Dictionary of Pali Proper Names v1.c16.863

v1.c16.863

**Cullahamsa Jātaka** (No. 533).—The Bodhisatta was once born as **Dhataraṭṭha**, king of ninety thousand golden geese living in **Cittakūṭa**. One day some of his flock came upon Lake **Mānusiya**, near the haunts of men, and finding it a rich feeding-ground, persuaded him much against his will to go there with them. But immediately he alighted he was caught in a fowler’s noose and found escape impossible. He waited till the flock had fed, then gave the cry of alarm at which all the geese flew away except his commander-in-chief, **Sumukha**. When the fowler came, Sumukha offered to give his life for his king, and thereby softened the fowler’s heart. The latter set Dhataraṭṭha free and tended his wounds, and because of the man’s great charity the king of the geese became whole again. When the fowler suggested that they should fly home, the two geese insisted that they should be taken to **Sakuḷa**, the king of the land, the **Mahimsaka** country, that they might obtain for the fowler a suitable reward. When the king heard the story he gave to the fowler a village yielding one hundred thousand annually, a chariot and a large store of gold. Dhataraṭṭha preached to the king the moral law and, after being paid great honour, returned to Cittakūṭa.