Swapping Heads

It was a dark, moonless night. The wind howled through the twisted branches of the ancient cremation ground. King Vikramaditya, brave and determined, walked steadily with the body of the Vetal (a spirit) on his shoulder. He was trying to carry the Vetal to a wise sage who needed it for a prayer.

But the Vetal liked to talk. “O King,” he cackled, “you are so stubborn! Let me tell you a story to pass the time. But listen well—if you know the answer to my question and do not speak, your head will split into a thousand pieces!”

The King nodded silently, and the Vetal began.

“In a faraway kingdom, there lived a handsome Prince and his loyal Minister’s son. They were the best of friends and looked so much alike that people often mistook them for brothers. One day, the Prince married a beautiful Princess. The three of them decided to go on a pilgrimage to a holy temple of the Goddess Kali.

When they arrived at the temple, the Prince went inside alone to offer his prayers. But as he stood before the powerful statue, a strange madness took over him. Overwhelmed by emotion in the mystical atmosphere, he offered his own head to the Goddess! A moment later, his friend entered, saw what had happened, and in his grief, did the same.

When the Princess entered, she saw the two headless bodies and fell to the ground, weeping bitterly. ‘O Goddess!’ she cried. ‘Please bring them back! I cannot live without them!’

The Goddess Kali, moved by her tears, appeared. ‘My child,’ she said, ‘I will restore their lives. Take the heads and place them back on the necks.’

In her excitement and fear, the Princess hurried. She picked up the heads and placed them on the bodies. But alas! In the dim light, she made a terrible mistake. She put the Prince’s head on the friend’s body, and the friend’s head on the Prince’s body!

The Goddess touched them, and both men came back to life. They stood up, looking healthy and strong. But now the confusion began.

The Princess looked at them. One man had her husband’s handsome face but the simpler clothes of the friend. The other had the friend’s face but wore her husband’s royal jewels and strong body.

Both men claimed to be her husband. The one with the Prince’s head said, ‘I am the Prince! Look at my face!’ The one with the Prince’s body said, ‘I am the Prince! Look at my royal hands and scars!’”

The Vetal paused and tightened his grip on the King’s shoulder. “Now, O King, tell me. Who is the real husband? Is it the one with the Prince’s body, or the one with the Prince’s head? Remember my curse!”

King Vikramaditya replied without a second thought. “The answer is simple, Vetal. The head is the ruler of the body. It contains the brain, the memory, and the soul. The hands are just servants that do what the head commands. Therefore, the man who carries the Prince’s head is the true Prince and the rightful husband.”

“Aha!” laughed the Vetal. “You are right! But you spoke!”

And with a swish of air, the Vetal flew out of the King’s grip and hung himself back upside down on the ancient tree. King Vikram sighed, tightened his belt, and walked back to catch him again.

Moral of the Story: The mind is the seat of the soul and the guide of our actions.

Moral of the Story: The mind is superior to the body.