As King Vikramaditya carried Betal on his shoulders, Betal began narrating another story.
The Deceptive Daughter
In the town of Shurpur, there lived a wealthy man named Dhanardhan. He was known for his
kindness and religious nature. However, his wife’s character was questionable, and she had
a bad reputation. Unfortunately, their daughter, Mriganaini, inherited her mother’s aws and
was even more immoral.
Dhanardhan, in hopes of setting his daughter on the right path, quickly arranged her
marriage. However, Mriganaini’s habits did not change even after marriage. Sometime after
her wedding, one of her father’s servants, who had been her lover, came to visit her.
Mriganaini was furious to see him and demanded he leave. When he refused, she devised a
dangerous plan.
The Deadly Plan
Pretending to be sweet, Mriganaini spoke kindly to the servant and o ered him a glass of
water laced with poison. As soon as he drank it, the poison took e ect, and he began
writhing in pain before losing consciousness. By the time Mriganaini’s husband returned
home in the evening, she had hidden the servant’s body behind the alcove.
Mriganaini greeted her husband lovingly, managing to keep him unaware of the crime. That
night, when her husband fell asleep, she moved forward with her plan to frame him. Crying
loudly, she screamed, “Save me! My husband has killed a servant from my maternal home!”
Hearing her cries, neighbors gathered, and someone informed the king’s soldiers. They
arrested Mriganaini’s husband, charging him with murder.
The Trial and the Witness
The next day, Mriganaini’s husband was presented in court. The king listened to the case and
sentenced him to death. However, just as the sentence was passed, a thief appeared in the
courtroom. He addressed the king, saying, “Maharaj, this man is innocent. His wife is the real
murderer. I witnessed the crime while I was at their house to steal.”
The thief explained, “When her father’s servant visited her, she asked him to leave. When he
refused, she poisoned his drink. As soon as he drank it, he died in agony. She hid his body
behind the alcove and blamed her husband to cover her crime. I was too scared to come
forward earlier, but I could not allow an innocent man to be executed.”
Justice is Served
Hearing the thief’s testimony, Mriganaini was exposed. She trembled with fear, realizing her
guilt had been uncovered. The king, enraged by her deceit, released her husband and
sentenced Mriganaini to death. However, the thief, having confessed to being a burglar, was
also imprisoned for his crimes.
Betal’s Question
After nishing the story, Betal asked, “King Vikramaditya, who is the real culprit in this story?
If you do not answer, I will break your head into pieces.”
King Vikramaditya’s Answer
King Vikramaditya replied, “Betal, the real fault lies with Mriganaini’s father, Dhanardhan. He
knew his daughter’s character but failed to inform her husband of her past. By hiding the
truth, he doomed his daughter’s marriage and brought disgrace upon the family. His silence
and lack of action set the stage for this tragedy.”
Betal’s Response
Betal said, “You have given the right answer, King Vikramaditya. Your wisdom and
intelligence shine as always. But because you spoke, I must return to the Peepal tree.”
With that, Betal ew o Vikramaditya’s shoulder. Determined to ful ll his promise to the
sage, the king once again chased after Betal to retrieve him