Folk Tales of Gujarat (and Jhaverchand Meghani)

by Vandana P. Soni | 2014 | 98,532 words

This study represents an English translation of the Gujarat Folk tales composed by Gujarati poet Jhaverchand Meghani (1896-1947). Meghani was born in Chotila and left an important landmark on the history of Saurashtra and Gujarat folklore, Indian poetry, journalism and other literary sciences....

Chapter 39 - Parkaya Pravesh

Part 1

Once upon a time, Vikram the valiant king of Ujjani who was known as remover of others‘misery went alone on a horse to visit various countries. He was unable to sleep without helping miserable people.

Na Suve Raja, na suve Mor
Na suve ren bhamanta chhor
Kabu na sove kakanhari
,
Na suve premvalundhi nari.

[The true King does not sleep, a peacock cannot sleep, thieves wandering during night do not sleep, and the bird known as Kankanhar does not sleep. In addition, how a woman pining for love can sleep? How all these people can sleep?]

On going, he reached to one city. At the gate he saw guns, sword, a lance, shield and other weapons and scabbard were hung but there was not a single person. As he went inside the city, he found many stores in the market but he did not see any other person. The whole city was full with the things but there was no single human being. He stopped his horse in the Manek Chowk. The horse started neighing. There was a big palace.

Somebody peeped out from the balcony of a palace. Vikram saw one woman. ‘Oh, oh, oh she was extremely beautiful. She simply looked like Padamni”.

Padmani nari ne pa ser no ahar,
Adh ser ahar rani hasat ni
Chatrini nari ne ser no ahar
.
Sol vale enu nam sankhani.
Padmani nari ne pal ni nindra.
Adh por nari hasat ni
Chatrini Rani ne chhare por nindra,
Sor vane Rani Sankhini
.
Padamni Rani ene panidhek veniya
Adhkadiya veniya Rani Hasat ni
.
Chatrini Rani ne chhabak chhoto,
Odiya thi unnacha enu nam Sankhni.

The quantity of diet of Padmani nar is one fourth.
The half is the diet of Hasatni.
Chitrani nar’ s diet is full.
One who is expert in sixteen works is called Sankhani
The padmani nar has a momentary sleep.
Half an hour sleep is of Hasatni.
Chatrini Rani sleeps during four times a day.
One who spoils sixteen works is called Sankhni.
Padamni nar has heel touhing long hairs.
Rani Hastini’s hair touches waist.
The plait of Chatrini Nar looks like a whip
The length of hair of Sankhini nari touches the upper part of nape.

At the first glance, King Vikram discerned that the woman was, not Sankhani neither she was Chitrani nor even Hastini but she was Padamani . In spite of all these, will this Padmani nar be a man eater witch?

The woman asked in a very sweet and humble voice, ‘Oh, man why did you come in this small city?

‘Oh, woman, are you the same monster who devours people after killing them?’

‘The great king, I am not a man eater witch. I am an unhappy prisoner. This is the dwelling of a demon called Dundho. If you love your life then please run away from this place.’

‘Oh, woman, definitely I love my life but more than my life, I love to fulfil my aim that is to alleviate miseries of others. Tell me, who brought you here in this insignificant place?

Who are you? How can you live here? Please say, I am the King Vikram.’

‘Oh, you are valiant Vikram. For god’ s sake, please go away. Look here. Don‘t you hear echoes of your death?‘The earth was vibrating and soon dreadful sound was heard thadak utthdak thadak ttham!

‘Whose voice is this?’

‘Oh, King, the giant Dundho is coming after hunting. He will reach here soon. You will not succeed in killing him. Any weapon cannot kill him. There is no death of Dundho.

Please come inside. Now you cannot run away from here.’

