Vikram Aur Betaal

Vikram and Betal stories are heard by all of us. It is about the legendary king Vikram (Vikramaditya) and the ghost Betaal (Vetala, a spirit living in the forest, in a tree hanging upside down most of the time).

Vikram Aur Betaal is based on 'Betaal Pachisi', written in the 11th century by the Kashmiri poet named Somdev Bhatt. These are thrilling stories told to the wise King Vikramaditya by the witty ghost Betaal. Vikramaditya was a great king who ruled over a prosperous kingdom and Ujjain was his capital. He had immense love for learning as well as for adventurous activities. He was brave and fearless, a very determined person. Every day many visitors used to visit the king and gift him something or the other. The King used to accept all the gifts with the same courtesy. Among such visitors was a mendicant who presented the king with fruit on all his visits. King Vikramaditya used to hand over the fruit to the royal storekeeper. One day while handling the fruit, it broke and from the pop came out a small ruby. The King was surprised. He ordered to check all the fruits, and from all fruits came out a ruby each. The King decided to meet the mendicant. However, the mendicant had set a condition that the King must meet him under a Banyan tree in the center of the cremation ground beyond the city limits and had to come alone at night, on the 14th day of the dark half of the month. King met him as per schedule. The King asked the mendicant why he was doing this to which the mendicant tells that there is a task that only a King like Vikrmaditya can perform. King Vikramaditya had to visit the northernmost corner of this ground where he would find a very ancient tree on which a corpse was hanging from one of its branches. He would have to fetch it for the mendicant, as the mendicant was seeking certain occult powers which he would get only if a king brought this particular corpse to him. According to the legend the King Vikramaditya, in order to fulfill a vow, was required to remove a corpse of Betaal from a treetop and carry it on his shoulder to another place in silence and the spirit of Betaal (in the corpse) used to narrate a story to the king and after completing the story Betaal would pose a query that if he (The king) knew the answer, was bound to respond otherwise he will break his head into thousand pieces. But if he does speak out, he would break the vow of silence and Betaal would fly back to the treetop, leaving the king behind. The king would go after the vampire and start all over again. And so the process continued. As the name 'Betaal Pachisi' suggests the Betaal told King 25 stories. ('Pachisi' (Hindi) is derived from the word 'Pachis' in Hindi which means twenty-five) . However, looking at the determination of the king Vikramaditya, Betaal finally disclosed the true motive of the mendicant. The mendicant's plan was to practice certain rites sitting on Betaal but he would kill the King, to get all the powers of the world. This created suspicion in Vikramaditya's mind and he decided to test. He went to the mendicant, but he was prepared for any type of surprise. Betaal proved to be right and the mendicant tried to kill Vikramaditya by asking him to obliterate and attacking him from behind. However, Vikramaditya outwitted the mendicant thereby killing him.

Vikram Betaal stories in modern times have inspired the making of many TV serials that recreate these cult tales.

Recently I had watched one such episode on TV. The episode was titled King Roopsen and his bodyguard Virvar.

Vikram again caught hold of Betal and carried him on his shoulders. Betal started to narrate another story. There was a city named Vardhamannagar and its King was Roopsen who was a very kind, noble, and generous personality. In his city, there lived a brave man named Virvar. He didn't have a job and was always busy doing bodybuilding. Once his wife told him to work and start to earn something. He expressed his desire to become the personal bodyguard of King Roopsen. His wife asked him to go and meet the King.

