King Vikramaditya, having retrieved the upside-down Betal from the tree, carried him on his shoulder and walked away. The Betal, in his mind, praised the king's patience and courage. He then began his tale. Once, King Mahendra ruled Varanasi. Like King Vikramaditya, he was compassionate and patient, deeply imbued with morality, which earned him the love of his subjects. In that very city lived a wealthy merchant named Dhanmalya, renowned far and wide for his trade and riches. He had a beautiful young daughter.
People said she was so lovely that even the celestial nymphs would envy her. Her long black hair resembled a dark cloud, her skin was the colour of milk, and her nature was as gentle as a forest deer. The king, having heard of her beauty, felt a desire to acquire her. He summoned two of his trusted maidservants and instructed them, "Go to the merchant's house and meet his daughter. Determine if she truly deserves to be a queen, based on what people say." The maidservants went on their errand.
Disguised, they arrived at the merchant's home. Upon witnessing the merchant's daughter's beauty, they were both astonished and mesmerized. The first maid exclaimed, "Oh! What a beauty! The king must certainly marry her!" The second maid agreed, "You are right. I have never seen such beauty. The king will surely be captivated by her." After a moment's reflection, the second maid said, "Don't you think that if the king marries her, his attention might shift away from his duties?" The first maid nodded, "You are correct. If that were to happen, the king would neglect his kingdom and his subjects." They decided not to reveal the truth to the king.
The king, trusting them implicitly, accepted their assessment at face value. However, his heart was broken. One day, Dhanmalya himself came before the king to propose his daughter's hand in marriage, but the saddened king, without hesitation, rejected the proposal. Dejected, Dhanmalya arranged for his daughter's marriage to one of the king's courtiers. Time passed. One day, as the king rode his chariot, he passed the house of his courtier. He saw a strikingly beautiful woman standing at the window. The king was deeply impressed by her beauty.
He asked his charioteer, "I have never seen such beauty. Who is the woman standing at the window?" The charioteer replied, "Your Majesty, this is the only daughter of Dhanmalya the merchant. People say the celestial nymphs envy her beauty. She is married to one of your courtiers." The king, enraged, declared, "If your words are true, then those two maids have lied to me. Immediately bring them before me! I shall punish them with death." The two maids were brought before the king. As soon as they arrived, they clasped his feet, begging for forgiveness and revealing the entire truth to him. Despite their pleas, the king disregarded their explanation and immediately sentenced them to death.
Finishing the story, the Betal asked, "Beloved King! Do you believe King Mahendra's decision to execute the two maidservants to be just?"
Vikramaditya replied, "A servant's duty is to obey their master's commands. The maidservants deserved punishment for not truthfully reporting what they saw. However, their intentions were not malicious. They were concerned for the king and the kingdom's well-being. Their actions were selfless. In this context, the king's decision to sentence them to death was not warranted." "Brave King, you have answered correctly!" The Betal exclaimed as he soared through the air, returning to the tree.
