King Vikramaditya returned to the Shishapa tree, brought down the corpse in which Vethala dwelt, and placed it upon his shoulder. Without speaking, he began walking through the cremation ground once more. After they had gone some distance, Vethala said, “O King, listen to another strange tale as we go.”

On the eastern coast stood the city of Tamralipti, ruled by King Chandasena. At the king’s gate served a poor prince named Sattvasheela. Though he came from a royal family, he had lost his wealth and had nothing but worn clothes to wear. For many years he served Chandasena faithfully, hoping that one day the king would notice his service.

One day, King Chandasena went hunting in the forest. While chasing a great boar, he rode far ahead of his men and soon lost sight of them. Sattvasheela had followed the king on foot and continued after him even when the rest of the hunting party fell behind. Though tired and hungry, he would not leave the king alone in the forest.

After some time, Chandasena stopped and asked, “Sattvasheela, do you know the way back?” Sattvasheela replied, “I do, Maharaj, but the sun is very hot. Let us rest for a while before we return.” The king was also thirsty, so Sattvasheela went in search of water.

He soon found a stream and brought the king and his horse to it. After the horse had drunk and rested, Sattvasheela washed some amalaka fruits that he carried with him. He placed them on a clean piece torn from his own cloth and offered them to the king. “These are all I have, Maharaj. For ten years I have lived mostly on such fruits. Please eat.”

Chandasena looked at the man who had followed him through the forest without complaint and now offered him the little food he possessed. He ate two of the fruits and drank from the stream. When they were ready to leave, the king offered Sattvasheela a place behind him on the horse. Sattvasheela chose to walk ahead instead and safely showed him the way out of the forest.

After they returned to Tamralipti, Chandasena remembered what Sattvasheela had done for him. He rewarded him with wealth, freed him from poverty, and kept him close as a trusted companion. Sattvasheela, who had served for so many years without reward, now lived in wealth and honour.

Some time later, Chandasena sent Sattvasheela to the island of Simhala to seek a princess in marriage for him. Sattvasheela set out by sea with a group of Brahmins. While their ship was crossing the ocean, a huge golden flagstaff suddenly rose from the water. At the same time, a terrible storm swept across the sea, and the waves began pulling the ship towards it.

The Brahmins cried out in fear and called upon King Chandasena to save them. Hearing his master’s name, Sattvasheela drew his sword. He did not know what lay beneath the water or whether he would return alive. Without hesitation, he leapt into the sea.

The ship was soon overwhelmed by the waves. Sattvasheela sank beneath the water near the golden flagstaff, but instead of finding death, he came upon a wonderful city beneath the sea. Its buildings shone with gold, and there he saw a temple of Goddess Katyayani. Sattvasheela entered the temple and looked around in wonder.

Before the Goddess shone a great circle of light. From that light came a beautiful young woman surrounded by a thousand attendants. Sattvasheela had never seen anyone like her, and the moment he saw her, he fell in love. The young woman entered the shrine and worshipped the Goddess, while Sattvasheela stood watching her.

When her worship was finished, she returned to the circle of light and disappeared within it. Sattvasheela could not bear to lose sight of her, so he followed. Passing through the light, he found himself in another beautiful city. Before long, some of the young woman’s attendants came to him.

“You are our mistress’s guest,” they said. “Come and bathe before you take food.” They led him to a clear tank and asked him to enter the water. Sattvasheela stepped into the tank and dipped beneath the surface. When he rose again, everything had changed.

He was standing in a tank in the royal garden of Tamralipti.

Sattvasheela looked around in confusion. The golden city, the temple of Katyayani, the circle of light, and the young woman had all disappeared. He knew that what he had seen was no dream, yet he had no way to return to it. Unable to forget the young woman, he wandered through the garden speaking of her again and again.

The royal gardener saw Sattvasheela in this state and went to King Chandasena. The king came to the garden and asked Sattvasheela what had happened. Sattvasheela told him about the storm, the golden flagstaff, the city beneath the sea, the temple of Katyayani, and the young woman he had followed. Chandasena listened and understood that his friend had fallen deeply in love.

