Vessantara-Jataka in Pali and English - MyWebSpace

Translation 489 Vessantara-Jåtaka
[Fausbøll, Jåtaka, vol. VI, p. 489]
which comes to as much as four and twenty hundred thousand: moreover the jewels great
and small upon the canopy, the jewels in his necklace of pearls, the jewels in the goad,
the jewels in the pearl necklace about his neck, the jewels on his frontal globes, all these
without price, the elephant also without price, making with the elephant seven priceless
things—all these he gave to the brahmins; besides five hundred attendants with the
grooms and stablemen: and with that gift the earthquake came to pass, and the other
portents as related above.
To explain this, the Master spoke:
"Then was a mighty terror felt, then bristling of the hair;
When the great elephant was given the earth did quake for fear.
Then was a mighty terror felt, then bristling of the hair;
When the great elephant was given, trembled the town for fear.
With a resounding mighty roar the city all did ring
When the great elephant was given by Sivi's foster-king."
The city of Jetuttara all did tremble. The brahmins, we are told, at the southern gate
received the elephant, mounted upon his back, and amidst a thronging multitude passed
through the midst of the city. The crowd, beholding them, cried out, "O brahmins,
mounted upon our elephant, why are ye taking our elephant?" The brahmins replied, "The
great king Vessantara has given the elephant to us: who are you?" and so with
contumelious gestures to the crowd, through the city they passed and out by the northern
gate by aid of the deities. 1 The people of the city, angry with the Bodhisat, uttered loud
reproaches.
To explain this, the Master said:
"Upon that loud and mighty sound, so terrible to hear,
When the great elephant was given the earth did quake for fear.
Upon that loud and mighty sound, so terrible to hear,
When the great elephant was given trembled the town to hear.
So loud and mighty was the sound all terrible did ring,
When the great elephant was given by Sivi's foster-king."
1
devatāvattanena seems to be out of place; it should go with nikkhamiṁsu according to
the Burmese, and common sense.