In olden days, when the life of man was of unlimited duration, lived
King Utposhadha. On the crown of his head grew a very soft tumour,
somewhat resembling a cushion of cotton or wool, without doing him any
harm. When it had become quite ripe and had broken, there came forth
from it a boy, shapely and handsome and gracious, perfect in every limb
and joint, with a skin the colour of gold, a head like a canopy, long
arms, a broad forehead, interlacing eyebrows, and a body provided with
the thirty-two signs of a Mahāpurusha. [58] Immediately after his birth
he was taken into the apartments of the women; and when King
Utposhadha’s eighty thousand wives saw him, milk began to flow from
their breasts, and each of the women cried out, “Let him suck me! let
him suck me!” [59] Wherefore he received the name of Māndhātar. [60]
Some of them thought that, as he came into life out of the crown of a
head, he ought to receive the name of Mūrdhaja (crown-born);
consequently the name Māndhātar is known to some, and that of Mūrdhaja
to others.
The young Māndhātar passed through a space of six Śakra-evanescences
[61] during his boyhood, and an equal length of time after he was
appointed crown prince. Once, while Prince Māndhātar was absent on a
journey, King Utposhadha fell ill. As he became still worse, although
he was treated with medicines from roots, stems, leaves, blossoms, and
fruits, he ordered the ministers to invest the prince with sovereign
power. In accordance with the king’s orders, they sent word to the
prince that King Utposhadha was ill, and had determined to summon him
in order to invest him with sovereignty; it was meet, therefore, that
he should come quickly. Soon after the messenger had set out King
Utposhadha died. Thereupon the ministers sent another messenger with
the tidings that the prince’s father was dead, and that he ought now to
come in order to assume the regal power. But Prince Māndhātar was of
opinion that, as his father was dead, there could be no use in his
going, and he remained where he was. The ministers again assembled and
sent a minister as messenger. When he came to the prince and invited
him to assume the sovereign power, Māndhātar said, “If in accordance
with the law I acquire the power, the investiture therein ought to take
place here.”
The ministers sent to say, “O king, as there are many things which are
needed for a regal investiture, such as a jewel-strewing, [62] a
throne, a canopy, a fillet, and armlets, and as the consecration must
take place in the palace, therefore it is necessary that the prince
should come here.”
He replied, “If the power comes to me in accordance with the law, then
will all these things come here.”
The Yaksha Divaukasa, who ran in front of Prince Māndhātar, brought the
throne and the jewel-strewing, the inmates of the palace brought the
canopy, the fillet, and the armlets. As the inmates of the palace came
themselves, the place received the name of Sāketa. [63] When after this
the ministers, the commander-in-chief, and the town and country people
had drawn nigh unto the prince for the consecration, they said, “O
king, be pleased to receive the consecration.”
He replied, “Shall men, forsooth, lay the fillet on me? If I acquire
the power according to law, the fillet shall be laid on me by demons.”
[64]
Thereupon the fillet was laid upon him by demons. Moreover the seven
treasures were revealed, [65] namely, the treasure of the wheel, the
treasure of the elephant, the treasure of the horse, the treasure of
the gem, the treasure of the wife, the treasure of the householder,
and, as the seventh, the treasure of the minister. Also there fell to
his share fully a thousand sons, heroic, sturdy, endowed with the
beauty of splendid bodies, victorious over hosts of foes.
In the neighbourhood of Vaiśālī there was a dense forest of a
delightful aspect, in which five hundred hermits endowed with the five
kinds of insight [66] had abandoned themselves to contemplation; and in
this dense forest there dwelt also a great number of cranes. Now, as
noise is a hindrance to contemplation, and the cranes made a noise as
they flew, one of these Rishis became angry, and uttered a curse to the
effect that the cranes’ wings should be enfeebled. So, in consequence
of the cranes having irritated the Rishis, their wings became feeble,
and they took to going about, walking on their feet. The king, as he
went afield, saw the cranes walking about in this way, and asked the
ministers why the cranes went afoot. The ministers replied, “O king, as
noise is a hindrance to contemplation, the Rishis in their wrath have
cursed the cranes. On that account, in consequence of the anger of the
Rishis, the cranes’ wings have grown weak.”
