Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 3 1885.djvu/345

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FOLK-TALES OF INDIA.
337

was unable through fear of Indra." Then he gave utterance to the following gâthâ:

"Here am I sent, O king, as messenger
Of demons fierce to murder thee outright;
But Indra, king of gods, doth guard thy bed,
And keeps my hammer huge from off thy head."[1]

On hearing this the Bodhisat utters the two following gâthâs:

1. "If me the king of gods protect
Sujampati or Maghavâ,
Forsooth let all hobgoblins roar!
The demon race will I not fear.

2. All water-sprites may cry aloud,
And mud-sprites, too, may howl and yell;
No match for me are they in fight,
Though huge and threatening they appear."

Indra having put the demon to flight, exhorted the "great-being," saying, "Fear not, king; from this time forth I'll protect thee. Be not afraid." When he had thus spoken he departed to his own celestial realm.


The Gâmanícanda Jâtaka.[2]

Once upon a time, when Janasandha reigned at Benares, the Bodhisat was reborn as the son of that monarch's principal queen. He had a very handsome face, bright, like a well-polished mirror, so when they came to name him they called him Prince Mirror-Face (Âdâsamukha). When he was only seven years old his father died, but not before he had caused him to be instructed in the three Vedas and in all the duties pertaining to this world. The ministers performed the funereal rites of the king with great honours, and presented offerings for the dead.

On the seventh day they assembled in the royal courtyard, and came to the conclusion that the prince was too young to be con-

  1. Literally,

    "And, Indra, the king of gods, guards thee,
    Therefore thy head indeed I do not split open."

  2. Jâtaka Book, vol. ii. No. 257, p. 297.