Vessantara-Jataka in Pali and English - MyWebSpace

Translation 503 Vessantara-Jåtaka
[Fausbøll, Jåtaka, vol. VI, p. 503]
Seven hundred elephants he gave, with splendour all bedight, 1
With girths of gold, capārīsoned with trappings golden bright,
Each ridden by his own mahout, with spikèd hook in hand:
Lo now the King Vessantara goes banished from the land!
Seven hundred horses too he gave, bedeckt in bright array,
Horses of Sindh, and thorobreds, all fleet of foot are they,
Each ridden by a henchman bold, with sword and bow in hand:
Lo now the King Vessantara goes banished from the land!
Seven hundred chariots all yoked, with banners flying free,
With tiger skin and panther hide, a gorgeous sight to see,
Each driven by mailèd charioteers, all armed with bow in hand:
Lo now the King Vessantara goes banished from the land!
Seven hundred women too he gave, each standing in a car,—
With golden chains and ornaments bedeckt these women are,
With lovely dress and ornaments, with slender waist and small,
Curved brows, a merry smile and bright, and shapely hips withal:
Lo now the King Vessantara goes banished from the land!
Seven hundred kine he also gave, with silver milkpails all:
Lo now the King Vessantara goes banished from the land!
Seven hundred female slaves he gave, as many men at call:
Lo now the King Vessantara goes banished from the land!
Cars, horses, women, elephants he gave, yet after all,
Lo now the King Vessantara goes banished from the land!
That was a thing most terrible, that made the hair to stand,
When now the King Vessantara goes banished from the land!" 2
1
Compare this and the following lines with Jataka No. 529 (Fausbøll, vol. V, p. 258, line
28; Cowell, vol. V, p. 132); and Jataka No. 539 (Fausbøll, vol. VI, p. 47, line 22; Cowell,
vol. VI, p. 30).
2
The scholiast, in his comment paraphrasing the above, adds another stanza (Fausbøll, p.
504): "Then sounded forth a mighty sound, a terrible great roar;/For giving gifts they
banish thee—now hast thou given more!"