The king said, “Can they be Rishis who are so pitiless towards living
creatures? Go to them, sirs, and tell them in my name that they shall
not remain in my realm.”
The ministers executed his commands. The Rishis reflected that the king
had power over the four quarters of the world, and they determined to
betake themselves to the slopes of Sumeru. So they went away and
settled there.
As King Māndhātar’s subjects were thinkers, scanners, and testers, and
as in the course of thinking, scanning, and testing they took to
cultivating various arts and industries, they obtained the designation
of the Wise. Now they occupied themselves with field-labour. When the
king, as he went afield one day, saw them engaged in field-labour, he
asked the ministers what those men were doing. The ministers replied,
“O king, in order that they may obtain refreshment, they produce corn
and so forth.” The king said, “What! do men practise husbandry in my
realm? Let the deity send down a rain of seven-and-twenty kinds of
seed.” No sooner had King Māndhātar conceived this idea than the deity
sent down a rain of twenty-seven kinds of seed. When the king asked the
people of his realm to whose merits this occurrence was due, they
replied, “To the king’s merits, as well as also to our own.”
Later on, men took to tilling cotton-fields. When King Māndhātar saw
this as he went afield, he asked the ministers what those men were
doing. The ministers replied, “O king, they are tilling cotton-fields.”
The king asked what was the use of that. They answered that it was done
for the purpose of producing clothes. Then said the king, “What! shall
the men of my country till cotton-fields? Let the deity send down a
rain of cotton.” No sooner had King Māndhātar conceived this idea than
the deity let a rain of cotton fall. When the king asked the people of
his realm to whose merits this occurrence was due, they replied, “To
the king’s merits, as well as also to our own.”
Afterwards these men began to spin cotton, and the king asked what they
were doing. The ministers replied, “O king, they are spinning cotton in
order to procure thread.” The king said, “What! are the people in my
realm spinning thread? Let the deity send down a rain of cotton
thread.” No sooner had King Māndhātar conceived this idea than the
deity sent down a rain of cotton thread. The king asked to whose merits
this occurrence was due. The answer was, “To the king’s merits, as well
as also to our own.”
After this, when they gradually began to weave cotton, the king asked
what they were doing. The answer was, “O king, they are weaving cotton
in order to obtain raiment.” The king said to himself, “What! shall the
men of my realm weave cotton? Let the deity send down a rain of
raiment.” No sooner had King Māndhātar conceived this idea than the
deity sent down a rain of raiment. The king asked to whose merits this
occurrence was due. The answer was, “To the king’s merits, as well as
also to our own.”
The king thought, “These men are ignorant of the power of my merits. I
possess Jambudvīpa, the vast, rich, prosperous, fruitful realm,
abounding in men and living creatures. I possess the seven treasures,
the treasures of the wheel, of the elephant, of the horse, of the gem,
of the wife, of the householder, and, seventhly, of the minister. I
possess a complete thousand of bold, heroic sons, endowed with the
beauty of splendid limbs, entirely victorious over opponents. Now,
then, let a rain of precious stones fall within my palace, but not so
much as a single piece of money outside.”
Scarcely had this idea occurred to King Māndhātar when there began to
fall within his palace a rain of precious stones which lasted for seven
days, while outside not so much as a single piece of money fell. So
King Māndhātar, like a being who has acquired great power and
supernatural force by means of virtue and merit, enjoyed the fruits of
his merits. The king asked to whose merits this was due. The reply was,
“To the merits of the king.” Then the king said, “Honoured sirs, ye
have been in the wrong. If ye had said that all these things took place
on account of the merits of the king, I should have caused a rain of
precious stones to fall over the whole of Jambudvīpa, and each of you
who wanted gems would have had as many as he wished.”
During this inauguration of King Māndhātar’s rule six
Śakra-evanescences passed away. Then King Māndhātar asked his runner,
the Yaksha Divaukasa, “Is there not some part of the world as yet
unsubdued by me which I could subdue?”
Divaukasa replied, “O king, there is the dvīpa named Pūrvavideha, which
is vast, rich, prosperous, fruitful, and replete with many men and
living creatures. Thither might the king go and rule.”
