Wednesday, January 3, 2024

The Story of Pataliputra - Part Four


Putraka put on his shoes that night and flew into the palace of the princess. As he entered the bedroom of the princess, he was stunned to see the most beautiful woman that he had ever seen in his life. 

He was gazing at her and that was when she woke up because of an alien sound in her room. 

The princess was equally stunned to see Putraka in her room.

It was love at first sight for both of them.

King Putraka and Patali married in the Gandharva form of marriage, which required only the consent of the couple.  

After this, every night the king would come to see the princess and move away back to the old woman's house in the morning. 




One of the servants of the palace noticed something odd in the princess room at night.

Then, after hearing this, the king of Akarshika appointed a woman to keep a watch on the room of the princess. 

The woman immediately found out about Putraka’s visit to the princess’s room. 

When Putraka was asleep in Patali's room the lady smeared Putraka’s clothes with a red colour so that she could recognise him.

In the morning she told the king what she had done. 

The king then sent out spies to find the man whom the lady spy had marked. 

They found Putraka in the house of the old woman.

Seeing that he had been discovered. Putraka wore his shoes and flew in the direction of Patali's palace. After reaching her room, Putraka picked up Patali and flew away from the place. 

After that they came to the bank of the River Ganga and he provided his beloved wife with the food from the magic vessel. 



After that, with the request of Patali, Putraka sketched out a city with his staff . Putraka established himself as the king of the city. This city was called Pataliputra and it became the home of wealth and learning.

Adapted from the Katha Sarith Sagara


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