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I will return. 68. What kind of deed do you regret, having reached the vicinity of death, O king? Tell me that, perhaps we may be able, to permit you to go and return for a question. 69. A promise of wealth was made by me to a brahmin, that promise was undertaken, not released; Having given that promise to the brahmin, guarding the truth, I will return. 70. That which was made by you to the brahmin... O greed, that defilement, once put on, is not freed. Giving that defilement to the brahmin, protecting truth, return again. 71. And he, freed from the man-eater's hand, went to his own house, desiring pleasure. Giving that defilement to the brahmin, he addressed his son, whose being was unstained. 72. Today indeed, anoint yourself to the kingship, practice righteousness among others too. Let there be no unrighteousness in your kingdom, I will go to the man-eater's presence. 73. What deed, O divine one, did I do at your feet, that I did not please you? I wish to hear that. That today you would abandon me from the kingdom, I would even renounce the kingdom without you. 74. Not by deed or by word, father, do I remember having offended you. Having made a pact with the man-eater, protecting truth, I will go again. 75. I will go, you stay here, there is no escape from that alive. If you go, O king, I too will go, neither of us will remain. 76. Indeed, father, this is the custom of the righteous, and that would be more painful to me than death. When Kammāsapāda, having cooked you, forcibly eats you at the foot of a tree. 77. I will give my life for your life, do not go to the man-eater's presence. And I will give this life for you, therefore I choose death over life. 78. Then indeed, the resolute prince, having bowed at the feet of both mother and father; His sorrowful mother fell to the ground, his father, raising his arms, wept. 79. His father, knowing him to be going, turned away and bowed with clasped hands. King Soma and King Varuṇa, Prajāpati, the Moon and the Sun; Protected by these from the man-eater, permitted, return safely, father. 80. The mother of Daṇḍaki, the king who went to the forest, of Rāma... He made a blessing, well-guarded. That blessing I make for you; by this truth may the devas remember. Permitted, go forth in safety, son. 81. Whether openly or secretly, no mental defilement, I never recall having a malicious mind. By this truth may the devas remember, permitted, go forth in safety, brother. 82. Because you did not disrespect me, master, nor were you ever displeasing to my mind. By this truth may the devas remember, permitted, go forth in safety, master. 83. Tall, straight, with a beautiful face, where are you from? You do not know me, living in the forest. Knowing me to be a fierce man-eater, who would wish me well and overcome me here? 84. I know you are a fierce man-eater, I know you well, living in the forest. And I am the son of Jayaddisa, eat me today for my father's release. 85. I know you are the son of Jayaddisa, for indeed the complexion of both your faces is alike. This deed of yours is very difficult, that you wish to die for your father's release. 86. I do not think anything here is difficult, for one who wishes to die for his father's release. And for the sake of his mother, going to the other world, he is endowed with happiness and heaven. 87. And I never recall any evil deed of my own, whether openly or secretly. I have comprehended birth and death, as it is for me here, so it is hereafter. 88. Eat me now, great powerful one, perform your duties with this body. Or I will fall from the top of the tree, you gave me meat, covering me. 89. If this pleases you, prince, that you give up your life for your father's release. Therefore, quickly, break the wood and light the fire. 90. Then indeed the resolute prince, having gathered wood, a great fire, Having kindled it, he reported, "This great fire is now lit." Eat me now, you who act by force; why do you look at me repeatedly with bristling hair? I will do to you just as I did to you, when you gave me, covering me up. Who deserves to eat such a one, who stands in Dhamma, speaks truth, is eloquent? Even his head would split into seven pieces, who would eat such a truth-speaker. Thinking him a brahmin, the hare offered his own body; Therefore, that moon-god, the divine son, has the hare as his mark, granting wishes, O Yakka. As the moon, freed from Rahu's mouth, shines like the sun on the fifteenth day; So may you, freed from the man-eater, shine, O Kapila, of great power; Delighting your father and mother, and may all your relatives rejoice. Then indeed, the resolute prince, with joined palms, approached the man-eater; Permitted, safe, happy, and healthy, he returned to Kapila, with an unblemished being. All the townspeople and country folk, elephant riders, charioteers, and foot soldiers; Came to him, bowing with joined palms, saying: "Homage to you, who performed a difficult deed!" The Third, Jayaddisa Jātaka. Why do you grieve, O slender-limbed one? You are pale, O beautiful one; You wither, O wide-eyed one, like a crushed garland. A longing came upon me, O great king, through a dream; It is not of an easy kind, such is my longing. Whatever human desires there are, in this delightful world; All of them are abundant for me, I will give them to you, your longing. Let hunters, O king, gather, whoever are in your dominion; To them I will tell, what kind of longing is mine. Here are your hunters, O queen, skilled and expert; Knowing the forest and knowing the deer. and for my sake they have given up their lives. 