Vikram went inside. He left his horse out. The horse went out of the city. The woman caressed with her hand on Vikram’s head and started praying goddess:

Chorasani Charaniyu
Nav koti Marvadaniyu
Barda na betaniyu
Patan na padar ni
Rojdana Revasni
.
Kadkadiya Kuva ni
Tatatniya dhara ni
Kanchh panchal ni
Anjar ni ambli ni
.
Garnar na gokh ni
Chuvan na Chowk ni
Thanak na padtharani
Kadachh na akhadani

Twenty-four types of Charan
Nine types of Marvadaniyu
Daughters of Barda.
Belonging to the plain of Patan
The inhabitant of Rojda
Belonging to the well of Kalkaliya
Belonging to greasy land
Desires of Panchal
Tamarind of Anjar
Exists in the niche of Girnar
Belonging to the plain of Chuvan
Her abode is also in the plain around the well.
Present in musing of monastery.

‘Oh, mother goddess; please take care of this man!’

After making this type of prayer, the woman locked the man in a big box.

On one side of the box, she tied one vessel containing honey. She arranged it in such a way that drops of honey kept trickling from the vessel and fall inside the box through the crack and Vikram who was locked in it could sustain him on the drops of honey.

Dundho came; there were five to ten dead bodies on his one shoulder and five to ten bodies on his other shoulder. Dundho’s body was so much overweighted that while walking his respiratory system emited a sound like; thadak utthdak tham! thadak utthdak dham! Thadak uthdak thadak tham

When Dundho came, he was speaking–

Manas gandhai manas khav! Manas gandhai manas khav!
Manas gandhai manas khav! Manas ghandhai manas khav!

‘I smell the presence of a man. I want to eat a man. I smell and feel the presence of a man. I want to eat a man.
I sense the presence of a man. I want to eat a man. A man is here somewhere around I can smell it. I want to eat a man.’

The woman said, ‘Except me there is nobody here. If you want to eat me, then I am the only one here. You can eat me’

‘How can I eat you? Who will look after me and take care of me if you will remain no more?’

After saying so, once again he panted ‘Thadak utthdak dham! thadak utthdak tham! thadak uthdak tham!

The woman served dinner to Dundho. After finishing his meal, a tired Dundho stretched his legs and slept. The woman started to massage Dundho’ s legs by iron rod. Dundho soon fall a sleep.

After two three days, Dundho once again went out for hunting. After Dundha’s departure, the woman opened the big box and asked Vikram to come out.

She said, ‘Oh, man, you please run away from this dangerous city. Otherwise, I will be blamed for your death.’ Each word of that woman sounded as melodious as the chirpings of Cuckoo. ‘It is very painful to see a delicate and beautiful Padamni nar with a long hair, being a prey of a giant! No, no as long as I am alive, I will not allow comely and virtuous lady like you to remain in the custody of a giant and suffer any more.’

‘Oh, woman, I will not go without liberating you from this bondage.’

‘It is impossible, you cannot un-bound me.’

‘Why? What is the reason?’

“There is no death of Dundha. Any man or any deity cannot kill him. He cannot die by sword or any other weapon or by fire or water. Many valiant men have come and they have become victim of Dundha.” Was Vikram only a valiant man? He had knowledge of 14 skills.

Peli Bhantar vidhya, biji vidhya nat ni
Triji viyakaran ni vidhya, chothi vidhya dhanak ni
Panchmi shringar ni vidhya, 6athi graham sagare
,
Satmi dhutar vidhya, anthmi hingardi
Navmi torang vidhya, dasmi parkhu
Agiyarmi rag vidhya, vesiya vidhya barmi
,
Ter mi harisumiran vidhya, tasgar vidhya chhovdmi

The first skill is, academic education; the second skill is expertness in acting.
The third skill is to be competent in grammar; the fourth skill is of archery.
The fifth is the skill regarding ornamentation.
The sixth skill is being proficient in Marines.
The seventh, skill is of deceiving.
The eighth skill is to have practical knowledge regarding the process of childbirth.
The ninth skill is of horse riding,
The tenth talent is the ability of examining.
The eleventh skill is of having knowledge of music.
The twelfth is the skill of a prostitute.
The thirteenth skill is of chanting god’s name.
Pilfering is the fourteenth skill.

