Bhai Bachittar Singh - Elephant Slayer

Dadi: "Beta Guddu, do you know of a woman who sailed to heaven on a bamboo raft to bring her husband back from death?"

Guddu: "Sailed to heaven? On a raft? That sounds like a fairy tale, Dadi!"

Dadi: "It's one of the most beloved stories from Bengal, beta. It's about a woman named Behula and the power of her love."

Guddu: "Tell me the story!"

Dadi: "Long ago, there was a wealthy merchant named Chand Sadagar. He was devoted to Lord Shiva and worshipped no one else. But the serpent goddess Manasa wanted him to worship her too."

Guddu: "What did she do?"

Dadi: "She asked nicely at first, but Chand refused stubbornly. He said, "My right hand gives offerings only to Shiva. I will never worship you!" This made Manasa very angry."

Guddu: "Did she punish him?"

Dadi: "Terribly! She sank seven of his merchant ships. Then, one by one, she sent poisonous snakes to bite his sons. Six sons died from snake bites!"

Guddu: "That's horrible! What about the seventh son?"

Dadi: "Chand was determined to save his last son, Lakhindar. He had the divine architect build an iron palace with no holes at all - so no snake could ever enter. And he arranged for Lakhindar to marry Behula, a girl whose horoscope said she would never become a widow."

Guddu: "So they were safe?"

Dadi: "They thought so. But Manasa was cunning. She convinced the architect to leave one tiny hole in the palace. On the wedding night, she sent her deadliest snake, Kalnagini, through that hole."

Guddu: "Oh no!"

Dadi: "The snake saw Behula sleeping beside her new husband. For a moment, she hesitated - Behula had done nothing wrong. But Manasa had ordered her. When Lakhindar was bitten, he cried out. Behula woke up and saw the snake slithering away. She threw a grinding stone at it and cut off part of its tail!"

Guddu: "But her husband?"

Dadi: "He died in her arms, beta. The venom was too strong. But Behula refused to accept her fate as a widow. She did something no one had ever done before."

Guddu: "What did she do?"

Dadi: "She placed Lakhindar's body on a bamboo raft, and she sat beside him. Then she pushed the raft into the river and began floating - toward heaven itself!"

Guddu: "She sailed with a dead body? For how long?"

Dadi: "For months, beta. Months! The raft floated past village after village. People saw her - a young woman sitting beside a decaying body, praying constantly to Manasa. They thought she had gone mad with grief."

Guddu: "Didn't she give up?"

Dadi: "Never. She faced storms, hunger, loneliness, and the terrible sight of her beloved's body changing. But her love kept her going. She kept praying, kept hoping, kept believing."

Guddu: "Then what happened?"

Dadi: "Finally, the raft reached a place where a servant of Manasa worked as a washerwoman. This woman heard Behula's prayers and used her powers to contact the goddess. She helped Behula reach heaven itself!"

Guddu: "She actually got to heaven?"

Dadi: "Yes! And there, Behula danced. She danced so beautifully, with such devotion, that all the gods were pleased. Even Manasa was moved."

Guddu: "Did they bring Lakhindar back?"

Dadi: "The gods agreed to restore Lakhindar's life, but on one condition - Chand Sadagar must finally worship Manasa."

Guddu: "Did he agree?"

Dadi: "*chuckles* This is the interesting part, beta. When Behula returned to earth with Lakhindar alive and well, Chand still didn't want to give in completely. He went to Manasa's shrine, but he refused to look at her idol. And he worshipped with his LEFT hand, not his right - because his right hand was still reserved only for Shiva!"

Guddu: "That's stubborn! Was Manasa angry?"

Dadi: "Surprisingly, no! She was so pleased that Chand had come at all that she accepted even this half-hearted worship. She restored all of Chand's dead sons and gave back his fortune. She realized that forcing complete submission wasn't necessary - even a small gesture of respect was enough."

Guddu: "Behula saved everyone!"

Dadi: "She did, beta. A woman whom everyone thought was crazy, sailing on a raft with a dead body - she changed everything through the sheer power of her love and determination."

Guddu: "What does this story teach us, Dadi?"

Dadi: "So many things, beta! First, the power of persistence - Behula didn't give up even when everyone thought she was mad. Second, the strength of love - it can move heaven itself. Third, compromise is not weakness - both Chand and Manasa learned to meet in the middle. And finally, women's strength - in Bengal, both Behula and Manasa are celebrated as icons of feminine power. In life, you will face situations where everyone tells you to give up. But if your cause is pure and your heart is true, keep sailing your raft. You might just reach heaven."

Guddu: "Behula is a real hero, Dadi!"

Dadi: "She is worshipped to this day in Bengal, beta. Her dance is performed during monsoon festivals. Her story reminds us that love, truly felt, can triumph over even death."