2023-5WhoAreHusbandAndWife

Once upon a time, there resided a King in the prosperous city of Dharmpur. The King, filled with devotion, had constructed a magnificent temple in the heart of the city. In the days that followed, a young man arrived in Dharmpur and was immediately captivated by the splendor of the temple. As he ascended the temple stairs, his eyes met those of a beautiful young girl, the daughter of a washerman. Love blossomed within his heart, and he earnestly prayed to the temple's presiding Goddess, seeking her blessing to unite him with the girl. Mirroring his affection, the girl also held an affection for the young man, and their hearts intertwined, leading them to come together in marriage. Time passed, and the same young man, accompanied by his wife and a close friend, returned to Dharmpur. Eager to pay homage to the temple once more, he left his wife and friend beneath the shade of a tree and proceeded towards the sacred grounds. Tragically, as fate would have it, the young man stumbled and fell from the temple stairs, losing his life in the process. A few hours later, his friend went in search of him. Upon discovering the lifeless body of his beloved companion, he was overcome with grief and chose to end his own life as well. When the wife received news of her husband's demise and the death of his dear friend, her sorrow knew no bounds, and she wailed in anguish. In response to her anguished cries, the temple's Goddess manifested herself before the distraught wife. Moved by the woman's grief, the Goddess bestowed upon her a sacred syllable, which possessed the power to restore her husband and his friend to life. However, due to a mispronunciation of the sacred syllable, a peculiar occurrence took place. The husband's body became inhabited by the mind of his friend, and vice versa. "Can you inform Vikram which individual should be recognized as the true husband of the girl?" inquired Betal. Vikram contemplated the question for a moment before answering, "The body that houses the mind of the girl's husband should be acknowledged as her true husband, as our identity lies within our consciousness." Upon hearing the correct response, Betal swiftly retreated back to his abode within the tree trunk. Moral: Our true essence resides within our consciousness.