9th Figure's Story -
9-Madhumaalatee
One More Test of Vikram
As Raajaa Bhoj
tried to sit
on the throne again, this time the 9th figure whose name was Madhumaalatee
burst into laughter and asked him - "Do you think you are the right person to
sit upon this throne?" Raajaa Bhoj again said with courage - "Yes." She said - "First listen to
this story and then decide if you can sit on this throne. Listen, Once Raajaa
Vikram organized a great sacrifice (Yagya) for the welfare of his people.
The sacrifice lasted for several days.
One day when Raajaa
was pronouncing Mantra, a Rishi came there, Raajaa could not stand up from the Yagya, so he greeted him in his heart. Rishi understood Raajaa's mind and he
blessed him. When Raajaa finished his Yagya, he asked the Rishi the reason of
his coming there. Raajaa knew that that Rishi run a Gurukul outside the city
where children were educated. Rishi told him that he would not have bothered
Raajaa at this time if six children aged 8-12 were not at risk of their
lives.
Raajaa asked him to
tell him everything in detail. Rishi said - "Some children were collecting
dry wood for Aashram, that two Raakshas came and took them on a high hill.
When I did not find them with other children then I went in search of them. I
heard a terrible voice from the hill, certainly it was of a Raakshas. The
Raakshas said - "I will free them if I get a man whom I can sacrifice
before Kaalee Devee." When I offered myself to him, he refused to accept
saying that you are old and Kaalee Maa will not be pleased of such
sacrifice. He needed a healthy Kshatriya. He told this also that if somebody
would try to free those children by trick or by power, he would kill them by
throwing them from the hill."
Raajaa was unable to
see the Rishi's condition, so he immediately said - "Take me immediately
there. I will offer myself to Kaalee Maa. I am a healthy Kshatriya, I hope
that Raakshas will accept me." Rishi got stunned to hear this, he tried his best
not to offer himself to that Raakshas but Raajaa didn't listen to him, rather he
said - "If any misfortune falls on Raajaa's people being Raajaa alive, then
it is Raajaa's duty to help them even with his life."
So Rishi came to the
hill with Raajaa. Raajaa left his horse at foot of the hill and climbed up
the hill on foot. As he reached on the top of the hill, one Raakshas told
that he knew him and asked if he knew the condition of releasing the children? Raajaa said - "Yes, I know it. Now you free the children." One Raakshas took
the children at the foot of the hill and left them with the Rishi, the other one
took him to the spot where Kaalee's statue was. Vikramaaditya bowed his
head on the sacrificial altar.
The Raakshas raised
his hand to offer sacrifice of Raajaa, but suddenly he threw the sword and
embraced Vikram. The whole place was filled with a Divine light and sweet
smell. Vikram saw that two Devtaa - Pavan and Indra, were standing there.
They did all this to test Vikram that whether he could donate only worldly
things or he could give his own life too. In fact this idea came to their mind
when they saw him doing Yagya. They blessed him and went away.
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