Brajmukut and Ratanraj

Baital began to narrate another tale as Vikramaditya was carrying him:
Once, the prince of Benaras, Brajmukut, went hunting with his friend Ratanraj. While chasing a deer, Brajmukut went far ahead leaving his friend behind. He saw a temple and got down from his horse to take rest. Just then, a beautiful princess entered the temple with her friends. Brajmukut fell in love with the beautiful princess instantly.

When the princess came out of the temple, she saw Brajmukut who was adjusting his horse’s saddle. She too fell in love with him. She removed the lotus flower from her braids and put it near her ear. Then she nibbled it a bit, threw it on to the ground and trampled it under her feet. She then again picked the flower up and placed it on her heart. Then she walked away with her friends. Brajmukut could not make out anything of what the princess had done. Sadly, he walked away and waited for his friend. He was not able to forget the princess.
Soon, Ratanraj too reached there. Ratanraj saw the prince’s sad face and asked, “Why are you so sad? What happened?” The prince told him everything about the princess and further said, “I wish to marry her but I don’t know anything about her.” Ratanraj replied, “She has told you everything about herself through different signs. When she put the lotus near her ear, it meant she belonged to Karnataka. When she trampled the lotus under her feet, it meant that her name is Padmavati.”


Ratanraj continued, “When she nibbled the flower, it meant she is the daughter of King Dantsen. She placed the lotus upon her heart to show how intensely she loves you.” Brajmukut was happy to hear this. So, both the friends decided to go to Karnataka. There they found out about an old woman who was the governess of Princess Padmavati. She could go and come to the palace as she pleased. Ratanraj persuaded the old woman to convey the message to the princess.
Ratanraj told the old woman, “Tell the princess that whoever she saw near the temple is here.” After initial hesitation, the old woman conveyed the message to Padmavati. The princess heard everything. Then she smeared her hands with sandalwood paste and slapped the old woman on both her cheeks.


Stunned, the old woman came back weeping. She told the two friends everything that had taken place. She said, “The princess is angry with me. Now, the King will punish me.” Brajmukut became very nervous to hear this. But Ratanraj laughed and said, “Nothing will happen. What all this means is that the princess has invited you to meet her on the tenth night of the increasing moon.”
Brajmukut went to meet Padmavati on the appointed time. But when he returned, he was very sad.
Ratanraj asked him the reason of his sadness. Brajmukut told him that the princess’ father had fixed her marriage with someone else. “I will find a way,” said Ratanraj. He thought for some time and said, “I have a plan.” “What is that?” asked Brajmukut. Ratanraj said, “Take a trident (trishul) with you when you go to meet her. When you see Padmavati, scratch her body by striking her with this trishul, take away all her jewellery and come back.” At first Brajmukut refused to do but Ratanraj coaxed him, “Do as I say; otherwise, you will never get the princess.”


So, Brajmukut gave in and agreed to act on the advice of his friend. When he met Padmavati, he took all her jewellery and bruised her with the trident. Ratanraj told Brajmukut to sell the jewellery of the princess.
So, Brajmukut went to sell the jewellery in the same shop where the King got his jewellery made. The jeweller recognized the jewellery. He immediately informed the King. The King had Brajmukut arrested. He was presented before the King. The King asked, “Who gave you this jewellery?” Brajmukut replied, “A friend gave it to me.”
The King summoned the friend to the court. It was Ratanraj. The King asked Ratanraj the same question. Ratanraj said, “Your Majesty, a witch attacked me at night. I too attacked her with my trident and snatched all her jewellery. You can find the bruise-marks when you see her.” Somehow, the King found out that Princess Padmavati had the bruise-marks. He banished her from his kingdom. The sad princess left the kingdom and met Brajmukut. But when she came to know the truth from Brajmukut, she was very happy. Brajmukut married the princess and took her to his kingdom.


Here Baital ended his story and asked King Vikramaditya, “Who is at fault in this story? Who was responsible for the miserable state of the princess? Answer me or I will break your head into pieces.” King Vikramaditya had no option, but to answer Baital’s questions. He said, “The King himself was responsible for the sad plight of the princess. He should have given a benefit of doubt to the princess before giving his judgement. The others had just done their duties.”

Baital said, “You are absolutely right, Vikram, “But you have spoken again. So off I go back to my peepal tree.” Saying so, Baital flew off King Vikramaditya’s shoulder and the King followed him.

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