Jataka Vol. I: Book I.--Ekanipāta: No. 80. Bhīmasena-Jātaka
No. 80.
BHĪMASENA-JĀTAKA.
"You vaunted your prowess."--This story was told by the Master while at
Jetavana, about a certain braggart among the Brethren. Tradition says that he
used to gather round him Brethren of all ages, and go about deluding everyone
with lying boasts about his noble descent. "Ah, Brethren," he would say,
"there's no family so noble as mine, no lineage so peerless. I am a scion of the
highest of princely lines; no man is my equal in birth or ancestral estate;
there is absolutely no end to the gold and silver and other treasures we
possess. Our very slaves and menials are fed on rice and meat-stews, and are
clad in the best Benares cloth, with the choicest Benares perfumes to perfume
themselves withal;--whilst I, because I have joined the Brotherhood, [3561 have
to content myself with this vile fare and this vile garb."
But another Brother, after enquiring into his family estate, exposed to the
Brethren the emptiness of this pretension. So the Brethren met in the Hall of
Truth, and talk began as to how that Brother, in spite of his vows to leave
worldly things and cleave only to the saving Truth, was going about deluding the
Brethren with his lying boasts. Whilst the fellow's sinfulness was being
discussed, the Master entered and enquired what their topic was. And they told
him. "This is not the first time, Brethren," said the Master, "that he has gone
about boasting; in bygone days too he went about boasting and deluding people."
And so saying, he told this story of the past.
_____________________________
Once on a time when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisatta was born
a brahmin in a market-town in the North country, and when he was grown up he
studied under a teacher of world-wide fame at Takkasilā. There he learnt the
Three Vedas and the Eighteen Branches of knowledge, and completed his education.
And he became known as the sage Little Bowman. Leaving Takkasilā, he came to the
Andhra country in search of practical experience. Now, it happened that in this
Birth the Bodhisatta was somewhat of a crooked little dwarf, and he thought to
himself, "If I make my appearance before any king, he's sure to ask what a dwarf
like me is good for; why should I not use a tall broad fellow as my
stalking-horse and earn my living in the shadow of his more imposing
p. 204
personality'?" So he betook himself to the weavers' quarter, and there espying a
huge weaver named Bhīmasena, saluted him, asking the man's name. "Bhīmasena 1 is
my name," said the weaver. "And what makes a fine big man like you work at so
sorry a trade?" "Because I can't get a living any other way." "Weave no more,
friend. The whole continent can shew no such archer as I am; but kings would
scorn me because I am a dwarf. And so you, friend, must be the man to vaunt your
prowess with the bow, and the king will take you into his pay [357] and make you
ply your calling regularly. Meantime I shall be behind you to perform the duties
that are laid upon you, and so shall earn my living in your shadow. In this
manner we shall both of us thrive and prosper. Only do as I tell you." "Done
with you," said the other.
Accordingly, the Bodhisatta took the weaver with him to Benares, acting as a
little' page of the bow, and putting the other in the front; and when they were
at the gates of the palace, he made him send word of his coming to the king.
Being summoned into the royal presence, the pair entered together and bowing
stood before the king. "What brings you here?" said the king. "I am a mighty
archer," said Bhīmasena; "there is no archer like me in the whole continent."
"What pay would you want to enter my service?" "A thousand pieces a fortnight,
sire." "What is this man of yours?" "He's my little page, sire." "Very well,
enter my service."
So Bhīmasena entered the king's service; but it was the Bodhisatta who did all
his work for him. Now in those days there was a tiger in a forest in Kāsi which
blocked a frequented high-road and had devoured many victims. When this was
reported to the king, he sent for Bhīmasena and asked whether he could catch the
tiger.
"How could I call myself an archer, sire, if I couldn't catch a tiger?" The king
gave him largesse and sent him on the errand. And home to the Bodhisatta came
Bhīmasena with the news. "All right," said the Bodhisatta; "away you go, my
friend." "But are you not coming too?" "No, I won't go; but I'll tell you a
little plan." "Please do, my friend." "Well don't you be rash and approach the
tiger's lair alone. What you will do is to muster a strong band of countryfolk
to march to the spot with a thousand or two thousand bows; when you know that
the tiger is aroused, you bolt into the thicket and lie down flat on your face.
