प्रतिष्ठानपुर-नरेश सातवाहन आखेटको निकले और सैनिकोंसे पृथक् होकर वनमें भटक गये। वनमें भटकते भूखे-प्यासे राजा सातवाहन एक भीलकी झोपड़ीपर पहुँच गये। भील उन्हें पहचानता नहीं था, फिर भी अतिथि समझकर उसने उनका स्वागत किया। भीलकी झोपड़ीमें धरा क्या था; सत्तू था उसके पास। राजाने वह सतू खाकर ही क्षुधा दूर की। रात्रि हो चुकी थी, भीलकी झोपड़ीमें ही वे सो रहे
रात्रि शीतकालकी थी। शीतल वायु चल रही थी। भील स्वयं झोपड़ीसे बाहर सोया और राजा सातवाहनको उसने झोपड़ीमें सुलाया। रात्रिमें वर्षा भी हुई। भील भीगता रहा। उसे सर्दी लगी और उसी सर्दीसे रात्रिमें ही उसकी मृत्यु हो गयी।
प्रातःकाल राजाके सैनिक उन्हें ढूँढ़ते पहुँचे। सातवाहनने बड़े सम्मानसे भीलका अन्तिम संस्कार कराया। भीलकी पत्नीको उन्होंने बहुत-सा धन दिया। यह सब करके भी नरेशको शान्ति नहीं हुई। वे नगर लौट तो आये, किंतु उदास रहने लगे। उनका शरीर दिनोदिन दुर्बल होने लगा। मन्त्री तथा देशके विद्वान् क्या करते ? राजाको चिन्ताका रोग था और उसकी ओषधि किसीके पास नहीं थी।
‘बेचारे भीलने मुझे सत्तू दिया, मुझे झोपड़ी में सुलाकर स्वयं बाहर सोया और उसकी मृत्यु हो गयी दान और अतिथि सत्कारका ऐसा ही फल होता हो तो ‘कौन दान-पुण्य करेगा।’ राजाकी चिन्ता यही थी । कई महीने बीत गये, अन्तमें भगवती सरस्वतीके कृपा-पात्र पण्डित वररुचि प्रतिष्ठानपुर पधारे। राजाकी चिन्ताका समाचार पाकर वे राजभवन पधारे और राजाको लेकर नगरसेठके घर गये। नगरसे नगरसेठके नवजात पुत्रको राजाके सामने लाया गया। पण्डितजीके आदेशसे वह अबोध बालक सहसा बोल उठा-‘राजन्! मैं आपका बहुत कृतज्ञ हूँ। आपको सत्तू देनेके फलसे भीलका शरीर छोड़कर मैं नगरसेठका पुत्र हुआ हूँ और उसी पुण्यके प्रभावसे मुझे पूर्वजन्मका स्मरण भी है । ‘ – सु0 सिं0
Pratishthanpur-King Satvahan went out for hunting and got separated from the soldiers and wandered in the forest. Wandering in the forest, the hungry and thirsty King Satvahan reached a Bhilki hut. Bhil did not recognize him, yet he welcomed him as a guest. What was there in Bhil’s hut; Sattu was with him. The king got rid of his hunger by eating that satu. It was night, they were sleeping in Bhilki’s hut.
The night was winter. Cool wind was blowing. Bhil himself slept outside the hut and he made King Satavahana sleep in the hut. It also rained in the night. Bhil kept getting wet. He caught cold and due to that cold he died in the night itself.
In the morning, the king’s soldiers reached in search of him. Satavahana performed the last rites of Bhil with great respect. He gave a lot of money to Bhil’s wife. Even after doing all this, the king was not at peace. They returned to the city, but started feeling sad. His body started getting weak day by day. What would the ministers and scholars of the country do? The king was suffering from anxiety and no one had the medicine for it.
‘The poor Bhil gave me sattu, put me to sleep in the hut and slept outside and died. If charity and hospitality have the same effect, then ‘who will do charity’. This was the concern of the king. Several months passed, finally Pandit Varruchi, who was blessed by Goddess Saraswati, reached Pratishthanpur. After getting the news of the king’s concern, he came to Raj Bhavan and took the king to Nagarseth’s house. The newborn son of Nagarseth from Nagars was brought before the king. By the order of Pandit ji, that innocent child suddenly said – ‘Rajan! I am very grateful to you. As a result of giving Sattu to you, leaving the body of Bhil, I have become the son of Nagarseth and due to the effect of that virtue, I also remember my previous birth. ‘ – Su0 Singh