Then King Māndhātar reflected that he was in possession of the rich and
so forth Jambudvīpa, that he possessed the seven treasures, that of the
wheel and so forth, that he had a full thousand of heroic sons, that a
rain of precious stones had fallen inside his palace for seven whole
days, and that he now heard that there existed a part of the world
called Pūrvavideha; so he determined that he would go thither and rule
over it also. Scarcely had the king entertained this idea when,
surrounded by his thousand sons, and accompanied by an army eighteen
koṭi [67] strong, he rose heavenward and betook himself to
Pūrvavidehadvīpa. There, like a being who has acquired great power and
supernatural force by means of virtue and merit, he ruled, enjoying the
fruits of his merits, for many years, many hundreds, many thousands,
many hundreds of thousands of years. While he was ruling over
Pūrvavidehadvīpa, six Śakra-evanescences passed away.
Afterwards King Māndhātar asked the Yaksha Divaukasa whether there
existed any other dvīpas not as yet rendered subject to him. Divaukasa
replied that there still remained a dvīpa called Aparagodānīya, vast,
rich, prosperous, fruitful, replete with many men and living creatures,
and that the king should go thither and reign therein. Then King
Māndhātar reflected that he possessed the rich and so forth Jambudvīpa,
that a rain of precious stones had fallen within his palace for the
space of seven days, that he had come to Pūrvavidehadvīpa, and ruled
there during many years, many hundreds, many thousands, many hundreds
of thousands of years, and that as he now heard that there existed
another dvīpa, called Aparagodānīya, he would go there also and rule
over it too. Scarcely had King Māndhātar entertained this idea when he
rose heavenward, surrounded by his thousand sons, accompanied by a host
eighteen koṭi strong. Having reached Aparagodānīya, he tarried therein;
and like a being who has acquired great power and supernatural force by
means of virtue and merit, enjoying the fruits of his deserts, he ruled
in Aparagodānīya for many years, many hundreds, many thousands, many
hundreds of thousands of years. While he was ruling in Aparagodānīya,
six Śakra-evanescences passed away.
Afterwards King Māndhātar asked the Yaksha Divaukasa whether there
remained any other dvīpa not yet subjected to him. Divaukasa replied
that there was another dvīpa called Uttarakuru, vast, rich, prosperous,
fruitful, replete with many men and living creatures, the inhabitants
of which were still unsubdued and independent, and that he ought to go
there and rule over his hosts. Thereupon King Māndhātar reflected that
he possessed the vast, rich, and so forth Jambudvīpa, that a rain of
precious stones had fallen within his palace for the space of seven
days, that he had ruled in Pūrvavidehadvīpa for many years, many
hundreds, many thousands, many hundreds of thousands of years, and that
he had done likewise in Aparagodānīya, and that he now heard that there
also existed a dvīpa called Uttarakuru, vast, rich, prosperous,
fruitful, replete with many men and living creatures, the inhabitants
of which region were as yet unsubdued and independent, and that it was
meet for him to go there and rule his hosts. Scarcely had King
Māndhātar entertained this idea when he rose heavenwards, surrounded by
his thousand sons, accompanied by an army eighteen koṭi strong, his
seven treasures having been sent on in front. On one side of Sumeru he
saw several white spots. Having remarked them, he asked the Yaksha
Divaukasa what those white spots were. “O king,” replied the Yaksha,
“what you see is the rice grown without ploughing or sowing by the
inhabitants of Uttarakuru. As they enjoy this rice without having
ploughed or sown, so will you, O king, when you have arrived there,
enjoy this rice which grows without ploughing or sowing.” King
Māndhātar spoke about this to his ministers, saying, “Have ye, O
chieftains, seen the white spots?”
“Yes!”
“O chieftains, they are formed by the rice which the inhabitants of
Uttarakuru obtain without ploughing or sowing. As the inhabitants of
Uttarakuru enjoy this rice which grows without ploughing or sowing, so
will ye also enjoy it when ye have arrived there.”
King Māndhātar afterwards saw from afar some garland-like trees of
various colours planted on one side of Sumeru. Having remarked them, he
asked the Yaksha Divaukasa what were these garland-like trees of
various colours. “O king, these are the wishing-trees of the
inhabitants of Uttarakuru. The inhabitants of Uttarakuru clothe
themselves with garments from the wishing-trees.”
When King Māndhātar heard this, he said to his ministers, “O
chieftains, have you seen the garland-like trees of various colours
planted over there?”
“Yes!”