The valiant Vikram who had accomplished 14 types of skill told the woman: “Please allow me to stay here for today itself. After making Dundha eat and drink, while massaging his legs you ask him whatever I tell you. Do you know how to cry?” ‘Yes, of course.’

‘Then try certain tact of women and use the skill of deceiving. You ask him, who will be mine after your death? Thus by pampering and caressing deceive him and skilfully discover, how he can die?’

‘Ok, done.’

In the afternoon, once again, the earth started vibrating and Dundha’s breathless panting sounded again as thadak, utthdak dham! thadak utthdak tham!

There were around five to ten corpses dangling on his one shoulder and five to ten corpses dangling on his other shoulder. After piling corpses in one corner, he spoke as soon as he entered into the room,

‘I smell the presence of a man; I smell the presence of a man. I want to eat a man.’

Vikram who was sitting in the big trunk trembled with fear and was drenched with sweat on hearing a dreadful voice of Dundha.

The woman smilingly said, ‘Here there is no person except me. If you want to eat a person then you can eat me.’

‘Oh, no, I cannot eat you. As you care for me and do me all services I cannot eat you.’

After finishing his meal, the woman took the massaging rod of iron and started to massage Dundha’s legs. She started to shed tears and Dundha asked,

‘Why are you crying?’

‘If I do not cry then what else I can do?’

‘But, what is the cause of crying?’

‘Now, you have become aged. Who will be mine after your death?’ She pretented to sob while talking with Dundho.

‘What my Death? Oh, nobody can kill me as I have a body of iron. I can die only in one situation.’

‘Is it not true that whoever is born is mortal?’

“Now, listen, soon after taking bath in the well; I start counting the beads of rosary. While counting the beads after bath, my iron physique turns into wax. At that time, if any son of one mother and one father comes and separates my trunk of the body from my head and if he fills a fistful sand between my trunk and then if he offers my body to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati then my trunk and head may get separated and I may die. Do you know, if, one who separates my trunk from the body and does not offer them to Lord Shiva and goddess Parvati then monsters will emerge out from each hair of my body.” The giant became emotional divulged the secret of his death.

‘Ok, now there is no need to worry.’

After two three days once again Dundha went for hunting. The woman unlocked the big trunk in which the king Vikram was kept and as he came out of the trunk, she divulged secret to Vikram regarding Dundha’s death.

Dundha came back. After taking bath he sat down to count the beads of rosary. At that moment, Vikram jumped and angrily pulled out the sword and vigorously attacked

Dundha and he seperated his head and trunk.Vikram stuffed a pile of sand between Dundha’s head and trunk and offered it to the lord Shiva and the goddess Parvati.

The head and trunk of Dundha became seperate. The head and trunk of Dundha struggled hopelessly for survival and finally it calmed down forever. Vikram went away out of that trivial place along with the princess. He safely escorted her at her parents‘palace and he went ahead.

Part 2

Vikram went very far. On his way, he saw one monster. The monster was ploughing his land. The monster tied elephants with the plough. The plough was of iron and the sharp points of plough were of iron. The monster was digging the hard land with a crow bar.

Vikram said, ‘Oh man, you look very powerful but seem very sinful.’

‘Oh no, King, I am very unhappy.’

‘Why?’

‘From here, around one and half mile away, there is one monster named Dundha. He has kept my female devil.

‘Ok, brother if I solve your problem then I could give justice to my title of the king Vikram in the real sense.’

Vikram went a one and half mile away. As he reached, he saw one gigantic monster horribly snoring.

Vikram thought, ‘It is not proper to attack on a one who is sleeping. First, it is better to wake him up and then challenge him.’ Vikram awoke Dundha.

Dundha got up by making terrifying sound, ‘hudududu”. His sound was so horrible that almost all the birds sitting on a tree flew away.

He told Vikram, ‗first, you attack me.’

