English
from my own kingdom, for he is my own son. 1686. “Nor would I harm him, for he is of noble virtue; I would incur ill repute, and much evil would arise; How could we kill Prince Vessantara with a weapon?” 1687. “Do not kill him with a rod or weapon, for he is not worthy of bondage; But banish him from the kingdom, let him dwell on the Vaṅka mountain.” 1688. “If this is the wish of the Sivis, we will not reject their wish; Let him stay this night, and enjoy his pleasures. 1689. “Then, at the end of the night, at the rising of the sun; Let the Sivis, united, banish him from the kingdom.” 1690. “Arise, charioteer, quickly, go and tell Vessantara; The Sivis, O Prince, are angry with you, and the citizens have gathered. 1691. “The Uggas and the princes, the Vessiyas and the Brahmins; The elephant-riders, the army officers, the charioteers, the foot soldiers; And the entire city, and the Sivis have gathered. 1692. “At the end of this night, at the rising of the sun; The Sivis, united, will banish you from the kingdom.” 1693. The charioteer, swiftly, sent by the king of the Sivis; With armlets adorned, well-dressed and perfumed with sandalwood. 1694. His head washed with water, wearing jeweled earrings; He approached the delightful city, Vessantara’s dwelling. 1695. There he saw the prince, enjoying himself in his own palace; Surrounded by ministers, like Vāsava among the gods. 1696. Going there swiftly, the charioteer spoke to Vessantara; “I will tell you something painful, do not be angry with me, O chief of charioteers.” 1697. Bowing and weeping, the charioteer spoke to the king; “You are my master, great king, the provider of all desires and tastes. 1698. “I will tell you something painful.” , there let them comfort me; The Sivis, O king, are angry with you, and the townsfolk have gathered. 1699. The Uggas and the princes, the Vessas and the brahmins; The elephant-riders, the warriors, the charioteers, the foot-soldiers; And the entire town, and the Sivis have gathered. 1700. "From this city's outskirts, at sunrise; The Sivis, united, will banish you from the kingdom." 1701. "Why are the Sivis angry with me? I see no wrong deed; Tell me that, Katte, why do they banish me?" 1702. "The Uggas and the princes, the Vessas and the brahmins; The elephant-riders, the warriors, the charioteers, the foot-soldiers; They are annoyed by your elephant-giving, therefore they banish you." 1703. "I would give my heart and my eyes, what is external wealth to me? Gold or silver, pearls, beryl, jewels. 1704. "Or I would give my right arm, seeing beggars approach; I would give without wavering, my mind delights in giving. 1705. "Let all the Sivis banish me, or kill me; I will not cease from giving, let them cut me into seven pieces if they wish." 1706. "Thus the Sivis speak to you, and the townsfolk have gathered; To the bank of Kontimara, towards Mount Maranjara; Where the banished go, there let the virtuous one go." 1707. "I will go there, where the evildoers go; Bear with me night and day, until I give my gifts." 1708. He addressed the queen, Maddi, beautiful in all her limbs; "Whatever I have given you, wealth and grain that exists. 1709. "Gold or silver, many pearls and beryl; You should store all that, and also your ancestral wealth. 1710. Then the princess, Maddi, beautiful in all her limbs, said to him; "Where, O king, shall I store it? Tell me, as I ask you." 1711. "Give to the virtuous, Maddi, gifts as appropriate; For there is no greater support than giving, for all beings. 1712. "Maddi, be kind to your sons, to your mother-in-law and to your father-in-law. Whoever considers you his wife, serve him diligently. 1713. If he does not consider you his wife, because of my departure, seek another husband, do not suffer without me." 1714. "For I go to the forest, terrible, haunted by wild beasts; my life is in doubt, alone in the great forest." 1715. Then the princess Maddī, beautiful in all her limbs, said to him: "Oh, how can you speak thus? Indeed, you speak evil. 1716. This is not the custom, great king, that you should go alone; I too will go with you, wherever you go, warrior. 1717. Death with you, or life without you; that death is better, than if I should live without you. 1718. Having kindled a fire, a single blazing flame; death there is better for me, than if I should live without you. 1719. As a female elephant follows a wild male elephant, as he wanders through mountain passes, on even and uneven ground. 1720. So I will follow you, taking the children behind; I will be easy for you to support, I will not be difficult for you to support. 1721. Seeing these children, charming, speaking sweetly, sitting in a thicket of the forest, you will not remember the kingdom. 1722. Seeing these children, charming, speaking sweetly, playing in a thicket of the forest, you will not remember the kingdom. 