The Arrival of Birbar

The spirit said, "O King, there is a city called Bardwan, ruled by King Rupsen. One day, King Rupsen was sitting in a room near the palace gate. He heard loud voices coming from outside and asked, "Who is at the gate, and what is all this noise?"

The gatekeeper replied, "Great King, many kinds of people come to the gate of a wealthy ruler hoping to receive money. They sit here, talk about different subjects, and that is the noise you hear."

The king said nothing. At that time, a traveler named Birbar from the south arrived at the palace hoping to enter the king's service. The gatekeeper learned who he was and told the king, "Your Majesty, an armed man has come seeking employment. With your permission, I will bring him before you."

The king agreed. When Birbar appeared before him, the king asked, "How much money do you need each day for your expenses?"

Birbar replied, "Give me one thousand tolas of gold every day, and I will be able to live."

The king asked, "How many people depend on you?"

Birbar answered, "My wife, my son, my daughter, and myself. There is no fifth person."

Everyone in the court laughed when they heard this enormous request. However, the king wondered why Birbar had asked for so much money. After thinking carefully, he decided that money given generously might someday bring great benefit to the kingdom. So he called his treasurer and ordered, "Give Birbar one thousand tolas of gold every day from the royal treasury."

How Birbar Used the Gold

Each day Birbar received one thousand tolas of gold, and he divided it with great care.

The First Half: He gave entirely to scholars and teachers. 

The Second Half: He divided into two parts: One part he distributed among pilgrims, devotees, and religious mendicants. 

With the remaining part, he cooked food and fed the poor.

Whatever was left after all this charity was used by him, his wife, and his children. This was how they lived, keeping nothing for themselves.

Birbar's Loyalty

Every night, Birbar took his sword and shield and stood guard near the king's bed. Whenever the king woke and called, "Is anyone there?" Birbar immediately answered, "Birbar is here. What are your commands?" Whatever the king ordered, Birbar carried out.

Because of his devotion to service, he remained alert day and night. The narrator then reflects on the hardships of being a servant: "Performing the duties of a servant is harder than performing religious duties. A servant often gives up his peace and remains silent before his master out of fear. Only when away from the master does he find rest."

The Woman in the Cremation Ground

One night, a woman's crying was heard from the nearby cremation ground. The king called, "Is anyone there?"

Birbar replied, "I am here. What are your commands?"

The king ordered, "Go to the place from which this woman's crying comes. Find out why she is weeping and return quickly."

The king thought to himself, "A servant should be tested by giving orders at convenient and inconvenient times. If he obeys, he is valuable. If he refuses, he is worthless."

The Mysterious Woman

Birbar followed the sound into the dark night. Unknown to him, the king dressed in black and secretly followed to observe his courage.

When Birbar reached the cremation ground, he saw a beautiful woman covered in jewels from head to toe. She behaved strangely—sometimes dancing, sometimes running, and crying out in deep sorrow.

Birbar asked, "Who are you? Why are you crying and hurting yourself?"

She replied, "I am the Royal Glory, the spirit of this kingdom. Sinful and corrupt acts are being committed secretly in the king's household. Because of this, misfortune will enter the palace, and I must leave it. After one month, the king will suffer greatly and die. This is why I mourn, for I have enjoyed great happiness in his house."

The Test of Sacrifice

Birbar asked, "Is there any remedy by which the king may live and escape this fate?"

She answered, "Eight miles to the east stands the temple of the goddess Devi. The goddess requires a sacrifice of ultimate devotion. If you are willing to offer the life of your own son to the goddess, the king will live for one hundred years, and no harm will come to the realm."

The Family's Decision

After hearing this, Birbar returned home. The king secretly followed and listened outside. Birbar woke his wife and told her everything, and together they woke their children.

The mother told the boy, "My son, if you are offered to the goddess, the king's life and kingdom will be saved."

The boy replied bravely, "Mother, first, it is your command. Second, it is service to my lord. If my life can protect the entire kingdom, nothing could be better for me. We should not delay."

The daughter and the wife agreed, refusing to let the burden fall on the son alone. The daughter added, "If the family faces ruin, we must stand together to protect our home and our king."

The Sacrifice at the Temple

After discussing the matter, all four went to Devi's temple. The king secretly followed.

Birbar entered the temple, worshipped the goddess, folded his hands, and prayed, "O Devi, let the king live one hundred years through the sacrifice of my son."

He then struck his son with a sword and severed his head. Seeing her brother dead, the daughter immediately cut off her own head. Seeing both children dead, Birbar's wife cut off her own head. Seeing all three dead, Birbar thought, "My son is dead. For whom shall I continue serving? To whom shall I give the gold I receive from the king?"

He then cut off his own head.

The King's Sacrifice

When the king saw the entire family dead because of him, he thought, "Their lives have been lost for my sake. Cursed is such kingship. What virtue is there in ruling a kingdom when an entire family has perished because of me?" He decided to kill himself as well. Just as he was about to do so, the goddess Devi appeared, stopped him, and said, "My son, I am pleased with your courage. Ask whatever boon you desire."

The king replied, "Mother, if you are truly pleased, restore these four people to life."

The goddess agreed.

She brought the Water of Life from the underworld and revived Birbar, his wife, his son, and his daughter.

Afterward, the king rewarded Birbar by giving him half of his kingdom.

Vikram's Judgment

After finishing the story, the spirit asked, "O King Vikramaditya, answer this riddle. Blessed is the servant who did not hesitate to offer everything for his master. Blessed also is the king who valued neither his throne nor his life above his servant. Tell me, O King, whose virtue was greatest among them all?"

King Vikramaditya replied, "The king's virtue was the greatest."

The spirit asked, "Why?"

Vikram answered, "Birbar and his family acted according to what they believed was their duty and loyalty to their king. However, the king owed nothing to his servant that required him to give up his own throne. A leader is expected to protect his status, yet King Rupsen was prepared to abandon his power, his crown, and his life just to save his servant's family. Since a ruler is rarely expected to make such a sacrifice for a subordinate, his act showed true, exceptional selflessness. Therefore, the king's virtue shines the brightest."

The Moral

True loyalty must never be confused with blind obedience. While Birbar believed he was fulfilling a sacred duty, his devotion crossed into blindness the moment he allowed it to bring harm to his innocent family—proving that a virtue-based duty loses all its righteousness when it demands the destruction of those we are meant to protect. Ultimately, the story reveals that the highest mark of leadership is empathy, beautifully embodied by the king's realization that no position, throne, or success is ever worth the suffering and sacrifice of the people who serve.