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unwillingly having come under its sway. 596. ‘‘By that army, Mithilā, surrounded by three trenches; The capital of the Videhans, is being dug all around. 597. ‘‘Like a cluster of stars above, surrounded on all sides; Mahosadha, understand, how will there be liberation?’’ 598. ‘‘Extend your feet, O king, enjoy pleasures and delight; Having abandoned the army of Pañcāla, Brahmadatta flees.’’ 599. ‘‘The king desires friendship with you, he offers jewels; Let messengers come from here, gentle and sweet-speaking. 600. ‘‘Let them speak soft words, words that are welcomed; Let Pañcāla and Videha, both become one.’’ 601. ‘‘How, O Kevatta, was the meeting with Mahosadha? Tell that now; Was he pleased with you? Was Mahosadha content?’’ 602. ‘‘An ignoble-looking man, O king, unsociable, stiff, not like a good person; Like a mute and a deaf person, he spoke nothing there.’’ 603. ‘‘Indeed, this counsel is very difficult to see, the pure meaning is seen by human effort; Thus my body trembles, who, having abandoned his own, will go into another’s hand?’’ 604. ‘‘Only one counsel comes to those who are hidden, who are wise and have attained supreme wisdom; Going, not going, or even staying, Mahosadha, you too make a decision.’’ 605. ‘You know, O King, the mighty, powerful Cūḷanibrahmadatta; The king wishes to kill you, like a hunter in the forest kills a deer. 606. ‘‘Just as a fish, the hook covered with meat; Greedy for raw flesh, does not know, the fish, its own death. 607. ‘‘Even so, O King, the daughter of Cūḷaneyya; Greedy for pleasure, you do not know, like a fish, your own death. 608. ‘‘If you go to Pañcāla, you will quickly abandon yourself; Like a deer followed on the path, great fear will come upon you.’’ 609. ‘‘We ourselves are foolish and dumb, who spoke excellent things to you; How can you, a plough-share born, know meanings like others?’’ 610. ‘‘Seize him by the neck, and banish him from my realm; He who speaks to hinder, my gain of a jewel.’’ 611. ‘‘Then he, having departed, from the presence of Vedeha; Then addressed the messenger, Mādhara, the wise parrot. 612. ‘‘Come, friend, green-winged one, do a service for me; There is to the king of Pañcāla, a mynah bird, a guardian of the bedchamber. 613. ‘Question her with a bond, for she is skilled in everything; She knows everything about them, both the king and Kosiyya. 614. ‘‘‘Yes,’ he replied, Mādhara, the wise parrot; The green-winged one went, to the mynah bird’s presence. 615. ‘‘Then indeed he, having gone, Mādhara, the wise parrot; Then addressed Sughara, the sweet-voiced mynah bird. 616. ‘Are you well, Sughara? Are you healthy, O female? Do you get honeyed puffed rice, Sughara, for yourself?’ 617. ‘I am well, friend, and also, friend, I am healthy; And I get honeyed puffed rice, O wise parrot. 618. ‘From where now, friend, Having come, by whom were you sent? You were not here before, seen or heard. I was a bed-keeper in the palace of King Sivi; Then that righteous king freed those in bonds. I had a companion, a sweet-voiced mynah bird; A hawk killed her there, while I watched in my good home. Infatuated by her, I have come to you; If you would make room, we both could live together. A parrot should desire a parrot, a mynah a mynah; What kind of union is there between a parrot and a mynah? Whoever desires in lust, even a low-caste woman; All are alike, there is no unlikeness in lust. There is one named Jampavati, mother of King Sivi; She is the wife of Vasudeva, the beloved queen of Kanha. Ratthavati, a kimpurisi, she too desired Vaccha; A human with a deer, there is no unlikeness in lust. Well then, I will go, sweet-voiced mynah; This refusal, you surely despise me. Fortune does not come to the hasty, O wise parrot; Stay here for now, until you see the king; You will hear the sound of drums, and the king's glory. What is this loud sound heard beyond the country? The daughter of the Pancala king, beautiful as a medicinal herb; They will give her to the Videhas, that will be a wedding. May such a wedding not be for your enemies, O Madhara; As it will be for the Pancala king with the Videha. Having brought the Videha, the chief of chariots of the Pancalas; Then him He will kill, she will be his friend." 631. "Please allow me, for seven nights; While I inform the king of Sivi, the great lord; And I have found a dwelling, near Sāḷikā." 632. "Indeed I allow you, for seven nights; If you do not return to me within seven nights; I will think that I am possessed by a spirit, and you will come to me as one dead." 633. Then indeed he, having gone, the wise parrot Mādharo; Told Mahosadha, these words of Sāḷikā. 634. "In whose house one enjoys wealth, for him should a man work"; "Indeed, I will go first, O lord of men, to the delightful city of the Pañcāla king; To build residences, for the glorious Videha." 635. "Having built residences, for the glorious Videha; When I send for you, then you should come, O warrior." 