Daana-gunam

One day a Siddha by name Manovega came to Vikramaaditya Maharaja and said “Raaja! Near Udayaparvatam, there is a pushkarinii by name Aghanaasham. A Suvarna-Kalasham comes from it at Suuryodayam. As Suurya Bhagavaan raises, the Kalasham also goes up, at Madhyaahnam it reaches Suurya-mandalam. By Suuryaastamaanam, it again comes and goes into the Pushkarinii”. Listening to this Aashcharyam, Vikramaaditya Maharaja asked the Siddha how to reach Aghanaasham. Siddha replied that it can be reached through Yoga-maargam. He has a lehyam (paste) with him, which when applied to the leg, one can reach any place at Manovegam.

Both of them applied the Lehyam and reached Aghanaasham. They waited for Suuryodayam. As the Siddha said, the Divya Kalasham came. Vikramaaditya Maharaja jumped and sat on it. By Madhyaahnam, along with the Kalasham, Vikramaaditya reached Suurya-mandalam. Seeing Vikramaaditya, Suurya Bhagavaan said “Kumaara! No normal person can bear my teevra Tejas. My abhinandanams (congratulations) to your Yoga-shakti. I am very happy with you. Keep these Divya-kundalas as a Bahumaanam (gift) from Me. These are not ordinary Kundalas, they give 8 Pushkariniis full of Suvarnam (1 Baaruvu) everyday”! Taking the Kundalas, along with the Kalasham, Vikramaaditya reached Aghanaasham, after doing Namaskaaram to Suurya Bhagavaan. He then left for Ujjaini.

As soon as he reached Ujjaini, a Viprottama came near him and asked “Raaja! I live in Vidarbha-desham. With the Krupa of my elders, and the Dhanam earned by them, I do Annadaanam to 1000 people everyday. My Sodaras, with Iirsha, told asatyam about me and made the King give me punishment. I need to give away whole of my Sampada, property as a fine. In addition I need to pay somemore amount. To ask help from you I came here”.

Taking pity on the Viprottama, Vikramaaditya Maharaja gave the Divya Kundalams to him and sent him away! After telling this story, the Pratima on the Simhaasanam of Vikramaaditya continued “Bhoja Raaja! Did you see Vikramaaditya’s Daana Gunam? He never turns back an arthi empty handed. He gave away the Divya Kundalams as daanam. Do you have such Daana Gunam?”

Morals in the Story:

The Daana gunam of Vikramaaditya Maharaja is shown in the story. As soon as the Viprottama told his difficulty he gave away the Apoorva Divya Kundalas to the Viprottama.
The Vinayam of the Viprottama is well shown in the story. Though he did many Anna-daanams he didnt have Garvam. He said only because of his elders he is able to do such good deeds.