9-Real Obligation
To do good to others without selfishness is the real doing good to others

As Vikramaaditya was walking fast toward cremation ground, Vaitaal spoke again - "Vikram, You seem to be angry, but I am very happy to be with you. Now listen to another story. There was a rich man lived in Gaandhaar Desh. His name was Brahmdatt. He had only one wife and had made the rule for others also not to marry more than one wife. Women were very happy with this arrangement. Brahmdatt had a son named Somdatt. He was very handsome and unmarried.

One day Somdatt went out in the city and halted in front of a temple. After a while a beautiful woman came out of the temple. Somdatt fell in love with her. That woman also saw him, smiled and went away shyly. Somdatt came back and thought about that woman. He took the help of his friends and found out about her. She was the daughter of the King's minister and her name was Chandrasenaa. Somdatt sent his marriage proposal to marry her to her parents but they refused it because she was already engaged to some other man, named Jayakarn.

Hearing this Somdatt got very sad. He thought to take Sanyaas, that a messenger from Chandrasenaa came to him and gave him a letter. She wrote in that letter, that she would meet him after her marriage. At present she did not want to create any scene by breaking her marriage. Somdatt got a new life. He waited for Chandrasenaa. When Chandrasenaa got married to Jayakarn, he did not create any scene during marriage ceremonies, but when, after the marriage, Jayakarn was about to hold her hand, she withdrew it.

Jayakarn asked her "What is the matter?" She told him that she loved Somdatt. Hearing this Jayakarn could not speak anything. After a while he asked her - "Do you want to go to him?" "Yes" "You may go." Chandrasenaa went to Somdatt's house. It was midnight. All was quiet and Chandrasenaa was going there laden with ornaments.

Suddenly a thief saw her and came in her way. Chandrasenaa got scared, she told him that she was going to see her lover, when she would come back, she would give her all ornaments to him. The thief took a promise from her and let her go. He said - "I will wait for you here only till you come back." Chandrasenaa agreed and went to Somdatt's house. 

Seeing her in this guise, Somdatt got scared. She said - "Why are you so scared? I wrote you that I would come after my marriage." "Are you married?" "Yes" Somdatt did not know what to do. Chandrasenaa said - "What are you looking at? Love me."

Somdatt said - "No, I cannot love you. You know the law of our kingdom. You are now Jayakarn's wife. I will be hanged for this crime." Chandrasenaa said - "Then, you won't?" "No, It was another matter before marriage, but now I cannot." Chandrasenaa went back disappointed. She came back to the thief. The thief got very happy to see her coming back, but when he saw her sad face, he asked her - "Why are you sad? What happened?" Chandrasenaa told him everything. The thief pitied her and said - "I like your truthfulness that you came back to me. Now I will not take your ornaments, you may go." and the thief went away leaving Chandrasenaa there. Chandrasenaa also came back to Jayakarn.

Jayakarn asked her - "Why have you come here now?" Chandrasenaa told him everything. Jayakarn said - "Now I cannot accept you, you may go wherever you like." Thus he left Chandrasenaa. Since she had nowhere to go, she committed suicide by jumping in a well.

Vaitaal said - "Now you do justice, Vikram."

Vikram said - "What is there for justice. Chandrasenaa died, whatever she did, she got its result." Vaitaal said - "That is all right, but in this story, whose obligation is more, Jayakarn's, his own wife's, or Somdatt's who did not accept Jayakarn's wife, or of the thief who did not take her ornaments? Vikram said - "Whatever obligation is done without selfishness, that is known as real obligation. Whoever has done the obligation without any selfishness, only his obligation should be regarded greater." 

"Is it Somdatt?"
"No, Because he refused to accept her only because of king's fear. He did not oblige Jayakarn." Vaitaal asked - "Then, Is it Jayakarn?"
"No, His heart was broken because of his wife's bad character, that is why he left her."  
"Then, Is it Chandrasenaa?"  
"No, She was doing all that because of her love. In fact it was the thief. He didn't have any selfish motive, that is why he didn't take her ornaments. That is why I consider the thief the greatest."

Vaitaal said - "You are right, you have done the correct justice." Since Vikram broke his silence, Vaitaal again ran away from the king's shoulder and hung on the tree upside down. Vikram caught him by his hair, put him on his shoulder and started walking fast again towards the cremation ground.

After a while Vaitaal said - "You are a very good judge, you can separate water from milk." Vikram remained silent. Vaitaal said - "Don't be angry Vikram, I have been entertaining you." Vikram said - "You have been entertaining me or you have been troubling me?" Vaitaal assured him - "Trust me, I wish your good. You will see a surprise on this coming turning, but don't stop." 

Vikram continued walking, but stopped on the turning. Some beautiful women were dancing there. Suddenly they all surrounded Vikram. The then he remembered Vaitaal's instruction that he should not stop there so he continued walking. Vaitaal said - "Bravo". Vikram asked - "Who were they?" Vaitaal said - "It all goes on in forest that is why people are afraid to come here, but you are really brave, you came here. In fact they were witches. If you had stopped here they would have eaten you." "But when I was coming here, they were not there." "They appear at this time only. All were lost souls. Among them some were queens, and one of them was my wife." "Your wife?" "Yes"  "Doesn't she know you?" "There is no relationship after death." And suddenly Vaitaal ran away from his shoulder and hung from the same tree.