‘Ok, first of all I will attack you in the name of god.’

After saying so, Vikram shot three arrows targeting Dundha.

These three arrows did not make any effect on Dundha; these arrows to Dundha seemed softer than even the blade of grass.

‘Why are you wasting your power? I will not commit the crime of killing you at my doorstep. Go and run away. I give you time of three and half days.’ Vikram went towards the Ujjaini.

Vikram reached Ujjain; as he reached on the border of Ujjaini; he saw one handicapped Shepherd grazing sheep. On seeing the King running away stealthily, the Shepherd shouted ‘Oh, great King why do you hide your face just for not giving me a pinch of opium.’

‘Brother, Dundha is behind me. He is pursuing me; that’ s why I am running.‘

‘Oh, Ram! Now please do not run. There is no need to run. What, poor Dundha can do to you?’ After saying this, he soon summoned cows by emitting typical sound, used for summoning cows. The shepherd draped himself with a black blanket; and, by holding a stick in his hand, he once again called cows. Soon the herd of cows came bellowing and they made a forte around the king Vikram.

‘King Vikram! Do not worry; now you can sit comfortably.’ After saying, such; the shepherd of Ujjain lighted the smoking pipe and started to puff it. Dhanhanhan...

Manjari pive to bhandhhunka mar deve,
Gadhha jo pive to mare gajrajku

If, intoxication called manjari is taken;
—then, one can attack any one.
If one drink intoxication of hemp then-
—One, can get the power of bending even iron

Under the fit of intoxication, his excitement shot up. He started to do certain unbelievable acts of squeezing leaves of ankda; he relished the joy of drinking fresh milk. He put a blanket around his shoulder with one hand; and took one battle-axe in the same hand, and stood out of forte made by cows.

Dundho, reached there by making the sound of—thadak uthdak dham! thadak uthdak dham!. The shepherd attacked him with the battle-axe and he hit him so hard that a big lump of flesh dropped out from his body.

O, brother, ‘please do not attack any more. Everyone in your state will be treated as your son’. After saying so, Dundha begged his pardon and he returned.

On seeing dauntless courage of one shepherd, Vikram became very happy. Vikram felt pride for the shepherd. He was so much pleased that he asked the Shepherd to make a demand for any gift. He said, ‘very good Gokli! Excellent, you have given justice to the milk you have drunk.’ He told the shepherd, ‘If you want to be the richest and prosperous man; you are free to ask for anything. If you ask for luxurious and prosperous life and if I do not give you then I am not the king Vikram in the real sense.’

‘Oh great king, I am very happy due to your grace. I have two hundred cows and three hundred fenced areas. My Shepherdess is very strong and bold. I have two sons. I do not want any thing more. I ask you to look after our premise where huts of all shepherds are located. We are your people.’

On seeing generosity of the shepherd, Vikram felt more embarrassment.He asked;

‘Gokli, what is the reason that one of your hands is crippled?’

‘Oh, great king, this happened because I and washer man Boliyo of Ujjaini were playing the game to test the might of a wrist. Boliyo was a sturdy man so he dislocated my hand.’

On that day, for the first time Vikram came to knew about the powerful man like a washer man Boliyo. Vikram loved adventurous people.So he befriended Boliyo. They went together for hunting, even if Vikram had to go out of station he used to feel lonely without Boliyo. The bond of emotions between Vikram and Boliyo grew so strong that it seemed as if they were having one soul in two bodies.

One day, on the night of Kali chhovdas; Vikram went with Bava Balnath to accomplish the mantra. It was the bank of the river Safra and there was one crematorium named Gandharpiv. While walking there, he saw somebody sleeping in the corner of the crematorium by covering one’s own self with the blanket.

Vikram asked, ‘Who are you?’

‘Oh my god, I am the washer man Boliyo.’

‘Oh Boliya, why are you here?’

‘Oh, King, today is the Kali Chhovdas, so for the welfare of the Ujjaini; I am sitting here to drive away ghosts and all evil spirits.’

