The Tham Vessantara-jAtaka - Khamkoo

NAgarakanDa. 70
Each of these sections except NAgarakanDa which consists of only
gAthAs, contains a small prose passage at the beginning.
We can trace only this small prose at the commencement of the
MaddIpabbakanDa, the section on MaddI, which has the meaning:
“That whereas the king gave his dearly beloved children
to the Brahmin, the earth did resound with a great uproar that
reached even to Brahma’s heaven and pierced the hearts of the
deities which dwelt in Himavada; who, hearing the children’s
lamentation as the man drove them along, thought with
themselves, “If MaddI comes betimes to the hermitage, not
seeing her children she will ask Vessantara about it; great will
be her longing when she hears that they have been given away;
she will run after them, and will get into trouble.” 71
This incident takes place only in the Th. VJ. According to the PTS prose Indra
instructed three gods to take upon them the shape of a lion, a tiger and a beer in order to
obstruct MaddI’s way until the sunset to keep her safe from the attacks of lions and
other wild beasts. 72 From this context, it appears that because of the omission of some
necessary parts we do not know the story in full as to what would happen to the next.
In Sakka-pabbakanDa, the section on the king of gods, there is some lengthy prose at
the beginning before the gAthAs start. Once the gAthAs started, there are no prose
interruptions in between. The others have been omitted so we will not get a clear idea of
the story.
67
68
69
70
71
72
Ibid. pp. 96-98.
Ibid. pp. 98-102.
Th. VJ, pp. 103-105.
Ibid. pp. 105-107.
Cowell, The JAtakas, p. 287.
Ibid.
130