MantraOnNet.com: Pleasing of Lord Saturn
Amazement overwhelmed the princess the next morning
when she saw on King Vikrama the limbs he had lost seven and a half
years before. Seeing her stunned, Vikrama disclosed to her his identity
and told her the whole story, hearing which she became exceedingly
delighted. She then told the whole story to her companions, who
hurried to tell the king and queen.
King Chandrasena meanwhile had arisen from his bed after
the vivid dream which had wakened him, and rushing to his
daughter’s palace he saw King Vikrama, as gorgeous as the god of love
himself, sitting there. When King Chandrasena asked, “Who are
you?” Vikramaditya replied, “I am that thief who stole the merchant’s
necklace.”
Chandrasena said, “So I see. But your feet and hands were
chopped off at my order, and I see that you now have both your feet
and your hands back again. Please explain this mystery to me, that my
confusion may be dispelled and my doubt disappear.”
“I am called The Heroic Vikramaditya,” began King
Vikrama, “and I am king of the city of Ujjayini.” He thereupon
related the entire story of his Seven-and-a-Halfto King Chandrasena,
who fell at his feet begging forgiveness for himself for having so
cruelly mistreated such a great king. But Vikramaditya told him, “The
only offense that has been commked here is the offense commited to
my destiny. The planet Saturn’s impatience possessed my body for a
full seven and a half years, and it was because I had insulted Saturn
that I was in such a sorry plight. What did you have to do with any of
that? You acted only to fulfill the destiny that Saturn had mapped out
for me.”
Then King Chandrasena offered his daughter’s hand in
marriage to Vikramaditya and sent for the merchant who had accused
that hero of stealing the necklace. Hearing the summons, the
merchant came to the court posthaste and asked King Chandrasena,
“What is your command, your majesty?”
King Chandrasena asked, “Have you recovered your
necklace?”
The merchant replied, “Yes, great King! A painted swan had
swallowed it, and when later the swan brought it back up I was
wonderstruck.”
King Chandrasena said, “0 merchant! All this was an illusion
created by Lord Saturn. Taken in by by this illusion, you accused of
stealing it the stranger who was your guest. Your guest has now arrived
here. Do you recognize him? He is Ujjayini’s valorous King
Vikramaditya, who had been brought to that pass due to Saturn’s ire.”
The merchants eyes became round like saucers when he saw
King Vikrama there in the palace, whole again. Falling prostrate and
clasping Vikramaditya’s feet piteously, he babbled requests for mercy
for having laid a false charge of theft, and requested any punishment
in return. But King Vikrama told him, “0 merchant! This was not
your fault. Lord Saturn, who was angry with me, caused all these
events to occur.” On hearing this, the merchant offered King Vikrama
his own daughter’s hand in marriage with an immense mound of gold
coins as dowry.
Now the king sent his messenger to call the oil merchant,
who came hastily to the court and, folding his hands respectfully,
asked, “0 King! What is your command?”
King Chandrasena said to him, “Do you recognize who is
sitting here?”
Now, Vikramaditya’s body shone dazzlingly like the Sun,
and his luster was so incomparable that the oil trader could not
properly recognize him. Then the king said, “This is the man who
drove the oxen at the oil press in your home. Now do you recognize
him?”
The oilman said, “He resembles him strongly in the face,
but how can I be sure?”
King Chandrasena now told the oil presser the whole truth
and said, “This is the Heroic Vikramaditya. In consideration for your
attentive hospitality to him, I award one village to you and your
descendant;.” Hearing this, the oilman was mightily pleased.