Krishna continuing said, Listen Yudhistira to the story of Chinta (Srivatsa's wife) and Srivatsa.
When the fruits in the forest became scarce, Srivatsa and Chinta went towards the village on the other side of the forest. In the north of the village lived wealthy merchants. The rich, seeing the poor king would drive them away. Thus, the king decided to proceed towards the south.
The people there asked them, who they were. The king they were a very unfortunate couple and come to beg for some kindness and some work and food.
The people there, who happened to be woodcutters, said they would welcome the strangers. They lived cutting and selling wood and no grief or worries. They welcomed any extra help.
The king happily agreed to take up the job of a woodcutter. The wives of the woodcutters welcomed Chinta and they all started living happily there.
In the morning, the woodcutters called Srivatsa and asked him to join them in the forest. While the woodcutters went about cutting trees, Srivatsa wondered what to do. Seeing some sandalwood trees, Srivatsa cut those and bundling those up, along with the woodcutters, he went to the market to sell them. The sandal fetched a huge sum of money.
With that money, Srivatsa decided to hold a feast and bought delicacies like butter, spice, grains, fish and meat. He came and gave that to Chinta and asked to get a feast ready.
Chinta cooked the food, and all had a grand feast.
Things were going well, O Yudhistira, when something happened.
A merchant had stepped out for business. He was on a boat when suddenly the boat struck a sandbank. Taking the guise of a soothsayer, Shani appeared there. He said while the merchant's wife had been praying to the nine plants, he had ignored the prayer and had set off on business. This was causing the problem. There was solution to this. The merchant was to invite all the wives of the woodcutters who resided there. Among the wives of the woodcutter was a very pious woman. If she touched the boat, it would be repaired and the boat would move.
The merchant sent out a message to all the woodcutter wives. Each came and touched the boat and nothing happened. The merchant wanted to know if all the women had come. He was told that all except one had come, as she had been not to go, by her husband.
The merchant thought this was the woman who would be able to move his boat. The soothsayer went to Chnta and asked her to come along. She said she had been told not go, by her husband. She then thought, doing good for someone would help her husband's fame, so not caring about her husband's warning, she decided to go along.
As soon as Chinta had touched the boat, it became alright and started floating in the water.
The merchant thought this was no ordinary woman and decided to take her with him, in case his boat ever got struck.
Yudhistira wanted to know what happened next. Krishna said -
Chinta cried and begged to be freed. She started blaming herself for not listening to her husband. She then looked skywards and prayed to the Sun God to help her. Sun God then took her beauty away, and made her look like a leaper. In this form, Chinta went along.
Coming back to the village, Srivatsa started looking for Chinta.
When the fruits in the forest became scarce, Srivatsa and Chinta went towards the village on the other side of the forest. In the north of the village lived wealthy merchants. The rich, seeing the poor king would drive them away. Thus, the king decided to proceed towards the south.
The people there asked them, who they were. The king they were a very unfortunate couple and come to beg for some kindness and some work and food.
The people there, who happened to be woodcutters, said they would welcome the strangers. They lived cutting and selling wood and no grief or worries. They welcomed any extra help.
The king happily agreed to take up the job of a woodcutter. The wives of the woodcutters welcomed Chinta and they all started living happily there.
In the morning, the woodcutters called Srivatsa and asked him to join them in the forest. While the woodcutters went about cutting trees, Srivatsa wondered what to do. Seeing some sandalwood trees, Srivatsa cut those and bundling those up, along with the woodcutters, he went to the market to sell them. The sandal fetched a huge sum of money.
With that money, Srivatsa decided to hold a feast and bought delicacies like butter, spice, grains, fish and meat. He came and gave that to Chinta and asked to get a feast ready.
Chinta cooked the food, and all had a grand feast.
Things were going well, O Yudhistira, when something happened.
A merchant had stepped out for business. He was on a boat when suddenly the boat struck a sandbank. Taking the guise of a soothsayer, Shani appeared there. He said while the merchant's wife had been praying to the nine plants, he had ignored the prayer and had set off on business. This was causing the problem. There was solution to this. The merchant was to invite all the wives of the woodcutters who resided there. Among the wives of the woodcutter was a very pious woman. If she touched the boat, it would be repaired and the boat would move.
The merchant sent out a message to all the woodcutter wives. Each came and touched the boat and nothing happened. The merchant wanted to know if all the women had come. He was told that all except one had come, as she had been not to go, by her husband.
The merchant thought this was the woman who would be able to move his boat. The soothsayer went to Chnta and asked her to come along. She said she had been told not go, by her husband. She then thought, doing good for someone would help her husband's fame, so not caring about her husband's warning, she decided to go along.
As soon as Chinta had touched the boat, it became alright and started floating in the water.
The merchant thought this was no ordinary woman and decided to take her with him, in case his boat ever got struck.
Yudhistira wanted to know what happened next. Krishna said -
Chinta cried and begged to be freed. She started blaming herself for not listening to her husband. She then looked skywards and prayed to the Sun God to help her. Sun God then took her beauty away, and made her look like a leaper. In this form, Chinta went along.
Coming back to the village, Srivatsa started looking for Chinta.
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