The Tham Vessantara-jAtaka - Khamkoo

The difference that we can see in the section of Mahavanavannana, the section on thick
forest, is that all the prose passages have been omitted throughout the section. 63
When we analyze the KumArapabba-kanDa, the section on children a small prose
passage, which I will give shortly, has been traced at the beginning of this section. The
rest, which is given in the PTS are omitted. Let us study what this small passage
translates as: “When JUjaka reached the square lotus pond by the path described for him
by the ascetic Accuta, he thought, “It is too late today, for MaddI will by now have
returned from the jungle, and womenfolk are just a hindrance, I shall go to the
hermitage tomorrow when she has gone into the jungle, beg the children from
Vessantara, and be off with them before she comes back.”
The Th. VJ is not like the PTS that described full gAthAs and their commentary in
detail. The rest of the prose 64 describing about MaddI’s bad dream, about her reporting
it back to the prince, Vessantara, about her leaving the next day early morning in search
of food and leaving the children with the prince, Vessantara and of Vessantara and the
children beholding JUjaka coming from distance and about their welcoming JUjaka, have
not been mentioned in detail.
Tatiya gAthA, 65 the third section of the stanzas contained five categories; (1)
MaddIpabba 66 (2) Sakkapabba 67 (3) MahArAjapabba 68 (4) Chakattiyakamma 69 and (5)
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64
65
66
Th. VJ, pp. 78-79.
Fausbøll, The JAtakas XXII, p. 540.
Th. VJ, p. 91.
Ibid. pp. 91-95.
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