respect on Sudhana. Taking Manohara in her heavenly jewellery with his left hand and a golden urn in his right, he said, ‘Prince, I give you this Manohara to be your wife. We are not familiar with humans, but never forsake her.’
‘Never, father,’ Sudhana told the king in reply. And returning to their palace amidst the sound of music played by its women, he sported and dallied and made love to Manohara.
After some time, the memories of his own land and the pain of seaparation from his parents made Sudhana sad. He spoke to Manohara who explained it in detail to her father. ‘Go with the prince,’ he told her, ‘but be careful as humans are prone to deceit.’ Giving her jewels, pearls, gold and such objects, he then sent them on their journey.
Sudhana and Manohara flew out to Hastinapura by the aerial path of birds andkinnaras. Learning of this, King Mahadhana beat the drums of joy. The whole city was swept clean of stones, pebbles and gravel, sprinkled with sandalwood water and adorned with silken banners strung with pearls. It was scented with incense and strewn with flowers. Accompanied by many eminent personalities, the prince then entered Hastinapura with Manohara. After some rest, he took a gift of jewels and went to his father who embraced him. Seated beside the royal throne, he recounted in detail his journey to and from the kinnara city.
Realizing the great strength, courage and heroism of his son, Mahadhana anointed him as king. ‘My reunion with Manohara and coronation as king is the result of merits earned in the past,’ Sudhana reflected, ‘so, now I will do charity, make donations and perform other good deeds.’ And for twelve years he carried out fire sacrifices ceaselessly in Hastinapura.
‘You might think that someone else was Prince Sudhana on that occasion at that time,’ said the Lord. 4 ‘But it should not be thus seen. It was I, who in the course of being a Bodhisattva, became at that time the king called Sudhana. And if I displayed strength, courage and heroism for Manohara, and performed fire sacrifices continually for twelve years, it does not mean that I had attained the unsurpassable righteous state of enlightenment: only that philanthropy and courage are merely the causes and the means for attaining that state.’ Thus did the Lord speak, and all the people rejoiced at his words with their minds in assent.
From
Divyāvadāna
, Ch. 30
Of Husbands and Wives
Uttama was a king known for his strength and prowess. A righteous and high-minded ruler, he was adept in sacred duties and treated everyone equally, friend or foe, son or stranger; but to the wicked he was a bringer of death and as gentle as the moon to the virtuous.
Uttama married Bahula of the Babhru line. Wanting her had filled his mind to the exclusion of all else, even in his dreams. His eyes would burn into her as he gazed at her beautiful body. The desire to touch it overwhelmed him. Even a harsh word from her he found pleasant and an insult a compliment. But while he was so enamoured of her, she did not feel the same for him. She disregarded the fine ornaments andgarlands he gave her, and would get up and leave if he held her hand for a mere moment while halfway through a cup of wine. Though she never seemed pleased and ate very little, his passion for her increased all the more.
Once, King Uttama respectfully offered a cup of wine to that proud lady. The nobles of the court were looking on at that moment together with the principal courtesans who were singing. But Queen Bahula did not wish to take the cup and turned her face away. It was a public repudiation of an unloved husband by his dearly loved spouse. The king was enraged. Hissing like a snake, he summoned the gatekeeper. ‘Take away this wicked-hearted woman immediately and leave her in some lonely forest!’ he cried, ‘And you are not to question my order.’
The gatekeeper obeyed. Taking that beauty in a chariot, he abandoned her in a forest. The queen
‘Never, father,’ Sudhana told the king in reply. And returning to their palace amidst the sound of music played by its women, he sported and dallied and made love to Manohara.
After some time, the memories of his own land and the pain of seaparation from his parents made Sudhana sad. He spoke to Manohara who explained it in detail to her father. ‘Go with the prince,’ he told her, ‘but be careful as humans are prone to deceit.’ Giving her jewels, pearls, gold and such objects, he then sent them on their journey.
Sudhana and Manohara flew out to Hastinapura by the aerial path of birds andkinnaras. Learning of this, King Mahadhana beat the drums of joy. The whole city was swept clean of stones, pebbles and gravel, sprinkled with sandalwood water and adorned with silken banners strung with pearls. It was scented with incense and strewn with flowers. Accompanied by many eminent personalities, the prince then entered Hastinapura with Manohara. After some rest, he took a gift of jewels and went to his father who embraced him. Seated beside the royal throne, he recounted in detail his journey to and from the kinnara city.
Realizing the great strength, courage and heroism of his son, Mahadhana anointed him as king. ‘My reunion with Manohara and coronation as king is the result of merits earned in the past,’ Sudhana reflected, ‘so, now I will do charity, make donations and perform other good deeds.’ And for twelve years he carried out fire sacrifices ceaselessly in Hastinapura.
‘You might think that someone else was Prince Sudhana on that occasion at that time,’ said the Lord. 4 ‘But it should not be thus seen. It was I, who in the course of being a Bodhisattva, became at that time the king called Sudhana. And if I displayed strength, courage and heroism for Manohara, and performed fire sacrifices continually for twelve years, it does not mean that I had attained the unsurpassable righteous state of enlightenment: only that philanthropy and courage are merely the causes and the means for attaining that state.’ Thus did the Lord speak, and all the people rejoiced at his words with their minds in assent.
From
Divyāvadāna
, Ch. 30
Of Husbands and Wives
Uttama was a king known for his strength and prowess. A righteous and high-minded ruler, he was adept in sacred duties and treated everyone equally, friend or foe, son or stranger; but to the wicked he was a bringer of death and as gentle as the moon to the virtuous.
Uttama married Bahula of the Babhru line. Wanting her had filled his mind to the exclusion of all else, even in his dreams. His eyes would burn into her as he gazed at her beautiful body. The desire to touch it overwhelmed him. Even a harsh word from her he found pleasant and an insult a compliment. But while he was so enamoured of her, she did not feel the same for him. She disregarded the fine ornaments andgarlands he gave her, and would get up and leave if he held her hand for a mere moment while halfway through a cup of wine. Though she never seemed pleased and ate very little, his passion for her increased all the more.
Once, King Uttama respectfully offered a cup of wine to that proud lady. The nobles of the court were looking on at that moment together with the principal courtesans who were singing. But Queen Bahula did not wish to take the cup and turned her face away. It was a public repudiation of an unloved husband by his dearly loved spouse. The king was enraged. Hissing like a snake, he summoned the gatekeeper. ‘Take away this wicked-hearted woman immediately and leave her in some lonely forest!’ he cried, ‘And you are not to question my order.’
The gatekeeper obeyed. Taking that beauty in a chariot, he abandoned her in a forest. The queen
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