“O chieftains, those are the wishing-trees that bear the garments with
which the inhabitants of Uttarakuru clothe themselves. Ye also, when ye
have arrived there, will clothe yourselves with garments from off the
wishing-trees.”
King Māndhātar reached Uttarakuru, and there, enjoying the fruits of
his deserts, like a being who has acquired great power and supernatural
force through his virtue and merit, he ruled over his hosts for many
years, many hundreds, many thousands, many hundreds of thousands of
years. While he ruled over his hosts there, six Śakra-evanescences
passed away.
Later on King Māndhātar asked the Yaksha Divaukasa whether there still
remained anywhere a dvīpa as yet unsubdued. Divaukasa said, “No, there
is none. However, there are the thirty-tree gods, who, long-lived,
endowed with beauty, and replete with bliss, perpetually abide in the
lofty Vimāna palace. Be pleased, O king, to go thither in order to look
upon the thirty-three gods.” Then King Māndhātar reflected that he
possessed the vast, rich, prosperous, fruitful, and replete with many
men and living beings Jambudvīpa, and that he possessed the seven
treasures of the wheel and so forth, and that he had a full thousand of
heroic sons, and that a rain of precious stones had fallen within his
palace for the space of seven days, and that he had gone to
Pūrvavidehadvīpa and had ruled there for many years, many hundreds,
many thousands, many hundreds of thousands of years; and that he had
gone on to Aparagodānīyadvīpa, and had there ruled for many years, for
many hundreds, many thousands, many hundreds of thousands of years; and
that he had moved forward to Uttarakurudvīpa, and there also had ruled
over his hosts for many years, many hundreds, many thousands, many
hundreds of thousands of years; and that inasmuch as there were
thirty-three gods, long-lived, endowed with beauty, and replete with
bliss, perpetually abiding in the lofty Vimāna palace, therefore he
would make his way thither in order to visit the thirty-three gods.
Scarcely had this idea occurred to King Māndhātar when he arose,
surrounded by his thousand sons, accompanied by an army eighteen koṭi
strong, and proceeded heavenwards, sending his seven jewels on in
front.
Sumeru, the monarch of mountains, is surrounded by seven mountains of
gold. King Māndhātar tarried on Mount Nemindhara, and while he ruled
over his hosts on Mount Nemindhara six Śakra-evanescences passed away.
Thence he betook himself to the golden mountain Aśvakarṇa. While he
ruled over his hosts there six Śakra-evanescences passed away. From
Mount Aśvakarṇa he went to the golden mountain Sudarśana, and while he
ruled over his hosts there six Śakra-evanescences passed away. From
Mount Sudarśana he went to the golden mountain Khadiraka, and while he
ruled over his hosts there six Śakra-evanescences passed away. From
Mount Khadiraka he went to the golden mountain Iśādhāra, and while he
ruled over his hosts there six Śakra-evanescences passed away. From
Mount Iśādhāra he went to the golden mountain Yugandhara, and while he
ruled over his hosts there six Śakra-evanescences passed away.
When he left Mount Yugandhara, taking his course heavenwards, the five
hundred Rishis, who now dwelt on one of the slopes of Sumeru, saw him
coming, and they said, “Honoured sirs, here comes the worst of kings.”
The Rishi Durmukha poured water into the palms of his hands, and flung
it towards the host in order to stop it. Then the treasure of the
minister, which went in front of the host, said to the Rishis, “O
Brahmans, cease to be angry. This is one who is everywhere victorious.
This is King Māndhātar. It is not a case of cranes.” Now when King
Māndhātar came up to that spot, he asked who had stopped the army. The
treasure of the minister replied that the Rishis had done so. The king
asked what those Rishis delighted in. The minister replied, “In their
matted hair.” [68] The king said, “Then let it fall. And as for
themselves, let them go on in front of me.” Thereupon their matted hair
fell, and they themselves began to move on in front of him, their hands
grasping bows and arrows. Then the treasure of the wife said to the
king, “O king, these Rishis are practising austerities; you ought to
let them go free.” So the king let them go free; and when they had
again betaken themselves to their works of penance they became
possessed of the five kinds of insight.