Bavaji told Boliya, ‘Now you can go.’

Boliyo said,

‘No, no, these witches are dancing. They are playing on pair of cymbals. Headless monsters are standing here, how can I make my king stand-alone here? I will not go at any cost.’ Boliyo did not go away. Bava Balnath wanted to give mantra to King Vikram only. Today Bavoji was supposed to give mantra to Vikram only. He could not give the same mantra to others.

Bavai reached at his cottage. Bavaji called Vikram inside the cottage, then made seven lines, and he forbided any one to come inside the cottage during the time of an oath.

Bavaji told Boliya, ‘You stay out here; Later on, I will also give you today one mantra.’

Later on:

Bave oshiso ottar ma kiyo
Bave mantar Vikram ne diyo
.

Bave put his pillow in the north side
Bave gave the mantra to Vikram.

Bavaji gave Vikram the following Gayatri Mantra of necromancy:-

Ami-Ami me Kalash
Kalash me Unkar
Unkar me narakar
Narakar me narijan
Narijan me panch tatva
Panch tatva me jyot
Jyot me premjyot
Premjyot me uupni
Mata aghor Gayatri
Avar Jaranti
Bhed maha bhedanti
Satiyaku taranti
Kudiyaku Sanharanti
Indrka sarap uttaranti
Mata Modvanti
Mada sambda bhrakhanti
Avanti javanti
Somvanshi
Adhar bhar vanaspati
Dharam karan Narohari
Tab najiya dharma thapanti
Chalo mantro! Fatkat Soha
.

Nectar
Nectar in Pot
In pot, there is painful sound
In pain, there is negation
In negation there is omniscient
In omniscient, there are five elements.
In five elements, there is a flame of a lightened lamp
In the flame of a lightened lamp, there is a flame of love
In the flame of love, there is intimacy
Mother, black art’s Gayatri
Belonging to low caste
Very mysterious
Saving the truth
Hates clandestine
Relieving the curse of Indra
Goddess mother Modvanti
Devouring dead bodies
Coming and going
Somvansi
Eighteen types of trees, plants and ivy
Against the right religion
Establishing the evil or dirty type of religion
Lets all these hymn may work.

Vikram accomplished the super natural power of entering into others‘body after receiving this Gayatri Mantra of neromancy. If anybody’s physical body is lying without the soul then one who knows this mantra of entering into other’s body can easily do so by casting off one’s own physical form.

‘Vikram, please do not disclose this achievement to Boliya.’

Later on Bavaji called Boliyo inside the cottage. ‘See, Boliya: I am giving you the mantra of Scorpio’:-

Kali Ga Kavli Ga
Dungar Chhadi podro kariyo
Tya viyani vichhan rani
Vicchan Rani na addhar putra
Chho Kala, chho kabra
Chho haldarvarna mankda
Utter to utaru
Honkaru lilkat chhor
Avega mor
Khavega mor
Chalo mantru Ishwar Vacha
Vacha chuke, Ubho suke

The black cow and a small calf-
They laid dung after climbing a small mountain.
There the she Scorpion gave birth to young ones.
She scorpion delivered eighteen young ones.

Some of them were black, some of them were variegated, and some were turmeric type of yellowish coloured insects.

One becomes free; if one tries to get free from certain effects like of ghosts, witches and other evil spirits.

One can even drive out thieves by making a threatening sound at thief.
The person who knows this mantra can experience the thrill of excitement.
The learner may even get whimsical
Let me tell you, if one violates the promise-
-then the betrayer may become weak.

The king and Boliyo went to Ujjani after learning mantras . On the next day, Boliyo came to the king and started crying.

‘Why are you crying? What pains you?’

‘Great King, my wife has resolved not to take food and water.’

‘Why? What is the matter?’

