A long time ago, in the south of India, on the ocean coast stood the port of Chinchin. It was a large trading city. Rich merchants from different countries came there. All goods that were transported from South India to China, to the island of Bali, to Java, to Sumatra and to other countries went through Chinchin. In this city there lived a merchant named Bhaujik. He had three daughters. He married them to three brothers, merchants from North India, and they became his assistants in trade matters. When Bhaujik grew old, he divided the property among his three sons-in-law.
Soon, a famine suddenly occurred throughout the entire area, and it lasted for about three years. Trade fell into decline. The three brothers tried their best to help each other, but in the end they went broke. The brothers gave their wives their last money and went to foreign lands to seek their fortune. No one knew where they went.
The sisters were left alone, without help. The middle one was expecting a child. Everyone around was starving. If not for the support of their father's friend Yajnyadatta, the sisters would probably have starved to death. After some time, the middle sister had a son. He was the only joy for the sisters. They called him Putrak, that is, son.
When Putrak grew up, he decided to go north to learn some craft. He reached the Vindhya Mountains and found himself in a dense forest. There he saw two people quarreling among themselves. Things came to a fight. Putrak approached them and asked:
– You look like each other, like brothers, why do you quarrel?
“Our father was a sorcerer,” they answered. “He bequeathed three things to us: wooden sandals, a staff and a bowler hat. Who should own them? To solve this, we are trying our best.
- So you started a fight over such trifles? – Putrak asked.
- Nonsense?! Do you know what these things are? – exclaimed one of the brothers. “Whoever puts on these sandals can fly invisible wherever he wants.”
- And this pot will never run out of food!
In it you will find whatever food you want and as much as your heart desires,” said the second.
- This stick is also magic. All you have to do is draw something with it, and you will receive it immediately,” added the first.
Putrak thought and said:
- OK! To decide which of you is stronger, there is no need to start a fight. Both of you run to that tree over there. Whoever returns first will get everything.
The brothers liked it and started running to the tree. And Putrak, without wasting any time, grabbed the staff with one hand, the bowler hat with the other, put on his sandals, soared into the sky and disappeared.
He flew and flew and suddenly saw a beautiful city below. Putrak came down and went to the city. On the way he met an old woman. From her, Putrak learned that the city is called Pushkararati and that the king who rules it has a beautiful daughter named Patali. The astrologers predicted to the king that his daughter would run away with a stranger. Therefore, the king keeps constant guard at the princess’s chambers.
Putrak heard this and became eager to see the king’s daughter. He put on his sandals again, entered the palace unseen and went straight to the princess. Putrak saw how beautiful she was and decided to marry her.
- I will free you from this prison! - he said.
As the astrologers predicted, the princess agreed to marry Putrak. Both of them knew that the king would never give his consent to this marriage, and they got married secretly. And then Putrak took his wife to a deserted place on the banks of the Ganges. Here he drew. on the sand with a magic stick, a large, beautiful city - and immediately beautiful palaces, gardens and rich bazaars grew in this place. Putrak gave the most beautiful palace to his mother and her sisters. And in addition he gave them a magic cauldron. Patali and Putrak began to rule this city and lived there happily ever after. That is why this city began to be called Pataliputra.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru