Curious, the king personally inspected a magnificent and strong horse, and stood beside him to observe its movements. However, as soon as King Vikramaditya sat in the saddle, the horse sprang up at lightning speed, and carried them into the dense forest, where it threw them off and then disappeared. The king, lost in the forest, kept wandering in search of a way to get back to his kingdom, but to no avail.
After wandering for some time, the king saw a shepherd in a state of hunger and thirst, the king went to the shepherd and asked for water, the kind shepherd gave water to the king. In gratitude, the king gifted him one of his rings. Then after talking to the shepherd for a while, the king asked the shepherd about the way ahead and proceeded further into the forest and reached a city.
In the city, the king rested at the shop of a wealthy merchant (seth). While talking to the Seth, the king told that he had come from the city of Ujjain. The king then asked the merchant about the city and stopped at the merchant's shop. The merchant experienced an increase in sales at his shop and thought the king was exceptionally lucky. Impressed by the king, the merchant invited him to his house for dinner.
A gold necklace was hanging on a peg in a room within the merchant's house. The merchant left the king alone in that room for a while. When the merchant returned, he saw that the necklace had mysteriously disappeared. Confused and angry, the merchant asked about the necklace and the king explained its sudden disappearance.
The merchant, enraged at the loss of his prized possession, ordered the king's hands and feet to be cut off as punishment. King Vikramaditya endured this cruel ordeal and the king's hands and feet were cut off and left on the city street. After some time, Vikramaditya was seen by an oilman, who took him away with him. The king worked with the oilman day after day and carried out the tasks ordered by the oilman, Vikramaditya's life went on like this, full of hardships and toil. During this period he experienced the astrological phenomenon called "Sadhe Sati" of Saturn, which coincided with the beginning of the rainy season.
One day, when the king was singing Megh Malhar, Princess Mohini, the daughter of the king of the city, was mesmerized by his voice and ordered her maid to bring this charming singer to her. The maid went to Vikramaditya as per the princess's orders, and saw that Vikramaditya was handicapped. The maid returned to the palace and told the princess about Vikramaditya singing Megh Malhar and his physical disability, but the princess' heart was stuck on his melodious song. Without getting distracted by Vikramaditya's disability, the princess decided to marry him.