“She was telling that the Bavaji must have given your king the mantra of wealth and prosperity, and he expelled me by giving me very common mantra of ‘Scorpion’.Oh, great king, there is no want of wealth and prosperity in your life: so why don‘t you give me the mantra of wealth and prosperity. Please give me that mantra.”

King Vikram had much affection for Boliyo. Therefore, he disclosed the truth to Boliyo. He said, ‘See, Boliya, the mantra that is given to me is no other but the mantra of entering into another’ s physique. I will give you that mantra.”

It was bad luck of the king that he gave mantra to Boliyo. On the next night, Boliya came very early to call the King to hunt for the sport. Vikram said: ‘Boliya, it is still midnight.’

‘No, Bapu, the cock of butcher’ s shop chirped long back.‘

Both started hunting out for the sport. In the morning, they went very much far from the Ujjani. In the morning, they saw many deers. They encountered; one musk male black antelope, and increased the speed of their horse. On reaching very far from Ujjain they shoot down the same musk male black antelope with an arrow. The beauty of an antelope fascinated both of them.

Vikram said: ‘Vow, what a beautiful physical body of this antelope! This male antelope must be enjoying amorously among all female deers.’

Boliyo said, ‘Then, my majesty! Let us test the mantra given by Bava Balnath. Let us examine, are we able to enter into another’ s physique by leaving our own physical form.‘How innocent Vikram could suspect the sinful intrigue lurking in wicked Boliya’s mind?

Vikram after chanting the mantra left his own physical form and entered into the empty physical form of antelope. The male deer jumped and stood quadruped. The king Vikram in the disguise of antelope stared at Boliyo.

Boliyo said: ‘Your majesty, you go and enjoy amorously amidst bevy of female deers. I will stand here and will take care of your original physical form.’ The king Vikram in the guise of musk deer leaped and reached among the crowd of female deers. The troupes of female deers along with the king Vikram in the guise of male deer went very far.

Here, shrewd Boliya by vacating his physical form entered into the physical form of King

Vikram, which was lying near him. He easily changed the physical form because King Vikram already taught him the mantra of entering into other’s body.

Boliyo got up and stood by twisting his moustache he said: ‘Now, if I do not accomplish 92 cities and 32 estates of petty rulers then I am not Boliyo in the real sense of the term.’ Soon the king Vikram in the guise of musk antelope arrived back. The powerful soul of Vikram in the beautiful body of an antelope looked so stunning that the beauty was ineffable. The straight horns and a happy antelope came oscillating after frolicking in the company of female deer.

As the antelope came forward, the Boliyo shot an arrow. An arrow exactly pierced into the horn. The antelope tumbled down. Boliyo thought that an antelope had caused injury in forehead. After covering a piece of cloth on an antelope’s body, Boliyo alone in a physical body of King Vikram started for Ujjain.

He went inside the palace; soon maidservants brought the bowls of kumkum and saffron to massage king’s body. Boliyo licked up whole ingredients that were brought for his massage. When maidservants came back by bringing the outer garment made of real diamond: to their surprise, they saw the bowls containing ingredients for massage were empty.

Boliyo in the physical body of Vikram, scornfully threatened, ‘contemptuous women, why do you keep edible items for massage? I will cut you into two pieces. Why did you bring the outer garment of real diamond simply to soak into water?’

He made the bowls empty by eating all the ingredients that were lying in the bowls and did not put on an outer garment. Maidservants were startled and perplexed to see eccentric behaviour of the king. They suspected, ‘why the king behaves so strangly?’

Maidservants brought a big plate for lunch having 32 boxes containig 32 types of items. In the plate, there was also one bowl of water for washing hands. Generally, in the plate each items of food were served in such a large quantity; that everyday after king’s lunch there used to remain food for 50 people. Boliya mixed everything and ate alone. He drank even, the water that was kept for washing hands. Not a single morsel remained for anybody.

‘Oh, no, what has happened to the king today? The talk regarding eccentric manner of the king spread in the palace. The queen Bhanmati got the news of king’ s shocking behaviour. She came to see the king. She also noticed the unusual type of behaviour of the King. She understood everything but how and with whom she could share her doubts?

