Pre-Buddhist India: A Political, Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey of Ancient India Based Mainly on the Jataka Stories c4.t3.33

c4.t3.33

'This ungrateful king does not recognise even the goodness of this good man who saved his majesty's life. How can we have any profit from the king? Seize the tyrant." And in their anger they rush upon the king from every side, and slay him there and then, as he rides on his elephant, with arrows and javelins, stones and clubs and any weapons that come to hand. The corpse they drag by the heels to a ditch and fling it in and then anoint their chosen person to kingship.¹ In another place² an interesting scene is witnessed. A Brāhmaṇa youth has discovered that it is the king himself and his priest who have stolen and concealed a precious treasure. He declares the king a 'thief' and sounds a stirring appeal to the people assembled there:—