Chapter 219 - The story of Mahendrasena

bhūtapūrvaṃ bhikṣavaḥ atīte'dhvani vārāṇasyāṃ nagaryāṃ mahendrasena nāma rājā rājyaṃ kārayati ṛddhaṃ ca sphītaṃ ca kṣemaṃ ca subhikṣaṃ cākīrṇabahujanamanuṣyaṃ ca; tasya candraprabhā nāma devī satyasvapnā; yatkiṃcitsvapne paśyati sarvaṃ tattathaiva bhavati; tasya ca rājño vijite suvarṇapārśvo nāma bodhisatvaḥ mṛgeṣūpapanno mṛgāṇāmadhipatiḥ; so'cintanīyarūpaprabhāvayogātsarvalokamanonayanaprahlādanakaraḥ, prārthanīyaśca; yastaṃ paśyati sa nirīkṣamānastatraiva tiṣṭhati; so'tyarthamabhivīkṣyamānaḥ śaṅkī saṃvṛttaḥ; sa lubdhakabhayādanyalokabhayācca bhītaścarati; dharmatā hyeṣā aciravyativṛtte lokasanniveśe tiryañco'pi vākpravyāharaṇasamarthā bhavanti; athānyataraḥ kākas(a 459 ) tasya samīpamupasaṃkrāntaḥ; sa tena sārdhaṃ premapraṇayasaukhyaḥ kathayati: bho mātula kasmāttvamevaṃ bhītabhītaścarasi? iti; sa kathayati: bhāgineya mamedaṃ rūpaṃ sarvalokaśubhaṃ saṃprārthanīyaṃ ca; so'haṃ lokabhayāllubdhakabhayācca bhītabhītaś(i 97) carāmi iti; sa kathayati: mamāpyatīvolūkabhayaṃ; tadanyonyaṃ rakṣāṃ kurvaḥ; ahaṃ tvāṃ divā rakṣāmi; tvaṃ māṃ rātrau rakṣa iti; tāvevaṃ kṛtamaryādau vyavasthitau; yāvadanyatamaḥ puruṣo dviṣadbhiḥ paścādbāhugāḍhabandhanabaddho navāmbupūrṇāyāṃ hemalohyāṃ hemamālinyāṃ śīghrasrotasi nadyāṃ prakṣiptaḥ; tatra uhyamāna ārtasvaraṃ vilalāpa: paryadevata:
bhavāmi kasya dāso'haṃ kasya vā paricārakaḥ |
yo me'dya jīvitaṃ dadyādyallokeṣu sudurlabham || iti;
daivādasau mṛgādhipatiḥ salilāśayātmṛgagaṇaparivṛto nadīsamīpamupasaṃkrāntaḥ; tataḥ puruṣavirāvaṃ śrutvā te mṛgāḥ samantādvidrutāḥ; dharmatā hyeṣā bodhisatvānāṃ yadapi kāyena vinipatanti, no tu cittena; tataḥ sa mṛgādhipatiḥ kāruṇyādāmreḍitahṛdayaḥ sahasā nadīmavatartumārabdhaḥ; kākaścāsya pūrvamaryādāvadhṛtamatiḥ pṛṣṭhataḥ anubaddha eva saṃrakṣaṇāya; sa taṃ puruṣaṃ kṛtoddharaṇavyavasāyaṃ viditvā evamāha: alamalaṃ mṛgādhipate; mā sāhasaṃ kārṣīḥ; akṛtajñā hyete manuṣyāḥ nopakāraṃ manyante iti; anivartakā bhavanti bodhisatvā mahāsatvāḥ; sa tasya vacanamavacanaṃ kṛtvā nadīmavagāhya taṃ puruṣaṃ priyamivaikaputraṃ pṛṣṭhamabhirohya, nadyāstīraṃ saṃprāpya, bandhanānyavamucya, muhūrtaṃ samāśvāsya, kathayati: vatsa anena pathā yatheṣṭaṃ gaccha iti; tato'sau puruṣaḥ kṛtāṃjaliḥ pādayornipatya taṃ mṛgādhipatimidamavocat:
tava dāso hyahaṃ tāta tavaiva paricārakaḥ |
tvayā me jīvitaṃ dattaṃ yallokeṣu sudurlabham || iti
sa kathayati
ma me tvamadya dāsaḥ syāḥ mā caiva paricārakaḥ |
na vācyastvahamanyebhyo hanyurmāṃ carmakāraṇāt ||
