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off from the chariot and walked some distance to the park. He did the usual obeisance to him and took his seat near him. The Master explained to his audience the laws of karman and how the soul was bound by them and by what device one can obtain freedom and salvation. At the end of the discourse, prince Meghakumāra who was tremendously impressed stood before the Master with folded hands and told him how much enlightened he now felt. He expressed his regret that he had wasted much of his life so far in enjoying worthless pleasures of the world, and said further how much obliged he felt to the Master for showing him the right path, out of the utter darkness in which he had lived so far. He assured the Master that he was most keen on giving up the useless worldly life and seeking orders under his guidance. The prince only said that he would go to the palace to obtain the permission of his parents and quickly return.
The king and the queen however were most unwilling to agree to the prince's fantastic request. They both felt terribly distressed; the queen turned pale, trembled like a leaf and fell unconscious on the ground. The servants sprinkled cool water on her face and succeeded in reviving her. Even then, her face was wet with tears and she spoke to her son in the most pleading tone describing the misery that they without their son would feel. He was their only son and he should not take religious orders so long as the parents were alive. Meghakumāra replied to all the piteous words of his mother in a philosophical manner, highlighting the transitory nature of life, merely a bubble, a flash of lightning and nothing more. He had already wasted so much of time on doing wrong things like getting absorbed in worldly pleasures, that he could not waste any more. Therefore he was keen on receiving their permission immediately.
The royal parents realised how firm the prince's mind was. However they made one last desperate attempt to detain the prince. They said that he should be on the throne of Rajagiha and wear the crown of the king at least for a day before renouncing every thing. The prince agreed and the coronation ceremony was ordered, Prince Meghakumāra ruled the kingdom as its king for one day, the next day he renounced the world and became a monk.
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