The Tham Vessantara-jAtaka - Khamkoo

again. Even the birds are not singing. My children must have been slain! Kimi : Why are
you silent? I feel that I am dreaming again. Even the crows make no cawing. My
children must have been slain! Kacci nu me eyyaputta : Noble sir, you have been
looking after the children at the hermitage, cannot you see that wild beasts have eaten
them or has someone led them away in the deep forest? Adu te pahitA dUtA : Have you
sent the children off with a message to their grand parents or are they sleeping? Or have
they wandered out far away, to play their games? Please, I beg you to tell me. NevAsaM
kesA dissanti : I cannot see KABhA’s hands and feet nor JAli’ hair or his hands or feet.
Did a bird swoop down? Or who has carried them away?
EvaM puttepi : Though princess MaddI was lamenting in this way, the Great
Being made no reply. Atha : Then she asked thus: “Lord, why do you not speak to me?
What have I done wrong? And she spoke thus: IdaM tato dukkhataraM sallaviddho
yathA vaBo tayyajja putte na passAmi jAlin kaBhAjinaM cubho : “This is indeed the
worst pain. Like a poisoned arrow has struck my heart, because I cannot see my
children JAli and KaBhA. Idam pi dutiyaM sallaM : This is a second poisoned arrow that
struck my heart as I cannot see my children and you do not speak to me. Ajja ce me
imaM rattim: If you do not explain me tonight, O prince, in the morning, you will
certainly see my death after all life has gone”.
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Atha : Since MaddI loved her children very much, the Great Being thought to
ease up her pain for the children by harsh words, he spoke thus: NUna maddI varArohA
rAjaputtI yasassIBI pAto gatAsi uGAcchAya, kimidaM sAya mAgatA : “MaddI, famous royal
princess blessed with beauty, you went out this morning into the forest to collect food.
Why have you come back so late this evening?” He further said that: “MaddI, you are so
beautiful and eye-catching, in the forests, there live a lot of people like ascetics and
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