1723. Seeing these children, charming, speaking sweetly, in a delightful hermitage, you will not remember the kingdom. 1724. Seeing these children, charming, speaking sweetly, playing in a delightful hermitage, you will not remember the kingdom. 1725. Seeing these children, wearing garlands, adorned, in a delightful hermitage, you will not remember the kingdom. 1726. Seeing these children, wearing garlands, adorned, playing in a delightful hermitage, you will not remember the kingdom. 1727. When you see them dancing, wearing garlands; In the charming hermitage, you will not remember the kingdom. 1728. “When you see the boys dancing, wearing garlands; Playing in the delightful hermitage, you will not remember the kingdom. 1729. “When you see a great elephant, a sixty-year-old tusker; Walking alone in the forest, you will not remember the kingdom. 1730. “When you see a great elephant, a sixty-year-old tusker; Wandering morning and evening, you will not remember the kingdom. 1731. “When, going before a herd of she-elephants, a multitude; The great elephant, the sixty-year-old tusker, will make a cry; Hearing it roar, you will not remember the kingdom. 1732. “When you see the two-sided forest expanse, O giver of desires; In the forest teeming with wild beasts, you will not remember the kingdom. 1733. “Seeing a deer in the evening, adorned with five garlands; And the Kinnaras dancing, you will not remember the kingdom. 1734. “When you hear the sound of the flowing river; And the song of the Kinnaras, you will not remember the kingdom. 1735. “When you hear the sound of the owl, dwelling in mountain caves; Hooting, you will not remember the kingdom. 1736. “When you hear the roars of lions, tigers, rhinoceroses, and wild oxen; Of wild beasts in the forest, you will not remember the kingdom. 1737. “When you see a peacock dancing, surrounded by peahens, with its crest on its head; You will not remember the kingdom. 1738. “When you see a peacock dancing, surrounded by peahens, a bird born from an egg, with colorful wings; You will not remember the kingdom. 1739. “When you see a peacock dancing, surrounded by peahens, with a blue neck, a crested one; You will not remember the kingdom. 1740. “When you see trees in winter, blossoming; Emitting sweet fragrance, you will not remember the kingdom. 1741. “When in the winter months, you see the earth green; Covered with ladybugs, you will not remember the kingdom. 1742. “When you see in winter Later, when the trees blossom; The kutaja and bimbajāla, the blossoming lodda and padmaka; When their fragrance wafts, you will not remember the kingdom. 1743. “When in the winter months, you see the forest in bloom; And the lotuses fully open, you will not remember the kingdom.” Named Hemavanta. The Chapter on Giving 1744. “Hearing their lament, that of her son and daughter-in-law; The renowned princess wailed piteously. 1745. “Better for me to eat poison, or fall from a precipice; Or be bound by a rope and die, why is Prince Vessantara; Being exiled, though he is faultless? 1746. “The scholar, the lord of giving, generous to beggars, unselfish; Honored by rival kings, famous and renowned; Why is Prince Vessantara being exiled, though he is faultless? 1747. “A being who supports his parents, who honors the elders in his family; Why is Prince Vessantara being exiled, though he is faultless? 1748. “Beneficial to the king, beneficial to the queen, beneficial to relatives and friends; Beneficial to the entire kingdom, why is Prince Vessantara; Being exiled, though he is faultless? 1749. “Like honey that has fled, like mangoes fallen to the ground; So will your kingdom be, if they exile the faultless one. 1750. “Like a swan with broken wings, in a pond without water; Abandoned by your ministers, you, the king, will perish alone. 1751. “Therefore, I tell you, great king, let not your purpose be lost; Do not exile him, the faultless one, at the word of the Sīvīs.” 1752. “I perform homage to the Dhamma, the discipline, the banner of the Sīvīs; I exile my own son, for they are dearer to me than life.” 1753. “Whose banner-tops previously, like blossoming kaṇikāra trees; Followed him as he went, he will go alone today. 1754. “Whose banner-tops previously, like kaṇikāra forests; Followed him as he went, he will go alone today. 1755. “Whose armies previously, like blossoming kaṇikāra trees; Followed him as he went today he will go alone. 1756. Whose armies before, like forests of Kanikara trees, followed him as he went, today he will go alone. 1757. Bright as fireflies, Gandhara and Pandukambala horses followed him as he went, today he will go alone. 1758. He who formerly went by elephant, by palanquin and by chariot; Today King Vessantara, how does he go on foot? 1759. How will he, whose body was smeared with sandalwood, and awakened by dance and song, carry a deer-skin, an axe, and a carrying-pole? 1760. Why will they not bring