The Best Match for Marriage
The resolute King Vikramaditya climbed the primeval tree and brought down the cadaver into which Bhethala invoked. No sooner, the King started his journey carrying the corpse on his shoulder the Bhethala in the dead body started speaking to him. Hey King of Kings! Vikramaditya! To ease your journey, I will narrate you a story.
The Bhethala started
Shiva Sharma, a learned Brahmin pandit lived in Vidhyadhara Puram. He had a daughter, born after a too long wait for wards. He named her Suvarchala and groomed her with love and affection. She was an angelic beauty by birth.
Suvarchala attracted every one with her features by the time she became adolescent. Out of his affection towards daughter, Shiva Sharma could not make out she grew and is ready for performing a marriage. Some of his friends advised him, How long would you keep her at home? Find an eligible bridegroom and get her married.
Shiva Sharma in turn used to ask them, Yes. I will do it. Please keep me informed about any eligible person of your knowledge. Time passed by, like this and Shiva Sharma could not find a bridegroom for his daughter even after she attained 16 years of age.
One day
Three Brahmin young men came to Shiva Sharma and offered themselves to be ready to marry Suvarchala. All the three were suiting to the beauty of Suvarchala.
Each of them individually presented their eligibility to marry her, with Shiva Sharma. Sharma, who was a scholar himself, was first satisfied about the qualifications and qualities of the young men. However, he could not identify any one among the three to be more suited to his daughter.
He made the three seated in front of him and told them, Look young men! All of you are equally poised for my daughter. I'm unable to make up my mind and select one among you.
He continued speaking, As you are learned persons, discuss among yourselves and pick up one as the most suited.
All the three instead of discussing almost fought with each other claiming to be well matched for Suvarchala. Finally, they ended up understanding that that argument will not settle like this.
They approached Shiva Sharma and conveyed that they would go on travel for some days and return with a final decision. They further pleaded Shiva Sharma not to get Suvarchala married to some one else until the time they returned for which he consented.
Then the trio left the place.
A few days after they left, Suvarchala died of snakebite. Her parents wailed on Suvarchala's death. Funeral rites were performed later at the graveyard. Shortly the news reached the three touring Brahmin young men. They reached yowling to Vidhyadhara Puram graveyard. All of them sat beside the place where funeral took place and shed sobs for her.
One of them applied some ash on his body and stayed there. Another collected the remaining bones after burning the corpse and left for Ganga River (Ganges) to immerse them in the Holy river. The third one unable to bear the brunt almost lost psychological balance and started roaming off beam.
As the time passed by the person lost balance of mind reached a village known as Vaishali Puram. He stood in front of a Brahmin's house and pleaded for some food. The head of the family took him inside the house. After making him sit comfortably told wife to serve food for the visitor and left for taking bath.
The woman called their son and cut him to pieces and cooked the food using the pieces as fuel. The guest almost lost his senses with the happening, still he watched her doing some thing else.
After finishing cooking, she collected all the ash from the fireplace and put in a heap. Then, she went to Pooja place and brought a booklet compiled with palm leaves and tapped on the ash heap with it.
To the surprise, the boy woke up from the ashes as he was before his mother tore him, all in one piece.
The traveller, with great difficulty controlled himself from reacting to the situation.
He finished consuming food and pretended to sleep for a while. Once, the households were busy in their works, he got up hid the palm leaves booklet under his dress and slipped out and headed towards Vidhyadhara Puram.
Travelling a few days, he reached the graveyard where Suvarchala's body was burnt. The one who sat beside the ashes, before he left was still sitting there. The person who left to River Ganga was sitting depressed on a grave near by.
The third one immediately after reaching the place, he greeted the other two and explained the whole episode to them. The others were delighted to know of it. They collected the ashes and put into a heap. The third one took out the palm leaves booklet and tapped on the ash heap.
Suvarchala was standing before them, lively.
The argument and heated exchange of words once again commenced among the three young men, I will marry her.
Bhethala stopped there and questioned King Vikramaditya, Hey you brave King! Now, tell me whom should Suvarchala marry among the three?
With a smile, King Vikramaditya responded, The one who took her mortal remains to River Ganga for immersion is equal to her son. The third one who brought the palm leaves booklet and gave Suvarchala a re-birth is on par with her father. Now, the person who sat beside the funeral place applying some ash on his body is matched as her husband.
Bhethala convinced with Vikramaditya's reply and zoomed off with the corpse back to the treetop.