In the In the kingdom, Betal started telling him a new story. King Vikramaditya had resolved
not to answer Betal’s questions, but Betal’s clever threats always forced him to speak
There lived a Brahmin named Dharamdat in the kingdom of Chedi. Dharamdat was very
unattractive, and because of this, no girl wanted to marry him. This caused him great
sadness and frustration. One day, Dharamdat was invited to a marriage ceremony. Although
he had arranged many marriages before, this particular occasion stirred a wicked idea in his
mind when he became attracted to the bride, Badu.
Dharamdat’s Deception
Dharamdat devised a deceitful plan to have Badu for himself. After the marriage ceremony,
he approached Badu’s parents and claimed that their daughter was under the inuence of a
curse. To remove the curse, he said, she needed to spend a night with him for a special puja
and rituals. Trusting him as a Brahmin, Badu’s parents agreed to this arrangement.
That night, Dharamdat behaved inappropriately with Badu under the guise of performing
rituals. The girl, believing she was helping ful ll a religious duty, did not resist or protest. The
next day, Badu returned to her in-laws’ house, unaware of the deceit she had been
subjected to.
The Consequences
Some time later, Badu gave birth to a son. The child bore a striking resemblance to
Dharamdat, sharing his complexion and facial features. This caused confusion and suspicion
in Badu’s in-laws’ household. While the family was ba ed, Badu’s husband recognized the
similarity immediately. He had seen Dharamdat before and could not ignore the
resemblance
When he confronted Badu about the child, she revealed the truth. She explained everything
about that night with Dharamdat, believing she was participating in a ritual. Her husband,
enraged and feeling betrayed, threw her out of the house.
Seeking Justice
With no one to support her, Badu went to the king’s court to seek justice. After narrating this
story, Betal asked King Vikramaditya, “What would be the king’s justice in such a situation?
Why didn’t the girl call for help that night? Why did she reveal the truth only when her
husband questioned her? Whose fault is it here—Dharamdat or the girl’s parents? If you
don’t answer, I will break your head into pieces.”
King Vikramaditya’s Answer
King Vikramaditya thought for a moment and then said, “The girl is innocent here. She
trusted the Brahmin and her parents’ judgment, believing the rituals were legitimate. She
likely had no understanding of the wrongdoing that was occurring and thought everything
was part of a religious duty. When she realized the truth, she revealed it to her husband. She
cannot be held responsible for the actions of others.”
Betal asked, “Then whose fault is it? Should Dharamdat be held guilty for ruining the girl’s
life, or should the girl’s husband be blamed for casting out his innocent wife?
The king replied, “No, the blame lies primarily with the girl’s parents. They placed their trust
in Dharamdat without questioning his intentions or considering the consequences of leaving
their daughter with him for an entire night. It was their responsibility to protect her and
ensure her safety. Dharamdat is also guilty for exploiting their trust and the girl’s innocence,
but the parents’ negligence was the root cause of this tragedy.”
Betal’s Response
Betal said, “Vikram, you have answered wisely. The girl’s parents are indeed at fault for
blindly trusting Dharamdat and neglecting their duty to protect their daughter. However,
because you spoke, I am leaving once again.”
Before the king could respond, Betal slipped out of his grip and ew back to the Peepal tree.
King Vikramaditya carefully followed Betal, reached the Peepal tree, and brought the dead
body down from where it hung. Determined to ful ll his promise, the king placed Betal’s
body on his shoulders and started back toward the kingdom once more. This time, he
resolved not to answer any more of Betal’s questions, no matter how clever or challenging
they were