Dighanikaya 2.150_5

2.150_5

Tasmiṃ kira kucchigate deviyā evarūpo dohaḷo uppajji – ‘‘aho vatāhaṃ rañño dakkhiṇabāhulohitaṃ piveyya’’nti, sā ‘‘bhāriye ṭhāne dohaḷo uppanno, na sakkā kassaci ārocetu’’nti taṃ kathetuṃ asakkontī kisā dubbaṇṇā ahosi. Taṃ rājā pucchi – ‘‘bhadde, tuyhaṃ attabhāvo na pakativaṇṇo, kiṃ kāraṇa’’nti? ‘‘Mā puccha, mahārājāti’’. ‘‘Bhadde, tvaṃ attano ajjhāsayaṃ mayhaṃ akathentī kassa kathessasī’’ti tathā tathā nibandhitvā kathāpesi. Sutvā ca – ‘‘bāle, kiṃ ettha tuyhaṃ bhāriyasaññā ahosī’’ti vejjaṃ pakkosāpetvā suvaṇṇasatthakena bāhuṃ phālāpetvā suvaṇṇasarakena lohitaṃ gahetvā udakena sambhinditvā pāyesi. Nemittakā taṃ sutvā – ‘‘esa gabbho rañño sattu bhavissati, iminā rājā haññissatī’’ti byākariṃsu. Devī sutvā – ‘‘mayhaṃ kira kucchito nikkhanto rājānaṃ māressatī’’ti gabbhaṃ pātetukāmā uyyānaṃ gantvā kucchiṃ maddāpesi, gabbho na patati. Sā punappunaṃ gantvā tatheva kāresi. Rājā kimatthaṃ ayaṃ abhiṇhaṃ uyyānaṃ gacchatīti parivīmaṃsanto taṃ kāraṇaṃ sutvā – ‘‘bhadde, tava kucchiyaṃ puttoti vā dhītāti vā na paññāyati, attano nibbattadārakaṃ evamakāsīti mahā aguṇarāsipi no jambudīpatale āvibhavissati, mā tvaṃ evaṃ karohī’’ti nivāretvā ārakkhaṃ adāsi. Sā gabbhavuṭṭhānakāle ‘‘māressāmī’’ti cintesi. Tadāpi ārakkhamanussā dārakaṃ apanayiṃsu. Athāparena samayena vuḍḍhippattaṃ kumāraṃ deviyā dassesuṃ. Sā taṃ disvāva puttasinehaṃ uppādesi, tena naṃ māretuṃ nāsakkhi. Rājāpi anukkamena puttassa oparajjamadāsi.

When he had entered the womb, it is said that such a pregnancy craving arose in the queen: "Oh, that I might drink blood from the king's right arm!" Thinking, "A craving has arisen in a grave matter; it cannot be told to anyone," being unable to speak of it, she grew thin and pale. The king asked her: "My dear, your complexion is not normal; what is the reason?" "Do not ask, great king." "My dear, if you do not tell your wish to me, to whom will you tell it?" Urging her in various ways, he made her speak. And having heard it, saying: "Foolish woman, why did you think this was grave?" he summoned a physician, had his arm lanced with a golden lancet, collected the blood in a golden bowl, mixed it with water, and gave it to her to drink. The soothsayers, having heard that, predicted: "This child in the womb will be the king's enemy; the king will be killed by him." The queen heard this and thought: "The one who comes forth from my womb will kill the king, they say." Wanting to abort the child, she went to the park and had her belly pressed, but the child was not aborted. She went again and again and had the same done. The king, wondering, "Why does she go to the park so often?" made inquiries, and having heard that reason, stopped her, saying: "My dear, it is not yet known whether it is a son or a daughter in your womb. 'She did such a thing to a child born of herself'—even a great heap of blame will appear against us throughout the surface of Jambudīpa! Do not do this," and he provided a guard. At the time of giving birth, she thought: "I will kill him." Then too, the guards took the child away. Later, when the boy had grown up, they presented him to the queen. As soon as she saw him, maternal love arose in her, and on account of that she could not kill him. The king too, in due course, gave his son the viceroyalty.