But King Māndhātar ascended higher together with his hosts. Now Sumeru,
the monarch of mountains, plunged 80,000 yojanas [69] deep into the
golden soil and soared aloft 80,000 yojanas above the waters, so its
height was 160,000 yojanas. Each side also measured 80,000 yojanas, so
that its circumference was 360,000 yojanas. Formed of four kinds of
jewels, it was beautiful and splendid to look upon. On its summit dwelt
the thirty-three gods. The five defences of the thirty-three gods were
the water-inhabiting Nāgas, the dish-bearing Yakshas, the
garland-wearing and the ever-elevated gods, and the four Mahārājas. The
water-inhabiting Nāgas stopped King Māndhātar’s host. When King
Māndhātar came up he asked who had stopped his host. The answer was, “O
king, the water-inhabiting Nāgas have stopped it.” The king said,
“Shall animals wage war with me? These water-inhabiting Nāgas shall
themselves be my advanced guard.” Then the Nāgas marched along in front
of King Māndhātar.
As the Nāgas marched along in front of the king they reached the abode
of the dish-bearing gods, who said, “Honoured sirs, wherefore are ye on
the move?” The Nāgas replied, “The king of men is coming here.” Then
the Nāgas and the dish-bearing gods turned round and stopped the host.
When King Māndhātar came up he asked who had stopped his host. The
answer was, “O king, these dish-bearing gods have stopped it.” King
Māndhātar said, “Let the dish-bearing gods themselves march in front of
me.” Thereupon they began to move onwards.
They and the Nāgas reached the abode of the garland-wearing gods, who
asked them why they were on the move. They replied, “The king of men is
coming here.” Thereupon these gods and the Nāgas turned round and tried
to stop the host. When the king came up he asked who had stopped his
army. The answer was, “O king, the garland-wearing gods have stopped
it.” The king said, “Let these garland-wearing gods themselves march in
front of me.” Thereupon they began to move along in front.
As they proceeded they reached the abode of the ever-elevated gods,
[70] who asked why they were on the move. They replied, “The king of
men is coming here.” Thereupon they turned round and stopped the host.
When the king came up he asked who had stopped the host. He was told
that the ever-elevated gods had stopped it. The king said, “Let the
ever-elevated gods march in front of me.” Thereupon they began to move
onwards.
When they reached the abode of the four Mahārājas, and were asked by
them why they were on the move, they said, “The king of men is coming
here.” The gods of the region of the four Mahārājas reflected that this
must be a being endowed with great force of merit, and that they must
not venture to impede him. Thereupon they informed the gods of the
region of the thirty-three gods that the king of men was coming. The
gods of the region of the thirty-three gods reflected that this must be
a being endowed with great force of merit, and that, therefore, they
ought not to repel him, but should receive him with honour. So the
thirty-three gods received him with honour.
When king Māndhātar had ascended to the summit of Sumeru he saw a blue
forest tract rising aloft like a tower of cloud, and he asked the
Yaksha Divaukasa what it was. The Yaksha replied, “Those are the divine
trees Pārijātaka and Kovidāra, under which the thirty-three gods,
captivated and enchained by the five divine pleasures of sense, do
sport, rejoice, and enjoy themselves throughout the four summer months.
You also, O king, when you have arrived there, captivated by the five
divine pleasures of sense, will sport, rejoice, and enjoy yourself.”
When King Māndhātar heard this, he asked his ministers if they had seen
those tall blue trees which rose aloft like a tower of cloud, and when
they replied that they had seen them, he said, “O chieftains, those
trees are Pārijātaka and Kovidāra, the trees of the thirty-three gods,
under which the thirty-three gods, captivated by the five divine
pleasures of sense, do sport, rejoice, and enjoy themselves during the
four summer months. Ye also, O chieftains, on arriving there,
captivated by the five pleasures of sense, shall sport, rejoice, and
enjoy yourselves.”
Afterwards King Māndhātar perceived on the summit of Sumeru something
white, which rose aloft like an accumulated mass of cloud, and he asked
the Yaksha Divaukasa what it was. “O king,” was the reply, “that is the
meeting-place of the thirty-three gods, and it is named Sudharmā. There
the thirty-three gods and the four Mahārājas meet together, and there
they view, scan, and test the affairs of gods and men. Into that place
you also, O king, will enter.” On hearing this, King Māndhātar asked
his ministers if they had seen the white mass which rose aloft like an
accumulation of clouds, and when they had answered affirmatively, he
said, “O chieftains, that is the meeting-place of the thirty-three gods
and the four Mahārājas, Sudharmā by name. There the thirty-three gods
and the four Mahārājas meet together, and view, scan, and test the
affairs of gods and men. Thither, O chieftains, will ye also make your
way.”
