The Midnight Oath & The Secret Signs of Padmavati

With unbreakable resolve, King Vikramaditya hoisted the heavy corpse onto his broad shoulders and marched silently toward the sorcerer's mandala. Perched near the king's ear, Betal whispered his first tantalizing riddle.

In Varanasi, the handsome Prince Vajramukuta and the brilliant scholar Buddhidhari, son of the prime minister, shared a bond of deep brotherhood and wisdom.

One morning, the two companions mounted their royal steeds and rode into the dense ancient forests for a royal deer hunt.

Deep in the woods, they discovered a hidden, enchanted lake of crystal-clear water, blossoming with thousands of pink and white fragrant lotuses.

Stepping into the cool waters with her handmaidens was a princess of breathtaking grace—her silken garments rippling in the water like pearls upon her skin.

Gazing from behind flowering Ashoka trees, the prince stood spellbound. The princess noticed the noble youth watching her with ardent adoration.

Without uttering a single sound, the princess smiled with seductive mischief, performing four deliberate, cryptic gestures across the water.

**1st Gesture**: She plucked a fresh pink lotus and gracefully tucked it behind her ear (*Karnotpala*).

**2nd Gesture**: She touched her ivory tooth-pendant (*Danta-patra*) to her teeth and scratched it with her fingers.

**3rd Gesture**: She placed the lotus blossom delicately upon the crown of her head (*Padma*).

**4th Gesture**: She pressed her delicate palm firmly against her chest over her heart, and departed into the forest with her maidens!

Returning to Varanasi, the prince collapsed onto his royal bed, refusing all food and water, burning in the agonizing mystery of love.

Buddhidhari smiled with calm mastery: 'Rejoice, my Prince! Her silent gestures were an open letter detailing her kingdom, father, and name!'

Buddhidhari unraveled the enigma with effortless genius: '1. Lotus on ear (*Karnotpala*) = She lives in King Karnotpala's city in Kalinga! 2. Tooth gesture = Her father is the royal dentist (*Dantavaidya*)! 3. Lotus on head = Her name is Padmavati! 4. Hand on heart = Her love is surrendered to you!'

Disguised as ordinary merchants, the two companions rode across the rugged mountain borders into the bustling capital of Kalinga.

With strategic foresight, Buddhidhari rented lodging in the humble cottage of an elderly woman—who happened to be Princess Padmavati's childhood wet-nurse!

The old nurse visited the palace and secretly delivered the Prince's message: 'The handsome youth from the forest lotus lake has arrived to seek your hand.'

Feigning outrage, Padmavati dipped her hands in white sandalwood paste and slapped the nurse across both cheeks, leaving ten white finger marks before chasing her out!

The nurse returned wailing, but Buddhidhari chuckled: 'Ten white marks mean wait for the ten moonlit nights of the waxing moon (*Shukla Paksha*) to pass, so you may meet under the cover of dark nights!'

Next, Padmavati marked the nurse with three yellow saffron fingers (3 days of seclusion), and finally black ink on her back (enter through the dark southern water conduit at midnight!).

On the appointed dark night, Prince Vajramukuta scaled the southern water conduit in black silks, stepping onto the scented marble terrace where Padmavati awaited him.

The lovers united in ecstatic joy. For many days, the prince stayed secretly in the secluded palace pavilion, bound by mutual love and devotion.

Buddhidhari devised a brilliant diplomatic stratagem: 'If the prince flees with her secretly, bloody war will engulf both kingdoms. We must force King Karnotpala to banish her legally so we can marry her with full honor!'

Following the plan, the prince obtained Padmavati's royal jeweled necklace and, while she slept, lightly branded her thigh with a small iron trident mark (*Trishula-chinna*).

Disguised as an ascetic yogi, Buddhidhari presented the royal necklace before King Karnotpala: 'A sorceress visited the cremation ground last night. I struck her with my trident on her thigh and seized this necklace!'

The King had the inner chambers inspected and found the matching trident brand upon Padmavati's thigh! Terrified of family disgrace, he rashly exiled his innocent daughter into the wilderness without judicial inquiry!

Prince Vajramukuta and Buddhidhari intercepted the weeping princess in the deep forest, placing her safely into their royal chariot and riding in triumph to Varanasi.

In the royal court of Varanasi, the wedding between Prince Vajramukuta and Princess Padmavati was solemnized with sacred Vedic rites amidst joyous royal festivities!

Betal paused his tale in the dark forest and challenged Vikram: 'Speak, O King! In this entire affair, who committed the gravest sin—Buddhidhari who orchestrated the deceit, the Prince who stole the maiden, or King Karnotpala? Answer or your skull shatters!'

Emperor Vikramaditya declared: 'King Karnotpala was the greatest sinner! Buddhidhari acted in loyalty to his master, and the Prince acted in love. But a King's highest duty is impartial justice—to exile his innocent daughter into the wilderness without a fair judicial trial was a catastrophic violation of Rajadharma!'