Vijayaketu was the king of Mahishmati. His people were happy and free. Vijayaketu was known for righteousness and generosity.

In adjacent Amarpuri, King Kalinga faced drought and famine. Many children died, and people suffered. King Kalinga asked his ministers for help.

The ministers said, 'Calamities come from straying from virtue. King Vijayaketu of Mahishmati always follows virtue. It rains there, and people are happy.'

King Kalinga sought Vijayaketu's advice. He told his ministers, 'Go to Mahishmati. Ask Vijayaketu for his rules of righteousness and bring them to me written on gold leaves.'

The ministers met King Vijayaketu. They explained their plight and request. Vijayaketu said, 'I cannot write the rules. I strayed from virtue once. Let me explain.'

'In our Kartik festival, the king performs a Yaga and shoots four arrows. Once my arrow  killed fish and frogs. This was my deviation from virtue. If my country is free from calamities, someone else must be virtuous. Find out who it is.'

The ministers went to Maya Devi, the king's mother. She said, 'I, too, strayed from virtue. I favored one daughter-in-law over the other while distributing ornaments. How can I write the rules?'

Next, they approached the king's brother, Nanda. He said, 'I once made  my charioteer wait for me  all night in the rain. I am not virtuous enough.'

Then, they went to the king's purohit. He said, 'I once desired a gold-fitted chariot. The king offered it to me even without me asking for it and I became ashamed of my greed. I am not virtuous enough.'

Finally, they met the king's minister. He said, 'While measuring land, I ordered a peg driven into a hole, killing a crab. I am not fit to write the rules.'

The ministers wrote down all these stories on gold leaves. They took them to King Kalinga. He read them and realized the best virtue is awareness of righteousness. With self-criticism as his motto thereafter, he ruled his country well. The people were freed from calamities and lived happily.

This story teaches us to embrace self-awareness and humility. By recognizing our own flaws, we can strive for continuous improvement. We should practice self-reflection and seek righteousness. This leads to personal growth and a more harmonious society.

Knowledge Bank

Valmikism

Valmikism, or Balmikism, is a Hindu sect that honors the sage Valmiki, also called Bala Shah or Lal Beg, as their ancestor and patron saint. Followers believe Valmiki was an incarnation of God and regard his works, the Ramayana and the Yoga Vasistha, as sacred texts. Valmiki is often shown wearing red clothing, earning him the name Lal Bhekh or Lal Beg.

What happened when Gowthama cursed Indra?

Indra disguised himself as Sage Gowthama and had a physical relationship with the Sage’s wife, Ahalya. Gowthama found this out and cursed them both. As a result of the curse, Indra’s beard turned green and his testicles fell down. He had to attach a pair of testicles of a male goat. As a public display of his offense, a thousand vaginas developed all over his body. Half the sin of anyone who behaved immorally started going to Indra. Because of this, his position became unstable. He had to suffer defeat at the hands of Meghanada. He got some relief after worshiping Surya for a thousand years. He also took a dip in River Gowthami and performed AshwamedhaYaga. He was blessed by Devi. His thousand vaginas turned into a thousand eyes.

Other languages: Hindi