:: 4. Last attempt to make Him a Householder. ::
1. Suddhodana wept bitterly at the thought of his son going away never to be seen again.
2. Then Suddhodana spoke to his counsellor and his family priest and asked them if they could go and persuade his son to stay back and join the family.
3. The family priest accompanied by the counsellor, in obedience to the wishes of the king, went and overtook him on the way.
4. They paid him honour as was fitting, and having obtained his permission, sat down near him.
5. The family priest addressed the Lord as he sat at the foot of the tree.
6. "O prince, consider for a moment the feelings of the king with his eyes raining tears with the arrow of thy reparation plunged into his heart. He has asked you to come back home. It is then only that he can die peacefully.
7. " I know that thy resolve is fixed upon religion, and I am convinced that this purpose of thine is unchanging ; but I am consumed with a flame of anguish like fire at thy going into this homeless state.
8. " Come, thou who love duty,—abandon this purpose for the sake of duty.
9. " Enjoy for a while the sovereignty of the earth, —thou shall go to the orest at the time provided by the sastras,—do not show disregard for thy unhappy kindred. Compassion for all creatures is the true religion. 10. "Religion is not wrought out only in the forests, the salvation of ascetics can be accomplished even in a city ; thought and effort are the true means, the forest and the badge are only a coward's signs.
11. " The king of the Sakyas is drowned in a deep sea of sorrow, full of waves of trouble, springing from thee ; do thou therefore deliver him who is helpless and protect or less like an ox drowning in the sea.
12. " Consider also the queen, who brought thee up, who has not yet gone to the region inhabited by Agastya—wilt thou not take some heed of 'her, who ceaselessly grieves like a cow that has lost her calf?
13. " Surely thou wilt succour thy wife by the. sight of thee, who now mourns as a widow yet with her lord still alive,—like a swan separated from her mate or a female elephant deserted in the forest by her companion."
14. The Lord having heard the words of the family priest, reflected for a moment, knowing all the virtues of the virtuous, and then thus uttered his gentle reply:
1. Suddhodana wept bitterly at the thought of his son going away never to be seen again.
2. Then Suddhodana spoke to his counsellor and his family priest and asked them if they could go and persuade his son to stay back and join the family.
3. The family priest accompanied by the counsellor, in obedience to the wishes of the king, went and overtook him on the way.
4. They paid him honour as was fitting, and having obtained his permission, sat down near him.
5. The family priest addressed the Lord as he sat at the foot of the tree.
6. "O prince, consider for a moment the feelings of the king with his eyes raining tears with the arrow of thy reparation plunged into his heart. He has asked you to come back home. It is then only that he can die peacefully.
7. " I know that thy resolve is fixed upon religion, and I am convinced that this purpose of thine is unchanging ; but I am consumed with a flame of anguish like fire at thy going into this homeless state.
8. " Come, thou who love duty,—abandon this purpose for the sake of duty.
9. " Enjoy for a while the sovereignty of the earth, —thou shall go to the orest at the time provided by the sastras,—do not show disregard for thy unhappy kindred. Compassion for all creatures is the true religion. 10. "Religion is not wrought out only in the forests, the salvation of ascetics can be accomplished even in a city ; thought and effort are the true means, the forest and the badge are only a coward's signs.
11. " The king of the Sakyas is drowned in a deep sea of sorrow, full of waves of trouble, springing from thee ; do thou therefore deliver him who is helpless and protect or less like an ox drowning in the sea.
12. " Consider also the queen, who brought thee up, who has not yet gone to the region inhabited by Agastya—wilt thou not take some heed of 'her, who ceaselessly grieves like a cow that has lost her calf?
13. " Surely thou wilt succour thy wife by the. sight of thee, who now mourns as a widow yet with her lord still alive,—like a swan separated from her mate or a female elephant deserted in the forest by her companion."
14. The Lord having heard the words of the family priest, reflected for a moment, knowing all the virtues of the virtuous, and then thus uttered his gentle reply:
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