Hasu to dant parkhe, rovu to kajal jai.

If I laugh then somebody may identify the reality.
If I cry then collyrium of my eyes may vanish,
That means my lord will get into trouble.

Thus, these eccentric manners of the King perplexed the queen. She was damn sure that it was the physical body of king Vikram but the soul was not of Vikram, it was of someone else. She knew very well that, it was not the right time to disclose the secret to anyone.

The arrangement of Boliya made on the top floor of Gong Pingla’s storey building. The very strict vigilance was set that not even a bird could enter into the palace easily. The queen Bhanmati used to call one Brahmin woman in the palace and made her read the Ramayana.

After a passage of time, the news spread that one broken horned deer is running all alone everywhere. It avoids the crowd of deer and prefers to walk all alone and tears persistently flows down from his both the eyes.

The queen summoned hunters and ordered; ‘Start throwing net to capture the same lonely broken horned deer. I will give one lakh and 25 thousand to a hunter who will successfully hunt the same deer.’

The hunters started casting nets. The musk deer having a broken horn got trapped. Lying in the net, helpless Vikram started to cry.

Meliya mandar ne maliya,
Meli shrovan-khat;
Meliyu Ujjani nu besnu,
Heya! Haji ma fatiya
.
Haida bhitar dav jale,
(tena) dhuva prakash na hoi;
Ka to jane jitvo,
Avar na jane koi.
Vikram ai var,
Hal je Ujjaini huvo,
Giyo pucchtal parthar,
(amara) sakhdakh gandrapasiyaut.

[Lying in the net, Vikram cried out his heart and spoke to himself:

Oh, heart; I put aside temple and storey, gave up the bed made of gold, even I also lost the throne of Ujjaini; whatever may have happened it is not the time to collapse. Oh, my heart is set ablaze but its smoke is invisible. It afflicts that one is struggling without his own soul and this burnning pain is too subtle to be sensed by other.]

Oh, enemy’s armies had marched upon Ujjain. The whole city of Ujjain is almost disarrayed because one who always asked his public about their happiness and sorrow was no longer there. The most benevolent and philanthropist Vikram the son of

Ghandhravsingh has gone away.

‘Ok, Soul, If I will die I will prefer to die in my native land. I will get the salvation there.

I will die at the altar of my native’ s deity.‘

During the midnight, he emancipated himself from the net of a hunter and incessantly rolled down. He reached the temple of Goddess Kalika. He started to hit his head on the idol of Goddess. The Goddess asked:

‘Who are you that have come now?’

‘I am Vikram.’

‘Why, did you come?’

‘Don’ t you see that hunters haunt me to trap me? Due to my misfortune, Boliyo has snatched my physique. The sun has risen. If you are not able to improve my condition then why do you accept the lamp of ghee of sixty sheers everyday?‘

‘Ok, you go now and you will get your physique back after three and half days. Right now, you make your soul enter into this physique.’ After saying so, mothergoddess pointed out one dead baby parrot.

Vikram entered with his soul into the physique of a baby parrot. Then he decided to fly in the morning. One woodcutter of forest came with an axe and means of binding. He came across this parrot.

He mumbled, ‘I have five to six kids and they are starving without food, so I will feed them by roasting this parrot. Right now let me cut this wood for fuel. After thinking such, he put the parrot under the basket.’

Dawn broke out and as it was the divine physique of parrot, soon the soul of Vikram regained the power to speak. He started to narrate songs of Shree Ram.

Kon re sapna kamni, datiyu faliyal Rama!
Pandiviyu ni pratima palva, hari avel sama.

The dream has become fruitful and the lord Rama became happy.
The god has to come in real form to fulfil the duty of idol of Pandavas.

