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The Bodhisatta grew up. 79. The king, worth a hundred thousand, Had a fine swaddling cloth; Made and adorned, His own son, the delight of giving. 80. Releasing him from the nurses, When he was four or five years old; The Great Being gave it away, Aspiring to enlightenment. 81. Again With those nurses, Being given with affection; The prince did not accept, Not expecting gifts. 82. They announced that event, To the king and the nurse then; Hearing, with delighted mind, He praised his own son. 83. "That ornament not given by me, Even a brahmin's gift; May it be yours, Thus," he sprinkled water. 84. Again, having summoned, He adorned his son's feet; For his son who desired to give, A very beautiful ornament. 85. Having taken this off too, He gave it to the nurses; The boy, with a joyful mind, Was inclined to omniscience. 86. In this manner, Nine times the ornament; The young one gave to the nurses, A refuge for the helpless. 87. At eight years of age, The wise one thought thus; Sitting on a royal bed, In a circular palace. 88. "Giving external gifts, Does not yet satisfy my mind; All around is impermanent, I will give internal gifts." 89. "If someone should ask for this, My head with its jeweled crest; Having cut it, I would give it to him, Not wavering in mind." 90. "If someone should ask for my heart, Having split my chest with a sword; Having taken it out, I would give it to him with a joyful mind." 91. "If someone should ask for my eyes, Having plucked them out immediately; With a weapon, I would give them to him, These, with blood." 92. "If someone should ask for my hands, feet, or ears, In an improper way; Having cut them off, I would give them, Fulfilling his wish." 93. "If someone should ask for my flesh, Quickly from my whole body; Having cut it into pieces, I would give the flesh with blood." 94. "If someone should say, 'Be my slave,' In his mind; Having declared myself a slave, I would even give myself." 95. While he was thinking thus, The great earth trembled; Roaring all around, Like an elephant in a forest. 96. Mount Meru, having bowed, Facing the victorious north; The city stood firm, Like a sprout of rattan. 97. With the fear of the earth's roar, The cloud rained down then; Heavy rain, a great stream, Roaring in every direction. On all sides flashed many Lightning streaks; Rainbows arose, Then fell a meteor. There the king Sujampati, Pleased, clapped his hands; "Well done! Well done!" he proclaimed, Mahābrahmā with folded hands. From the Brahma world then, To this circle of earth, A wonder, a marvel it was, A great, single uproar. Thus indeed, creating many Wonders for the great multitude, Making them laugh, increasing great joy, The sixteen-year-old youth. The prince in all the arts, Skilled and accomplished; Like a blooming Sāla tree shining, In beauty and age then. Then, as if wishing to give him, The kingdom, with the approval of the queen, His father consecrated him to kingship, His son, sixteen years old. From the Madda kingdom then, From the Madda royal family, a praised one; Bringing her with great ceremony, Maddi, He consecrated her, a follower of Dhamma. Maddi, daughter of her maternal uncle, A sister, gently smiling; Of Prince Vessantara, Possessing excellent qualities. Rising early, Maddi, Always retiring late; A pleasing wife, Answering to every task. Sixteen thousand women, Maddi, beautiful in every limb; With dance, music, and song, Attended her always. Vessantara, the great king, From the time of his consecration to the kingdom, Began to establish alms-halls, Giving six hundred thousand daily. He set in motion great giving, Distributing day by day; Rejoicing, he gave away six hundred Thousand in wealth daily. Thus delighting in giving, To the queen of that king; Maddi bore a son, Beautiful to behold. They received him, born At the right time, like gold; With a golden net for him, They called his name Jāli. At the time of his son Jāli's First steps, She bore a daughter, Esteemed as the best of women. With a black antelope skin, They received the daughter respectfully; Therefore, the name of that daughter, They called Kaṇhājinā. With a great retinue, They raised those two; Growing up, they With dance and song, Awakening with dance and song. 115. The Great Being, for a month, Six times in the donation pavilion; Looked around, adorned, Seated on the best elephant's neck. 116. There, in the Kalinga kingdom, A terrible drought; The crops did not prosper, A time of famine arose. 117. They committed theft, Unable to live; People in towns and villages, Plundered like savages. 118. The entire Kalinga kingdom, Afflicted by the fear of famine; Like water in a pot, It was shaken, helpless. 119. Merchants, villagers, all, Citizens, united; In the royal courtyard they cried out, Driven by the fear of famine. 