636. Then Mahosadha departed first, for the delightful city of the Pañcāla king; To build residences, for the glorious Videha. 637. Having built residences, for the glorious Videha; Then he sent a messenger to him, to Videha, lord of Mithilā; "Come now, great king, your residence is built." 638. Then the king departed, with his four-fold army; To see the city of Kapila, with countless vehicles, prosperous. 639. Then indeed he, having gone, sent to Brahmadatta; "I have come, great king, to pay homage at your feet." 640. "Give me now a wife, a woman beautiful in all her limbs; Adorned with gold, attended by a retinue of maidservants." 641. "Welcome to you, Videha, and your coming is not far off; Just ask about the auspicious time, I will give you the maiden; Adorned with gold, attended by a retinue of maidservants..." Then the king of Videha, inquired about the auspicious time; Having inquired about the auspicious time, he sent word to Brahmadatta. "Now give me a wife, a woman beautiful in all her limbs; Adorned with gold, attended by slave-girls." "Now I will give you a wife, a woman beautiful in all her limbs; Adorned with gold, attended by slave-girls." Elephants, horses, chariots, infantry, the army stands armored; Torches blaze brightly, what do the wise ones think? Elephants, horses, chariots, infantry, the army stands armored; Torches blaze brightly, what will the wise ones do? "The mighty Cūḷaneyya, protects you, great king; Brahmadatta is hostile, he will kill you in the morning." My heart throbs, and my mouth dries up; I find no peace, like one burned by fire in the heat. Just as a blacksmith's forge, burns within, not without; So too my heart, burns within, not without. You are heedless, beyond counsel, your plan is broken, O warrior; Now let the wise, counseling people protect you. Not heeding the words of his minister, who desired his welfare and benefit; The king, delighting in himself, is like a deer fallen into a trap. Just as a fish, does not know its own death; Greedy for the raw bait, on the hook covered with meat. Even so, O king, you do not know your own death; Greedy for Cūḷaneyya's daughter, like a fish. If you go to Pañcāla, you will quickly abandon yourself; Like a deer pursued on the path, great fear will come upon you. An ignoble man, O lord of men, will bite like a snake in one's lap; A wise person should not make friends with him, a bad person surely brings suffering. Association with them. 656. Whatever man one knows, O king, virtuous and learned; With him a wise person should make friendship, pleasant indeed is association with good people. 657. You are a fool, dumb and mute, O king, who spoke of the highest matters to me; How can I, a ploughshare-grower, know matters like others? 658. Seize him by the neck, and banish him from my kingdom; He who speaks to hinder my gain of jewels. 659. Mahosadha, the wise do not pierce with the past; Why do you pierce me, like a tied horse with a goad? 660. If you see liberation, or if you see safety; Instruct me with that, why do you pierce with the past? 661. Past human deeds, are hard to do, hard to achieve; I cannot release that, you should know, O warrior. 662. There are sky-faring elephants, powerful and glorious; They too could take away one who has such things. 663. There are sky-faring horses, powerful and glorious; They too could take away one who has such things. 664. There are sky-faring birds, powerful and glorious; They too could take away one who has such things. 665. There are sky-faring yakkhas, powerful and glorious; They too could take away one who has such things. 666. Past human deeds, are hard to do, hard to achieve; I cannot release that, through the sky, O warrior. 667. A man who sees no shore, in a great ocean; Where he finds a ford, there he finds happiness. 668. Thus for us and for the king, you are the support, Mahosadha; You are the best of counselors for us, release us from suffering. 669. Past human deeds, are hard to do, hard to achieve... origin. I cannot free him, You should know, Senaka.” 670. “Listen to this word of mine, See this great danger; Now I ask Senaka, What do you think should be done here?” 671. “Either we set fire to the door, Or we take up the sword; Having killed each other, We will quickly give up our lives; Lest King Brahmadatta Kill us slowly with suffering.” 672. “Listen to this word of mine, See this great danger; Now I ask Pukkusa, What do you think should be done here?” 673. “Let us eat poison and die, Quickly give up our lives; Lest King Brahmadatta Kill us slowly with suffering.” 674. “Listen to this word of mine, See this great danger; Now I ask Kāminda, What do you think should be done here?” 675. “Let us bind ourselves with ropes and die, Let us fall from precipices; Lest King Brahmadatta Kill us slowly with suffering.” 676. “Listen to this word of mine, See this great danger; Now I ask Devinda,