Gautama Meets the Crane King Rajadharma

Verse 1 (12.168.1)

तस्यां निशायां व्युष्टायां गते तस्मिन्द्विजोत्तमे । निष्क्रम्य गौतमोऽगच्छद्धनार्थी विचचार ह ॥

tasyāṃ niśāyāṃ vyuṣṭāyāṃ gate tasmindvijottame | niṣkramya gautamo'gacchaddhanārthī vicacāra ha

When that night had passed and the best of brahmins had gone, Gautama went out and wandered, seeking wealth.

Note on the text: Line 2 differs from CE 12.163.1c (niṣkramya gautamo 'gacchat samudraṃ prati bhārata); kept as a variant.

Verse 2 (12.168.2)

सामुद्रिकान्सवणिजस्ततोऽपश्यत्स्थितान्पथि । स तेन सह सार्थेन प्रययौ सागरं प्रति ॥

sāmudrikānsavaṇijastato'paśyatsthitānpathi | sa tena saha sārthena prayayau sāgaraṃ prati

He saw some seafaring merchants halted on the road, and went with that caravan toward the sea.

Verse 3 (12.168.3)

स तु सार्थो महाराज कस्मिंश्चिद्गिरिगह्वरे । मत्तेन द्विरदेनाथ निहतः प्रायशोऽभवत् ॥

sa tu sārtho mahārāja kasmiṃścidgirigahvare | mattena dviradenātha nihataḥ prāyaśo'bhavat

But that caravan, great king, in a mountain cave, was almost wholly destroyed by a rutting elephant.

Verse 4 (12.168.4)

स कथंचित्ततस्तस्मात्सार्थान्मुक्तो द्विजस्तदा । कांदिग्भूतो जीवितार्थी प्रदुद्रावोत्तरां दिशम् ॥

sa kathaṃcittatastasmātsārthānmukto dvijastadā | kāṃdigbhūto jīvitārthī pradudrāvottarāṃ diśam

Somehow the brahmin escaped from that caravan, and, bewildered, not knowing which way to go and anxious for his life, he ran off toward the north.

Note on the text: Restored from the critical edition (12.163.4a: sa kathaṃ cit tatas tasmāt sārthān mukto dvijas tadā): Wikisource's line 1 (स कथंचिद्भयात्तस्माद्विमुक्तो प्रायशोऽभवत्) is garbled and ends by repeating the end of the previous verse (प्रायशोऽभवत्). Line 2 is unchanged (= CE 12.163.4c).

Verse 5 (12.168.5)

ततस्तु स परिभ्रष्टः सार्थाद्देशात्तथाऽर्थतः । एकाकी व्यभ्रमत्तत्र वने कापुरुषो यथा ॥

tatastu sa paribhraṣṭaḥ sārthāddeśāttathā'rthataḥ | ekākī vyabhramattatra vane kāpuruṣo yathā

Cut off in this way from the caravan, from the region and from his purpose, he wandered alone in the forest like a wretch.

Verse 6 (12.168.6)

स पन्थानमथासाद्य समुद्राभिसरं तदा । आससाद वनं रम्यं महत्पुष्पितपादपम् ॥

sa panthānamathāsādya samudrābhisaraṃ tadā | āsasāda vanaṃ ramyaṃ mahatpuṣpitapādapam

Then he came upon a road leading toward the sea, and reached a lovely forest of tall trees in flower.

Verse 7 (12.168.7)

सर्वर्तुकैराम्रवणैः पुष्पितैरुपशोभितम् । नन्दनोद्देशसदृशं यक्षकिन्नरसेवितम् ॥

sarvartukairāmravaṇaiḥ puṣpitairupaśobhitam | nandanoddeśasadṛśaṃ yakṣakinnarasevitam

It was adorned with mango groves in flower in every season, like Nandana, the garden of the gods, and was frequented by Yakshas and Kinnaras.

Verse 8 (12.168.8)

सालतालधवाश्वत्थप्लक्षागुरुवनैस्तथा । चन्दनस्य च मुख्यस्य पादपैरुपशोभितम् । गिरिप्रस्थेषु रम्येषु सुखेषु सुखगन्धिषु ॥

sālatāladhavāśvatthaplakṣāguruvanaistathā | candanasya ca mukhyasya pādapairupaśobhitam | giriprastheṣu ramyeṣu sukheṣu sukhagandhiṣu

It was graced with woods of sala, tala, dhava, ashvattha, plaksha and aguru, and with trees of the finest sandalwood, along lovely, pleasant, sweet-scented mountain slopes.

Note on the text: Corrected सालतालघवाश्वत्थ → सालतालधवाश्वत्थ (misprint in Wikisource; घ for ध; the CE reads dhava). Three-line verse, as on the page and in the CE (12.163.8a, c, e).

