309
His father gave him leave, saying, "So be it!" And Jímútaváhana
went and said to the wishing-tree, " O god, thou didst fulfil all the cherished wishes of our predecessors, so fulfil this one solitary wish of mine I Enable me to behold this whole earth free from poverty; depart, and good luck attend thee; thou art bestowed by me on the world that desires wealth," When Jímútaváhana had said this with joined hands, a voice came forth from the tree, " Since thou hast relinquished me, I depart." And in a moment the wishing-tree flew up to heaven, and rained wealth on the earth so plenteously, that there was not one poor man left on it. Then the glory of that Jímútaváhana spread through the three worlds, on account of that ardent compassion of his for all creatures.
That made all his relations impatient with envy; and thinking that he and his father would be easy to conquer, as they were deprived of the calamity-averting tree which they had bestowed on the world, they put their heads together and formed a design, and then girded on their harness for war, to deprive Jímútaváhana and his father of their realm. When Jímútaváhana saw that, he said to his father, " Father, what other has might, when thou hast taken up arms? But what generous man desires to possess a realm, if be must do so by slaying his relations for the sake of this wicked perishable body? So of what use is sovereignty to us? We will depart to some other place, and practise virtue that brings happiness in both worlds Let these miserable relations that covet our kingdom, joy their fill !" When Jímútaváhana said this, his father Jímútaketu answered him, " My son, I desire a realm for your sake only; if you, being penetrated with compassion, give it up, of what value is it to me, who am old? When Jímútaváhana's father agreed to his proposal, he went with him and his mother to the Malaya mountain, abandoning his kingdom. There he made him a retreat in the valley of a brook, the stream of which was hidden by sandal-wood trees, and spent bis time in waiting on his parents. And there he made a friend of the name of Mitrávasu, the sou of Viśvavásu a king of the Siddhas, who dwelt on that mountain.
Now, one day, as Jímútaváhana was roaming about, he went into a temple of the goddess Gaurí, that was situated in a garden, in order to worship in the presence of the image. And there he saw a beautiful maiden accompanied by her attendants, playing on the lyre, intent on pleasing the daughter of the mountain.*[1] And the deer were listening to the sweet sound of the lyre in the musical performance, standing motionless, as if abashed at beholding the beauty of her eyes.†[2] She had a black pupil in her white eye, and it seemed as if it strove to penetrate to the
