said, “You have given the correct answer, Vikram. You are
indeed a wise and just king, but as always, you spoke despite my warning. Thus, I must
return to the Peepal tree.”
Saying this, Betal ew from Vikramaditya’s shoulder and disappeared into the darkness.
Determined to keep his promise, King Vikramaditya followed Betal, ready to bring him back
once again