The Twelfth Statue: Anandamayi & The Golden Swan
द्वादश पुतली आनन्दमयी: मानसरोवर का स्वर्ण-हंस, वन के संन्यासी का कमण्डलु और सहस्र कामधेनु का पावन दान
The Twelfth Dawn & Anandamayi
द्वादश सूर्योदय और आनन्दमयी का प्रबोधन
On the twelfth dawn in Dharanagari palace, morning sunlight streamed across the sandstone colonnade onto the thirty-two-step golden throne.
Draped in sacred saffron silks, King Bhoja approached the twelfth step of the golden throne with solemn, reverent stride.
As King Bhoja lifted his right foot toward the twelfth step, the marble dais erupted with brilliant amber-gold and solar radiance!
The twelfth carved bronze statue—**Anandamayi (आनन्दमयी)**—opened her glowing golden-amber eyes, laughing with melodious temple-bell chime!
Halt, King Bhoja! Dare not place your foot upon this twelfth step!
King Bhoja halted in deep reverence with folded hands, gazing in awe at the living celestial bronze maiden holding a golden swan figurine.
O divine Anandamayi! What tale of spiritual detachment and reverence for holy ascetics of Emperor Vikramaditya do you bring today?
Anandamayi raised her golden swan figurine, speaking with sovereign authority:
Do you possess the boundless spiritual detachment and charity of Emperor Vikramaditya when a divine Golden Swan landed in his palace, and he gave five thousand milk-cows, grain fleets, and his crown to a forest hermit without keeping a single pearl for himself?
The Celestial Golden Swan of Manasarovar
मानसरोवर का स्वर्ण-हंस और वेदों की मधुर वाणी
In the royal lotus pavilion beside the sacred Shipra river in Ujjayini, Emperor Vikramaditya sat in peaceful morning meditation.
Gliding down from the snow-capped Himalayan skies amidst a rainbow aura, a magnificent celestial Golden Swan (*Hamsa-Raja*) landed upon the marble balustrade!
The divine Golden Swan dropped a radiant golden pearl from its beak, singing melodic Sanskrit verses of spiritual liberation and Upanishadic wisdom.
True immortality and bliss are attained through renunciation alone, never through hoarding!
Visiting monarchs and wealthy merchants offered vast fortunes of jewels to purchase the miraculous swan, but Vikramaditya declined with serene smiles.
Take ten chests of rubies, O King, and grant this golden swan to me!
Divine grace holds no price in gold, noble merchant!
Vikramaditya kept no golden cages; he gently fed the bird fresh lotus seeds, treating it as a sacred guest of the gods rather than a possession.
This celestial swan is a messenger of the heavens; binding it in cages would be a violation of Dharma!
Every dawn and dusk, the Golden Swan filled the palace corridors with divine Vedic chants and showers of sparkling golden pearls.
The Destitute Forest Hermit of Naimisharanya
नैमिषारण्य के महर्षि वेदगर्भ और पांच सौ अनाथ शिष्य
In the dense ancient forest of Naimisharanya, aged Sage Veda-Garbha taught five hundred poor orphan disciples in simple thatched huts.
Facing severe winter drought, the ashram had neither milk nor grains to feed the shivering orphan students; the sage held only a cracked clay begging bowl!
To save his disciples from starvation, the sixty-five-year-old hermit journeyed hundreds of miles on foot with his wooden staff toward Ujjayini.
Emperor Vikramaditya is the protector of Dharma; he will not let five hundred innocent disciples starve!
On a scorching summer noon outside the marble palace gates of Ujjayini, the exhausted, frail hermit collapsed from extreme thirst and heat!
Patrolling in simple robes, Emperor Vikramaditya rushed forward, catching the falling ascetic in his strong warrior arms before he hit the dust!
Vikramaditya carried the sage into the palace cooling chambers, gently washing his dust-covered feet with rose water and offering cool, sweetened milk.
