The Dark Truth of Vetoba Is….?
The Dark Truth of Vetoba Is …. ?
We all know the story of Vikram Betal. We were told that Betal is a ghost. But if he is really a ghost then why is he worshipped in many places? Why do we consider him God? Vikram Betal has been watching Lord Betal since childhood. He was a ghost, wasn’t he? This is our problem Bholu. We have learned our history and mythology from TV serials. In every scripture, Betal is not considered just a ghost. The identity of Betal is much bigger than just the ghost on TV. Let’s start from the beginning. Where did Betal actually come from?
In many Shiva and Tantric traditions, Betal is described as a follower of Shiva. Of Lord Shiva? Like Nandi and Bhringi. Yes. When Lord Shiva is in the cremation ground in the form of Bhairava, then Gnana, Bhairava and Vetala are all part of his army. Their job is to protect the crematorium. It is interesting. But I feel something else, Tarakesh. If he is a follower of Shiva and the caretaker of the crematorium, then why did he need to enter among the dead bodies? The watchman can protect from outside also.
Because Vetala is not the name of any ordinary soul, firefly. In the Tantric tradition, Vedala is considered a supernatural power that is associated with the dead body. When a consciousness that is neither alive nor dead enters a fresh corpse to connect it with this world, it is called Vetala. So it’s not just a keeper. It is itself something caught between this world and that world. I accept that he has supernatural powers. Then how was a Tantrik controlling him? In the story of Vikram Betal, the Tantrik had hung him upside down on a tree. It was not kept hanging. The Tantrik wanted to control her but was unable to do so. Because Vetala can see beyond time and space. The Tantrik wanted to expand his kingdom with that power. That’s why he used Vikram. To bring Betal and sacrifice Vikram.
So what was Betal who kept asking riddles 24 nights? Many believe that Betal’s riddles were a test of King Vikram’s wisdom and justice. To see if this king is worthy of stopping that Tantrik or not. Meaning he was not scaring people by pretending to be a ghost. He was conducting the test as a judge. And the impact of this thinking is still alive somewhere today. There is a place where people consider him not a ghost but something else. Yes absolutely. Even today, if you go to the Konkan belt of Maharashtra or Goa, you will find temples of Betal there. Betal’s temple is worshipped there.
Not worship Bholu, there he is called Vetoba. He is the village deity there. People believe that Vitoba roams around his village in the darkness of night. No ghost or evil spirit is allowed to enter the village. No one is afraid of them there. People call upon him to protect them. So what do people offer them there? Sweet? Leather shoes. Shoes? Yes, he is the god of the crematorium. People offer them leather sandals so that when they go out to guard the village at night, their feet do not get pricked by thorns. The people take care of the feet of the god who protects them in the dark.
A power that protects the village, whose feet people wear shoes on and we kept considering it a scary ghost. He is a part between life and death, Bholu, who appears when a person becomes blinded by greed or when the time of his test comes. Just this night Vikram was washing a dead body on his shoulder. He thought he was catching a ghost. But the people of Goa recognized him and put shoes on his feet. Perhaps calling Betal just a ghost would be shortening his story too much. Hold on, hold on. If Betal is really one of Shiva’s Ganas, a protector, then why are people afraid of him? Why is it said that Tantrik people call him to do something bad? That’s a good question, Bholu. The answer to which lies in the second part of this story because the power that can protect can also harm. It depends on who is calling him and with what intention.