Sudarśana, the city of the thirty-three gods, was 2500 yojanas in
length and as many in breadth, and its circumference was 10,000
yojanas. It was surrounded by seven rows of golden walls, which were
two and a half yojanas high. These walls had quadruple cornices of
gold, silver, beryl, and crystal, and windows were set in them above
and below. The space lying inside the city of Sudarśana was fair to
see, pleasant, extensive, and copiously variegated with a hundred
colours, and the ground was soft, extremely soft, like a cushion of
cotton or wool, yielding to the pressure of the foot, rising again when
the foot was lifted, and covered knee-deep with divine mandārava [or
coral-tree] flowers; when a wind arose, the faded blossoms were swept
away and a rain of fresh flowers descended. The city of Sudarśana had
999 gates, and at each gate were stationed 500 Yakshas arrayed in blue
robes and coats of mail, and armed with bows and arrows, to serve as a
guard and defence for the thirty-three gods, and also as an ornament.
The market-place of Sudarśana, which was 2500 yojanas long and twelve
broad, was fair to see, pleasant, strewn with golden sand, sprinkled
with sandalwood water, covered over with gold trellis-work. On every
side were to be seen water basins of various kinds, formed of cubes of
four sorts, of gold, silver, beryl, and crystal. The steps of these
basins were formed of four materials, of gold, silver, beryl, and
crystal. The basins were surrounded by balustrades of four kinds, made
of gold, silver, beryl, and crystal. The uprights, borders, and handles
of the golden balustrades were made of silver; those of the silver
balustrades were made of gold; those of the beryl balustrades were made
of crystal, and those of the crystal balustrades were made of beryl.
These basins were full of water which was cool and honey-sweet, were
set thick with blue, red, and white lotuses, and replete with many
water-haunting birds of beautiful form, which gave agreeable utterance
to charming sounds. All around these basins grew blossoming and
fruit-bearing trees of beauteous form and stately growth, adorned with
wreaths, as when an adroit chaplet-maker or his pupil, in order to form
an ornament for the ears, has deftly woven a garland of flowers. On
land, likewise, birds of various kinds, all of beauteous form,
agreeably uttered charming sounds.
In the city of Sudarśana were many wishing-trees, on which four kinds
of raiment grew, blue, yellow, red, and white. Whatever garments were
desired by the gods or the daughters of the gods were obtained by them
as soon as the idea came into their minds. From the four kinds of
ornament-trees came ornaments for the hand and foot, ornaments to be
worn out of sight on the lower parts of the body, and ornaments
intended for the eye. Whatever the sons or daughters of the gods wished
for, that thing came into their hands as soon as they had expressed
their wish. Four kinds of musical instruments, harps, pipes, guitars,
and shells, did the gods and the daughters of the gods hold in their
hands as soon as they wished for them. Four kinds of divine food, blue,
yellow, red, and white, did the gods and the daughters of the gods
obtain as soon as they wished for them. Storied houses provided with
summer chambers, courts, windows, and peepholes, formed meeting-places
for troops of women and Apsaras. There to the sound of music, with
drink made of honey and from the kadamba tree, the thirty-three gods
played, rejoiced, and took delight, enjoying the fruits of their
merits. The meeting-hall of the thirty-three gods, Sudharmā by name,
which was 300 yojanas long, 300 broad, and 900 in circumference, was
beautiful, charming, exquisite to look upon, formed of crystal, and
rising above the city to a height of 342 yojanas. In it were arranged
the seats of the thirty-three gods, those of the thirty-two
under-kings, and the seat of Śakra, the king of the thirty-three gods.
