Beetal, hanging contentedly from a branch of a tree, was promptly dislodged by Vikramaditya, who carried him onto his shoulder and began walking. En route, Beetal embarked on his tale. King Devmally, renowned for his courage and wisdom among his subjects, had three queens whom he adored. These queens possessed a remarkable sensitivity. One day, the king was strolling in the garden with his eldest queen, Shubhalakshmi. Suddenly, a delicate, pinkish flower, falling from a tree, brushed against her hand. The queen screamed and fainted. So exquisitely sensitive was the queen that the flower's touch had injured her hand. The king immediately summoned the city's finest physicians.
The queen's treatment commenced, and the physicians advised her to rest for a few days. That same night, the king was relaxing on the balcony of his palace with his second wife, Chandrawati. It was a moonlit night; a gentle breeze carried the fragrance of garden flowers, creating an intoxicating atmosphere. But then Chandrawati cried out, "I cannot bear this moonlight; it burns me!" An alarmed king immediately drew the curtains, blocking the moonlight. Physicians were called; they applied sandalwood oil to her entire body and advised rest. Later, the king desired to visit his third queen, Mrinalini, who was renowned for her beauty. On her way to the king's chambers, Mrinalini screamed and collapsed. Doctors were swiftly called; they discovered that her hands were blistered. Upon regaining consciousness, she explained that she had heard the sound of rice pounding emanating from the kitchen on her way; the sound was unbearable to her.
Beetal asked, "O King, now tell me, which of the three queens was the most sensitive?" Vikramaditya gently replied, "While all three queens were delicate, Mrinalini was injured simply by the sound of rice pounding. Therefore, she was the most sensitive of the lot." "You are correct, O King," declared Beetal, and soared back to the tree.
