Story 24
31. The king Trivikramasena carried he corpse for the twenty-fourth time on his shoulders and left. The vetāla started narrating another story –
There lived a māṇḍalika by name Dharma in Dakṣiṇāpatha. He had a wife called Candramatī and a daughter named Lāvaṇyavatī. As his relatives captured his kingdom, he escaped with his wife and daughter to his father-in-law’s house. He took all the jewellery and valuables along with him. On the...
Story 21
28. Trivikramasena, for the twenty-first time, hauled the corpse on his shoulder and head out. The vetāla began narrating yet another story:
There lived a merchant named Arthadatta in the city of Viśālanagara. He had only one child – a daughter named Anaṅgamañjarī. He had her married to a merchant named Maṇivarmā who hailed from Tāmralipti. Since he was extremely attached to his daughter, he had made arrangements for his daughter and...
Story 19
26. Trivikramasena, for the nineteenth time, picked up the corpse and heaved it onto his shoulder before setting out. The vetāla began narrating another tale:
There lived a trader named Dhanapāla in the town of Tāmralipti. He had a daughter named Dhanavatī. Just as she attained marriageable age, he passed away. His relatives looted his wealth. The trader's wife Padmāvatī collected all the jewels and ornaments that she possessed and left...
Story 17
24. Trivikramasena put the corpse on his shoulder for the seventeenth time and started to walk. The vetāla started to narrate another story:-
The kingdom of Kanakapura was ruled by a king called Yaśodhana. There was a merchant in his kingdom who had a daughter named Unmādinī. When she came of age, the merchant came to the king and said “Lord, I have a gem of a daughter. I didn’t want to give her away in marriage to anyone without your...
Story 15
22. Trivikramasena heaved the corpse onto his shoulder for the fifteenth time and began to walk. The vetāla began to narrate yet another story:-
In the kingdom of Nepāla is the city of Śivapura. A king called Yaśaḥketu lived there long ago. He had a daughter named Śaśiprabhā. One day when she went to the town carnival, she saw a young man called Manasvāmi. He too noticed Śaśiprabhā. It was love at first sight. Right at that moment, an...
Story 12
19. Trivikramasena took the corpse on his shoulder for the twelfth time and started to walk. The vetāla began to narrate another story:-
In the land of Aṅga lived a king called Yaśaḥketu. He had turned over the reins of the kingdom to his minister Dīrghadarśi and was living a life of unrestrained pleasure and indulgence with women. The people however mockingly gossipped that the minister had wilfully got their king addicted to pleasure...
Story 9
19. Vikramasena carried the vetāla for the ninth time on his back. The vetāla started narrating yet another story –
There lived a king named Vīradeva in Ujjayinī. He performed tapas and as a result, he begot two children – a son named Śūradeva and a daughter named Anaṅgaratī. As his daughter came of age, the king got portraits of several men and show them to her. As she did not like any of them, the king suggested that she could choose...
Story 7
King Trivikramasena, for the seventh time, heaved the corpse onto his shoulder and set out. The vetāla started narrating another tale:
On the shores of the Eastern ocean lies a town named Tāmralipti. Long back, it was ruled by a king called Caṇḍasena. Once, a prince by name Sattvaśīla, who hailed from the south, came to his kingdom seeking asylum as he had been overcome by poverty. He became a dependent and served in the palace. But even...
Story 5
12. For the fifth time, king Trivikramasena took the corpse upon his shoulder and started to walk. The vetāla began to narrate another story:-
Long ago, Ujjainī was ruled by a king called Puṇyasena. He had a minister named Harisvāmī who had a son Devasvāmī and a daughter Somaprabhā. When Somaprabhā came of age, she told her parents and elder brother that she would only marry someone who was either valorous or wise or a man of science....
Trivikramasena carried the dead body on his shoulder for a fourth time. The vetāla started narrating another story.
A valorous king called Śūdraka lived in a town called Śobhāvatī. A brāhmaṇa named Vīravara, who hailed from the Mālava province came to him looking for a job. His wife was called Dharmavatī, son was Sattvavara and daughter was called Vīravatī. This was his family. He came to the king carrying a shield in his hand and a sword tied...