A woman was complaining in court about the difficulties she was facing due to the famine and the burden of paying the Lagaan (tax). The King pardoned his subjects from paying Lagaan (tax) and asked his men to help his subjects from the state treasure. Just then the gatekeeper came and informed the King that a man was waiting to see him to which the King asked the gatekeeper to give him water if he was thirsty, food to eat if he was hungry, and ordered him to feed grass to his horse. He would come personally to meet the guest. King Roopsen came and asked Virvar the reason for his coming. Virvar expressed his wish to become the King's personal bodyguard and that he would take nine tolas of gold every day as his salary at which the King was shocked. His associate told Virvar that it was insane for asking such a high salary. The King thought there must be a specific reason for him to ask for such a big amount. King Roopsen asked Virvar to prove whether or not he was worth such a huge amount. Virvar replied that the King took care of everyone and he would be able to sleep peacefully only if Virvar protected him and that his life was very precious for his subjects. So by quoting any less amount he would be degrading the King's status.

The King then asked him to exhibit his skills. Virvar began to demonstrate his skills by which the King was highly impressed and so he appointed him as his personal bodyguard. Virvar served his master with great enthusiasm and full devotion. He took home nine tolas of gold each day and gave it to his wife. His wife exclaimed that it was too much for them, so Virvar advised her to donate half of it to the poor, one-fourth to the guests who visited their house and the rest to be kept for their personal needs. One night while Virvar was guarding his emperor, he heard a woman crying at a distance. King Roopsen woke up and asked Virvar to go and find out what was the reason for the woman crying so bitterly in the middle of the night. Virvar climbed his horse and left, but Roopsen also followed him secretly so that he could test Virvar's dedication. When Virvar reached the spot, he asked the woman who she was and why was she crying. She replied that she was Raj Laxmi of the state and due to the pressure of Kaal, she was to leave the state because of which King Roopsen and his subjects would become poor and die an untimely death. Virvar was shocked to know that a noble and kind king like Roopsen would die. Virvar asked her if she could do something about this, but she said she was helpless and could do nothing.

She told him, one jojan (mile) South in a cave resided Kaaldevta who was very hungry. If he would come out, he would eat up King Roopsen. Virvar asked if there was any way to please Kaaldevta to which she replied that he was hungry and needed food but there was no one who could replace the royal family as the food for Kaaldevta. Virvar said that he and his family would replace the royal family instead. Meanwhile, the King was listening to their conversation from behind a tree. As soon as Virvar left, Roopsen came out and told Rajlaxmi that he could not let Virvar die because Virvar was his subject and as a King, it was his duty to protect his subjects and his conscience would not allow him to let Virvar's family go to Kaaldevta for him. Rajlaxmi told him to let Virvar go as he could keep another bodyguard and if Kaaldevta's hunger was quenched, Roopsen would rule for another hundred years and why should he risk his precious life for a bodyguard. But Roopsen did not adhere to her and went behind Virvar. Virvar went home and explained the situation to his family. His family members immediately got ready to sacrifice their lives and went to Kaaldevta. Virvar and his family surrendered themselves to Kaaldevta and he ate them all in one go. Just then Roopsen reached the spot. Kaaldevta was pleased with him for sending Virvar's family instead-but Roopsen said that it was not fair to sacrifice an innocent family. Roopsen sacrificed his life too by going inside the Kaaldevta's mouth.

Betaal then asked Vikram whose sacrifice was greater, Virvar or Roopsen?

 If Vikram knew the answer yet keep quiet then Betal would kill him. Vikram replied that it was the King's sacrifice that was by far greater, as it was the bodyguard's duty to serve his master and give away his life when the need arises. But a King who gives away everything right from his wealth to his life for his subjects is definitely a great soul. So the King's sacrifice was much greater. Vikram then asked Betaal to finish the story. He said there was no Kaaldevta and no death, it was just an illusion created by Raj Laxmi to test Virvar's dedication and all of them came out alive. Raj Laxmi then appreciated Virvar for being such a dedicated and dutiful bodyguard and Roopsen for being such a caring and generous King. Since then, Roopsen and Virvar became friends and Virvar was appointed the king's army chief. But as Vikram had spoken and broke his silence, Betaal again flew to the tree and hung upside down, while Vikram followed.

This episode I liked a lot. And so as to say, all the episodes are full of moral values and should be watched by everyone.