102. Listen, hunters, as many as are gathered here; I saw in a dream a six-tusked white elephant; I need his tusks, without them, there is no life for me. 103. Neither to our fathers nor grandfathers was a six-tusked elephant seen or heard of; Tell us, O princess, what kind of elephant did you see in your dream? 104. The four cardinal directions, the four intermediate directions, upwards, downwards, these ten directions; In which direction does the elephant king stand, the six-tusked one you saw in your dream? 105. Straight from here, in the northern direction, beyond those seven great mountains; There is a splendid mountain called Suvaṇṇapassa, flowering, frequented by Kinnaras. 106. Climb that rock, the abode of Kinnaras, and look at the foot of the mountain; Then you will see a fig tree, the color of a cloud, with a thousand roots. 107. There dwells the six-tusked elephant, all white, difficult for others to overcome; Eight thousand elephants guard him, with tusks like plowshares, swift as the wind in their charge. 108. They stand there, breathing heavily, they get angry even at the wind stirred up; If they saw a human being there, they would turn him to ashes, not even dust of him would remain. 109. Many ornaments are in this royal household, O queen, made of gold, pearls, gems, and lapis lazuli; What will you do with tusk ornaments? Do you wish to kill the six-tusked elephant, or will you have the hunters killed? 110. I am afflicted and distressed, hunter, and I waste away, remembering him; Do this for me, hunter, I will give you five excellent villages. 111. Where does he go? Where does he take his stand? What is his bathing path? How does that elephant king bathe? How can we know the elephant's movements? 112. Not far from there is a delightful pond, with good fords and great waters; Full of blossoms, frequented by swarms of bees, there indeed that Naga king bathes. 113. Having bathed, bearing a garland of lotuses, all white, with a body like a white lotus; Rejoicing, he goes to his dwelling, escorted by the queen, all auspicious. 114. There he, the hunter, having taken up his word, and taken his quiver and bow; He traverses the seven great mountains, the splendid mountain named Suvaṇṇapassa. 115. Having climbed the rock, the abode of Kinnaras, he looked down at the foot of the mountain; There he saw a fig tree, of a color like a cloud, with eight thousand roots. 116. There he saw an elephant with six tusks, all white, invincible by others; Eight thousand Nagas guard him, with tusk-like ploughshares, swift as the wind in their charge. 117. There he saw a pond nearby, delightful, with good fords and great waters; Full of blossoms, frequented by swarms of bees, where indeed that Naga king bathes. 118. Having seen the Naga's movement and posture, the path he takes when going to bathe; He came down, in an ignoble form, driven by the power of his mind. 119. Having dug a pit and covered it with planks, the hunter concealed himself and his bow; He struck the Naga, as he approached, with a broad arrow, he, the doer of evil deeds. 120. The wounded Naga cried out a terrible cry like a heron, and all the Nagas roared terribly; Making grass and wood into powder, they ran in all eight directions. 121. Thinking, "They will kill me," he perceived the saffron banner, the flag of ascetics; Consciousness arose in him, afflicted by pain, "The flag of Arahants is inviolable by good people." 122. He who is not free from defilements, yet wears the saffron robe; A who is devoid of self-control and truth, he is not worthy of the saffron robe. 123. But he who has vomited defilements, and is well-established in virtues; who is endowed with self-control and truth, he indeed is worthy of the saffron robe. 124. The elephant, struck by many arrows, with an unangered mind, spoke to the hunter: "For what purpose, for what reason, friend, do you kill me? Whose is this use?" 125. "The queen of the king of Kasi, venerable sir, Subhadda, honored in the royal family; she saw me and told me, 'There are tusks,' she said to me. 126. Many indeed are my splendid tusks, which belonged to my fathers and grandfathers; she knows, that angry princess, a fool, desirous of my death, she made enmity." 127.