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The Story of Brahmadatta Chakri
From the Yogashastra, Second Illumination, Verse 27
Brahmadatta began living like a member of the household. One day, the servant of Buddhil came to Vardhamana and whispered something in his ear. After the servant left, Vardhamana told Brahmadatta, "Brother! The other day, Buddhil had offered to give 50,000 rupees. Today, you should see that matter."
Thereafter, he showed the young prince a garland of large, shining pearls, radiant like the planet Venus. The prince saw the inscription of his name on the garland. Just then, a female ascetic named Vatsa appeared, as if the inscription had come to life. She blessed both of them by placing auspicious rice grains on their heads. Then, she took Vardhamana aside and whispered something to him. The minister's son told Brahmadatta that the ascetic was asking for a copy of the inscription on the garland, which Brahmadatta had given her.
I asked him, "Who is this Brahmadatta?" He replied, "She is the most excellent daughter of this city, Ratnawati, who has come in the form of Rati, the goddess of love, to this world. On the day of the cockfight between her brother Sagardatta and Buddhil, she saw Brahmadatta. Since then, she has been afflicted by the fever of love. She is unable to find any peace and is becoming thinner day by day. Day and night, she keeps repeating, 'I seek refuge in Brahmadatta.'"
One day, she wrote a letter with her own hand, asking me to send the garland to Brahmadatta. I had the servant deliver that letter. Saying this, he stood there. In response, I wrote a letter and instructed her to leave. From that day, Brahmadatta, the young prince, also began to suffer from the unbearable torment of love, like an elephant scorched by the intense rays of the midday sun. Indeed, a person afflicted by the fever of love cannot experience happiness.
On the other hand, the king's servants, who were sent by the long-lived king, had searched the entire city of Kaushambi. They were now running here and there, like sharp thorns embedded in the body, in search of these two. On the order of the king of Kaushambi, the search for them began in the city. Then, the merchant Sagardatta hid them in the secret chamber of his house and protected them. At night, when they wanted to go out, Sagardatta accompanied them in a chariot for some distance and then returned.
After Sagardatta left, as they proceeded further, they saw a beautiful woman sitting in a chariot, yoked with horses, in a garden, like the goddess of the Nandana grove. She politely asked them, "Why did it take you so long?" They also asked her, "Dear lady, how do you know us? Do you know who we are?"
She replied, "In this city, there is a very wealthy merchant named Dhanapravara, who is like the second brother of Kubera. I am his daughter, Vivekashri, who has the eight qualities of intelligence, like the supreme discernment. As soon as I attained youth, I performed intense worship of the Yaksha presiding over this garden, as I desired to obtain an excellent husband. Most women have no other ambition besides this. Pleased by my devotion, the chief Yaksha granted the boon, 'Brahmadatta Chakravarti will be your husband.' He also said that the person with the Shrivatsalakshana, who will come with his friend in the cockfight between Sagardatta and Buddhil's cocks, you should consider him as your husband. When Brahmadatta will be in my Yaksha shrine, then your first meeting with him will occur. So, O beautiful one, I have understood that you are the one. Therefore, now you may come. Just as water contact brings peace to a person afflicted by heat, in the same way, your union will bring peace to me, who has been tormented by the pain of separation for a long time."
"Very well, so be it," said the prince, accepting that devoted woman. At her request, both of them sat in her chariot. When asked, "Where should we go?" the beautiful woman said, "To Magadhapur, where my cousin brother Dhanawaha lives. He will honor us greatly. So it is good to go there."
Saying this, the minister's son, acting as the charioteer, turned the horses in that direction. As soon as Brahmadatta crossed Kaushambi and entered a dreadful forest, like the playground of Yama, he saw two terrible bandit commanders named Sankatakaand Kantaka in front of him. Just as dogs stop a wild boar, they stopped Brahmadatta. And those two brothers, like the sons of the Night Goddess, became suddenly excited and showered arrows on Brahmadatta with his army. The entire sky was covered with arrows. The prince also took up his bow and arrows, roaring like a lion, and unleashed a continuous stream of arrows, destroying the bandit army.