:: 19. The Prince and the Servant ::
1. Channa too should have gone back home with Kanthaka. But he refused to go. He insisted on. seeing the Prince off with Kanthaka at least to the banks of the river Anoma and so insistent was Channa that the Gautama had to yield to his wishes.
2. At last they reached the banks of the river Anoma.
3. Then turning to Channa he said : " Good friend, thy devotion to me has been proved by thy thus following me. I am wholly won in heart by thee, ye who have such a love for your master.
4. " I am pleased with your noble feelings towards me, even though I am powerless of conferring any reward.
5. " Who would not be favourably disposed to one who stands to him as bringing him reward ? But even one's own people commonly become mere strangers in a reverse of fortune.
6. " A son is brought up for the sake of the family, the father is honoured by the son for the sake of his own future support ; the world shows kindness for the sake of hope ; there is no such thing as unselfishness without a motive. 7. "Thou art the only exception. Take now this horse and return.
8. " The king, with his loving confidence, still unshaken, must be enjoined to stay his grief.
9. " Tell him, I have left him—with no thirst for heaven, with no lack of love, nor feeling of anger.
10. " He should not think of mourning for me who am thus gone forth from my home; union, however long it may last, in time will come to an end.
11. " Since separation is certain, how shall there not be repeated severings from one's kindred?
12. " At a man's death there are doubtless heirs to his wealth but heirs to his merit are hard to find on the earth or exist not at all.
13. " The king, my father, requires to be looked after. The king may say, ' He is gone at a wrong time.' But there is no wrong time for duty.
14. " Do thou address the king, 0 friend, with these and suchlike words ; and do thou use thy efforts so that he may not even remember me. 15. "Yes, do thou repeat to my mother my utter unworthiness to deserve her affection. She is a noble person, too noble for words."
16. Having heard these words, Channa, overwhelmed with grief, made reply with folded hands, his voice choked by emotion :
17. " Seeing that ye are causing affliction to thy kindred, my mind, 0 my Lord, sinks down like an elephant in a river of mud.
18. "To whom would not such a determination as this of thine, cause tears, even if his heart were of iron—how much more if it were throbbing with love ? 19. " Where is gone this delicacy of limb, fit to lie only in a palace, and where is the ground of the ascetic forest, covered with the shoots of rough Kusa grass?
20. " How could 1, 0 Prince, by mine own will, —knowing this thy decision,—carry back the horse to the sorrow of Kapilavatsu ?
21. " Surely thou will not abandon that fond old king, so devoted to his son, as a heretic might the true religion ? .
22. "And her, thy second mother, worn with the care of bringing thee up,—thou will not surely forget her, as an ingrate does a benefit ? 23. "Thou wilt not surely abandon thy wife endowed with all virtues, illustrious for her family, devoted to her husband and with a young son.
24. " Thou wilt not abandon the young son of Yeshodhara, worthy of all praise, thou the best of the cherishers of religion and fame, as a dissolute spendthrift his choicest glory ?
25. " Or even if thy mind be resolved to abandon thy kindred and thy kingdom, thou will not, 0 Master, abandon me,—thy feet are my only refuge.
26. " I cannot go to the city with my soul thus burning, leaving thee behind in the forest.
27. "What will the king say to me, returning to the city without thee, or what shall I say to thy wife by way of telling them good news ?
28. " As for what thou sayest, ' thou must repeat my unworthiness to the king ' who could think or believe it?" continued Channa. "Even if I ventured to speak it with a heart ashamed and a tongue cleaving to my mouth, he may not appreciate it.
29. " Him who is always compassionate and who never fails to feel pity, it ill befits to abandon one who loves; turn back and have mercy on me."
30. Having heard these words of Channa overcome with sorrow, Siddharth Gautama with the utmost gentleness answered:
31. "Abandon this distress Channa, regarding thy separation from me,—charge is inevitable in corporeal beings who are subject to different births. 32. " Even. if I through affection were not to abandon my kindred, death would still make us helplessly abandon one another.
33. " She, my mother, by whom I was born in the womb with great thirst and pains,—where am I now with regard to her, and where is she with regard to me?
34. "As birds go to their roosting-tree and then depart, so the meeting of beings inevitably ends in separation.
35. " As clouds, having come together, depart asunder again, such I consider the meeting and parting of living things.
36. " And since this world goes away, each one deceiving the other,—it is not right to think anything thine own in a time of union which is a dread.
37. " Therefore, since it is so, grieve not, my good friend, but go ; or if thy love lingers, then go and afterwards return.
38. " Say without reproaching me, to the people of Kapilavatsu, ' Let your love for him be given up, and hear his resolve.' "
39. Having heard this conversation between the master and the servant, Kanthaka, the noblest steed, licked his feet with his tongue and dropped hot tears.
40. With his hand whose fingers were untied with a membrane and which was marked with the auspicious svastika, and with its middle part curved, Gautama stroked him and addressed him like a friend:
41. "Shed not tears, Kanthaka, bear with it, thy labours will soon have its fruit."
42. Then Channa, knowing that the time for the parting of the ways had come, forthwith paid honour to the sylvan dress of Gautama. 43. Then Gautama, having bidden good-bye to Kanthaka and Channa, went on his way.
44. While his master, thus regardless of his kingdom, was going to the ascetic-wood in mean garments, the groom, tossing up his arms, wailed bitterly and fell on the ground.
45. Having looked back again he wept aloud, and embraced the horse Kanthaka with his arms: and then, hopeless and repeatedly lamenting, started on his return journey.
46. On the way, sometimes he pondered, sometimes he lamented, sometimes he stumbled and sometimes he fell, and so going along, wretched through his devoted attachment, he performed all kinds of actions on the road knowing not what he was doing.
