The Two Contestants
The Two Contestants
King Vikram returned to the tree, braving the sharp wind and intermittent rain. With grim determination, he climbed the tree again and brought down the corpse. Throwing the body over his shoulder, he began crossing the fearful cremation ground, where jackals howled and the eerie giggles of spirits echoed from all sides.
He had gone only a few steps when the vampire possessing the corpse spoke, “O King! You are taking all this trouble, obviously with some fruit of success in view. I hope, unlike Chandrak, you will not throw away the fruit when you finally obtain it! Well, let me share the story of Chandrak and Rudrak. Your attention will be diverted from your labor, providing you some relief.”
The Tale of Chandrak and Rudrak
The vampire began narrating: In days gone by, Satrajit was the king of the yakshas. He had two young lieutenants, Chandrak and Rudrak, both of whom served him ably and sincerely.
There was no task too difficult for these young men when asked by their King. Several times, the yakshas were attacked by demons, but victory was always Satrajit’s, due to the valor of these two courageous men.
The yaksha king’s only daughter, Tejwati, was extraordinarily beautiful and developed a fascination for Chandrak, who was braver and more charming of the two. However, Chandrak knew that his dear friend Rudrak loved the princess, so he did not encourage her advances.
Eventually, the yaksha king deemed it appropriate to arrange for Tejwati’s marriage. While he was searching for a suitable bridegroom, Rudrak confessed his love for Tejwati.
Deeply fond of Rudrak, the king summoned his daughter and proposed that it would be excellent for her to marry Rudrak. Tejwati, desiring to marry Chandrak, replied, “Father! The one who would marry me should pass a test!”
The Test of Worthiness
<p“What test do you have in mind?” queried the king.
<p“In the adjoining land of the gundharvas lies a lake abundant with golden lotuses. Whoever can drink a drop or two of the lotus squash shall be freed from all diseases and grow immensely charming. Only he who can benefit from such a lotus should be deemed eligible to marry me,” said Tejwati.
The yaksha king called for Chandrak and Rudrak, instructing them to try their luck. The two young men set out in search of the lake, with Chandrak reaching there first, just before evening.
Upon arrival, he marveled at the enchanting surroundings, filled with fragrant flowers among the trees, while the crystal-clear water of the lake beckoned him.
However, as he entered the lake to pluck a lotus, he was suddenly attacked by a golden lion. Realizing it was actually a gundharva, Chandrak remained calm and attempted to throttle the lion. In return for his mercy, the lion transformed back into a gundharva and promised to grant Chandrak a lotus if he was spared. True to his word, the gundharva allowed Chandrak to pluck a lotus upon being released.
The Rescue
Chandrak took refuge in a cave near the lake. At midnight, he heard a cry that he recognized as Rudrak’s. Rushing to the lake, he found Rudrak lying unconscious at the water’s edge.
Understanding that it was the gundharva guard of the lake that had attacked his friend, Chandrak carried Rudrak to safety and gave him drops of the lotus juice. Rudrak regained his strength almost instantly and appeared immensely charming.
Both young men returned to the yaksha king’s palace. It was immediately evident to both the king and the princess who had benefited from the golden lotus; Tejwati was soon married to Rudrak.
The Vampire’s Challenge
The vampire paused and asked King Vikram, “O King, there is nothing surprising about the princess marrying Rudrak without complaint; she was a lover of beauty, and Rudrak had grown far more beautiful than Chandrak. But why did Chandrak discard the fruit of his achievement when both contested for Tejwati’s hand? Why did Tejwati set her condition for the prospective bridegroom?”
If you can answer these questions and remain silent, your head will be shattered into pieces!
King Vikram replied, “It was Rudrak, not Chandrak, who desired Tejwati’s hand. The king, in turn, asked Tejwati to marry Rudrak. Had the king asked Tejwati to choose between the two, she would have chosen Chandrak. How could she ask to marry someone who did not desire her? She initiated the contest for two reasons: first, it would inspire Chandrak to win her, and second, she was confident that Chandrak would triumph! She never imagined he would thwart her plan.”
“Chandrak entered the contest not to win the princess but to obey the king’s command. He held great sympathy for Rudrak, knowing how deeply he loved Tejwati. It was to help Rudrak achieve his goal that he waited in the cave near the lake. Thus, it cannot be said that Chandrak discarded the fruit of his achievement, but rather that he made the best use of it!”
As soon as King Vikram finished his explanation, the vampire vanished. In a flash of lightning, the corpse was seen dangling from the same old tree.