Aroha Talpam

However, the daughter of the demon Viprachitta was enamored with Ekchakra, a spirited and elusive Asura thief. His formidable fortress lay beyond the dense forest atop an inaccessible mountain peak. The fortress was ancient and dilapidated, where he lived undisturbed with his thousand Asura thieves. Thievery and hunting were his passions. He enjoyed seizing fine horses and beautiful maidens from wherever he could. He was a formidable archer, warrior, and horseman, as were his companions. Within his impregnable fortress, he had amassed countless invaluable horses and young maidens.

On the day of the yearly festival, he went to Mayanagari to bid for Malini. He already had an understanding with Malini, but the bidding for her was very high. First, Rishi Raikva offered much gold, and then Janashruti doubled the amount of gold. Ekchakra was helpless; he did not have that much gold. He wrung his hands in despair as Janashruti took Malini away on his donkey cart.

Janashruti was a very wealthy demon. He had a palace, an army, and security. It was impossible for Ekchakra to snatch Malini from his protection. Malini had no choice but to accept Janashruti's bid. She could not refuse without a reason. To insist would have tarnished her virginity and violated her honor. Therefore, she accepted to be sold to Janashruti at that moment, smiling according to custom. Ekchakra was enraged but did not give up hope for Malini. He waited for his chance. Malini gained much wealth there, but not companionship. The iron man in Malini's mind remained there. She was also looking for a way to escape Janashruti's grasp. Therefore, she readily agreed to the proposal of being given to Raikva with hardly any hesitation. She knew that she would have many more opportunities to escape from the Rishi's custody than from Janashruti's palace. If Raikva had bought her at auction, her escape from him would have been a legal offense, but now she could escape.

Raikva performed the 'Aroha Talpam' ceremony, similar to a wedding night among the Asuras. A bed of flowers was prepared. The Rishi's sleeping chamber was scented with incense. Intoxicants were given to loved ones. Sacrifices were made to gods and ancestors. There were many women in the Rishi's custody. They adorned Malini with bath, dress, and ornaments, and took her to the sleeping chamber of the old, lustful, rich, and lecherous Rishi. The Rishi said, "Aroha Talpam!"

But Malini refused and replied, "A noble bride is one who is beautiful and chooses her friend from among the people of her own accord."

The Rishi said, "The gods first laid down their wives, touched them, and praised them with their bodies."

Malini replied, "So that he is solely mine and not mentioned by others."

The Rishi said, "A woman is like the sun, all-encompassing. May Pushan grant you the power to bear the seed of men. She gives us thighs, eager to rest, and we eagerly strike our phallus upon her."

Malini refused, saying, "She who has known a former husband and finds another afterward, neither of them is separated from the five-grain rice and the goat they give."

Thus, there was much Vedic debate, but Malini did not ascend the bed. The Rishi had to accept the Panjodana ritual. Much hustle and bustle had to be done for the ritual. Many gods, demons, Asuras, and relatives had to be invited. Sacrifices were made to the gods. Yagnas were performed for the relatives. Feasts were given to demons, Asuras, and Rishis, but taking advantage of the crowd of the ceremony, the Asura bandit Ekchakra lifted Malini onto a horse and disappeared. The whole ceremony stopped. No one dared to bring Malini back from the invincible fortress of Ekchakra the bandit, but Rishi Raikva was not one to forget that face easily. He resolved to go alone to the difficult and inaccessible fortress of the Asura Ekchakra and entered the dense forest to find his way. The forest was full of countless fierce animals—many inaccessible rivers, mountains, and valleys. But the flame of desire was burning fiercely in the heart of the revered Rishi. He overcame all the hardships and obstacles and finally stood at the door of Ekchakra's fortress situated on the mountain peak.

Reaching the gate of the fort was not an easy task. The Rishi was alone, on foot. That's why he reached. Could not have reached with army resources. The road was narrow, inaccessible. It was a straight climb. In places, heavy rocks were placed on the bastions in such a way that they could be rolled down at any time and hundreds of people would be crushed into chutney. But the Asuras stationed on the bastions did not hinder this old, unarmed, lonely Rishi. Reaching the fort gate, the Rishi called out and expressed his desire to meet Ekchakra Dasyuraj. Receiving the information, Ekchakra respectfully welcomed the Rishi. Gave Arghya-Padya and asked the reason for coming.

The Rishi said, "You have stolen one of my slaves."

"Which slave? I don't remember. Is she here?"

"Don't be stingy. You have stolen her, she must be here."

"Did anyone see?"

"I didn't see, I know."

"Do you recognize her?"

"Why not, she is tender like a new flower, divinely beautiful, her eyes are like those of a deer fawn, her body is like gold. Her voice is like the humming of bumblebees, her body is like a flower-filled creeper."

"Wow, I am very interested in such newly blossomed, beautiful, and graceful girls. I have gathered many such delicate beauties by stealing them from different countries. There are many such beauties here. Come, come to the enclosure and see if your slave is here too!"

Then that fearsome brigand took the old Rishi to the enclosure to tease him well, where hundreds of voluptuous beauties were engrossed in various pastimes. There was a market of beauty there. Seeing that field of beauty, the revered Rishi remained stunned and deceived with emotion. At the same time, his eyes fell on Malini, who was happily swinging on a flower-filled swing in a creeper pavilion. The Rishi raised his finger and said, "There she is, that's her!"

Ekchakra laughed and said carelessly, "Wow, that is Viprachitta Danav's daughter Malini."

"Yes, yes, that is my slave, whom you have stolen. Return my slave."

"But how did she become your slave? You didn't buy it."

"That unfortunate woman refused to be sold to me."

"Then?"

"Janashruti gave twice the gold to her, then sold her to me."

"Did you give gold?"

"Not gold, I told that Shudra the secret of Shreyas and Preyas."

"So where was it bought? It was donated."

"It's the same thing; come on, give it back to me."

"But she is my beloved."

"Hey, there are many in your enclosure, return one to me."

"I am very interested in such beautiful girls, Rishivar! Then she is my beloved. Cannot return."

"Hey, you want to usurp the Rishi's share. Come on, I can tell you the difference between Shreyas and Preyas. Come on, give my slave back."

The bandit laughed and said, "I know the difference between Shreyas and Preyas, Rishivar! But I can do you a favor.

"What's that?"

"I have a rule. I steal new beauties from different countries every day. They are entertained and honored here in every way. I keep them in my enclosure for one year. I keep the beauty who gets pregnant within a year forever with me and divide the one who does not get pregnant within a year among my servants. So you come next year. If your slave does not get pregnant by then, I will give her to you. I will not give it to any other servant."

Helpless, the Rishi returned home without any solution.