The Golder Bugle
The land of Shankachuda in the Aravalli regions was ruled by a Rajput king. Atop a high hill lay the capital city, surrounded by a strong fort. Inside the fort was a temple dedicated to Lord Siva. At the door of the temple hung a huge golden bugle. According to tradition, only the person who could blow that bugle was entitled to rule the land, making it clear who would be king based on their efforts to sound the bugle.
During those times, kings fought innumerable battles to maintain their thrones. Enemies were ever-present, launching attacks that had to be repulsed. Thus, it came to pass that Ranasimha, the king of Shankachuda, prepared to confront his enemy, who was marching toward his capital.
On the eve of the battle, Ranasimha visited the temple of his gods and blew heartily into the golden bugle. A clear sound pierced the stillness of the morning air. Taking this as a good omen, Ranasimha galloped off to confront his foes. Before he departed, he called his brother aside and said, “Krishnasimha, if I should die on the battlefield, you must ascend the throne. But first, you must blow the bugle; only then can you sit on the royal seat. This is our traditional custom.”
Both brothers joined the fray. Krishnasimha had long coveted the throne, and this presented an excellent opportunity to eliminate his brother. However, he was a coward at heart and did not dare undertake the task of killing Ranasimha himself.
Instead, he hired assassins who crept into the royal tent and stabbed Ranasimha while he slept. They then disposed of the king’s body in the river and reported their deed to Krishnasimha, who rewarded them handsomely.
The next day, rumors buzzed through the war camp regarding Ranasimha’s disappearance, with many presuming he had been killed by his enemies. Donning a façade of grief, Krishnasimha went into mourning and ordered the army to return home.
When the sad news reached Shankachuda, the people were plunged into deep sorrow, for Ranasimha had been a beloved king. Krishnasimha declared he would rule the land as king and set a date for his coronation. However, the custom of blowing the golden bugle still loomed over him. Privately, a few times, he sneaked into the temple and attempted to blow the bugle, but no sound emerged.
The royal priests announced that Krishnasimha would blow the bugle according to custom to establish his right to rule Shankachuda. Yet he stoutly refused, denouncing the old custom as mere superstition. People found his refusal odd for a king but did not think much of it.
The day of coronation dawned brightly, and the land celebrated in style. Everyone gathered at the royal palace to witness the ceremony that would make Krishnasimha the new king of Shankachuda.
As the crown was about to be placed on his head, the clarion call of the bugle suddenly sounded from the top of the hill. Startled citizens streamed out of the palace, rushing toward the hill. Krishnasimha trembled in terror and fled the palace.
Upon reaching the temple, the citizens discovered their former king, Ranasimha, blowing the bugle. He was alive and well. Addressing the citizens, he declared, “Dear people, I am not dead. I was attacked and thrown into the river, but by God’s grace, I survived. It took me several months to recover, and I have already taken revenge on my assassins. Now, it remains for me to address the ring leader of this crime.”
The angry crowd shouted, “Tell us the name of that man! We’ll tear him limb from limb!”
“Patience, my good people,” said Ranasimha. “I will deal with him myself.” He looked around but could not find his brother. Realizing Krishnasimha had fled, he proclaimed, “Let that man who tried to harm me be banished from this land. He will regret his crime for the rest of his life. That will be punishment enough.”
Ranasimha then resumed his sovereignty over Shankachuda, and the people rejoiced. As for Krishnasimha, he was never seen again in these parts, and so everyone knew of his guilt in the treachery.