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Maintaining the appearance of a brahmin, With a beard, a mass of matted hair; Clad in deerskin, he sleeps on the ground, He reveres the sacred fire. 1983. Mangoes, wood apples, jackfruits, Sāl trees, rose apples, vibhītaka, Harītakī, āmalaka, Assattha and jujube trees. 1984. Beautiful timbara trees are here, Banyan trees and kapitthanā; Honey and madhuka drip, Ripe udumbara are low. 1985. Pigeons and doves, And honey-seeking bees; They take their own honey, Without effort, and eat it there. 1986. In some places mangoes are in bloom, In others, dovilā trees stand; Some are unripe and some ripe, Both like the color of frogs. 1987. And here below, a man Gathers ripe mangoes; Both unripe and ripe, Supreme in color, scent, and taste. 1988. This is indeed amazing to me, A wonder arises in me; It shines like the abode of the gods, Resembling Nandana. 1989. Vibhedikā and coconut trees, And date palms in the great forest; Stand like strung garlands, Appear like banner-tops; With flowers of various colors, Like the sky studded with stars. 1990. Kuṭaja, kuṭṭhatagara, And pāṭalī are in bloom; Punnāga, giripunnāga, And koviḷāra are in bloom. 1991. Uddālaka, soma trees, Many agarubhalliyā; Puttajīva and kakudha, Asana are in bloom here. 1992. Kuṭaja, salaḷa, nīpa, Kosamba, labuja, dhava; And sāl trees are in bloom there, Resembling heaps of straw. 1993. Not far from it, a lotus pond, In a delightful spot; Covered with lotuses and water lilies, Like that of the gods. In the Nandana Grove. 1994. And there, intoxicated with flower-nectar, sweet-voiced cuckoos resound through the forest, in trees fully blossomed in season. 1995. Honey drips with nectar, from lotus to lotus. And there, winds blow, southern and then western; the hermitage is strewn with lotus-pollen-dust. 1996. Large water-chestnuts are here, delightful and pleasing; teeming with fish and turtles, many here are to be found; honey flows from lotus-stalks, like milk and ghee from roots. 1997. That forest is fragrant, filled with various scents; that forest seems pervaded by fragrance, by its flower-branches; bees, by the scent of flowers, resound all around. 1998. And there are birds, many birds of various colors; they rejoice with their mates, cooing to each other. 1999. Nandika and Jīvaputta, Jīvaputta are dear to us; dear children, dear joys, birds dwelling in the lotus-ponds. 2000. Like garlands, they stand strung, they appear like banner-tops; with flowers of various colors, well-strung as by skilled ones; where King Vessantara dwells with his children. 2001. Bearing the appearance of a brahmin, and a staff, and thick matted hair; wearing a hide, he lies on the ground, he worships the fire. 2002. “And this barley-meal of mine, mixed with honey; and honey-cakes well-made, I give this barley-meal to you.” 2003. “Let the provisions be for yourself, I do not wish for provisions; take from here, O brahmin, go, O brahmin, as you please. 2004. This single path goes, it goes straight to the hermitage; the sage, the unwavering one, is there, with muddy teeth, with dusty head; bearing the appearance of a brahmin, and a staff, and thick matted hair. 2005. Wearing a hide, he lies on the ground, he worships the fire; you, having gone, ask him, he will tell you the way.” 2006. Thus Having heard, the brahmin's kinsman, making a circumambulation; With uplifted heart, he departed, to where the sage Accuta was. Going, that Bhāradvāja, saw the sage Accuta; Having seen him, Bhāradvāja, conversed with the sage. "Is all well with you, sir? Is all healthy with you, sir? Do you live by gleaning? Are roots and fruits abundant? Are stinging flies and mosquitoes, and reptiles few? In the forest teeming with wild beasts, is there no harm?" "All is well with me, brahmin, and brahmin, all is healthy; And I live by gleaning, and roots and fruits are abundant. And stinging flies and mosquitoes, and reptiles are few; In the forest teeming with wild beasts, no harm comes to me. Many years have passed, since I have lived in this hermitage; I do not know of any unpleasant ailment having arisen. "Welcome to you, great brahmin, and you have not come from afar; Enter inside, good sir, wash your feet. Tinduka fruits, Piyāla fruits, Madhuka flowers, Kāsumāri fruits; And other small fruits, eat, brahmin, the best of the best. This cool drinking water, brought from the mountain cave; Drink from it, great brahmin, if you desire." "What is given is accepted, all has been made worthy; Sañjaya's own son, banished by the Sivis; I have come to see him, if you know, tell me." "You have not come for merit, by seeing the Sivi king; I think you desire, the king's devoted wife; I think you want Kaṇhājina the maid, and Jāli the servant. Or perhaps you have come to take, the three, mother and sons, from the forest; He has no possessions, no wealth or grain, brahmin." "I am not angry, sir, I have not come to beg; Good is