The king also remembered the day in the forest when Sattvasheela had given him two amalaka fruits, though he himself had almost nothing. He decided that the time had come to repay that kindness. Leaving the affairs of the kingdom in the hands of his ministers, Chandasena set out to sea with Sattvasheela.

They travelled until they reached the place where Sattvasheela had first seen the golden flagstaff. Before long, it rose once more from the ocean. Sattvasheela turned to the king and said, “Maharaj, this is the place. When I jump into the sea, follow me.” He leapt into the water, and Chandasena went after him.

Together they reached the golden city beneath the sea and made their way to the temple of Goddess Katyayani. There they worshipped the Goddess and waited. Before long, the same young woman appeared from the circle of light, surrounded by her attendants. Sattvasheela quietly said to the king, “Maharaj, this is the woman I told you about.”

Chandasena looked at her and saw that Sattvasheela had spoken truly about her beauty. The young woman also noticed the king and knew from his appearance that he was no ordinary man. After worshipping the Goddess, she sent one of her attendants to invite Chandasena and Sattvasheela to accept her hospitality. But the king did not immediately accept.

Seeing this, the young woman came to him herself. She spoke respectfully and asked him to come with her to the other city. Chandasena replied, “I came here to worship the Goddess. I have done so, and I have also seen you. I ask for nothing more.”

The young woman did not wish him to leave. “Please do not refuse me,” she said. “You have come to my home as a guest, and I wish to honour you.” Chandasena then accepted her invitation, and she led him and Sattvasheela through the circle of light into the second city.

There she received Chandasena with great respect and seated him upon a jewelled throne. Then she told him who she was. “I am the daughter of Kalanemi, the great lord of the Asuras. My father was killed by Vishnu with his Sudarshana Chakra. These two cities belonged to him and were built by Vishvakarma, and within them there is neither old age nor death.”

She continued, “I now look upon you as my father. I place myself, these cities, and all the wealth within them in your hands. Tell me what you wish me to do.” Chandasena looked at Sattvasheela and then turned back to her.

“If you truly regard me as your father,” he said, “then I shall give you in marriage to Sattvasheela. He is brave, faithful, and worthy of you.” The young woman accepted his decision with respect. In this way, Sattvasheela received both the Asura princess and the rule of those wonderful cities.

Chandasena then said to Sattvasheela, “Friend, you once gave me two amalaka fruits when you had almost nothing for yourself. For one of those fruits, I have now repaid you with this kingdom. But I still remain in your debt for the other.” Sattvasheela understood that the king had not forgotten even the smallest kindness shown to him.

When the time came for Chandasena to return, he asked the princess to show him the way back to Tamralipti. Before he left, she gave him an invincible sword and a wondrous fruit that could protect a person from old age and death. She then led him to the same tank through which Sattvasheela had once returned.

Chandasena entered the water and dipped beneath the surface. When he rose again, he found himself in the garden tank of his own palace at Tamralipti. Sattvasheela remained behind with his bride and ruled the city he had received.

When Vethala had finished the story, he said, “Now answer me, O King. Between Sattvasheela and King Chandasena, who showed the greater courage?  If you know the answer and yet remain silent, your head shall split into a hundred pieces. But if you speak, I shall leave your shoulder and return to the Shishapa tree.”

Vikramaditya replied, “Sattvasheela showed the greater courage.”

Vethala asked, “Why him, O King? Chandasena also followed him into the sea.”

Vikramaditya replied, “That is true, but Chandasena already knew from Sattvasheela what he would find beneath the water. Sattvasheela knew nothing when he first leapt into the sea. He saw the ship being pulled towards the golden flagstaff and jumped into the waves without knowing where they would take him or whether he would survive.”

“Chandasena was brave, but he followed a path that Sattvasheela had already travelled and returned from alive. Sattvasheela faced the unknown without any such assurance. Therefore, his courage was greater.”

As soon as Vikramaditya had spoken, Vethala slipped from his shoulder and returned to the Shishapa tree. Vikramaditya turned back through the cremation ground and went once more to bring him down.