Vessantara-Jataka in Pali and English - MyWebSpace

Translation 505 Vessantara-Jåtaka
[Fausbøll, Jåtaka, vol. VI, p. 505]
Now a deity told the news to the kings of all India: how Vessantara was giving great gifts
of high-born maidens and the like. Therefore the Khattiyas by the divine power came in a
chariot, and returned with the high-born maidens and so forth that they had received.
Thus did Khattiyas, brahmans, Vessas, and Suddas, all receive gifts at his hands before
they departed. He was still distributing his gifts when evening fell; so he returned to his
dwelling, to greet his parents and that night to depart. In gorgeous chariot he proceeded to
the place where his parents dwelt, and with him Maddī went, in order to take leave of his
parents with him. The Great Being greeted his father and announced their coming.
To explain this, the Master said:
"Give greeting to King Sañjaya the righteous: bid him know
That since he now doth banish me, to Vaṁka hill I go.
Whatever beings, mighty king, the future time shall know,
With their desires unsatisfied to Yama's house shall go.
For wrong 1 I did my people, giving bounty from my hand,
By all the people's sentence I go banished from the land.
That sin I now would expiate i’ the panther-haunted wood:
If you will wallow in the slough, 2 yet I will still do good."
These four stanzas the Great Being addressed to his father: and then he turned to his
mother, asking her permission to leave the world with these words:
"Mother, I take my leave of you: a banished man I stand.
For wrong I did my people, giving bounty from my hand,
By all the people's sentence I go banished from the land.
1
abhisasiṁ: "pīḷesiṁ," schol.
2
paṁkamhi: "kāmapaṁkamhi," schol.