After hearing this, children of woodcutter woke up. Here woodcutter prepared to roast the parrot on the other hand the parrot regained the power to speak. The Parrot said:

‘I went on pilgrimage of the goddess Hinglaj. There I became weak. I am also Barot. So, instead of killing me if you sell me then you will get more and more money.’

‘Buy a Parrot, buy a parrot!’ shouting like this, the woodcutter started to make a sell of a parrot.

Finally, he came at the colony of Badhsagra pradhan. The daughter of Badhsagra pradhan said, ‘please father, buy that parrot for me.’

‘Hello, how much will you charge for the parrot?’

Once again, the parrot gained the power to speak and it spoke ‘Badhsagara, do not fix any price of us. Whatever you can pay, that you pay according to your wish.’

She kept the parrot with her. She brought a gold chain, stringed one pearl into it and decorated the parrot. The Parrot told the daughter of the minister Badhsagra that, ‘Lady, as you go everyday at the queen Bhanmati’ s palace to listen the Ramayan then please take me there with you.‘

The woman took the parrot along with her at the queen Bhanmati’s palace. The parrot started to talk with the queen Bhanmati. The queen asked certain questions to the parrot. The parrot replied all the questions. The queen got convinced that the parrot was no one but the king Vikram himself and there was no iota of doubt in the fact. Therefore, without informing anyone she kept the parrot in her home and looked after it.

‘Now, what will happen? No one could find any solution until Boliyo was having the physique of the king Vikram. Here, Boliyo was engrossed in the amorous and luxurious life at the palace of Gong Pingla. There he used to play with sharp curved horned sheep.

By god’ s grace one day Boliyo’s most favourite four horned Bheder sheep died. Boliyo was very much fond of that sheep. Therefore, Boliyo thought to make the sheep alive for a while. Therefore, he emptied the physique of Vikram and entered into the physique of Bheder Sheep. This Sheep playfully reached the queen Bhanmati’s harem. Boliyo started considering him superior that how powerful he is that he could play with the dead sheep.

Under the fit of this vanity, he overheard the words of Parrot. The parrot said, ‘Go, Bheder to the farm for sometime and relish the joy of grazing green vegetable. You will have fun.’

Boliyo got excited and gushingly went away by kicking others with his horns.

Here the physique of Vikram got empty. Soon the parrot by leaving its physique entered into the physique of the King Vikram. The real King Vikram got up by shedding off laziness. His original virtuous personality shined once again. The queen ordered to make announcement of this good news in the city by blowing trumpets. A beating of drums buzzed and spread a pleasant sound everywhere. Since the day, when the king Vikram had disappeared, the palace was used to remain desolated on the contrary today the entire court got over crowded with the people as the king Vikram sat once again on the throne. The entire city of Ujjani was zoomed up with joy.

Here, Bheder sheep returned after spending delightful hours in lush green farms but he did not find the physique of the King Vikram. He understood the whole matter and shamefully he ducked down his head. It is believed that since that time the whole race of sheep stand cowardly by looking down.

Vikram said, ‘Oh, unscrupulous, you have betrayed my trust that I had put on you, but I am not merciless like you. I will keep you with me and I will correct you.’

One day, one reputed man’s young son died. His family members broke down and mourned by making heart-wrenching cry. When the King Vikram received this sad news, he soon sent the message to that gentle man that; ‘brother, please do not burn the dead body.’

Vikram went to the crematorium with Bheder sheep and said, ‘Boliya please enter with your soul into the physique of the son of this gentleman.’ Boliya denied a lot, but Vikram convinced him. Boliyo was ashamed of his own behaviour so much that he had lost the moral courage to look up beyond his level.

On seeing munificence of Vikram, Boliyo’s eyes brimmed with tears of remorse. He gave up the physique of a sheep and entered with his soul into the body of a gentle man’s son.

The reputed man got his son back and Boliyo once again received the boon of human life.

As Boliyo’s nature was reformed totally, he continuously behaved well as the son of a gentle man. The valiant king Vikram did not give up his friendship with Boliyo even after Boliyo’s new life.

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