Dhammapada 4.3.p20

4.3.p20

Bandhulasenāpatissapi kho kusinārāyaṃ mallarājadhītā mallikā nāma bhariyā dīgharattaṃ puttaṃ na vijāyi. Atha naṃ bandhulo ‘‘attano kulagharameva gacchā’’ti uyyojesi. Sā ‘‘satthāraṃ disvāva gamissāmī’’ti jetavanaṃ pavisitvā tathāgataṃ vanditvā ṭhitā, ‘‘kahaṃ gacchasī’’ti vuttā ‘‘sāmiko maṃ bhante, kulagharaṃ pesetī’’ āha. ‘‘Kiṃ kāraṇā’’ti? ‘‘Vañjhā kirasmi aputtikā’’ti. ‘‘Yadi evaṃ, gamanakiccaṃ natthi, nivattassū’’ti. Sā tuṭṭhamānasā satthāraṃ vanditvā nivesanaṃ gantvā ‘‘kasmā nivattāsī’’ti vuttā ‘‘dasabalena nivattitāmhī’’ti āha bandhulo ‘‘diṭṭhaṃ bhavissati dīghadassinā kāraṇa’’nti sampaṭicchi. Sā na cirasseva gabbhaṃ paṭilabhitvā uppannadāhaḷā ‘‘dohaḷo me uppanno’’ti ārocesi. ‘‘Kiṃ dohaḷo’’ti? ‘‘Vesālinagare gaṇarājakulānaṃ abhisekamaṅgalapokkharaṇiyaṃ otaritvā nhatvā pānīyaṃ pātukāmāmhi, sāmī’’ti. Bandhulo ‘‘sādhū’’ti vatvā sahassathāmadhanuṃ gahetvā taṃ rathaṃ āropetvā sāvatthito nikkhamitvā rathaṃ pājento mahālilicchavino dinnadvārena vesāliṃ pāvisi. Mahālilicchavino ca dvārasamīpe eva nivesanaṃ hoti. So rathassa ummāre panighātasaddaṃ sutvāva ‘‘bandhulassa rathasaddo eso, ajja licchavīnaṃ bhayaṃ uppajjissatī’’ti āha.

After a short time Mallikā conceived a child in her womb, and the longing of pregnancy arose within her. She said to her husband, “The longing of pregnancy has arisen within me.” “What is the nature of your longing?” he asked. She replied, “Husband, in the city of Vesāli is a lotus-tank used by troops of princes at coronation festivals. I long to descend therein, to swim therein, and to drink the water thereof.” “Very well,” said Bandhula. And taking his bow, which required the strength of a thousand men to string, he assisted his wife to mount the chariot and drove in his chariot from Sāvatthi to Vesāli, entering Vesāli by the gate which had been given to the Licchavi prince Mahāli. Now the Licchavi prince Mahāli dwelt in a house hard by the gate; and when he heard the rumble of the chariot on the threshold, he said to himself, “That is the sound of Bandhula’s chariot. There is trouble in store for the Licchavi princes to-day.”