Baital started telling King Vikramaditya another story as he walked towards his kingdom:
Long ago, there was a city known as Malaya Desh. Its king was Samarjeet. He was a learned man and a courageous warrior. One day, a courtier named Krishnanand said to the King, “Sir, in our kingdom lives a very wealthy merchant called Chandramani. He has a daughter by the name of Manimala. She is beauty par excellence. I think she will be an apt bride for you.”
The King called his most trusted maids. He ordered them to find out if Manimala was suitable to be his bride. So, the maids went to meet Manimala. They were blown away by her beauty and intellect. But the maids felt that since Manimala was so beautiful, the King would be distracted by her beauty. He would not perform his state affairs properly.
So, they came back to the King and said, “Your Majesty, we met Manimala. We spoke to her as well. But we did not find her a suitable bride for you.” The King heard them and changed his mind about marrying Manimala. A few days later, Chandramani got Manimala married to Krishnanand who was a courtier of the King.
Now, one day, it so happened that King Samarjeet was passing Krishnanand’s house. He happened to see Manimala who was standing on the terrace of her house. King Samarjeet was mesmerized by her beauty and asked who she was. His minister informed him, “Your Majesty! She is Manimala, wife of Krishnanand. They got married recently. She is the same woman about whom you had made enquiries in the past through your maids.”
King Samarjeet called the maids who had visited Chandramani’s house to meet Manimala. He said to the maids, “You had met Manimala and reported to me that she was not suitable for me. But I saw her today. She is very beautiful. Why did you lie to me?’’ The maids replied, “Your Majesty! We felt that her beauty could have become an obstacle. She could have dominated you and not let you run the affairs of the state smoothly. This is the reason we lied to you.” At the moment, the King’s courtier, Krishnanand, happened to come there. He said with both palms joined in reverence, “Your Majesty! As your loyal servant, I have a request to make. I heard what the maids said. But there is a way. I am ready to offer Manimala to you.”
The King got angry on hearing this. He could not believe his ears. He said, “You are insulting me now. I never take another man’s wife. It is also a sin to desire another man’s wife.” The furious King ordered death sentence for the maids.
Baital finished his story and said, “Vikram! Were the maids really at fault?” King Vikramaditya said, “The maids crossed their limits when they gave wrong information to the King. They were unfaithful to him. But they committed this crime at the cost of duty to the kingdom. The King, in fact, committed a more serious crime by punishing them in return.”
Baital was happy and said, “Well said, Vikram. But you have spoken again. So, here I go.” Saying so, Baital flew away from King Vikramaditya’s shoulder. An angry King Vikramaditya followed him with his sword.
