The Unfailing Devotion of Jimutavahana
त्रयोदश बेताल: जीमूतवाहन का आत्म-बलिदान
The Thirteenth Retrieval & The Mountain of Bones
तेरहवीं चढ़ाई और नागों के अस्थियों का पर्वत
For the thirteenth time, Emperor Vikramaditya scaled the ancient Shinshapa tree in the pitch-black cremation ground, brought down Betal, and shouldered the spectral corpse in absolute silence.
O King! Your immortal perseverance is matchless! Hear now the sublime saga of Prince Jimutavahana and the serpent Shankhachuda—a tale of supreme sacrifice and boundless compassion!
Prince Jimutavahana of the celestial Vidyadharas was an ocean of universal compassion. Having gifted away the wish-granting Kalpavriksha tree to eradicate poverty, he abdicated the throne to serve his aged parents in the serene Malaya mountains.
While walking along the rugged seashore, Jimutavahana beheld a towering white hill. Approaching closer, he was horrified to discover it was a monstrous mountain formed entirely of bleached serpent bones!
O Heavens! What ghastly slaughter is this? Who has heaped this monstrous mountain of bones upon these sacred shores?
His companions revealed the grim treaty: to prevent the total annihilation of all serpents by the mighty eagle Garuda, King Vasuki sent one Naga daily to this red slaughter-rock (Vadhyashila) as Garuda's feast.
The Weeping Mother & The Vow of Compassion
माता का क्रंदन और जीमूतवाहन का संकल्प
Just then, Jimutavahana heard agonizing wails. An elderly Naga mother was weeping inconsolably, clutching her only son, a handsome youth named Shankhachuda, to her trembling chest.
Alas, my beloved child! Today King Vasuki has appointed you as Garuda's prey! How can a mother survive the slaughter of her only son?!
Today was Shankhachuda's turn to perish on the rock. Draped in the ceremonial red shroud of the condemned, he tried to console his mother despite his own breaking heart.
Mother, do not weep! To give my life for the preservation of our serpent race is my sacred duty. Give me your blessing!
Overwhelmed by boundless compassion, Jimutavahana stepped forward, gently wiped the mother's tears, and resolved to offer his own body in place of the youth.
Weep no more, venerable Mother! Today, in place of your son, I shall wrap this red shroud around myself, mount the slaughter-rock, and offer my flesh to Garuda!
Horrified at the thought of a saintly prince dying in his stead, Shankhachuda passionately refused and rushed toward the nearby temple of Lord Gokarna to offer his final prayers before the sacrifice.
Noble Prince! I shall never permit a saint to die for my sake! I go only to offer final prayers to Lord Shiva and shall return immediately!
The Slaughter-Rock & Garuda
वध्यशिला पर समर्पण और गरुड़ का आक्रमण
Seizing the moment while Shankhachuda was at the temple, Jimutavahana draped the red sacrificial cloth over his body and seated himself upon the slaughter-rock in serene meditation.
If this mortal flesh can save an innocent life and spare a mother's tears, there is no higher Dharma in the three worlds!
Suddenly, the sky turned dark as a tempest arose. Tearing through storm clouds with gale-force wings, the mighty eagle-king Garuda descended upon the slaughter-rock with ferocious power.
Mistaking the red-clad prince for the day's serpent offering, Garuda sank his razor-sharp talons into Jimutavahana's chest, tearing his flesh and carrying him to the highest mountain peak.
Instead of screaming in agonizing terror, Jimutavahana's radiant face beamed with celestial peace and transcendental bliss, rejoicing that his life was preserving another!
O King of Birds! Hesitate not! Feast upon my flesh to your full satisfaction and appease your hunger!
Shankhachuda
शंखचूड़ की वापसी और गरुड़ का पश्चाताप
Returning from the temple, Shankhachuda saw the pool of fresh blood on the empty rock. Realizing that the saintly prince had taken his doom upon himself, he sprinted up the mountain trail in desperation.
Hold, Garuda! Cease this catastrophe! The one you devour is no serpent, but the divine Vidyadhara Prince Jimutavahana!
Reaching the summit, Shankhachuda stood fearlessly before the giant bird, baring his own chest and demanding that Garuda release the prince and devour him instead.
I am the true serpent Shankhachuda! Do not destroy this holy soul in my stead! Release him and devour me!
Garuda froze in stunned disbelief! He saw that the half-devoured prince showed no trace of fear, only joy; while the serpent who was completely safe had voluntarily run back into the jaws of death!
Who are you, O divine soul, who rejoices even within the claws of death? And why has this serpent sprinted back to perish?
Garuda's heart burned with profound remorse and shame. Never in all the ages had he witnessed such transcendental self-sacrifice. He instantly ceased his meal and bowed his mighty head in reverent sorrow.
Divine Revival & Universal Redemption
देवी का वरदान और नागवंश का पुनर्जीवन
At that moment, the prince's weeping parents and his devoted wife Malayavati reached the summit. Falling to her knees, Malayavati prayed fervently to Goddess Gauri to restore her righteous husband.
Moved by Malayavati's devotion and the prince's supreme sacrifice, Goddess Gauri manifested in blinding golden radiance, sprinkling celestial nectar to restore Jimutavahana whole and glorious!
In profound penance, Garuda brought celestial nectar from heaven and poured it over the mountain of bones, reviving all previously slaughtered Nagas and vowing never again to devour serpents!
Concluding his magnificent narrative amidst the eerie cremation grounds, Betal leaned into Vikramaditya's ear with the profound enigma of sacrifice.
Now speak, O King! Between Prince Jimutavahana and the serpent Shankhachuda, whose sacrifice and moral nobility was truly greater and more extraordinary?
The Riddle, The Verdict, & The Flight
बेताल का प्रश्न, विक्रम का अमर निर्णय और पलायन
Betal issued his customary lethal warning to the silent Emperor.
Was it Prince Jimutavahana who gave his life for a stranger, or the serpent Shankhachuda? Answer truthfully, O King, or your skull shatters into pieces!
Emperor Vikramaditya declared with supreme wisdom: 'The serpent Shankhachuda's sacrifice and courage was undeniably the greater and more extraordinary!'
Prince Jimutavahana was a celestial Bodhisattva and Vidyadhara whose innate nature, philosophy, and royal culture had always been universal compassion and renunciation. Sacrifice was second nature to him. But Shankhachuda was an ordinary serpent who had already completely escaped certain doom! To voluntarily conquer the primal instinct of survival and race back into the jaws of death to rescue a benefactor when one was already safe is the rarest and most sublime triumph of moral courage! Therefore, Shankhachuda's sacrifice was supreme!
The spoken truth shattered the King's vow of silence once more! With an echoing cackle, Betal slipped from Vikramaditya's shoulder and dissolved into mist, soaring back to the Shinshapa tree.
Flawless and profound justice, O King! Returning to the jaws of death for duty is indeed supreme valor! But your silence is broken—and I fly! Khehehehe!
Under the ink-black skies of the moonless Amavasya night, fearless amidst howling ghouls and cremation winds, Emperor Vikramaditya drew his sword and strode back to capture Betal once more.
Fly a thousand times if you will, Betal—a true king never leaves his mission unfinished!