English
He who takes her by the hand, drags her against her will; Widowhood is bitter in the world, let us go, O chief of chariots. Hair-pulling, throwing down, and dragging on the ground; Having given, he does not depart; much suffering, not a little; Widowhood is bitter in the world, let us go, O chief of chariots. Widows with beautiful skin, having given, thinking themselves fortunate; They drag them against their will, just as crows (drag) an owl; Widowhood is bitter in the world, let us go, O chief of chariots. Even in a prosperous family of relatives, living amidst shining bronze vessels; She receives no greeting, from brothers or sisters; Widowhood is bitter in the world, let us go, O chief of chariots. A river without water is naked, a kingdom without a king is naked; A woman, a widow, is naked, even if she has ten brothers; Widowhood is bitter in the world, let us go. O lord of chariots. 1841. A banner is the mark of a chariot, smoke is the mark of fire; A king is the mark of a chariot, a husband is the mark of a woman; Widowhood is bitter in the world, go forth, O lord of chariots. 1842. She who is poor to the poor, esteemed by the wealthy to the wealthy; Her indeed the gods praise, for she does what is difficult. 1843. I will follow my husband, always clad in saffron robes; Even if the earth were to split open, widowhood is bitter for a woman. 1844. Even the earth bounded by the ocean, bearing much wealth, filled with various jewels, is nothing without Vessantara. 1845. How indeed are the hearts of those, truly happy women, who, when their husband is suffering, desire happiness for themselves? 1846. As the great king departs, the prosperity-increaser of the Sīvis; I will follow him, for he is the giver of all my desires. 1847. The great king spoke to her, Maddī, beautiful in all her limbs; "These are your young children, Jālī and Kaṇhājinā both; Leave them here and go, we will raise them." 1848. The princess spoke to him, Maddī, beautiful in all her limbs; "My children are dear to me, O lord, Jālī and Kaṇhājinā both; They will delight me there, in the forest, sorrowful in life." 1849. The great king spoke to her, the prosperity-increaser of the Sīvis; "Having eaten rice of fine grain, with pure meat sauce; eating fruits of trees, how will the children fare? 1850. Having eaten from hundred-pala bronze bowls, golden, worth a hundred; eating on tree leaves, how will the children fare? 1851. Having worn Kasi garments, and linen and cotton garments; wearing grass-bark rags, how will the children fare? 1852. Having traveled in palanquins, and in litters and chariots; running on foot, how will the children fare? 1853. Having slept in pinnacled mansions, windless, with bolted doors; sleeping at the foot of a tree, how will the children fare? 1854. On couches Sleeping on hair, on embroidered rugs; Sleeping on beds of grass, how will the children fare? 1855. Anointed with perfumes, with aloe and sandalwood; Bearing dust and dirt, how will the children fare? 1856. Whose bodies were fanned by yak-tail whisks and peacock fans, accustomed to comfort; Touched by gnats and mosquitoes, how will the children fare? 1857. Then the princess Maddī, beautiful in all her limbs, spoke to him: "Do not lament, O king, nor be downhearted; As we shall be, so will the children be." 1858. Having said this, Maddī, beautiful in all her limbs, departed; She sought the path of the Sīvis, taking the children, marked with auspicious signs. 1859. Then King Vessantara, the khattiya, having given gifts; And having bowed to his father and mother, and circumambulated them. 1860. Mounting swiftly the chariot yoked with four steeds; Taking his children and wife, he set out for Vanka mountain. 1861. Then King Vessantara, where many people were; [Said]: "We take our leave of you, may our relatives be well." 1862. "Look, Maddī, listen, it seems a beautiful sight; The dwelling of the chief of the Sīvis, my ancestral home." 1863. Brahmins followed him, they begged him for his horses; Being asked, he gave them, four horses to the four. 1864. "Look, Maddī, listen, it seems a wondrous sight; With the color of a red deer, the southern horses carry me." 1865. Then a fifth [brahmin] came, he begged him for the chariot; Being asked, he gave it, and his mind was not troubled. 1866. Then King Vessantara, having dismounted his people; Gave the horse-chariot to the brahmin, the seeker of wealth. 1867. "You, Maddī, take Kaṇhā, she is light, being the younger sister; I will take Jāli, for he is the heavier brother." 1868. The king taking the prince, and the princess the girl; They departed, rejoicing, speaking kindly to each other. The Chapter on Giving name. Entering the Forest 1869. “If any people come, on the by-paths and main roads; We ask them the way, where is Vankata Mountain? 1870. “They, seeing us there, lamented pitifully; They reported the hardship, ‘Vankata Mountain is far away’.” 