23-Beautiful Woman
Outer
beauty is momentary, only internal beauty is the basis of happy married life
Vikram
was walking fast. Vaitaal was continuing his story, he said - "Vikram,
There lived two brothers in Angaj Desh. Both were very handsome,
both loved each other very much, and both lived together. Both were like
one another's shadow.
Once
it so happened that Basant and Sant (these were their names) came to a
garden at the end of the city. The garden was very beautiful. Basant
got lost in its beauty, but Sant was looking at some other side. Suddenly he
saw a young woman's face behind a flowery bush. First he could not make
out whether he was seeing a large flower or a face of a woman, but when
she moved away from there laughing, he became sure that it was not a flower
but a woman's face. And then he thought that she was really beautiful. She seemed to him an Apsaraa.
After
she has left, he looked around and found his brother lost in the beauty of
the garden. He asked - "Brother, What are you looking at?"
"Nothing, nothing, just looking around." But in the meantime he also saw that beauty,
so he asked his younger brother - "Who is that beautiful woman?"
So Hey Vikram, Both brother got attracted to her.
That
woman went in a house nearby that garden. While going she smiled and
blinked at both
of them. Both felt that she had fallen in love with them. Then they
tried to find out whose house it was, who was that woman etc. After a
while they met an adult woman, she asked them - "Why are you
wandering like this?" They asked her - "Whose house is
this?" She understood their purpose. She replied - "Come here
tomorrow at this place, you will meet her here only." Both brothers
went back to their home.
Next
day both brothers got ready to go. Basant got irritated to see Sant ready
to go, so he asked - "Why are you coming with me?" "She has
.. me.." "No, Only I will go there." Sant said - "But
she has asked ..." Basant said - "She has asked only me to come
there, not you." Sant said - "This is injustice, Brother. I
have seen her first." Basant said - "But she as blinked at me."
Sant said - "She herself will decide this. I will ask
her." Basant insisted - "But you will not go today."
Sant had to stay back. This created a difference between those two loving
brothers.
Basant
went to the same garden. She was there. Basant went near her and asked her
- "Who are you, O Beautiful woman?" "My name is Maayaa."
"Do you accept my love?" She laughed and said - "Love? Do
you want to marry me?" "Yes." She again said - "But
see, My this beauty is fake." and in a moment she became an
ordinary woman.
She
said - "By applying a special paste, I become so beautiful. A Rishi
gave me this paste. My this fake beauty remains only till somebody touches me, but as soon somebody
touches me, my real form will appear. Will you be able to love me then?" Basant got very disappointed to
see her real face. He went back quietly.
Sant
was waiting for him restlessly. As he saw him coming, he came rushing to
him and asked him - "What happened, Brother?" Basant sighed and
said - "Tomorrow you yourself go there." Sant got very happy to hear
this. He got assured that she has refused to Basant. He passed the night
just changing sides on his bed.
Next
morning, he came in the garden at the right time. She was standing there.
He asked - "What is your name O Beautiful woman?" "My name
is Maayaa." "Do you accept my love?" She laughed and said -
"Love? Do you want to marry me?" "Yes." She again said
- "But see, My this beauty is a fake." and in a moment she
became an ordinary woman. By applying a special paste, I become so
beautiful. A Rishi gave me this paste. My this fake beauty remains
till somebody touches me, but as soon somebody touches me, my real
form appears. Will you be able to love me then?"
Sant
said - "So what? I love you. If you are not beautiful, you should be
qualitative." At this she said - "I know everything. I know how
to satisfy husband. I will be a good wife." Sant said - "I will
marry you." She took him to her home. She introduced him to her
parents. Her parents agreed. Sant came back happily.
He
told Basant that he was marrying her. Basant got surprised to hear this,
he confirmed - "Have you understood her very well?" "Yes. I
have understood her." Basant again said - "She become beautiful
by applying a special paste." "Yes." Basant still couldn't
believe. Sant brought her after marrying her. His parents got very happy
to have her.
Sant
got surprised to see her beauty after the marriage. He said - "You
don't change?" She said - "My real face is this only. I did that
only to test people. I wanted to know who loved me for my beauty and who
loved me for my qualities." Knowing this Sant got very happy.
When
Basant knew this, he became jealous with Sant. He repented for his
foolishness. He became restless to get her. One day he forcefully held
her. She started crying, that Sant had come. He saw this bad behavior of
his elder brother, he got very angry and he immediately cut his head. All
abused Sant that he cut his elder brother's head. People were so surprised
to hear this, that they loved each other so much and now they became each
other's enemy.
The
king also came to know this, so his soldiers took away Sant to the king.
The king heard the whole incident and made a judgment. Guess, What judgment
the king would have made?"
Vikram
said - "Listen Vaitaal, The outer beauty is momentary. Only qualities
are the real beauty of a man and basis of happy married life. Sant's
decision was right, therefore Sant is innocent."
Vaitaal
said - "You are right, Vikram." He again laughed loudly and
escaped Vikram's strong hold. He ran and hung on the same tree. This time
Vikram was very angry at Vaitaal.
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