The countryfolk will beat the tiger to death; and as soon as he is quite dead,
you bite off a creeper with your teeth, and draw near to the dead tiger,
trailing the creeper in your hand. At the sight of the dead body of the brute,
you will burst out with--'Who has killed the tiger? I meant to lead it [358] by
a creeper, like an ox, to the king, and with this intent had
p. 205
just stepped into the thicket to get a creeper. I must know who killed the tiger
before I could get back with my creeper.' Then the countryfolk will be very
frightened and bribe you heavily not to report them to the king; you will be
credited with slaying the tiger; and the king too will give you lots of money."
"Very good," said Bhīmasena; and off he went and slew the tiger just as the
Bodhisatta had told him. Having thus made the road safe for travellers, back he
came with a large following to Benares, and said to the king, "I have killed the
tiger, sire; the forest is safe for travellers now." Well-pleased, the king
loaded him with gifts.
Another day, tidings came that a certain road was infested with a buffalo, and
the king sent Bhīmasena to kill it. Following the Bodhisatta's directions, he
killed the buffalo in the same way as the tiger, and returned to the king, who
once more gave him lots of money. He was a great lord now. Intoxicated by his
new honours, he treated the Bodhisatta with contempt, and scorned to follow his
advice, saying, "I can get on without you. Do you think there's no man but
yourself?" This and many other harsh things did he say to the Bodhisatta.
Now, a few days later, a hostile king marched upon Benares and beleaguered it,
sending a message to the king summoning him either to surrender his kingdom or
to do battle. And the king of Benares ordered Bhīmasena out to fight him. So
Bhīmasena was armed cap-à-pie in soldierly fashion and mounted on a war-elephant
sheathed in complete armour. And the Bodhisatta, who was seriously alarmed that,
Bhīmasena might get killed, armed himself cap-à-pie also and seated himself
modestly behind Bhīmasena. Surrounded by a host, the elephant passed out of the
gates of the city and arrived in the forefront of the battle. At the first notes
of the martial drum Bhīmasena fell a-quaking with fear. "If you fall off now,
you'll get killed," said the Bodhisatta, and accordingly fastened a cord round
him, which he held tight, to prevent him from falling off the elephant. But the
sight of the field of battle proved too much for Bhīmasena, and the fear of
death was so strong on him that he fouled the elephant's back. "Ah," said the
Bodhisatta, "the present does not tally with the past. Then you affected the
warrior; now your prowess is confined to befouling the elephant you ride on."
And so saying, he uttered this stanza:--
[359] You vaunted your prowess, and loud was your boast;
You swore you would vanquish the foe!
But is it consistent, when faced with their host,
To vent your emotion, sir, so?
When the Bodhisatta had ended these taunts, he said, "But don't you be afraid,
my friend. Am not I here to protect you?" Then he made Bhīmasena get off the
elephant and bade him wash himself and go home. "And now to win renown this
day," said the Bodhisatta, raising his
p. 206
battle-cry as he dashed into the fight. Breaking through the king's camp, he
dragged the king out and took him alive to Benares. In great joy at his prowess,
his royal master loaded him with honours, and from that day forward all India
was loud with the fame of the Sage Little Bowman. To Bhīmasena he gave largesse,
and sent him back to his own home; whilst he himself excelled in charity and all
good works, and at his death passed away to fare according to his deserts.
_____________________________
"Thus, Brethren," said the Master, "this is not the first time that this Brother
has been a braggart; he was just the same in bygone days too." His lesson ended,
the Master shewed the connexion and identified the Birth by saying, "This
braggart Brother was the Bhīmasena of those days, and I myself the Sage Little
Bowman."
Footnotes
204:1 The name means "one who has or leads a terrible army;" it is the name of
the second Pāṇḍava.
Next: No. 81. Surāpāna-Jātaka
0 comments:
Post a Comment