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IIO
CHAPTER ONE
that time in the city Lankā there was a lord of the Räksasas, named Tačitkeśa. Between these two there was a strong friendship. One day, Taạitkeśa went with the women of his household to sport in a choice garden, named Nandana. While Taçitkeśa was engaged in sport, a monkey descended from a tree and scratched the breast of Sricandrā, Taạitkeśa's chief-queen, with his nails. His hair standing on end from anger, Taditkeśa struck the monkey with an arrow. For injury to women is not to be endured. Injured by the blow with the arrow, the monkey went a short distance and fell at the feet of- a sādhu engaged in pratimā. He gave him the namaskāra, provisions for the journey to the next world. By its power he became an Abdhikumāra after his death. Knowing his former birth by clairvoyance he approached the sādhu and paid homage to him. For the sādhu who confers benefits is especially to be honored by the noble.
He saw other monkeys. being killed by Tađitkeśa's soldiers and at once blazed with anger. He created (by magic) many figures of large monkeys and attacked the Raksasas, overwhelming them with masses of trees and stones. Recognizing that it was the device of a god, Taạitkeśa worshipped him ardently and said: “Who are you? Why do you attack us?” Then the Abdhikumāra, his anger appeased by the worship shown him, related the slaughter of himself and the power of the namaskāra. Lankā's lord and the monkey together approached the sādhu and asked, "Lord, what is the reason for the monkey's hostility toward me?" The ascetic related: “You were formerly a minister's son, named Datta, in Srāvastī; he was a hunter in Kāśi. One day, after you had adopted mendicancy, you were going to Vārāṇasī. He saw you and killed you, struck by the thought, That is a bad omen.' You became a god in Māhendrakalpa and, when you fell, were born here, such as you are. He passed .00 48. The sādhu recited the namaskāra so the monkey could hear it.
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