Vessantara-Jataka in Pali and English - MyWebSpace

Translation 485 Vessantara-Jåtaka
[Fausbøll, Jåtaka, vol. VI, p. 485]
From the time of the Bodhisat's conception, there was no end one might say to the king's
revenue; by the influence of the king's goodness, the kings of all India sent him presents.
Now the queen while with child remained with her large company of attendants, until ten
months were fulfilled, and then she wished to visit the city. She informed the king, who
caused the city to be decorated like to a city of the gods: he set his queen in a noble
chariot, and made procession about the city rightwise. When they had reached the midst
of the Vessa 1 quarter, the birthpangs 2 seized upon her. They told the king, and then and
there he caused a lying-in chamber to be made and made her go there; and then she
brought forth a son; wherefore it is said—
"Ten months she bore me in her womb; procession then they made;
And Phusatī in Vessa Street of me was brought to bed."
The Great Being came from his mother's womb free from impurity, open-eyed, and on
the instant holding out his hand to his mother, he said, "Mother, I wish to make some gift;
is there anything?" She replied, "Yes, my son, give as you will," and dropped a purse of a
thousand pieces into the outstretched hand. Three times the Great Being spoke as soon as
born: in the Ummagga Birth, in this Birth, and in his last Birth. On his name-day, because
he was born in the Vessa Street, they gave him the name Vessantara; wherefore it is said:
"My name not from the mother's side nor from the father's came;
As I was born in Vessa Street, Vessantara's my name."
On his very birthday, a female flying elephant brought a young one, esteemed to be of
lucky omen, white all over, and left it in the royal stables. Because this creature came to
supply a need of the Great Being, they named it Paccaya. The king appointed four times
sixty 3 nurses for the Great Being, neither too tall nor too short, and free from all other
fault, with sweet milk; he appointed also nurses for the sixty thousand children born with
him, and so he grew up surrounded by this great company of sixty thousand children. The
king caused to be made a prince's necklace with a hundred thousand pieces of money,
and gave it to his son; but he, being of four or five years of age,
1
Vaißya.
2
kammajavātā.
3
So the Burmese, p. 9: but catusaṭṭhi usually means 64. The idea was however that four
should attend on him in each of the sixty divisions of the day and night.