23-Beautiful Woman
Outer beauty is momentary, only internal beauty is the basis of happy married life 

Vikram was walking fast. Vaitaal was continuing his story, he said - "Vikram, There lived two brothers in Angaj Desh. Both were  very handsome, both loved each other very much, and both lived together. Both were like one another's shadow.

Once it so happened that Basant and Sant (these were their names) came to a garden at the end of the city. The garden was very beautiful. Basant got lost in its beauty, but Sant was looking at some other side. Suddenly he saw a young woman's face behind a flowery bush. First he could not make out whether he was seeing a large flower or a face of a woman, but when she moved away from there laughing, he became sure that it was not a flower but a woman's face. And then he thought that she was really beautiful. She seemed to him an Apsaraa.

After she has left, he looked around and found his brother lost in the beauty of the garden. He asked - "Brother, What are you looking at?" "Nothing, nothing, just looking around." But in the meantime he also saw that beauty, so he asked his younger brother - "Who is that beautiful woman?" So Hey Vikram, Both brother got attracted to her.

That woman went in a house nearby that garden. While going she smiled and blinked at both of them. Both felt that she had fallen in love with them. Then they tried to find out whose house it was, who was that woman etc. After a while they met an adult woman, she asked them - "Why are you wandering like this?" They asked her - "Whose house is this?" She understood their purpose. She replied - "Come here tomorrow at this place, you will meet her here only." Both brothers went back to their home.

Next day both brothers got ready to go. Basant got irritated to see Sant ready to go, so he asked - "Why are you coming with me?" "She has .. me.." "No, Only I will go there." Sant said - "But she has asked ..." Basant said - "She has asked only me to come there, not you." Sant said - "This is injustice, Brother. I have seen her first." Basant said - "But she as blinked at me." Sant said - "She herself will decide this. I will ask her." Basant insisted - "But you will not go today." Sant had to stay back. This created a difference between those two loving brothers.

Basant went to the same garden. She was there. Basant went near her and asked her - "Who are you, O Beautiful woman?" "My name is Maayaa." "Do you accept my love?" She laughed and said - "Love? Do you want to marry me?" "Yes." She again said - "But see, My this beauty is fake." and in a  moment she became an ordinary woman.

She said - "By applying a special paste, I become so beautiful. A Rishi gave me this paste. My this fake beauty remains only till somebody touches me, but as soon somebody touches me, my real form will appear. Will you be able to love me then?" Basant got very disappointed to see her real face. He went back quietly.

Sant was waiting for him restlessly. As he saw him coming, he came rushing to him and asked him - "What happened, Brother?" Basant sighed and said - "Tomorrow you yourself go there." Sant got very happy to hear this. He got assured that she has refused to Basant. He passed the night just changing sides on his bed.

Next morning, he came in the garden at the right time. She was standing there. He asked - "What is your name O Beautiful woman?" "My name is Maayaa." "Do you accept my love?" She laughed and said - "Love? Do you want to marry me?" "Yes." She again said - "But see, My this beauty is a fake." and in a  moment she became an ordinary woman. By applying a special paste, I become so beautiful. A Rishi gave me this paste. My this fake beauty remains only till somebody touches me, but as soon somebody touches me, my real form appears. Will you be able to love me then?"

Sant said - "So what? I love you. If you are not beautiful, you should be qualitative." At this she said - "I know everything. I know how to satisfy husband. I will be a good wife." Sant said - "I will marry you." She took him to her home. She introduced him to her parents. Her parents agreed. Sant came back happily. 

He told Basant that he was marrying her. Basant got surprised to hear this, he confirmed - "Have you understood her very well?" "Yes. I have understood her." Basant again said - "She become beautiful by applying a special paste." "Yes." Basant still couldn't believe. Sant brought her after marrying her. His parents got very happy to have her.

Sant got surprised to see her beauty after the marriage. He said - "You don't change?" She said - "My real face is this only. I did that only to test people. I wanted to know who loved me for my beauty and who loved me for my qualities." Knowing this Sant got very happy.

When Basant knew this, he became jealous with Sant. He repented for his foolishness. He became restless to get her. One day he forcefully held her. She started crying, that Sant had come. He saw this bad behavior of his elder brother, he got very angry and he immediately cut his head. All abused Sant that he cut his elder brother's head. People were so surprised to hear this, that they loved each other so much and now they became each other's enemy.

The King also came to know this, so his soldiers took away Sant to the King. The King heard the whole incident and made a judgment. Guess, What judgment the king would have made?"

Vikram said - "Listen Vaitaal, The outer beauty is only momentary. Only qualities are the real beauty of a man and basis of happy married life. Sant's decision was right, therefore Sant is innocent." 

Vaitaal said - "You are right, Vikram." He again laughed loudly and escaped Vikram's strong hold. He ran and hung on the same tree. This time Vikram was very angry at Vaitaal.