Sussondi-Jātaka

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Source: Adapted from Archaic Translation by H.T. Francis and R.A. Neil
JATAKA No. 360

SUSSONDI-JATAKA (*1)

"I scent the fragrance," etc.--This story the Master, while living at Jetavana monastery, told concerning a backsliding Brother(Monk). The Master asked if it were true that he longed for the world, and what he had seen to make him regret having taken to holy order of disciples. The Brother answered, "It was all owing to the charms of a woman." The Master said, "Truly, Brother, there is no possibility of being on one's guard against womenfolk. Sages of old, though they took the precaution to dwell in the dwelling of the Garudas, failed to be on their guard against them." And being urged by him, the Master told a story of the past.

Once upon a time king Tamba reigned in Benares, and his queen-wife named Sussondi was a woman of surpassing beauty. At that time the Bodhisattva came to life as a young Garuda. Now the Naga island was then known as Seruma island, and the Bodhisattva lived on this island in the dwelling of the Garudas. And he went to Benares, disguised as a youth, and played at dice with king Tamba. Remarking his beauty they said to Sussondi, "Such and such a youth plays at dice with our king." She longed to see him, and one day she adorned herself and went to the dice-chamber. There taking her stand amongst the attendants, she fixed her gaze on the youth. He too gazed on the queen, and the pair fell in love with one another. The Garuda king by an act of supernatural power stirred up a storm in the city. The people, through fear of the house falling, fled out of the palace. By his power he caused it to be dark, and carrying off the queen with him in the air, he made his way to his own dwelling in Naga island. But no one knew of the coming or going of Sussondi. The Garuda took his pleasure with her, and still came to play at dice with the king. Now the king had a musician named Sagga, and not knowing where the queen had gone, the king addressed the musician and said, "Go now and explore every land and sea, and discover what has become of the queen." And so saying he asked him to be gone.

He took what was necessary for his journey, and beginning the search from the city gate, at last came to Bharukaccha. At that time certain merchants of Bharukaccha were setting sail for the Golden Land. He approached them and said, "I am a musician. If you remit my passage money, I will act as your musician. Take me with you." They agreed to do so, and putting him on board weighed anchor. When the ship was fairly off, they called him and asked him to make music for them. He said, "I would make music, but if I do, the fish will be so excited that your vessel will be wrecked." "If a mere mortal," they said, "make music, there will be no excitement on the part of the fish. Play to us." "Then do not be angry with me," he said, and tuning his lute and keeping perfect harmony between the words of his song and the accompaniment of the lute string, he made music for them. The fish were maddened at the sound and splashed about. And a certain sea monster leaping up fell upon the ship and broke it in two. Sagga lying on a plank was carried along by the wind till he reached a banyan tree in the Naga island, where the Garuda king lived. Now queen Sussondi, whenever the Garuda king went to play at dice, came down from her place of dwelling, and as she was wandering on the edge of the shore, she saw and recognized the musician Sagga, and asked him how he got there. He told her the whole story. And she comforted him and said, "Do not be afraid," and embracing him in her arms, she carried him to her dwelling and laid him on a couch. And when he was greatly revived, she fed him with heavenly food, bathed him in heavenly scented-water, dressed him in heavenly dress, and adorned him with flowers of heavenly perfume, and made him recline upon a heavenly couch. Thus did she watch over him, and whenever the Garuda king returned, she hid her lover, and so soon as the king was gone, under the influence of passion she took her pleasure with him. At the end of a month and a half from that time some merchants, who lived at Benares, landed at the foot of the banyan tree in this island, to get fire-wood and water. The musician went on board ship with them, and on reaching Benares, as soon as he saw the king, while he was playing at dice, Sagga took his lute, and making music recited the first stanza:-

I scent the fragrance of the timira grove, I hear the moaning of the weary sea: Tamba, I am suffering with my love, For fair Sussondi dwells afar from me.

On hearing this the Garuda king uttered the second stanza:-

How did you cross the stormy waters, And Seruma in safety gain? How did you Sagga, tell me, I request, To fair Sussondi win your way?

Then Sagga repeated three stanzas:-

With trading-folk from Bharukaccha land My ship was wrecked by monsters of the sea; I on a plank did safely gain the strand, When an anointed queen with gentle hand Had me tenderly upon her knee, As though to her a true son I might be. She food and dresses brought, and as I lay With love-lorn eyes hung over my couch all day. Know, Tamba, well; this word is truth I say.

The Garuda, while the musician thus spoke, was filled with regrets and said: "Though I lived in the dwelling of the Garudas, I failed to guard her safely. What is this wicked woman to me?" So he brought her back and presented her to the king and departed. And from then on he came not there any more.

The Master, his lesson ended, explained the truths and identified the Birth:-At the conclusion of the Truths the worldly-minded Brother(Monk) attained fruition of the First Path(Trance):-"At that time Ananda was the king of Benares, and I myself was the Garuda king."

Footnotes:

(1)Compare No. 327