1871. “If children in the forest see trees laden with fruit; For the sake of those fruits, the children cry. 1872. “Seeing the crying children, the great trees, agitated, bent down by themselves, and approached the children. 1873. “Seeing this wonder, this amazing, hair-raising thing; Maddī, beautiful in all her limbs, applauded. 1874. “Wonderful indeed in the world, amazing, hair-raising; By the power of Vessantara, the trees bent down by themselves.” 1875. “The Yakkhas shortened the path, out of compassion for the children; On the very day they set out, they reached Ceta Kingdom.” 1876. “They, having traveled a long way, reached Ceta Kingdom; A prosperous, thriving country, with much meat and rice.” 1877. “The Cetiyas surrounded them, seeing the auspicious signs; ‘How delicate is the lady, she runs on foot! 1878. “Having traveled in palanquins, in litters and chariots; Now Maddī in the forest, runs on foot’.” 1879. “Seeing them, the Ceta chiefs, approached weeping; ‘Is all well, O king, is all well, O king, without illness? Is your father well, and the Sivis without illness? 1880. “Who is your army, great king, who is your chariot retinue? Without an owner, without a chariot, you have come a long way; Have you been attacked by enemies, and arrived in this direction?” 1881. “All is well with me, friend, and all is well, friend, without illness; And my father is well, and the Sivis are without illness. 1882. “I gave away an elephant, with tusks like a ploughshare, with a long trunk; Skilled in all battles, the best of elephants, all white. 1883. “Covered with a yellow blanket, in rut, the crusher of enemies, An elephant with a fan-like trunk, white, like Mount Kelāsa. 1884. ‘‘With a white parasol, with provisions, with a seat, with an elephant; The foremost vehicle, a royal carriage, I gave to the brahmins. 1885. ‘‘Because of that, the Sivis were angry with me, and my father was distressed; ‘You are banished by the king, I go to Vaṅka mountain; Know well the place, in the forest where we dwell’.’’ 1886. ‘‘Welcome to you, great king, and you have not come too far; You have arrived as a lord, declare what is here. 1887. ‘‘Vegetables, lotus roots, honey, meat, pure boiled rice; Partake, great king, you have come as our guest.’’ 1888. ‘‘What was given is accepted, all has been made worthy; ‘You are banished by the king, I go to Vaṅka mountain; Know well the place, in the forest where we dwell’.’’ 1889. ‘‘Stay here for now, O bull among charioteers in Ceta country; Until the Cetas go, to beg from the king. 1890. ‘‘To appease the great king, the prosperity-increaser of the Sivis; The Cetas, taking him as their leader, pleased and having obtained their request; They go surrounding him, thus know, O Khattiya.’’ 1891. ‘‘May your going not please you, to beg from the king; To appease the great king, the king also has no power there. 1892. ‘‘For the Sivis are very exalted, and those who are the army chiefs and townsmen; They wish to destroy, the king on my account.’’ 1893. ‘‘If this should happen, in the country, O prosperity-increaser of the country; Rule the kingdom right here, surrounded by the Cetas. 1894. ‘‘This country is prosperous and flourishing, the great district is prosperous; Make up your mind, O divine one, to govern the kingdom.’’ 1895. ‘‘I have no desire or intention, to govern the kingdom; I who am banished from the country, O sons of Ceta, listen to me. 1896. ‘‘The Sivis were displeased, and those who are the army chiefs and townsmen; They would anoint me, banished from the country, O Cetas, to the kingdom. 1897. ‘‘It would be an unpleasant meeting for you, on my account forever. No! With the Sivis, a quarrel, and strife, I do not like. 1898. "Then a terrible quarrel, a great struggle; For the sake of one, myself, many people would be harmed. 1899. "What was received, what was given, all was made worthy; You have restrained me, O King, I go to the crooked mountain; Know well the place, in the forest where we dwell." 1900. "Indeed, we will tell you, as those who are skilled; Where the royal sages dwell, with sacrificial fires, composed. 1901. "This is the rock, O great king, the Gandhamādana mountain; Where you, with your sons, and with your wife, shall go. 1902. "Those spirits instructed him, with tearful eyes, weeping faces; Go from here, O great king, straight towards the north. 1903. "Then you will see, good sir, a mountain named Vepulla; Teeming with various trees, cool-shaded, delightful. 1904. "Having passed that, good sir, then you will see a river; Named Ketumatī, deep, in a mountain gorge. 1905. "Teeming with fish with broad scales, with good bathing places, abundant water; There, having bathed and drunk, having refreshed your children. 1906. "Then you will see, good sir, a banyan tree with sweet fruits; Grown on delightful peaks, cool-shaded, delightful. 1907. "Then you will see, good sir, a mountain named Nāḷika;