Report of a Tour through the Bengal Provinces/Barâbar Caves
Having followed Hwen Thsang from Pâṭaliputra to Gaya, I proceed to notice such remains in the vicinity as are of interest.
The most interesting objects are the rock caves in the Barâbar hills with their inscriptions. These have been so fully described by General Cunningham[1] as to need no further notice. I will only mention the local legend of Sudâma in. connection with his cave.
This saint was once a fellow-student of Siva, who, for some purpose not specified, had come to earth to study. Bye-and-bye, when their course of study was over, they went to their respective homes. Sudâma had contracted a friendship with Siva, whom he had excelled as a student, and when at the close of their studentship he found Siva to be the lord of the three worlds, while he had neither wealth nor power, he retired in disgust to this cave. Here he and his wife lived in great distress for a long time, till at last, through press of hunger and the constant entreaty of his wife, he determined to visit his old friend in the hope of getting help from him in some way. Too proud, however, to go empty-handed to his friend, who had been his inferior at school, yet having nothing to carry as a present, he took some gram, and tying it in a corner of the rag which served him for a dhoti, he went to the door of Siva’s palace; the guards refused him admittance, and to his statement that Siva was his friend, lie only received taunting replies alluding to his naked condition, for in tying the gram to his dhoti, so much of the rag had been taken up that enough was not left to cover him decently. Siva, however, heard the noise, and, coming out, was delighted to see his old friend, led him up, and gave him a seat of honour, while he himself, with Pârvati, sat down close to him and began talking. The poor Rishi produced his gram as a present for his friend, and Siva took up and ate a handful, and took up a second handful and ate that also; while in the act of taking a third handful, Pârvati restrained him, saying, “Are you going to give him all three of the Trilokas?” The poor but proud Rishi, after a short stay, took leave and departed, greatly dejected and angry, for he had been too proud to ask Siva for a favour, and Siva had not conferred any on him unasked, though he saw his evident distress, but on the contrary had eaten up his gram, which was all he had. Full of grief he returned towards his cell, when to his astonishment he saw a magnificent place on the spot with many servants, who laid hold of him and carried him in, saying the mistress of the house had called him. From the court-yard he saw a beautiful lady covered with jewels beckoning to him to come up; he replied that he was a poor man who had done no harm and did not know the lady, and begged to be allowed to go. Then the lady at the window repeated a sloka to the effect that as wealth had so changed her that her husband could not recognise her, she wanted not the wealth but preferred her poverty. Sudâma then recognised his wife, and they lived happy together, and grateful to Siva for his gifts.
This is the popular version as related on the spot. There is a long legend of Sudâma in Hindu mythology, and also of Lomas Rishi; also a Buddhist legend of a Lomas Kasyapa in Spence Hardy’s Manual, but they do not appear to have any connexion with these caves. The Nâgârjuni cave is traditionally ascribed to Nâgàrjuna, the famous Buddhist teacher. Hitherto no confirmation of this tradition has been found, but I find from “Sagas of the far East” a collection of Mongolian and Kalmak traditions that, among them, tradition ascribed to Nâgârjuna a residence in Magadha in this cave. I quote the part (page 2):
“In the kingdom of Magadha there once lived seven brothers who were magicians. At a distance of a mile from their abode lived two brothers, Sons of a Khan * * * * * The magicians at once recognised that it was a magic horse, and they said among themselves, ‘If our art is to become thus common and everybody can produce a magic horse, no one will come to our market for wonders; we had best buy the horse up and destroy it.’ Accordingly they paid the high price required, and took possession of the horse * * * * When the Khan’s son, who was transformed into the horse, had learnt what was the intention of the magicians, he said, ‘Would that any sort of living being would appear into which I might transfer myself.’
"Hardly had he formed the wish, when a little fish was seen swimming down the stream, into which the Khan transferred himself. The seven magicians knew what had occurred, and immediately transformed themselves into seven larger fish and pursued it. When they were very close to the little fish with their gullets wide open, the Khan said, 'Would that any soft of living being would appear into which I might transform myself.' Immediately a dove was seen flying in the heavens, and the Khan transferred himself into the dove. The seven magicians seeing what was done, transformed themselves into seven hawks, pursuing the dove over lull and dale. Once again they were near overtaking him, when the dove took refuge in the land of Bede. Southward in Bede was a shining mountain and a cave within it called the Giver of Rest. Hither the dove took refuge, even in the very bosom of the great master and teacher, Nâgârjuna.”
The cave of Nâgàrjuna is here called the “Giver of Rest.” Let us see how far this name agrees with the actual name of the cave now known as the cave of Nâgârjuna.
This cave, in its inscription, is named Gopi-ka-kubha. The word Gopa means preserver, protector; Gopi-ka-kubha can therefore mean the “Cave of the preserver,” or the “Cave of rest.”
I accordingly consider that the Mongol legend does really refer to this cave, and as both in their traditions and in Indian traditions the cave is stated to have been the residence of Nâgârjuna, I think it extremely probable that he really did reside here some time. We know from other sources that Nâgârjuna came to Magadha to study. What more probable than that either during or after his studentship lie resided some time in this cave?
- ↑ Archæological Survey of India, Vol. I, p. 40.