120. Then hearing that sound, the king, Quickly, with anxious mind; Asked, "What is this noise?" Of the great ministers near him. 121. They announced to the king, The entire situation; The king then promised, "I will make it rain." 122. Then he made a vow, Undertaking the fast; To make the gods rain, For seven days, full of compassion. 123. Yet even so, he could not, Make the king rain; In the Kalinga kingdom, Only drought arose. 124. Then, gathering together, The citizens, he said this; "I cannot make, The gods rain, what shall I do?" 125. Then they spoke thus, The people to the Kalinga king; "To make the gods rain, Desiring a time of plenty." 126. "In the Sivi kingdom, great king, Ruling with righteousness and justice; Is Vessantara, the great giver, The true son of Siñcaya." 127. "He delights in giving, With the auspicious elephant Kiramangala; He has a powerful elephant, Named Paccaya, the best, all-white." 128. "When that elephant goes, The king, by that power; Causes rain to fall, thundering, Like a great cloud with lightning." 129. "Send Brahmins, O king, To request the white elephant; By that elephant, Quickly send Brahmins." 130. Accepting, "It is well," Hearing that, with joyful mind; In the royal courtyard, the king, Gathered the Brahmins. 131. Endowed with good qualities, Having dismissed the Brahmins, Those eight kings of the Asuras, Without giving even a single slave. 132. "Bring the elephant, good sir, To Vessantara's presence; Go and ask him," thus, The king commanded. 133. The eight kings of the Brahmins, Having circled him once, Went to the victorious, noble elephant, And led away the perfectly beautiful one. 134. Going gradually, Those Brahmins arrived; Eating the victorious one, They stayed in the alms halls. 135. Then, on the full moon day, Having prepared themselves, They, anointed with perfumes, came To the eastern gate area. 136. "We will ask for the noble elephant," Thinking in their minds, Awaiting his arrival, Those good Brahmins stayed there. 137. "They will inspect the alms-giving," Then, with the Asuras' food, Early in the morning, the great being, Adorned himself with ornaments. 138. Having mounted the adorned elephant's neck, The king went from there, To the eastern gate, With a large retinue. 139. Seeing the large retinue, Frightened, with agitated minds, They did not find an opportunity there, To ask, those Brahmins there. 140. From there, to the southern gate, Having moved to a high place, They awaited the excellent king, Standing there. 141. Looking at the eastern Gate, at the alms-giving pavilion, The king, on the elephant's neck, Went to the southern gate. 142. Seeing the king arrived, Having stretched out their hands, the Brahmins, "Victory to Vessantara!" They spoke three times. 143. As the sounds of victory resounded, The king, seeing the Brahmins, Drove the elephant to the place Where they were standing, with a giving mind. 144. Seated on the elephant's neck, With a pleased face, Having never spoken before, he spoke then, A voice pleasing to the heart, like a mountain. 145. With a right-turning conch shell, Having extended his right arm, "Standing before me, What do you Brahmins ask of me?" 146. Thus, quickly they spoke, The delighted Brahmins there, "We ask for a jewel, O king, An elephant, all white." 147. Having heard this, he thought, Inwardly... To give; Now I wish to give, Because outsiders are begging me. 148. Now I will fulfill, The wishes of those who beg; Thus he thought and shone, Standing on the elephant's neck. 149. I will give, I will not waver, What the Brahmins ask of me; White like Mount Kailasa, Adorned, the best of elephants. 150. Then climbing on the elephant's neck, The king, with generous mind; Looked at it three times, And circumambulated the elephant. 151. Taking a golden pitcher, Filled with fragrant water; He called out, "Come, good sirs," "This elephant is to be given." 152. Taking the silver-like, White elephant's trunk; And placing it in the Brahmins' hands, The lord of elephants. 153. Adorning the great elephant, Pouring the water of donation; He gave that excellent tusker, With an unhesitating mind. 154. Along with twenty lakhs, It is worth four lakhs; For the elephant's adornment, Is decorated with various gems. 155. Moreover, priceless are, The six goads and so on; The jewels and the elephant driver, Are priceless, worth seven lakhs. 156. Together with the mentioned jewels, He gave the elephant; The elephant was dear, but even more, He loved omniscience. 157. Moreover, five hundred, Elephant attendants; And families of elephant keepers, He gave with respect. 158. When Vessantara gave, The white auspicious elephant; Even the inanimate earth, Trembled and shook. 159. There, it was frightening, Causing goosebumps; A great, vast noise, Resounded throughout the city. 160. Terrified by the earth's sound,