(laddhagabbhaparihárá). He was named prince Bharata.[1] From the love which he bore to the son, the king said to the queen: "Dear (bhadda), I shall confer a boon; accept (it)." Behaving as having accepted it,[2] or as if she were pleased at it, she (was silent for a time) and went up to the king (one day), when the boy was seven or eight years of age, and said to the king : "Please your majesty, a boon was conferred by you upon my son; give it to him now." "Dear, take it," replied the king. "Sire, give the kingdom to my son." The king snapping his fingers wrathfully said: "Wretch (vasali), I have two sons as resplendent as two flames of fire, and doest thou wish me to kill them and give the kingdom to thy son?" (Whereupon) terrified, she quietly entered her bed-chamber. On subsequent days (nevertheless) she repeatedly asked the king to bestow the very kingdom (on her son). The king, still refusing her the boon, and reflecting, "that women were ungrateful and envious, and that either by means of forged writings (kúṭapanna)[3] or by means of a dishonest bribe (kúṭalancha), the queen might procure the death of his sons," caused them to be summoned (to his presence), communicated the same (his misgivings) to them, and said: "Children, some calamity might befall you if you live here; go (therefore) to a foreign country or to the woods; return at the time of my funeral obsequies (dhûmakále), and assume the sovereignty to which you are lineally entitled." So saying, he sent for astrologers (nimittaka), and enquired of them how long he would live; and having learnt that he would live a further period of twelve years, said: "Sons, return after twelve years from hence, and ascend the throne." The princes saying: "Well," saluted the king, and went down themansion weeping. Sitá-deví (hearing this) said: "I too will go with my brothers," saluted the king and proceeded with them weeping.[4]
These three persons, accompanied with a large retinue, left (the city), and dismissing them (after they had gone some distance,) gradually reached Himavanta, and built a dwelling in a locality which had the advantage of water and herbs, and abounded with various fruits; and living on them they dwelt there. Paṇḍit [sic!] Lakkhana and his sister Sítá supplicated Ráma, and obtained his consent (to the following proposal): "You stand to us in the position of a father, therefore tarry you here, we shall fetch herbs and fruits and maintain you."
From thence Ráma was altogether at home and the others nourished him with herbs and fruits. Whilst they were thus dwelling, king Dasaratha, owing to the grief for his sons, died (a premature death) in the ninth year (after the departure of his sons). His queen, after the rites of cremation, said: "Give the kingdom (chatta) to my own son prince Bharata." The ministers saying—"those who are entitled to the kingdom are in the forest," did not comply. (Whereupon) prince Bharata (resolving)—"I will bring my brother Ráma from the woods and will set him upon the throne," proceeded with four-bodied army and the five-fold royal insignia (pancha rájakakudhabháṇḍa)[5] to the locality where Ráma dwelt; and pitching their tents near it, Bharata with several ministers went to his residence at a time when Lakkhana and Sítá had gone to the woods. He met Ráma at the door of his residence, in the enjoyment of health, and quietly seated like a firm golden statue. Having accosted him and taken his respectful distance, Bharata informed him of the news regarding the king, and wept with his ministers falling down at the feet of Ráma. But Ráma neither wept nor sorrowed. In him there was not the slightest emotion.[6] In the evening, whilst Bharata was (yet) weeping, the other two returned with herbs and fruits.
Whereupon Ráma thus pondered:—"These are children. They have not, as I have, the wisdom of pariganhana.[7] If at once it be said to them; your father is dead, unable to bear the grief, their hearts will be rent. I shall (therefore) by some device get them to descend into the water, and shall then cause the intelligence to be conveyed (to them)." He then, pointing to a pond opposite to them, spoke in a couplet thus: "You have come very late, let this be a punishment for you. Get down into this water and stand. Lakkhana and Sità come ye both (ettha Lakkhana Sitá cha) and descend into the water." They at once descended and stood (as desired); when, communicating to them the (sad) intelligence, Ráma gave utterance to the remaining couplet:—"This Bharata says thus:—'King Dasaratha is dead'." The moment they heard the intelligence of their father's death they became insensible. It was again conveyed to them, and they again became insensible. When they had thus fainted for the third time, his ministers raised and lifted them up from the water, and set them down on the ground. After they had recovered, all of them reciprocated their grief,
- ↑ D'Alwis has Baratha throughout.
- ↑ yahitan (gah-?) katvâ ṭhapetrâ—"behaving as if (she had) accepted it; i. e. inducing him by her manner to believe that she would accept the offer hereafter," (the gerund, ṭhapetvâ has usually the meaning, praeter: properly, "putting aside."
- ↑ With reference to this word, conf. Ind. Streisen, II. 837-9. In addition to the passages quoted there regarding letters and the like, numerous proofs are to be found in Buddhaghosa's commentary on the Dhammapada: vide Fausböll, p. 217, 221, 235, 240, 245, 245, 265–8, 417.
- ↑ In this respect the demeanour of the Mâdri-devî in the Vessantara-Jâtaka (vide Hardy: Manual, p. 117) corresponds much more closely with the account in the Rámáyana.
- ↑ Conf. Fausböll, Dhammapada, p. 222 (where rájakakudabhaṇḍa).
- ↑ Contrast Ramay. II. 103, 3ff.
- ↑ The wisdom of taking things easy, of accepting all things with complaisance, of submitting to every condition of life.
