King Vikramaditya returned to the Shishapa tree, brought down the corpse in which Vethala dwelt and placed it upon his shoulder. Then he set out once more through the dark cremation ground. As they went, Vethala began another story. “O King, listen to another tale while we travel.”

In the kingdom of Nepal stood a city named Shivapuram, ruled by King Yashah-ketu. He had placed much of the work of the kingdom in the hands of his minister Prabha-sagara. His chief queen was Chandra-prabha. In time, a daughter was born to them and was named Shashi-prabha. As she grew, her beauty became famous.

When spring arrived one year, Shashi-prabha went with her companions to the gardens to enjoy the Vasantotsava. At that same time, a young Brahmin named Manah-svami, who had come there on pilgrimage, happened to see her. She was gathering flowers, her arms raised among the creepers, and the sight of her struck him at once with love.

Shashi-prabha also saw the young Brahmin. Their eyes met, and for a moment both stood still. Before either could speak, a great cry arose in the garden. A maddened elephant had broken its chain and came crashing through the trees, with its goad still hanging from its side.

The attendants scattered in fear. Manah-svami ran forward, lifted the frightened princess in his arms and carried her beyond the elephant’s reach. Soon her attendants returned and hurried her back to the palace.

That evening, he went to Mula-deva, a man skilled in secret arts, whom he regarded as his teacher. Manah-svami bowed before him and told him everything. Mula-deva agreed to help and placed a magical pill in his own mouth, by which he took the form of an old Brahmin. He placed another pill in Manah-svami’s mouth, and the young man immediately appeared as a delicate and beautiful maiden.

Taking Manah-svami with him in this form, Mula-deva went to the court of King Yashah-ketu. He said, “O King, I have only one son. I brought this girl from far away to become his wife, but my son has disappeared somewhere. I must go in search of him, so I ask you to protect this maiden until I return.”

The king agreed and called his daughter. “Shashi-prabha, take this girl into your own palace and care for her as you would a sister.” The princess obeyed, and Manah-svami, still appearing as a young woman, entered the inner palace with her. Mula-deva then left.

Before long, Shashi-prabha grew fond of her new companion. But Manah-svami noticed that the princess was becoming pale and sorrowful. One night, when they were alone, he asked, “Friend, why do you grow thinner every day? Why does your face lose its brightness? If you will not tell me what troubles you, I shall not eat.”

Shashi-prabha sighed and said, “Listen, my friend. Once I went to the spring garden, and there I saw a young Brahmin of wonderful beauty. Then a mad elephant rushed into the garden, and when everyone else fled, that young man lifted me in his arms and carried me to safety. Since that day, I have not been able to forget him. I see him in my dreams.”

Manah-svami could contain himself no longer. He removed the magical pill from his mouth and stood before her in his own form. “Beautiful one,” he said, “I am that same Brahmin whom you saw in the garden. I took the form of a woman only so that I might come near you.”

Shashi-prabha was surprised. The two were secretly united by the Gandharva form of marriage. From then on, Manah-svami lived as a woman during the day with the magical pill in his mouth and, at night, after removing it, returned to his true form and stayed with Shashi-prabha.

Some time later, a marriage celebration was arranged in the family of the minister Prabha-sagara. Shashi-prabha was invited to attend, and Manah-svami went with her in the form of the beautiful young woman. When the minister’s son saw this unknown maiden, he became lovesick.

The matter reached King Yashah-ketu. His ministers advised him to give the Brahmin girl to the young man for the present.

The king accepted their advice and told Manah-svami, still in female form, that he was to be married to the minister’s son. Manah-svami replied, “I will agree only on one condition. After the marriage, my husband must leave for six months on pilgrimage and must not live with me until he returns.”

The minister’s son accepted the condition, and the marriage was performed. Soon afterward, he left on the promised pilgrimage. Manah-svami remained in his house in the form of a woman. There he lived with the young man’s wife, Mrigankadatta, and the two became close friends.

One warm night, while the attendants slept outside, Mrigankadatta could not sleep. She turned to her companion and said, “Friend, tell me a story. Sleep will not come to me tonight.”

Manah-svami told her the story of King Ila. “Long ago, King Ila of the Solar race was changed into a woman through the power of Gauri. In that form, Ila possessed wonderful beauty, and Budha, the son of the Moon, loved her. From their union, Pururava was born.”

Mrigankadatta listened and was silent for a while. Hearing the story, Mrigankadatta desired a man.

Manah-svami then said, “There is something about me that you do not know. By the power of a pill, I appear as a woman by day and as a man by night.” He removed the magical pill from his mouth, and before Mrigankadatta stood the young Brahmin in his true form. In this way, Manah-svami secretly united with her as well.

After Vethala had finished the story, he asked Vikramaditya, “O King, tell me this. Between the minister’s son and Manah-svami, who has the rightful claim to Mrigankadatta?”

Vikramaditya replied, “Mrigankadatta is the wife of the minister’s son. Manah-svami entered that house in the form of another woman and came to her secretly through deception. He cannot become her rightful husband merely because he later revealed his true form and united with her. Her husband remains the man to whom she had already been given in marriage.”

Hearing Vikramaditya’s answer, Vethala slipped from the king’s shoulder and returned to the Shishapa tree. Vikramaditya went after him once again.