Verse 9 (12.168.9)

समन्ततो द्विजश्रेष्ठा वल्गु कूजन्ति तत्र वै । मनुष्यवदनाश्चान्ये भारुण्डा इति विश्रुताः ॥

samantato dvijaśreṣṭhā valgu kūjanti tatra vai | manuṣyavadanāścānye bhāruṇḍā iti viśrutāḥ

On every side the finest of birds were warbling sweetly there, and others, with human faces, known as the Bharundas.

Note on the text: The alignment found no match. Lines 1-2 = CE 12.163.9a, c; the CE's third line (12.163.9e, bhūliṅgaśakunāś cānye samudraṃ sarvato 'bhavan) is not on the page.

Verse 10 (12.168.10)

स तान्यतिमनोज्ञानि विहगानां रुतानि वै । शृण्वन्सुरमणीयानि विप्रोऽगच्छत गौतमः ॥

sa tānyatimanojñāni vihagānāṃ rutāni vai | śṛṇvansuramaṇīyāni vipro'gacchata gautamaḥ

Hearing those most charming and delightful cries of the birds, the brahmin Gautama walked on.

Verse 11 (12.168.11)

ततोऽपश्यत्सुरम्येषु सुवर्णसिकताचिते । देशभागे समे चित्रे स्वर्गोद्देशसमप्रभे । श्रिया जुष्टं ददर्शाथ न्यग्रोधं च सुमण्डलम् ॥

tato'paśyatsuramyeṣu suvarṇasikatācite | deśabhāge same citre svargoddeśasamaprabhe | śriyā juṣṭaṃ dadarśātha nyagrodhaṃ ca sumaṇḍalam

Then, on a most delightful stretch of level, many-coloured ground strewn with golden sand and shining like a region of heaven, he saw a banyan tree of rich splendour with a fine round crown.

Note on the text: The alignment found no match. Three-line verse, as on the page (labelled 168-11a/b/c): lines 1-2 = CE 12.163.11a, c (the page reads सुरम्येषु where the CE has suramye sa); line 3 is a variant of CE 12.163.12a (śriyā juṣṭaṃ mahāvṛkṣaṃ nyagrodhaṃ parimaṇḍalam).

Verse 12 (12.168.12)

शाखाभिरनुरूपाभिः संवृतं छत्रसन्निभम् । तस्य मूलं च संसिक्तं वरचन्दनवारिणा ॥

śākhābhiranurūpābhiḥ saṃvṛtaṃ chatrasannibham | tasya mūlaṃ ca saṃsiktaṃ varacandanavāriṇā

It was covered all over with branches that matched one another, like a parasol, and its foot was drenched with water scented with the finest sandalwood.

Note on the text: The alignment found no match. Line 1 is a variant of CE 12.163.12c (… bhūṣitaṃ chatrasaṃnibham; the page reads संवृतं); line 2 is a variant of CE 12.163.13a (tasya mūlaṃ susaṃsiktaṃ varacandanavāriṇā; the page reads संसिक्तं).

Verse 13 (12.168.13)

दिव्यपुष्पान्वितं श्रीमत्पितामहसदोपमम् । तं दृष्ट्वा गौतमः प्रीतो मनःकान्तमनुत्तमम् ॥

divyapuṣpānvitaṃ śrīmatpitāmahasadopamam | taṃ dṛṣṭvā gautamaḥ prīto manaḥkāntamanuttamam

It was set with divine flowers and radiant, like the assembly hall of the Grandfather, Brahma. Seeing it, Gautama was delighted, for it was beautiful to the heart and beyond compare,

Note on the text: The alignment found no match. Line 1 = CE 12.163.13c; line 2 is a variant of CE 12.163.14a (taṃ dṛṣṭvā gautamaḥ prīto munikāntam anuttamam; the page reads मनःकान्तम्).

Verse 14 (12.168.14)

मेध्यं सुरगृहप्रख्यं पुष्पितैः पादपैर्वृतम् । तमासाद्य मुदा युक्तस्तस्याधस्तादुपाविशत् ॥

medhyaṃ suragṛhaprakhyaṃ puṣpitaiḥ pādapairvṛtam | tamāsādya mudā yuktastasyādhastādupāviśat

pure, like a dwelling of the gods, and ringed by flowering trees. Reaching it, he sat down beneath it, filled with joy.

Note on the text: The alignment found no match. Lines 1-2 = CE 12.163.14c, 14e (the page reads तमासाद्य for tam āgamya).

Verse 15 (12.168.15)

तत्रासीनस्य कौन्तेय गौतमस्य नराधिप । पुष्पाणि समुपस्पृश्य प्रववावनिलः शुभः । ह्लादयंस्तस्य गात्राणि गौतमस्य तदा नृप ॥

tatrāsīnasya kaunteya gautamasya narādhipa | puṣpāṇi samupaspṛśya pravavāvanilaḥ śubhaḥ | hlādayaṃstasya gātrāṇi gautamasya tadā nṛpa

As Gautama sat there, O son of Kunti, O lord of men, a pleasant breeze blew, brushing the flowers and refreshing all of Gautama's limbs, O king.