The Hermit
ऋषि का कमण्डलु और सम्राट का महा-संकल्प
Revived and seated upon a cushioned sandalwood dais, Sage Veda-Garbha presented his cracked clay begging bowl before Emperor Vikramaditya.
O King! I seek nothing for myself; I need alms to feed five hundred orphan students in Naimisharanya through the coming winter famine!
Vikramaditya filled the hermit's clay bowl to overflowing with heaps of glowing golden pearls dropped by the celestial swan.
The sage smiled with profound practical wisdom: *"Gold cannot give milk to starving children, O King! A forest ashram needs living sacred cattle and grains to sustain life!"*
Gold cannot fill hungry stomachs; living milk-cows alone can sustain our orphan students!
Realizing the hermit's selfless practical wisdom, Emperor Vikramaditya stood tall, making a solemn royal vow before the court altar!
A realm where sacred students must beg is unworthy of sovereignty! Your ashram shall receive the finest agricultural bounty of Malwa!
Vikramaditya ordered the imperial royal pastures and state granaries mobilized to supply the forest ashram with endless bounty.
The grandest spiritual and agricultural charity mobilization in the history of Ujjayini was set into motion.
The Gift of Five Thousand Cows & Royal Crown
पाँच सहस्र कपिला गऊओं और राजमुकुट का पावन दान
Outside the sunlit gates of Ujjayini, five thousand magnificent white Kapila milk-cows with gilded horns, silk garlands, and brass bells were assembled in vast radiant herds!
Two hundred heavy wooden wagons loaded to the brim with sacks of golden wheat, jars of pure ghee, honey, and barley lined the grand highway.
Vikramaditya handed the copper-plate deed of perpetual tax-free pasture ownership to Sage Veda-Garbha, assigning fifty armed guard escorts and his own royal palanquin.
In supreme humility, Vikramaditya removed his own jewel-studded imperial crown, placing it upon the palanquin: *"This crown belongs to the altar of your forest gurukul!"*
The sanctity of sacred learning and austerity shall forever rank higher than the crown of an emperor!
The celestial Golden Swan took flight into the golden sunrise above the procession, showering sparkling blessings over the righteous Emperor.
Sage Veda-Garbha wept in overwhelming gratitude, leading the grand five-thousand-cow procession back toward Naimisharanya as cheering citizens showered flowers!
As long as the sun and moon shine in the heavens, the fame of Emperor Vikramaditya shall remain immortal!
Anandamayi
आनन्दमयी का निर्णय और राजा भोज का संकोच
Back in the grand audience hall of Dharanagari, the living statue Anandamayi looked directly into King Bhoja's eyes with penetrating golden-amber radiance.
Anandamayi delivered her decisive challenge:
Now tell me, King Bhoja—have you ever bestowed five thousand milk cows, grain convoys, and your own imperial crown upon a forest hermit without keeping a single coin for yourself? If you possess such detachment, ascend this step! If not, turn back!
King Bhoja lowered his head in deep humility and introspection:
I lack such boundless spiritual reverence and the supreme detachment to surrender my own imperial crown to a forest ashram, O celestial maiden. I am not yet worthy of the twelfth step.
King Bhoja stepped down from the twelfth step, decreeing tax-free pasture lands, dedicated Gaushalas (cow shelters), and perpetual grain supplies for all gurukuls across Malwa.
Perpetual dairy and grain distribution sanctuaries were established in every forest hermitage of the kingdom.
Twilight conches echoed across Dharanagari as Anandamayi smiled warmly and froze back into silent speculum bronze. **The twelfth day of *Singhasan Battisi* had concluded!**
The remaining twenty celestial statues gleamed in the evening torchlight, awaiting the dawn of the thirteenth test.
King Bhoja departed the audience hall in quiet contemplation, inspired by the immortal Dharma of Emperor Vikramaditya.
कल प्रातःकाल हम तेरहवीं सीढ़ी पर कदम रखेंगे और तेरहवीं पुतली—रतिप्रिया—की अमर गाथा सुनेंगे!