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for the novice who had passed away. 41. In that very monastery, dwelling with peaceful minds; They always offered great alms, to the community of monks. 42. Such was the great desire, of the mother for merit; "A honeycomb the size of a bull, placed by herself at her head. 43. Lying on her left side, on a beautiful couch; The remainder of what was given, to twelve thousand monks. 44. She desired to eat that honey, and also the head of the warrior, who was a chief fighter, of King Elara, which had been severed. 45. Standing on that very head, she wished to drink; And from the lotus field, in Anuradhapura itself. 46. A garland of lotuses brought, unwithered, she wished to wear it; The queen told this to the king, the king asked the soothsayers. 47. Hearing that, the soothsayers said, "The queen's son will destroy; The Damila, establish a single kingdom, and illuminate the Dispensation." 48. "He will show such a honeycomb, and the king will give her such; Prosperity," thus proclaimed the king. 49. On the shore of Goṭṭhasamudda, a man in the country told the king, having known of a boat, full of honey, overturned. 50. The king took the queen there, to a well-prepared pavilion; And had her consume the honey, as she wished. 51. To fulfill her other desires, the king appointed the warrior, named Veḷusumana, there. 52. He went to Anuradhapura, and befriended the groom, of the king's auspicious horse, and always helped him. 53. Knowing him to be trustworthy, he placed the sword of lotuses, on the bank of the Kadamba river, without suspicion, early in the morning. 54. He led the horse, mounted it, took the sword of lotuses; Announced himself, and departed with the speed of the horse. 55. Hearing this, the king sent, great warriors to capture him; He rode a second swift horse, which was pursued. 56. He sat on the horse's back, concealed in a thicket; And as the pursuer approached, he extended the sword behind him. 57. Of him going with horse-speed, the head was cut off completely; And taking the head, that evening he went to the great village. 58. And those cravings, that queen enjoyed as she wished. The king for the warrior, honor caused to be made as was fitting. 59. That queen, at the right time, auspiciously, gave birth to an excellent son. In that great royal family, and great joy there was. 60. By the power of his merit, right then came filled with various jewels, seven ships from here and there. 61. By the very power of his merit, an elephant from the Chaddanta lineage, bringing an elephant calf, placed it here and departed. 62. That, on the bank of the bathing pond, seeing it standing among the bushes, a foolish man named Kaṇḍula immediately told the king. 63. The king, sending teachers, had it brought and raised. It became known as Kaṇḍula because it was seen by Kaṇḍula. 64. "Of golden vessels and so on, a ship full has come here." Thus they reported to the king, the king had them brought. 65. At the naming ceremony of the son, at the auspicious occasion, the king, a number of twelve thousand, inviting the community of monks. 66. Thus he thought: "If my son, in the whole land of Lanka, taking the kingdom, will illuminate the teaching of the Fully Awakened One. 67. And one thousand and eight monks should enter. All of them, with their alms-bowls raised, and their robes passed over. 68. First, the right foot should be placed over the threshold. Accompanied by a single parasol, and they should bring out the Dhamma-instrument. 69. And the elder named Gotama should receive the child. And he, the one who gives the refuges and precepts, should give them." All happened thus. 70. Seeing all the omens, the king, with a joyful mind, giving milk-rice to the Saṅgha, caused the son to be named. 71. The leadership in the great village, and the father's name together, making both into one, thus "Gāmaṇi Abhaya." 72. Having entered the great village, on the ninth day thereafter, he had union with the queen, by that she conceived. 73. The king, the son born at the right time, caused to be named Tissa. With great care, both the children grew up. 74. At the auspicious time of the first rice feeding, with reverence for both, he gave five hundred monks milk-rice to eat. 75. When they had eaten half, taking a little from each, with a golden spoon, the king with the queen, 76. said: ‘‘Sons, if you abandon the Buddha’s teaching, may this in your stomach not be digested!’’ 77. Understanding the meaning of his words, both royal princes ate that milk-rice, with joyful hearts, like ambrosia. 