api tu vatsa idaṃ tvayā kartavyaṃ; kṛte pratyupakārātnāhaṃ tvayā kasyacinnivedyaḥ; atilobhanīyamidaṃ me śarīraṃ prārthanīyaṃ sarvalokasya iti; tatassa puruṣa tatheti pratijñāya mṛgādhipatiṃ (i 98) triḥ pradakṣiṇīkṛtya pādayornipatya prakrāntaḥ; yāvadapareṇa samayena candraprabhā devī ratiparikhedakhinnā mahāśayane atyarthaṃ middhamavakrāntā rātryāḥ paścime yāme svapnamadrākṣīdatiparamaramaṇīyaśarīraṃ mṛgādhipatiṃ siṃhāsane niṣadya mahatyāṃ rājaparṣadi dharmaṃ deśayantaṃ; dṛṣṭvā ca punaḥ pratyakṣavatsvapnadarśanasaṃjanitasaumanasyā laghu laghveva mahāśayanādutthāya rājño niveditavatī; śrutvā rājā tasyāḥ satyasvapnāyāḥ paraṃ vismayamāpannaḥ: aniṣṭagatyupapannena satā kathaṃ nāma siṃhāsane niṣadya mahatyāṃ rājaparṣadi dharmo deśayitavyaḥ iti; tataścandraprabhā devī priyamadhuracāturyakathāsamudācārayogena muhūrtaṃ rājānamupalāḍya kathayati: deva kriyatāṃ yatnaḥ tasya mṛgasyānayanāya iti; tato rājñā amātyānām (a 460 ) ājñā dattā: bhavanto yāvanto madviṣayanivāsino mṛgalubdhakāstiṣṭhanti te sarve matsakāśamupaneyāḥ iti; amātyaiḥ pratiprativiṣayeṣu rājapuruṣāṇāmājñā dattā: devaḥ samājñāpayati madviṣayanivāsibhirmṛgalubdhakairihāgantavyamiti; tadyuṣmābhiḥ sarvamṛgalubdhakā iha preṣayitavyāḥ iti; taiḥ sarve viṣayanivāsino mṛgalubdhakā rājñaḥ sakāśaṃ preṣitāḥ; amātyai rajñe upanītāḥ; rājā kathayati: bhavanto śrutaṃ mayā madvijite paramaramaṇīyarūpavigraho mṛgo'stīti; sa yuṣmābhirmṛduśithilabandhanopanibaddho matsakāśamakhedita upaneyaḥ iti; te kathayanti: deva vayaṃ tajjīvina eva; iyatā kālena devasya vijite paryaṭadbhirna kadācidevaṃvidho mṛgavaraḥ śrutapūrvaḥ; kimuta dṛṣṭaḥ tamarhati devaḥ śravaparamparayā samanveṣya amuṣmin deśe tiṣṭhatīti; asmākamājñātum; evaṃ devasya vayaṃ niyatamājñāṃ saṃpādayāmaḥ iti; tato rājñā amātyānāmājñā dattā: bhavanto vārāṇasyāṃ ghaṇṭāvaghoṣaṇaṃ kārayata samājñāpayati devaḥ; atiramaṇīyavigraho mṛgādhipatirasti; yo me tasya pravṛttiṃ nivedayati tamahaṃ mahatā satkāreṇa satkaromi; paṃca cāsmai grāmavarān prayacchāmi iti; amātyai rājñaḥ pratiśrutya vārāṇasyāṃ ghaṇṭāvaghoṣaṇaṃ kāritaṃ: śṛṇvantu bhavanto vārāṇasīnivāsinaḥ paurā nānādeśābhyāgatāśca janāḥ; deva evaṃ samājñāpayati madvijite atiparamaramaṇīyavigraho mṛgādhipatirasti; yo me tasya pravṛttiṃ nivedayati tamahaṃ mahatā satkāreṇa satkaromi; paṃca cāsmai grāmavarān prayacchāmi iti; tatastaddarśinaḥ puruṣasya etadabhavat: kiṃ tāvatkuṭumbamanupālayāmi, āhosvitkṛtajñatām? iti; kāmān khalu pratisevamānasya (i 99) nāsti kiṃcitpāpakaṃ karma akaraṇīyamiti sa kāmanidānotthena dveṣavahnitīvreṇa santāpitahṛdayaḥ saṃlakṣayti: tiṣṭhatu kṛtajñatā; śatrorvairaniryātanāya samupasthitaḥ kālaḥ; kiṃ mayā punastādṛśī avasthā prāpayitavyā? tasya tāvadvairaniryātanaṃ karomi iti; sa prabhātāyāṃ rajanyāṃ rājñaḥ parṣadi sanniṣaṇṇasya rājakāryamadhitiṣṭhataḥ, anivārite rājakuladvāre nānāvicitrasurabhipuṣpāṇyādāya dauvārikāmātyaparaṃparayā rājānaṃ saṃśrāvya parṣadamabhyavagāhya satkāravidhipūrvakeṇa rājño niveditayati:
