In the previous two chapters, we learnt about the story of Princess Padmavati as well as King Ratan Sena. Now let’s see what happens next.
King Ratan Sena could barely control himself when he heard about the beauty of Padmavati. But it wasn’t just about Padmavati; the allure and splendor of Simhala had also captivated the king’s mind, as though he had awakened from a deep slumber. The longing was too much to bear.
“Remember,” the parrot advised, “such beauty and perfection can’t be attained through your current way of life. It requires practising austerity, asceticism, and yoga.”
Motivated by this insight, the king abandoned his kingdom and transformed into a yogi, leaving everything behind but his fixation on Padmavati.
The king embarked on a journey through forests and across seas, accompanied by the parrot. After finding passage on a ship, they finally arrived in Simhala.
Upon reaching the city, it was the parrot who first laid eyes on Padmavati, and her sight stirred deep emotions within her.
“Why did you depart?” she inquired.
“Fear for my life,” he responded, sharing the tale of his encounter with the king of Chitaur. Subsequently, the parrot began extolling the virtues of the king.
Just as it had happened with the king, after hearing Ratan Sena’s qualities and his ardent love, Padmavati couldn’t help but develop feelings for him.
***
The king, on the other hand, had a unique strategy to meet the princess whom he had only seen in dreams. With a group of yogis, he entered the palace and requested alms.
“What is your desire?” the attendants questioned.
“Padmavati,” he replied.
The declaration, for obvious reasons, caused upheaval in the palace. Angry attendants cited his lowly status and asserted that only a king was worthy of Padmavati. Ratan Sena disagreed, emphasising the importance of character over status. Faced with this, the attendants sought the king of Simhala’s judgement.
Now, the king was furious, especially when he learned that the yogis had breached the palace. He had no other option but to sought the shelter of force.
Ratan Sena, along with yogis, remained undeterred, refraining from showing anger. They were apprehended and brought before the king of Simhala, with citizens gathered to witness. Everyone started whispering that such a beautiful man couldn’t be a yogi; he had to be a king. Ratan Sena, though, only uttered the name of his beloved: Padmavati.
As they stood on the brink of execution, the parrot came and recounted the entire story to the king of Simhala, leading to Ratan Sena’s life being spared. Not only that, the king consented to his daughter’s marriage with Ratan Sena.
Did they find lasting happiness? The answer awaits in the next chapter.
Reference books:
Kalampedia 