the sight of noble ones, association is always pleasant. The Sivi king, never seen before, banished by the Sivis... Asita; I have come to see him, if you know, tell me." "This is the rock, great brahmin, the Gandhamādana mountain; where King Vessantara, with his children, dwells. "Wearing the guise of a brahmin, with matted hair and beard; clad in deerskin, he sleeps on the ground, and worships the sacred fire. "These blue trees appear, bearing various fruits; risen like cloud-peaks, blue like collyrium mountains. "Dhavas, assakaṇṇas, khadiras, salas, phandanas, māluvās; tremble in the wind, like young men who have drunk once. "Above, in the tree-tops, melodies are heard; flocks of nightingales and cuckoos, fly from tree to tree. "As if calling those who depart, stirred by branches and leaves; as if delighting those who arrive, they gladden the residents; where King Vessantara, with his children, dwells. "Wearing the guise of a brahmin, with matted hair and beard; clad in deerskin, he sleeps on the ground, and worships the sacred fire. "Garlands of kareri flowers are spread, on the delightful ground; the ground is green with fresh grass, no dust rises there. "Resembling peacocks' necks, soft as cotton to the touch; the grasses do not exceed, four finger-breadths all around. "Mangoes, rose-apples, wood-apples, and ripe figs are low; with trees for enjoyment, that forest increases delight. "Resembling the color of beryl, frequented by shoals of fish; pure, fragrant water, flows there. "Not far from there is a lotus pond, on delightful ground; covered with lotuses and water-lilies, like the Nandana garden of the gods. "Three kinds of water-lilies, are in that lake, brahmin; varied, many blue ones, and white and red ones. "There are lotuses like flax, and white fragrant ones; covered with kalambaka flowers, that lake is named Mucalinda. "And here, lotuses bloom, appearing endless; blooming in summer and winter, knee-deep, like a carpet. Sur The bees hum, strewn with multi-colored flowers. Bumblebees, with the scent of flowers, resound all around. 2037. "And here, by the water's edge, trees stand, brahmin; Kadambas, blooming Pāṭalīs, and flowering Koviḷāras. 2038. "Aṅkolas, Kacchikāras, and flowering Pārijaññas; Vāraṇas, Vayanas trees, on both sides of the Mucalinda lake. 2039. "Sirīsās, Setapārisās, Padmakas waft sweetly; Nigguṇḍīs, Sirīnigguṇḍīs, and Asanas are in bloom here. 2040. "Paṅguras, many Selas, and Sobhañjanas are in bloom; Ketakas, Kaṇikāras, and Kanaveras are in bloom. 2041. "Arjunas, Arjukaṇṇas, and Mahānāmas are in bloom; Standing with their tops in full bloom, like flaming Kiṃsukas. 2042. "Setapaṇṇīs, Sattapaṇṇas, Kadaliyos, Kusumbharas; Dhanutakkārīs with flowers, and Sīsapāvaraṇas too. 2043. "Acchivās, Sallavās trees, and flowering Sallakīs; Setagerus and Tagaras, Maṃsikuṭṭhas, Kulāvaras. 2044. "Young trees and old trees, straight ones are in bloom here; They stand on both sides of the hermitage, all around the fire-house. 2045. "And here, by the water's edge, much Phaṇijjaka has grown; Muggatiyos, Karatiyos, many Sevālasīsakās. 2046. "Uddāpavatta is stirred up, flies, Hiṅgujālikās; Dāsimakañjaka is here, many Nīcekaḷambakas. 2047. "Covered with Elamphuraka, trees stand, brahmin; For seven days of wearing, their scent does not fade. 2048. "On both sides of the Mucalinda lake, beautiful flowers stand; That forest, covered with Indīvaras, is adorned. 2049. "A For half a month they last, their fragrance does not cease. Blue-flowered, white-watered, the Girikaṇṇikā blooms. Covered with Kaleru trees, that forest with basil too. 2050. That forest is filled with the scent of flower branches. Bees, by the flower fragrance, hum all around. 2051. Three kinds of Kakkāru, in that lake, brahmin. One like a pot, the other two like drums. 2052. And here much mustard, many green reeds. Eighty palm trees stand, many blue lotuses cut. 2053. Apphoṭā and Suriyavallī, Kāḷīyā, sweet-scented. Asokā and Mudayantī, creepers with small flowers. 2054. Koraṇḍakā and Anojā, Nāgamallikā in bloom. Climbing the trees they stand, the blooming Kiṃsuka creepers. 2055. Kaṭeruhā and Vāsantī, Yūthikā, sweet-scented. Niliyā, Sumanā, Bhaṇḍī, the excellent lotus shines. 2056. Pāṭalī, sea-cotton, Kaṇikārā too in bloom. They appear like golden nets, like beautiful flames of fire. 2057. Whatever flowers there are, land-born and water-born. All are seen there, so delightful is the great ocean. 2058. And in that pond, many aquatic creatures. Rohita fish, Naḷapī, Siṅgū, crocodiles, makaras, Susū fish. 2059. Madhu and Madhulaṭṭhi, Tālisā and Piyaṅgukā. Kuṭandajā, Bhaddamuttā, white-flowered Lolupā. 2060. Fragrant trees, Tagarā, many Tuṅgavaṇṭakā. Padmakā, Naradā, Kuṭṭhā, Jhāmakā and Hareṇukā. 2061. Haliddakā, Gandhasilā, Hiriverā and Guggulā. Vibhedikā, Corakā, Kuṭṭhā, Kappurā and Kaliṅgukā. 2062. And here lions and tigers, Purisālū and elephants. Antelopes, gazelles, Rohicca deer, Sarabha deer. 2063.