1. Channa too should have gone back home with Kanthaka. But he refused to go. He insisted on. seeing the Prince off with Kanthaka at least to the banks of the river Anoma and so insistent was Channa that the Gautama had to yield to his wishes.
2. At last they reached the banks of the river Anoma.
3. Then turning to Channa he said : " Good friend, thy devotion to me has been proved by thy thus following me. I am wholly won in heart by thee, ye who have such a love for your master.
4. " I am pleased with your noble feelings towards me, even though I am powerless of conferring any reward.
5. " Who would not be favourably disposed to one who stands to him as bringing him reward ? But even one's own people commonly become mere strangers in a reverse of fortune.
6. " A son is brought up for the sake of the family, the father is honoured by the son for the sake of his own future support ; the world shows kindness for the sake of hope ; there is no such thing as unselfishness without a motive. 7. "Thou art the only exception. Take now this horse and return.
8. " The king, with his loving confidence, still unshaken, must be enjoined to stay his grief.
9. " Tell him, I have left him—with no thirst for heaven, with no lack of love, nor feeling of anger.
10. " He should not think of mourning for me who am thus gone forth from my home; union, however long it may last, in time will come to an end.
11. " Since separation is certain, how shall there not be repeated severings from one's kindred?
12. " At a man's death there are doubtless heirs to his wealth but heirs to his merit are hard to find on the earth or exist not at all.
13. " The king, my father, requires to be looked after. The king may say, ' He is gone at a wrong time.' But there is no wrong time for duty.
14. " Do thou address the king, 0 friend, with these and suchlike words ; and do thou use thy efforts so that he may not even remember me. 15. "Yes, do thou repeat to my mother my utter unworthiness to deserve her affection. She is a noble person, too noble for words."
16. Having heard these words, Channa, overwhelmed with grief, made reply with folded hands, his voice choked by emotion :
17. " Seeing that ye are causing affliction to thy kindred, my mind, 0 my Lord, sinks down like an elephant in a river of mud.
18. "To whom would not such a determination as this of thine, cause tears, even if his heart were of iron—how much more if it were throbbing with love ? 19. " Where is gone this delicacy of limb, fit to lie only in a palace, and where is the ground of the ascetic forest, covered with the shoots of rough Kusa grass?
20. " How could 1, 0 Prince, by mine own will, —knowing this thy decision,—carry back the horse to the sorrow of Kapilavatsu ?
21. " Surely thou will not abandon that fond old king, so devoted to his son, as a heretic might the true religion ? .
22. "And her, thy second mother, worn with the care of bringing thee up,—thou will not surely forget her, as an ingrate does a benefit ? 23. "Thou wilt not surely abandon thy wife endowed with all virtues, illustrious for her family, devoted to her husband and with a young son.
24. " Thou wilt not abandon the young son of Yeshodhara, worthy of all praise, thou the best of the cherishers of religion and fame, as a dissolute spendthrift his choicest glory ?
25. " Or even if thy mind be resolved to abandon thy kindred and thy kingdom, thou will not, 0 Master, abandon me,—thy feet are my only refuge.
26. " I cannot go to the city with my soul thus burning, leaving thee behind in the forest.
27. "What will the king say to me, returning to the city without thee, or what shall I say to thy wife by way of telling them good news ?
28. " As for what thou sayest, ' thou must repeat my unworthiness to the king ' who could think or believe it?" continued Channa. "Even if I ventured to speak it with a heart ashamed and a tongue cleaving to my mouth, he may not appreciate it.
29. " Him who is always compassionate and who never fails to feel pity, it ill befits to abandon one who loves; turn back and have mercy on me."
30. Having heard these words of Channa overcome with sorrow, Siddharth Gautama with the utmost gentleness answered:
31. "Abandon this distress Channa, regarding thy separation from me,—charge is inevitable in corporeal beings who are subject to different births. 32. " Even. if I through affection were not to abandon my kindred, death would still make us helplessly abandon one another.
33. " She, my mother, by whom I was born in the womb with great thirst and pains,—where am I now with regard to her, and where is she with regard to me?
34. "As birds go to their roosting-tree and then depart, so the meeting of beings inevitably ends in separation.
35. " As clouds, having come together, depart asunder again, such I consider the meeting and parting of living things.
36. " And since this world goes away, each one deceiving the other,—it is not right to think anything thine own in a time of union which is a dread.
37. " Therefore, since it is so, grieve not, my good friend, but go ; or if thy love lingers, then go and afterwards return.
38. " Say without reproaching me, to the people of Kapilavatsu, ' Let your love for him be given up, and hear his resolve.' "
39. Having heard this conversation between the master and the servant, Kanthaka, the noblest steed, licked his feet with his tongue and dropped hot tears.
40. With his hand whose fingers were untied with a membrane and which was marked with the auspicious svastika, and with its middle part curved, Gautama stroked him and addressed him like a friend:
41. "Shed not tears, Kanthaka, bear with it, thy labours will soon have its fruit."
42. Then Channa, knowing that the time for the parting of the ways had come, forthwith paid honour to the sylvan dress of Gautama. 43. Then Gautama, having bidden good-bye to Kanthaka and Channa, went on his way.
44. While his master, thus regardless of his kingdom, was going to the ascetic-wood in mean garments, the groom, tossing up his arms, wailed bitterly and fell on the ground.
45. Having looked back again he wept aloud, and embraced the horse Kanthaka with his arms: and then, hopeless and repeatedly lamenting, started on his return journey.
46. On the way, sometimes he pondered, sometimes he lamented, sometimes he stumbled and sometimes he fell, and so going along, wretched through his devoted attachment, he performed all kinds of actions on the road knowing not what he was doing.
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