Legends and Parables of India: The Old Sage and the Fifty Princesses

The Old Sage and the Fifty Princesses

Sauvari was a sage who practiced penance in an unusual way. He sat submerged in the waters of the River Yamuna, deep in meditation.

One day, while keeping his eyes open and enjoying the play of the aquatic creatures, he spotted the king of the fish, Sumanta, swimming by. Sumanta was surrounded by family, with his children and grandchildren frolicking around him.

Suddenly, a desire struck the sage’s heart. “It must be a very exciting experience to have children and grandchildren. Why can’t I have them too?” he pondered.

The King’s Dilemma

Before long, he found himself on the bank, walking towards the palace of King Mandhata, a renowned ruler.

The king received the sage warmly. “I am honored to have you as my guest today,” said the king. “I would feel even more honored if I can assist you in any way.”

“I am pleased with you, O king. I have come to request the hand of one of your daughters. I have decided to marry and raise a family,” replied the sage.

This was a bolt from the blue for the king. While he held great respect for the sage, the idea of marrying one of his daughters to a man so old was altogether different. The sage did not possess the appearance of a bridegroom!

Yet, to refuse him outright would invite danger. Who could disregard the wrath of a sage?

An idea struck the king. “O Sage! I would be proud to have you as my son-in-law. However, according to the customs of our dynasty, the choice of a husband is always left to our daughters themselves!” he explained.

A Magical Transformation

The sage, perceptive as he was, understood the king’s thoughts. He merely smiled, saying, “In that case, please arrange for me to meet your daughters. If I am fortunate, I should be able to find a bride among them.”

The king, convinced his daughters would ridicule the old sage, instructed a servant to guide the sage to the inner apartments of the palace.

Contrary to the king’s fears, as the sage entered the palace, he used a bit of his yogic power to transform into a youthful and enchanting figure. However, only the king’s daughters could see him in his new form; others still saw him as the old sage.

The fifty daughters of the king were playing in the garden when they stopped, astonished at the sight of the young man with exquisite charm appearing among them.

“Here is a great sage, Sauvari by name, who has chosen to take a wife. Will any of you like to marry him?” announced the sage’s escort.

The Marriage of the Sage

After a moment of silence, the eldest princess stepped forward, blushing, and muttered, “I would be proud to have him as my husband!”

Before long, all the other royal young ladies pressed closer to the sage, expressing their enthusiasm to marry him.

A princess soon brought a garland and placed it around the sage’s neck, and the others followed suit.

The king stood stunned when he heard about the event in the garden. He had no choice but to arrange for the marriage of all fifty of his daughters to the sage.

The proud sage then led his fifty wives to a secluded area by the Yamuna River. There, he used his yogic powers once again to create fifty separate mansions, each surrounded by orchards and gardens for his wives.

With just a bit more of his yogic energy, he gathered great wealth to provide his wives with comfort and hired numerous servants to attend to them.

A Father’s Visit

Sometime later, King Mandhata visited to see how his daughters lived. He was immediately surprised and delighted by what he found. He met his eldest daughter first. “Are you all right, child?” he asked.

“Couldn’t be better,” she replied, explaining how deeply her husband loved her. “He hardly ever visits any other wife of his. Sometimes I feel selfish for holding onto all his love, but what can I do if he does not care for anyone else?” she said with pride.

As the king continued to visit each of his daughters, he heard the same sentiment echoed again and again. It dawned on him that the sage, through his yogic powers, had created the illusion for each wife that he devoted all of his attention to her alone! The king returned, content, as any father would.

The Sage’s Regret

Years passed, and Sauvari was blessed with many children whom he raised well. As they grew into young men and women, he looked forward to seeing their own offspring. He arranged their marriages and soon was surrounded by a multitude of grandchildren.

One evening, while strolling alone on the bank of the Yamuna at sunset, he pondered the flowing waters and the passage of time. Suddenly, he saw another seer passing by. Sauvari called out to him.

The seer stopped and asked, “Who are you?”

“Why! Can’t you recognize me? I am Sauvari, the sage!” he declared.

The traveling seer laughed, “Don’t tell me that. You are an ordinary man. If you were truly Sauvari, the sage, I would discern the power of a great yogi in you!” remarked the seer before moving on.

Stupefied, Sauvari realized that he had exhausted all the spiritual energy he had painstakingly gathered over decades for the sake of ordinary earthly pleasures. Overwhelmed by regret and repentance, he understood that he must start over from the very beginning.

With a heavy heart, he crossed the river and walked on, leaving behind the fifty beautiful mansions. He never looked back.