King Māndhātar’s seat was prepared for him at the end of all these
seats. The thirty-three gods received King Māndhātar with a gift of
honour. Then there entered in by ranks those beings who had acquired
great power by the maturity of their merits, the others remaining
without. King Māndhātar said to himself, “Of the seats which are here
arranged, mine is undoubtedly the last.” And he came to the conclusion
that Śakra, the king of the gods, ought to give up to him half of his
own seat. No sooner had he conceived this idea than Śakra the king of
the gods gave up to him half of his seat, and King Māndhātar shared the
seat with the king of the gods. Now when the great King Māndhātar and
Śakra the king of the gods sat on the same seat, it was impossible to
see in either of them, whether in length or breadth, in voice or in
fulness of aspect, any difference from the other, any distinction or
any pre-eminence, except that Śakra the king of the gods never closed
his eyes. While King Māndhātar tarried among the thirty-three gods,
thirty-six Śakra-evanescences passed away.
While he was there a war broke out between the gods and the Asuras.
When the Asuras were defeated, they closed the gates of the Asura city
and occupied the bulwarks round about. And when the gods were defeated,
they in like manner closed the gates of the divine city, and occupied
its bulwarks round about. Now it came to pass that the Asuras, having
equipped a fourfold army, had already broken through the five defences,
and were drawing nigh unto the king of the gods, Śakra, in warlike
array. The Yakshas said to the king of the gods, Śakra, “Know, O
Kauśika, that the Asuras have broken through the five bulwarks and are
near at hand. Be pleased, therefore, to accomplish all that ought to be
done and prepared.” Now when Śakra, the king of the gods, had equipped
a fourfold army and was setting out to wage war against the Asuras,
King Māndhātar turned towards him and said, “Stay here; I will take the
field myself.” Śakra replied, “Let that be done.” Then the king arose
heavenward with an army eighteen koṭi strong, and caused his bowstring
to clang. When the Asuras heard this sound, they asked whose bowstring
it was that was thus clanging. Being told that the sound was the clang
of King Māndhātar’s bowstring, they were greatly astounded. King
Māndhātar arrived, and the war-chariots of the contending gods and
Asuras rose high into the air. As, in accordance with the ordering of
things, no superiority or inferiority was to be found on either side,
King Māndhātar soared behind all the Asuras towards heaven. The Asuras
asked, “Who is this who has soared above us towards heaven?” Being told
that it was Māndhātar, the king of men, they reflected that, as he had
risen above their chariots, he must be a being who had attained to the
glory of great power through the fulness of his merits; and overcome,
full of fear and trembling, they turned their backs and withdrew into
the stronghold of the Asuras.
When King Māndhātar inquired who had gained the day, the ministers
answered that he was the conqueror. Then King Māndhātar came to the
conclusion that he was superior to the thirty-three gods. He reflected
that he possessed the vast, rich, prosperous, fruitful Jambudvīpa,
replete with men and living creatures; that he possessed
Pūrvavidehadvīpa, Aparagodānīyadvīpa, and Uttarakurudvīpa; that he was
the owner of the seven treasures, the treasure of the wheel, the
treasure of the elephant, the treasure of the horse, the treasure of
the wife, the treasure of the householder, and, seventhly, the treasure
of the minister; that he had a full thousand of heroic, sturdy sons,
endowed with the beauty of splendid bodies, victorious over hosts of
foes; that a rain of precious stones had fallen within his palace for
the space of seven days; that he had made his way to the abode of the
thirty-three gods; that he had entered into Sudharmā, the meeting-place
of the gods, and that the king of the gods, Śakra, had ceded to him the
half of his seat; and he came to the conclusion that he must expel the
king of the gods, Śakra, from his seat, and take into his own hands the
government of both gods and men.
As soon as he had conceived this idea the great King Māndhātar came to
the end of his good fortune. On his return to Jambudvīpa he was
attacked by a violent illness, and amid intolerable agonies he drew
nigh unto death. His ministers and other state officials, the
astrologers and workers of cures by spells, betook themselves to him
and addressed him thus: “When the king shall have passed away hence, it
may be that the subsequent inhabitants of the kingdom will inquire what
King Māndhātar said at the time of his death. What shall we say to them
in reply?”
“O chieftains, when in time to come, after my departure, men shall draw
nigh unto you and ask you that question, then shall ye give them this
answer: ‘O sirs, King Māndhātar, who possessed the seven treasures, who
with a fourfold host of men acquired power over the four dvīpas, and
made his way to the abode of the thirty-three gods, is said to have
died before he had obtained satisfaction through the fivefold pleasures
of sense.’”