In long-past times, King Brahmadatta came to the throne in Vārāṇasī, at
a period when the land was blessed with riches, profusion, prosperity,
and crops, and had a large population. Now there were two dogs, Gaṇḍa
and Upagaṇḍa by name, which used to gnaw the king’s horse-gear. Once
when King Brahmadatta was going to take the field against the
Liććhavis, he ordered his ministers to inspect the horse-gear. When
they had done this, and found that it was all torn and tattered, they
said to the king, “O king, the dogs have gnawed the horse-gear to
pieces.”
The king said, “Honoured sirs, if this is the case, I give up the dogs
altogether.”
Thereupon some of them were killed and others ran away. A dog, which
came from another country, seeing them running off, asked them what had
frightened them so much. They gave a full account of all that had
occurred. It said, “Why do not you implore the king?”
They replied, “We who are running away have no power of imploring the
king, and the others have been rendered mute.”
It said, “Wait awhile, I will implore the king in your behalf.”
Encouraged by him they turned back; and after they had made a halt they
expressed their prayer in a verse, uttered at a distance from which
they could be heard, saying—
“These two dogs, Gaṇḍa and Upagaṇḍa, full of force and health, living
in the king’s stronghold, ought to be put to death. We are not
deserving of death. O king, it is not right to let the innocent be put
to death.”
Having heard this, the king said next day to his ministers, “Honoured
sirs, find out those who implored me yesterday in verse.”
The ministers gave orders to the body-guards, saying, “Find out those
who implored the king yesterday in verse.”
The guards said, “It was the dogs of the land that did so.”
The king said, “Honoured sirs, find out whether the horse-gear was
devoured by Gaṇḍa and Upagaṇḍa, or by other dogs.”
The ministers assembled, and began to take counsel together, saying,
“Honoured sirs, the king has ordered us to find out about the dogs. How
shall we manage it?”
Then some of them said, “There is only one way of finding out. What
need is there to seek out others? The dogs must be given a hair-pellet
and made to vomit.”
When the pellet of hair had been given to the dogs, and they had been
made to vomit, Gaṇḍa and Upagaṇḍa brought up fragments of leather. When
the king had been informed of this, he delivered those dogs over to
death. But he rendered the others free from fear.