amuṣmin deśe nānātaruṣaṇḍamaṇḍite viśvastamṛgapakṣiṇi suvarṇapārśvo mṛgādhipatiranekamṛgagaṇaparivṛtastiṣṭhati; ahaṃ taṃ devasya atiramaṇīyavigrahaṃ mṛgavaramupadarśayāmi iti; tato rājā tacchravaṇasaṃjanitasaumanasyaḥ anekāmātyaśatasahasraparivṛtaḥ kutūhalajātenānyena nānādeśābhyāgatena vārāṇasīnivāsinā ca paurajānapadena saṃpuraskṛtaḥ, deśitamārgastena puruṣeṇa, anupūrveṇa taṃ pradeśamanuprāptaḥ; yāvadasau kākaḥ bodhisatvasya kṛtāvadhiḥ diśāmavalokakaḥ tasmin vanaṣaṇḍavṛkṣaśikhare niṣaṇṇaḥ; yāvatpaśyati vanaṣaṇḍābhimukhaṃ (a 460 ) mahājanakāyaṃ; tvaritatvaritaṃ mṛgādhipateḥ sakāśamupasaṃkramya kathayati; mṛgarāja mayā tvaṃ pūrvamuktaḥ akṛtajñā manuṣyāḥ, akṛtavedinaḥ, nopakāraṃ manyate iti; ayaṃ sa puruṣo mahatā prābhṛtenāgataḥ iti; tacchabdapratisaṃvedino mṛgā bhītāḥ samantādpradrutāḥ; mṛgādhipatirbodhisatvaḥ saṃlakṣayati: yadyahametānna rakṣiṣyāmi, adyaiva nidhanamupayāsyanti; kāmaṃ svaprāṇavināśo na tu satvādhyupekṣaṇamiti viditvā rājānaṃ pratyudgataḥ; tataḥ sa puruṣo nirghṛṇahṛdayastyaktaparaloko mṛgadarśanādāvarjitamatistaṃ mṛgavaramubhābhyāṃ pāṇibhyāmupadarśayannāha: deva ayaṃ sa mṛgādhipatiriti; atyudīrṇaparipūrṇāni hi karmāṇi na vipākakālamapekṣante; vākpravyāharaṇakālasamanantarameva tasya puruṣasya ubhau pāṇī pṛthivyāṃ nipatitau; tataḥ sa rājā saṃvegajātastaṃ puruṣaṃ pṛṣṭavān: bhoḥ puruṣa kimidam? iti; sa duḥkhavedanābhyāhataḥ sagadgadaṃ gāthāṃ bhāṣate:
nāsau coro mahārāja haratyarthaṃ nihatya yaḥ |
sa tu coro mahārāja yasya nāsti kṛtajñatā || (i 100)
rājā kathayati: ko'sya bhāṣitasyārthaḥ? iti; tena sarvaṃ yathāvistareṇa samākhyātaṃ; tato rājā akṛtajñapuruṣaṃ gāthayā pratyābhāṣata:
kathaṃ pṛthivyāṃ na nimajjase'dhamaḥ
kathaṃ na jihvā śatadhā vidīryate |
kathaṃ na vajrāśaniśaktitomarais
taveha gātre praharanti guhyakāḥ || iti
tato rājā bodhisatvasya tāṃ prabhāvamahattāṃ jñātvā amātyānāmantrayate: satkārārtho'yaṃ mṛgādhipatirmahātmā; gacchata; nagaraśobhāṃ mārgaśobhāṃ ca kārayata iti; taistannagaramapagatapāṣāṇaśarkarakaṭhallaṃ vyavasthāpitaṃ, candanavāripariṣiktaṃ surabhidhūpaghaṭikopanibaddhamucchṛtadhvajapatākamāmuktapaṭṭādāmakalāpaṃ nānāpuṣpāvakīrṇaṃ ramaṇīyaṃ, devānāmiva nandanavanodyānam; evaṃ mārgaśobhā kāritā; vārāṇasīnivasī janakāyaḥ malyopahāraśobhāmādāya pratyudgataḥ; tato rājñā asāvatiramaṇīyavigraho mṛgādhipatirmahatyā vibhūtyā vārāṇasīṃ nagarīṃ praveśya siṃhāsane niṣāditaḥ; tato mahatyā rājaṛddhyā mahatā rājānubhāvena rājā sāntaḥpurakumārāmātyapaurajānapadaisparivārya niṣaṇṇaḥ; atha mṛgādhipatibodhisatvena samantāttāṃ parṣadamavalokya rājñastasyāśca parṣadastathāvidho dharmo deśitaḥ, yaṃ śrutvā rājñā saparivāreṇa paṃcaśikṣāpadāni gṛhītāni; anekaiśca satvaiḥ kuśalamūlānyāsāditāni; tato rājñā sadā bodhisatvamṛgebhyo'bhayaṃ dattaṃ; sarvaprāṇibhūteṣvabhayaṃ dattaṃ.
kiṃ manyadhve bhikṣavaḥ? yo'sau suvarṇapārśvo mṛgādhipatirahameva saḥ tena kālena tena samayena; yo'sau puruṣaḥ eṣa evāsau devadattaḥ tena kālena tena samayena; tadāpyeṣa akṛtajñaḥ akṛtavedī; etarhyapyeṣa akṛtajña akṛtavedī; punarapi yathā devadattaḥ akṛtajña akṛtavedī tacchrūyatāṃ.