As King Vikramaditya carried the corpse on his shoulders, Betaal began telling another story.
In the kingdom of Magadh, there lived a beautiful princess named Chandra Lekha. Princes
from far-o lands desired to marry her, but her family could not nd a groom who matched
her expectations. Days passed, and Chandra Lekha’s mother grew increasingly worried. One
day, the queen asked her daughter what qualities she sought in a husband. Chandra Lekha
replied, “My husband must be courageous, strong, and loyal.”
Soon, suitors began arriving at the palace. Among them was Prince Veerendra, who claimed
that he could predict the future and that his predictions were never wrong. The princess was
impressed and allowed him to stay at the palace as a guest.
The next day, Prince Udaivir arrived. He boasted of his mastery of magical weapons, saying
that he could defeat any enemy. He, too, was invited to stay as a guest.
A day later, Prince Dhananjay came to the palace. He presented himself as a fearless
warrior, stating that no one could rival him in battle. The queen welcomed him, and he also
stayed at the palace.
The Disappearance of the Princess
While the princes enjoyed the royal hospitality, an urgent problem arose: Princess Chandra
Lekha disappeared from the palace. The distressed queen summoned Prince Veerendra
and asked him to use his powers to nd her. Veerendra calculated the situation and
declared, “A demon has kidnapped the princess and taken her to his palace. He intends to
marry her.”
The queen quickly called upon the other two princes as well and pleaded with them to save
her daughter. The three princes sprang into action. Veerendra created a map to the
demon’s palace, Udaivir prepared his magical weapons, and Dhananjay armed himself with
his sword. Together, they set out to rescue Chandra Lekha.
The Battle with the Demon
When the princes reached the demon’s palace, the demon launched a ferocious attack.
Prince Dhananjay stepped forward and engaged the demon in a erce battle. The ght was
intense, but Dhananjay ultimately decapitated the demon with his sword. The demon’s head
fell to the ground, and his monstrous presence was vanquished.
Freed from the demon’s clutches, Princess Chandra Lekha returned to the palace with the
three princes. The queen was overjoyed and expressed her gratitude to all three of them.
The Debate
While the palace celebrated the return of the princess, a heated debate erupted among the
three princes about who deserved to marry Chandra Lekha. Each felt entitled to her hand,
believing his contribution was the most signi cant in saving her life.
Veerendra argued, “Without my map, the others wouldn’t have even found the
demon’s palace.”
Udaivir claimed, “If not for my magical weapons, we wouldn’t have survived the journey
or the demon’s attack.”
Dhananjay said, “I fought the demon and killed him. Without me, the princess would
still be in danger.
In the end, it was decided that Princess Chandra Lekha should choose her husband.
Although all three had contributed to her rescue, she could marry only one.
Betal’s Question
After nishing the story, Betaal said, “King Vikram, tell me: whom did the princess choose as
her husband? Who was the rightful match for her? If you do not answer, your head will be
shattered into pieces.”
King Vikramaditya remained silent for a moment, then replied, “It is said that he who has the
stick owns the bu alo. In this case, Prince Dhananjay is the rightful match for Princess
Chandra Lekha. Although Veerendra and Udaivir played important roles, it was Dhananjay
who killed the demon. Without his bravery and strength, it would have been impossible to
bring the princess back safely. Therefore, he is the most deserving.”
Betal’s Response
Hearing the king’s answer, Betaal said, “You have given the correct answer, Vikram, but you
have spoken against my warning. Therefore, I must return to the Peepal tree.”
Saying this, Betaal ew o the king’s shoulder and disappeared into the night. King
Vikramaditya, determined to ful ll his promise to the Sadhu, took up his sword and chased
after Betaal once again. His resolve to bring Betaal back remained unwavering as he thought
of the welfare of his people