Vessantara-Jataka in Pali and English - MyWebSpace
Vessantara-Jataka in Pali and English - MyWebSpace
Vessantara-Jataka in Pali and English - MyWebSpace
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
Translation 491 <strong>Vessantara</strong>-Jåtaka<br />
[Fausbøll, Jåtaka, vol. VI, p. 491]<br />
Hear<strong>in</strong>g this, the k<strong>in</strong>g suspected that they wished to slay <strong>Vessantara</strong>; <strong>and</strong> he said:<br />
"Yea, let my country be no more, my k<strong>in</strong>gdom no more be,<br />
Banish I will not from his realm a pr<strong>in</strong>ce from fault quite free,<br />
Nor will obey the people's voice: my true-born son is he.<br />
Yea, let my country be no more, my k<strong>in</strong>gdom no more be,<br />
Banish I will not from his realm a pr<strong>in</strong>ce from fault quite free,<br />
Nor will obey the people's voice: my very son is he.<br />
No, I will work no harm on him; all noble is he still;<br />
And it would be a shame for me, <strong>and</strong> it would cause much ill.<br />
<strong>Vessantara</strong>, my very son, with sword how could I kill?"<br />
The people of Sivi replied:<br />
"Not chastisement doth he deserve, nor sword, nor prison cell,<br />
But from the k<strong>in</strong>gdom banish him, on Vaṁka's mount to dwell."<br />
The k<strong>in</strong>g said:<br />
"Behold the people's will! <strong>and</strong> I that will do not ga<strong>in</strong>say.<br />
But let him bide one happy night before he go away.<br />
After the space of this one night, when dawns the com<strong>in</strong>g day,<br />
Together let the people come <strong>and</strong> banish him away."<br />
They agreed to the k<strong>in</strong>g's proposal for just the one night. Then he let them go away, <strong>and</strong><br />
th<strong>in</strong>k<strong>in</strong>g to send a message to his son, he commissioned an agent, who accord<strong>in</strong>gly went<br />
to <strong>Vessantara</strong>'s house <strong>and</strong> told him what had befallen.