Note on the text: Three-line verse, as on the page and in the CE (12.163.15a, c, e); lines 1-3 read कौन्तेय / शुभः / तस्य गात्राणि against the CE's kauravya / śuciḥ / sarvagātrāṇi, kept as variants.

Verse 16 (12.168.16)

स तु विप्रः परिश्रान्तः स्पृष्टः पुण्येन वायुना । सुखमासाद्य सुष्वाप भास्करश्चास्तमभ्ययात् ॥

sa tu vipraḥ pariśrāntaḥ spṛṣṭaḥ puṇyena vāyunā | sukhamāsādya suṣvāpa bhāskaraścāstamabhyayāt

The brahmin, weary and touched by the holy breeze, found ease and fell asleep, and the sun went down.

Note on the text: Corrected परिश्रान्तिः → परिश्रान्तः (misprint in Wikisource; परिश्रान्तिः is a feminine noun and cannot qualify विप्रः; the CE reads pariśrāntaḥ).

Verse 17 (12.168.17)

ततोऽस्तं भास्करे याते सन्ध्याकाल उपस्थिते । आजगाम स्वभवनं ब्रह्मलोकात्खगोत्तमः ॥

tato'staṃ bhāskare yāte sandhyākāla upasthite | ājagāma svabhavanaṃ brahmalokātkhagottamaḥ

Then, when the sun had set and evening had come, the best of birds returned to his home from Brahma's world.

Verse 18 (12.168.18)

नाडीजङ्घ इति ख्यातो दयितो ब्रह्मणः सखा । बकराजो महाप्राज्ञः काश्यपस्यात्मसंभवः ॥

nāḍījaṅgha iti khyāto dayito brahmaṇaḥ sakhā | bakarājo mahāprājñaḥ kāśyapasyātmasaṃbhavaḥ

He was known as Nadijangha, the dear friend of Brahma, king of the cranes, very wise, born of Kashyapa.

Verse 19 (12.168.19)

राजधर्मेति विख्यातो बभूवाप्रतिभो भुवि । देवकन्यासुतः श्रीमान्विद्वान्देवसमप्रभः ॥

rājadharmeti vikhyāto babhūvāpratibho bhuvi | devakanyāsutaḥ śrīmānvidvāndevasamaprabhaḥ

He was famed as Rajadharma, unmatched on earth, the son of a divine maiden, splendid, learned, radiant as a god.

Verse 20 (12.168.20)

मृष्टहाटकसंछन्नो भूषणैरर्कसन्निभैः । भूषितः सर्वगात्रेषु देवगर्भः श्रिया ज्वलन् ॥

mṛṣṭahāṭakasaṃchanno bhūṣaṇairarkasannibhaiḥ | bhūṣitaḥ sarvagātreṣu devagarbhaḥ śriyā jvalan

Covered with burnished gold and ornaments bright as the sun, adorned on every limb, god-born, he blazed with splendour.

Verse 21 (12.168.21)

तमागतं खगं दृष्ट्वा गौतमो विस्मितोऽभवत् । क्षुत्पिपासापरीतात्मा हिंसार्थं चैनमैक्षत ॥

tamāgataṃ khagaṃ dṛṣṭvā gautamo vismito'bhavat | kṣutpipāsāparītātmā hiṃsārthaṃ cainamaikṣata

Gautama was amazed to see the bird arrive, and, tormented by hunger and thirst, he looked at him with thoughts of killing him.

Note on the text: Line 1 reads खगं for the CE's dvijaṃ, and line 2 hiṃsārthaṃ cainam against hiṃsārthī cāpy; kept as variants.

Verse 22 (12.168.22)

स्वागतं भवतो विप्र दिष्ट्या प्राप्तोऽसि मे गृहान् । अस्तं च सविता यातः संध्येयं समुपस्थिता ॥

svāgataṃ bhavato vipra diṣṭyā prāpto'si me gṛhān | astaṃ ca savitā yātaḥ saṃdhyeyaṃ samupasthitā

'Welcome to you, brahmin. By good fortune you have come to my house. The sun has set, and the twilight hour has come.

Note on the text: The page prints the speaker heading as राजधर्मोवाच (12-168-22x); given as speaker राजधर्मा (the name used in the text, in verse 19 here and in 170.26) with speaker_line as printed.

Verse 23 (12.168.23)

मम त्वं निलयं प्राप्तः प्रियातिथिरनिन्दितः । पूजितो यास्यसि प्रातर्विधिदृष्टेन कर्मणा ॥

mama tvaṃ nilayaṃ prāptaḥ priyātithiraninditaḥ | pūjito yāsyasi prātarvidhidṛṣṭena karmaṇā

You have come to my dwelling as a dear and blameless guest. Honoured with the rite laid down, you will leave in the morning.'