Muladeva was a natural-born charlatan. He led his life by tricking people with his riddles, and especially influencing women who would fall for his tricks. But soon enough he would lose interest in the women and move on to the next town searching for more gullible people he could prey upon. One day Muladeva decided to visit Pataliputra along with his friend. “ We have fooled most of the naive people in our area. Let us go to a big city like Pataliputra, and try our luck” said Muladeva to his friend. But having reached Patliputra, he was in for a rude shock. In Patliputra a very beautiful, and intelligent young woman, made a fool of Muladeva with her riddles. Muladeva was deeply embarrassed as he lost his face in front of the townspeople. Crestfallen Muladeva vowed, “ I must marry this clever woman who humiliated me in front of so many people. I have to pay her back in kind with her own game of tricks.” He asked around and soon found out that she is a Brahmin’s daughter, well known for her wit and cleverness.
A few days later, Muladeva went to the girl’s house disguised as an educated Brahmin youth and asked her father for the girl’s hand in marriage. The Brahmin was very happy to meet the educated and smart young Brahmin boy and immediately agreed to offer his daughter’s hand in marriage. On the wedding night when Muladeva the groom entered the bridal chamber, he reminded the bride about their first encounter and how she had made a fool of him. The girl immediately recognised him and laughed out loud saying “ We city dwellers are very smart and can easily trick gullible countrymen like you”. Muladeva was incensed and retorted “ Oh Lady! Are you so happy to trick gullible countryman like me? Then you are in for a surprise! I promise you, this country boy will abandon you and disappear for good”. In response, the nonchalant girl made a declaration “If you abandon me, then I promise that you will be bound and brought back to me by my son that you will father”. Uttering these words she turned her back on Muladeva and fell asleep. As she slept peacefully, Muladeva, who was shocked by the brazen words of his bride, took his ring which had his name carved on and slipped it on to her finger. He quietly away into the night muttering “Let me see who is the better trickster among two of us”. He returned to his native town of Ujjain.
The next day when Brahmin’s daughter woke up, she realised Muladeva had kept to his word and indeed had abandoned her. She thought, “ He has abandoned me just as he threatened. Now it is my turn to live up to my word”. From the ring he had put on her finger before leaving, she found out Muladeva was a famous trickster from Ujjain. She told her father since my husband has abandoned me on the night of the marriage, my life now has no meaning. Let me go on a pilgrimage to Ujjain to forget my sorrows”. Reluctantly her father agreed and wished her well for the pilgrimage.
She immediately started off her journey to Ujjain dressed as a courtesan and assuming the name Sumangala. In Ujjain, she established her house and began entertaining guests. Soon she became well known and most men talked about this beautiful and charming courtesan named Sumangala. In no time Sumagala had won the hearts of all the men in Ujjain. But whenever any man would propose her, Sumangala would say “No!” and turn away her suitors.
Muladeva too got the news of the beautiful new courtesan in town and got curious. He started visiting Sumangalas’s house regularly. Clever Sumangala recognised Muladeva and started enticing him with her seductive moves. Soon enough Muladeva fell in love with Sumangala and stated spending every night in her company. Muladeva was intoxicated with her love. Eventually, Sumangal got pregnant with Muladeva’s child. One day Sumangala announced that she has been summoned by the king of Patliputra and closed down her house and left Ujjain. Muladeva was left behind in Ujjain lost and lovelorn.
After nine months, a son was born to the Sumangala, the brahmin’s daughter, who had returned to her father’s home. Years passed by and the boy was now 12 years old. One day while he was playing with his friends, they taunted him “ No one knows who your father is! Has anyone ever seen your father? Are you a bastard?”. Deeply hurt by his friend’s comments the boy came crying to his mother and narrated the incident. His mother narrated the whole story and the promise she made to Muladeva how his son will bring him back to her, bound and gagged. The boy had heard how his father abandoned his mother promised her “ Mother, I will fulfil your promise. I will bring my father to you bound in ropes.
The boy promptly went to Ujjain in search of Muladeva. Soon he found Muladeva fast asleep on his bed. The boy decided to steal Muladeva’s bed. The boy very carefully lifted his father and laid him on a pile of garbage and got away with the bed. When Muladeva woke up there was a small crowd gathered around laughing in amazement finding him asleep on a pile of garbage.
Embarrassed and puzzled Muladeva kept wondering how he landed in the garbage pile and who stole his bed? He went to the market he came across a young boy trying to sell the bed. Muladeva cautiously approached the boy and enquired ”What price are you asking for this bed?”. The boy looked at Muladeva from head to toe and replied ” I am not selling this bed. But I will exchange it to anyone who is willing to tell a marvellous tale that was never heard before. I may give this bed to you free of charge if you take up the challenge”. Muladeva was hooked and accepted the challenge and began telling one by one all the tales that he knew. But the boy already knew each and every one of Muladeva’s stories. In the end, Muladeva accepted defeat. “ Since I have won the challenge and you lost, you are now my slave.” declared the boy, and immediately bound and gagged Muladeva with a strong rope. Thus bound and gagged Muladeva was taken by the boy to his mother’s house.
The boy called out to his mother and she came out and saw Muladeva standing bound and tied up in ropes. She looked at him straight in the eye and said ” My dear husband today my promise has been fulfilled. As I promised years ago, you have been brought bound and gagged by the son you fathered”. She then showed the ring on her finger as proof of the unusual tale that no one had heard before. Surprised, but delighted to meet his son and wife, Muladeva had to accept that his wife proved herself to be more clever than him. He lived happily with his wife and child for many many years.
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Story Collected by Vidya Kamat
Text Source: The Ring of Truth, Myths of sex and jewellery by Wendy Doniger, also see Katha Sarit Sagar, translated by Arshia Sattar
Location: Pan India
Image Copyright: Vidya Kamat
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