📜Ek Mehfooz Manzil Kahaniyon Ki: Kathasaritsagara: Tales of Legendary King Vikrama (An Analysis of Nested Narratives)

I can give you a mantra to charm Vetalas, but why would I need that?" the Brahmin laughed. "Haven't you heard what happened to King Vikrama when he mastered the Vetala? Let me tell you a story.

Crafted with care, just for you.

The legendary tales of King Vikramaditya are masterfully narrated in Somadeva's Kathasaritsagara (Ocean of the Streams of Stories). In this newsletter, we aim to breathe life into these stories, focusing on the thrilling adventures of King Vikramaditya and Vetala. For my research, I’ve drawn upon Tales from the Kathasaritsagara translated by Arshia Sattar, selecting stories that capture the essence of her compelling translation. I've also attempted to narrate these stories in our way, presenting them as a dialogue to create an engaging experience. This newsletter aims to highlight the recursive nature of Kathasaritsagara—a series of tales nested within each other, weaving together to form a larger, interconnected narrative.

Disclaimer: These narratives are contextualized in our way. Please note that the author's perspective is subjective and may not encompass all interpretations of the original texts.

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A 16th century folio from an Indian retelling of the Kathāsaritsāgara. (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Kathasaritsagara is an ocean of stories that has profoundly influenced storytelling across the world. This renowned 11th-century collection of Indian legends and folk tales was retold in Sanskrit by Somadeva, a scholar from Kashmir. Believed to have lived during this time, Somadeva was a court poet, serving under King Ananta of Kashmir. The Kathāsaritsāgara comprises 18 lambhakas (or "books") containing 124 taramgas (chapters referred to as "waves") and approximately 22,000 ślokas (distichs), along with prose sections. Each śloka consists of two half-verses, each with 16 syllables.

For this newsletter, we have chosen to highlight the story of King Vikrama and Vetala, found in the book Sasankavati of the Kathāsaritsāgara.

In The ancient city of Pratiṣṭhāna, there ruled by the legendary King Vikrama. Every day, a mysterious mendicant would visit his court, bow low before the king, and offer him a fruit.This continued for a very long time, with the king accepting the gift without much thought.But soon, curiosity gnawed at him. Why did the mendicant present him with a fruit every single day?

The king tossed the fruit to a little monkey nearby, and as the monkey bit into it, a precious jewel fell out. Astonished, the king picked up the jewel and turned to his treasurer.

King Vikrama: Treasurer, I have been giving you these fruits for so long. What have you done with them?

Treasurer: I just throw them inside the treasury through the window.

King Vikrama: Go to the treasury and check those fruits immediately.

Treasurer: Sure, my Majesty!

The treasurer rushed to the treasury and discovered that all the fruits had rotted, there’s a pile of jewels. Excited, he hurried back to inform the king.Impressed but also intrigued, King Vikrama decided to confront the mendicant the next day. When the mendicant arrived with his usual gift, the king refused it.

King Vikrama: Why do you offer me these fruits filled with valuable jewels?

Mendicant: : I seek your help, O King. I need someone as brave and noble as you to assist me with a mantra. The dark fortnight of the moon is approaching. At nightfall, I’ll be under a huge banyan tree, inside the cremation ground. Meet me there!

Agreeing to the mendicant's request, King Vikrama prepared himself. As night fell, he mounted his horse and rode to the mendicant’s dwelling.

King Vikrama: I am here, Tell me what do you want?

Mendicant: Listen king, I want you to go to the south. There’s a corpse on the tree. I want you to bring it back for my mandala

King Vikrama agreed to travel south. Upon reaching his destination, he saw a corpse hanging from a tree. As he brought it down to the ground, a sudden burst of laughter filled the air—the corpse was possessed by a vetala. Undeterred, King Vikramaditya lifted the corpse onto his shoulder and began his journey. The vetala chuckled and said, "It's a long journey Vikram. Let me tell you a story

Vetala narrates a series of stories in the form of riddles and asks King Vikrama, a question at the end of every story.

I have chosen 'The Three Suitors' from Arshia Sattar's translation to share with you.

In the city of Ujjain, there lived a Brahmin named Harisvami, who had a son and a daughter named Somaprabha. One day, Somaprabha conveyed a message through her mother to her father and brother, expressing her wishes for a man with three qualities: someone who has courage or prescience or magical powers. Harisvami and his family were approached by three Brahmins to marry Somaprabha

Somaprabha’s Father: My daughter seeks a suitor with magical powers, courage, or prescience. What can you offer?

First Brahmin: I possess magical powers. I can summon a chariot and make it soar to the heavens. Watch as I create the chariot now and take you there and back.

The Brahmin demonstrated his powers, taking Somaprabha’s father to the heavens and returning safely. Impressed, the father agreed to the marriage and set the date for seven days later.

Somaprabha’s Brother: The brother was approached by Brahmin and asked, “My sister seeks a suitor with magical powers, courage, or prescience.. What can you offer?

Second Brahmin: I am courageous and fearless in the face of danger. I am skilled in all forms of combat.

The brother was equally impressed by his skills. He consulted with the astrologer and set the wedding date for seven days later.

Somaprabha’s Mother: The third Brahmin approached Somaprabha’s Mother, and she asked, “My daughter seeks a suitor with magical powers, courage, or prescience.. What can you offer?”

Third Brahmin: I possess prescience.

Somaprabha’s mother,impressed agreed to the marriage and set the date for seven days later.

However, when Harisvami informed his wife and son that he had arranged Somaprabha’s marriage, they revealed that they too had promised her hand—to different suitors, all on the same day. With three suitors lined up, confusion arose.

On the day of the wedding, Somaprabha mysteriously disappeared. The family soon learned that a rakshasa, an evil demon, had abducted her.

The first Brahmin offered his magical chariot, and the three suitors flew together to the forest of the Vindhyas, the location that the prescient Brahmin had predicted. Once there, the second Brahmin, with his bravery and combat skills, confronted and defeated the demon, rescuing Somaprabha.

Now the question remained: which suitor should Somaprabha marry? Each had played a vital role in her rescue, leading to a dilemma.

The Vetala then asked King Vikrama, "Which suitor should Somaprabha marry?"

King Vikrama: Somaprabha should marry the second Brahmin, as he was the most courageous and ultimately defeated the rakshasa. While the other two suitors played important roles but they were mere instruments in the plan, it was the second Brahmin's bravery that truly saved her.

As we delve into this story, we find ourselves captivated by the beauty of the recursive structure present in Kathasaritsagara. This artful inception of a tale within a tale enriches the narrative, weaving multiple layers of meaning and perspective that invite readers to explore deeper truths.

The Kathasaritsagara is notable for its intricate structure of nested narratives, which serve multiple thematic and structural purposes:

1. Structural Complexity

The text features multiple layers of stories, allowing plots and subplots to interconnect. This complexity mirrors life’s intricate nature, suggesting that individual stories are often shaped by broader contexts.

2. Thematic Depth

Nested narratives deepen thematic exploration by presenting various perspectives on morality and human experience. For instance, the vetala’s riddles not only entertain but also provoke moral reflection, enriching the reader’s understanding.