78. When they were ten or twelve years old, wishing to test them, he likewise fed the monks, and their leftover rice, 79. he had it taken in a basket, and placed near them. Having divided it into three parts, the king said this: 80. ‘‘Our family deities, dear ones, we will not be averse to the monks,’’ thinking thus, eat this part. 81. ‘‘We two brothers will always be harmless to each other,’’ thinking thus, eat this part. 82. Like ambrosia they both ate those two parts. ‘‘We will not fight with the Damila people,’’ saying this, eat this part. 83. When thus spoken to, Tissa threw the food with his hand. But the portion for Gamani, he threw it and went to bed. 84. Curling up his hands and feet, he lay down on the bed by himself. The queen went and, comforting, said this to Gamani: 85. With limbs outstretched on the bed, why do you not sleep soundly? ‘‘On the other side of the Ganga are the Damila people, and here the great ocean of cattle. 86. How can I lie with limbs outstretched?’’ he said. Hearing his intention, the king was silent. 87. He gradually grew up, and was sixteen years old. Meritorious, famous, wise, full of energy, strength, and valor. 88. Indeed, in this unstable course of beings, they attain the path they desire through merit. Thus, constantly reflecting with great reverence, one should be intelligent in accumulating merit. In the Mahavamsa, made for the joy and spiritual urgency of good people, Gamani The Birth of Prince Niku The Twenty-second Chapter. The Twenty-third Chapter The Acquisition of Warriors 1. With the form of strength and marks, And qualities of vigor and speed; Becoming foremost, of great body, He was the elephant Kandula. 2. Nandimitta, Suranimila, Mahasona, Gotthayimbara; Theraputtabhaya, Bharana, Velusumana, and also. 3. Khañjadeva, Phussadeva, and Vasabha too were obtained; These ten great warriors, became his mighty ones. 4. There was a general named Mitta, of King Elara; In his village of workers, in the eastern region. 5. Near Cittapabbata, was the son of his sister; With his private parts covered by a cloth, named after his uncle. 6. Even when the young prince, crawled far; They tied a bell to his waist, and bound him to a mortar. 7. As he dragged the mortar, crawling on the ground; When he crossed the threshold, the bell would break here and there. 8. He became known as Nandimitta, possessing the strength of ten elephants; When he grew up, he came to the city, and served his uncle. 9. At that time, seeing the disrespect shown by the Tamils, to stupas and such; He pressed his foot on one thigh, and with his hand, the other. 10. Having seized and torn apart, the strong outer garment; The gods made the body he threw, disappear. 11. Seeing the destruction of the Tamils, he reported the news to the king; "Seize him with his village," they were told, but could not do it. 12. Nandimitta thought, "Even though I do this; It is only the destruction of people, there is no illumination of the Dispensation. 13. In Rohana there are Kshatriyas, devoted to the Triple Gem; There, having served the king, and seized all the Tamils. 14. Having given the kingdom to the Kshatriyas, I will illuminate the Buddha's Dispensation"; Thus, he went and informed the village head, and that prince. 15. Having consulted with his mother, he arranged for his reception; Honored, that warrior Nandimitta, resided with him. 16. King Kakavanna Tissa, to ward off the Tamil threat; At the fords of the great Ganga, he placed guards everywhere. There was one named Dīghābhaya, son of another queen of the king; He caused a guard to be set at Kacchaka Ford on the Gaṅgā. For the purpose of setting a guard, within two leagues all around, From each great family, he summoned a son there. In the Koṭṭhivāla district, in the village of Khaṇḍakaviṭṭhika, There was a family head with seven sons, named Saṅgha, a chieftain. To him too, the prince sent a message, desiring a son; The seventh son, named Nimila, had the strength of ten elephants. Because of his idleness, his six brothers, being annoyed, Approved of his going, but not his mother and father. Angered by his remaining brothers, early in the morning, three leagues, He went straight to Suraggama, and saw the prince. He, to test him, assigned him a distant task; Near Cetiya Mountain, in the village of Dvāramaṇḍala. "There is a brahmin named Kuṇḍala, my friend, who knows magic; Goods from beyond the sea are with him. Go and bring the goods given by him here." Having said this, fed him, gave him a letter, and sent him off. From there, Anurādhapura was nine leagues away; Going there in the forenoon, he saw that brahmin. "My son, bathe in the tank, and come," said the brahmin; Having never been there before, he bathed in Tissavāpi. And having worshipped the Mahābodhi, and the cetiya at Thūpārāma, Having entered the city, and seen the whole town. From the market, taking perfumes, then from the north gate, He exited, and from the lotus field, taking lotuses. He approached that brahmin, who, when asked, told his journey; Hearing of his early arrival there, that brahmin. Was astonished and thought thus: "This man is to be known; If Eḷāra were to know him, he would take him into his hands. Therefore, he should not dwell near the Damila; He should dwell near