Chapter 4 Who's the Husband?

In the quiet aftermath of Vetal's departure, Vikram reclaimed the ghostly entity, lifting him once more onto his shoulder. The moon cast a spectral glow, illuminating Vikram's determined visage.

Vetal, his incorporeal form animated by unseen energy, chuckled softly before responding, "Vikram, the complexities of human actions dance before us, and your astute judgments carve through the shadows. Yet, in our silent pact, you faltered. Tell me, why do you persist in carrying me despite the risks?"

Vikram, undeterred by Vetal's inquiry, met his gaze with unwavering determination. "Vetal, your tales, though fraught with enigma, hold a mirror to human nature. I carry you not for personal gain but to unravel the intricacies woven within your stories.Truth, though elusive, remains the compass guiding our journey. If breaking the silence pact is the toll for unraveling the complexities of morality, so be it. Now, reveal the next tale, and let our discourse persist."

Vetal, the ethereal storyteller, began to set the stage for the next narrative.

There was a city named Dharmasthan on the banks of Yamuna. A king named Ganadhip ruled that city.

A scholar named Keshav also lived there. The scholar used to do chanting and penance on the banks of Yamuna. He had a daughter, whose name was Malti. She was very beautiful. When she became eligible for marriage, her mother, father, and brother were worried.

Coincidentally, one day when the scholar had gone to the wedding procession of one of his guests and his brother had gone to study, another scholar's son came to their house.

Seeing his handsomeness and qualities, the girl's mother told him that she will marry her daughter to him. On the other hand, the scholar father also found another boy and gave the same promise to that boy also. On the other hand, where the scholar's son had gone to study, he returned with the same promise to another boy.

After some time, when father and son gathered in the house, they saw that there was a third boy present there. Two came with them. What is to be done now?

The scholar, his son and wife were immersed in deep thought.

What unfortunately happened was that the girl was bitten by a snake. Her father, brother and the three boys ran around and called the healers, poison experts , but there was no result and the girl died.

Feeling sad, they took the girl to the crematorium and performed the last rites.

One of the three boys picked up her bones and went into the forest. The other one packed a bundle of ashes and built a hut there and started living there.

The third one became a famous scholar and started traveling from country to country.

One day, the third boy the scholar, while roaming around, reached a city and visited his friend's house. While talking with his friend he got to know that his friend fell in love with a demon girl and consume marriage with her and now had a son.

The scholar was surprised to hear that and started to worry about his own life in his heart because he knew how dangerous the situation was.

When it was dinner time.

As soon as his friend's wife came to serve food, her younger son who was still a child caught hold of her anklet. He would not leave her anklets. The wife became very angry. She scolded her son, beat him, but when he did not let go of her leg, the demon wife picked him up and threw him into the burning stove. The boy was burnt down to ashes.

The scholar got up without eating his food. The family members said a lot, but he did not agree to eat. He said, I cannot eat food in a house where there is such a demon.

Hearing this, the man went inside and brought the book of Sanjivani Vidya and recited a mantra. The boy who had been burnt to ashes became alive again.

Seeing this, the scholar was surprised again and the scholar started thinking that if I get hold of this book then I too can bring that girl back to life. Thereafter, he ate the food and stayed there. When everyone had eaten and slept at night, the scholar silently left with the book.

Going to the place where the girl was burnt, he saw other boys sitting there talking.

Scholar said "Good news! I've found the Sanjivani Vidya, and with its mantra, we can bring Malti back to life!"

"How did you come across this powerful knowledge?" asked the 2nd man curiously.

"I encountered it during my travels. Now, let's gather Malti's remains and perform the ritual."

"Are you sure this will work?" asked the 2nd Man skeptical about it.

Scholar said "Trust me. I've witnessed its power before."

They start chanting the mantra, and slowly the ashes starts to take shape of a human bones, cells,tissues and organs started to form and then the girl came alive.

Malti was confused and asked "What happened? Where am I?"

"You were gone, but now you're back! Thanks to the Sanjivani Vidya." said the 3rd man.

The joyous atmosphere takes a turn when the realization sets in

"Hold on! We all contributed to this. How do we decide who gets to marry her?

When this scholar said that he had found the book of Sanjeevani Vidya and by reciting the mantra he could bring the girl back to life, both of them took out bones and ashes.

Then all three started to fight because of that.

As the story concluded, Betal turned to Vikram.

Vetal, with a sly grin, posed his question to King Vikram, "O wise king, ponder upon the predicament of the scholar's daughter. The three boys, each entangled in a promise, and a life revived by the scholar. Now, tell me, to whom should the girl belong?"

King Vikram, displaying a contemplative demeanor, responded, "In the enigmatic tale, the one who constructed a dwelling in the cremation ground, embracing the ashes, is the rightful companion for the revived girl. The scholar's son, traversing realms of knowledge, breathed life back into her, akin to a father. Yet, the keeper of the bones, dwelling in the forest, finds kinship, embodying a son-like connection."

Vetal, his eyes gleaming with mischief, prodded further, "Elucidate, O King, your discernment on why the one with the ashes and the hut deserves her."

King Vikram expounded, "The one who fashioned a sanctuary amidst the ashes showcased devotion and acceptance of life's transient nature. In the realm of the cremation ground, he embraced both death and life. Hence, he deserves her companionship, for his abode echoes the intricacies of existence."

The nocturnal ambiance intensified as Vikram's sagacious words resonated with a sense of profound understanding.

Vetal began to laugh and declared " Vikram once again you are right but once again

you've broken our silent accord. Back to my perch, I return," and with that, Vetal vanished, leaving Vikram alone in the silent realm of the cremation ground.