Vessantara-Jataka in Pali and English - MyWebSpace
Vessantara-Jataka in Pali and English - MyWebSpace
Vessantara-Jataka in Pali and English - MyWebSpace
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
Translation 569 <strong>Vessantara</strong>-Jåtaka<br />
[Fausbøll, Jåtaka, vol. VI, p. 569]<br />
"O holy man, I trust that you are prosperous <strong>and</strong> well,<br />
With gra<strong>in</strong> to glean, <strong>and</strong> roots <strong>and</strong> fruit abundant where you dwell. 1<br />
Have you been much by flies <strong>and</strong> gnats <strong>and</strong> creep<strong>in</strong>g th<strong>in</strong>gs annoyed,<br />
Or from wild beasts of prey have you immunity enjoyed?"<br />
The Great Be<strong>in</strong>g replied:<br />
"Thank you, brahm<strong>in</strong>—yes, I am both prosperous <strong>and</strong> well,<br />
With gra<strong>in</strong> to glean, <strong>and</strong> fruits <strong>and</strong> roots abundant where I dwell.<br />
From flies <strong>and</strong> gnats <strong>and</strong> creep<strong>in</strong>g th<strong>in</strong>gs I suffer no annoy,<br />
And from wild beasts of prey I here immunity enjoy.<br />
I've lived here seven sad months, <strong>and</strong> you the second brahm<strong>in</strong> found,<br />
Hold<strong>in</strong>g a goat-staff <strong>in</strong> his h<strong>and</strong>, to reach this forest-ground.<br />
Welcome, O brahm<strong>in</strong>! blest the chance directed you this way; 2<br />
Come enter with a bless<strong>in</strong>g, come, <strong>and</strong> wash your feet, I pray.<br />
The t<strong>in</strong>dook <strong>and</strong> the piyal leaves, <strong>and</strong> kāsumārī sweet,<br />
And fruits like honey, brahm<strong>in</strong>, take the best I have, <strong>and</strong> eat.<br />
And this cool water from a cave high hidden on a hill,<br />
O noble brahm<strong>in</strong>! take of it, dr<strong>in</strong>k if it be your will." 3<br />
As thus they talked pleasantly together he asked of his com<strong>in</strong>g:<br />
"And now what reason or what cause directed you this way?<br />
Why have you sought the mighty woods? resolve me this, I pray."<br />
Then Sakka replied: "O k<strong>in</strong>g, I am old, but I have come here to beg your wife Maddī;<br />
pray give her to me," <strong>and</strong> he repeated this stanza:<br />
"As a great water-flood is full <strong>and</strong> fails not any day,<br />
So you, from whom I come to beg—give me your wife, I pray."<br />
To this the Great Be<strong>in</strong>g did not reply—"Yesterday I gave away my children to a brahm<strong>in</strong>,<br />
how can I give Maddī to you <strong>and</strong> be left alone <strong>in</strong> the forest!" No, he was as though<br />
putt<strong>in</strong>g a purse of a thous<strong>and</strong> pieces <strong>in</strong> his h<strong>and</strong>: <strong>in</strong>different, unattached, with no cl<strong>in</strong>g<strong>in</strong>g<br />
of m<strong>in</strong>d, he made the mounta<strong>in</strong> re-echo with this stanza:<br />
1 See p. 532 above.<br />
2<br />
See pp. 532 <strong>and</strong> 542 above; <strong>and</strong> <strong>Jataka</strong> No. 540 (Cowell, vol. VI, p. 48).<br />
3 See p. 542 above; <strong>and</strong> <strong>Jataka</strong> No. 540 (Cowell, vol. VI, p. 48).