Chapter XXIV

MANIMEKALAI GOES TO THE CHAVAKAS

It was the hour of sunset. All the heat o1 the sun was gathered into one great ball of molten gold. Its radiance touched the walls, it filled all the rooms of the. palace. Kven thé drab robes of the begging nun seemed to be covered with gold dust. Mani- mekalai took a fond farewell of her new friend the Queen. She embraced her mother

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and Suthamathi. Then she made her way through the streets to the alms-house, In the shrine of Sampapathy she kneltv down to pray. Once more she worshipped :be- fore the Oracle of the Pillar. She took leave of the holy men of Chakkaravala-kottam. They had been her good friends, They were glad now to see her free. They blessed her, and wished her every ‘good. ‘ Then she rose in the air. Through the sunset glow, she flew. By the light of: the stars, she made her way across the seas. At last she came to rest. She was in the Land of the Chavakas. She walked in a pleasant grove. The turrets of a fine city were seen through the trees. Resting under the shade of a banyan tree, Manimekalai saw a holy man. She came up to him. She saluted. “What is the name of this fair city, O sage?” she asked him. ‘And who is its King ?’”’’ The sage answered her kindly.’ “It is the city of Nagapuram, O fair maid! The name of the King is Punnya- -rajan.: He is the son of Bhumi-chandran, All men praise and bless the name of Punnya-r rajan.. It is a name, of power, He is great and he is good. He is beloved of the gods. ‘Our land

is like. heaven. .Once sickness:'and hunger

were the common lot. Men died in their thousands. There seemed to be no relief from our pain, Then Punnya-rajan was born. From that day, the land grows.rich in fruits. The rivers overflow their banks. Steady rains fall. Sickness is unknown in the Jand, Great and good is our King. Wise and just is he. He holds his sceptre aright.”

Even as they spoke, the King appeared in the grove. His lovely Queen was with him. His court was in attendance. They saluted the sage. ‘May your days be yet long with us, O Dharma-savakan!” they said. The old sage blessed them. He spoke of Buddha and His laws. And Manimekalai stood by. She listened eagerly to the wise words of the old man. The King noticed her. He thanked Dharma-savakan for his words of wisdom and_ said, “Who is this strange maid? Never have I seen a face or form so lovely! Yet she wears the robes of a beggar. She carries in her hand a begging bowl. And she gathers up your words as if they were indeed pearls of price! Is she of this world, or do I behold some angelic vision? ”

An officer of the court stood by. He too, had been watching the strange maiden. Now he stepped forward. He craved the

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ear of the King. “Sire, | have just returned from a visit to the great city of Kaveri- patnam. There I met the holy sage Aravana. He spoke to me of a wonderful maiden. Her name was Manimekalai. She was the ‘daughter of adancing woman. Both women had embraced the ‘holy life. This Mani- mekalai was a new light to the world. There was none like her in the land. She was peerless in beauty. She was peerless in spirit. The Lord Buddha had chosen her for his chief disciple. This is she. Mani- mekalai_ the fair and the pure comes to our ‘city. Great honour has been done to us.”

Manimekalai then came forward. She spoke to the King. “All men know you as Punnya-rajan. They praise and bless your name. I know you as Aputhra. And I also praise and bless your name. In my hands I hold the magic bowl of Aputhra. Have you forgotten? It would seem so. You area King now. Youdo not remember your Jast birth. Do you wish to know it? ‘Come to the island of Manipallavam. Wor- ship at the Holy Seat of the Lotus. Many things will then be revealed. But surely in this great. city of Nagapuram, you may Jearn of this present birth.”

‘She ‘would say no more.” She ‘would’ not’ stay longer inthe Land of the: Chavakas, Her’ work jn that plate was) done. Oner more she rose im the air, “They! watched her out of sight. They wondéred: mach at her strange ‘words, phos te votdeanh

©* Let us go back to “the Icity,”?! said! the: King’ “Tf cannot rest here. [ must: find the nivaning of her riddle.: Maybe, my mother, will help) me.” |! "

So they took their ‘leave of the : sage Dharma-savakan. They returned’ in ‘haste: to Nagapuram. The King sought to 'speak with his mother, the Queen Amara-sundari.

, “What is your wish, my, dear son?” she asked of him. Then 'hé fold ’ her of his visit to the grove. “There [ met a ly maid. | She called me Aputhra. Shé © said strange words. Is there’ some mystery round my. ‘birth ? Please tell Me’ all? 0°" © Is

‘The old Queen answered " him geiitly. “ My son, yours was a Strange! birth. Lo our land, there ‘dwelt ’'a‘ holy Pedi “Eis name was Munmukha. In his ashramia's i: cow was born. She had’ goldett hoofs." hd golden horns. “Her | iidders" | were ngalyy with rich milk. "Yet" shié tga | ito‘ “edt, Sick men came to ‘hér,'’'and ‘were vicuiréd by her milk. On'the’ birthday of ‘the Wise-

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‘One! a child. was:bbrn sof. this: cow. You werenthat child. On that day, the sky 'swas lear and the sun: shone.. Yet drops of: holy water, ‘andiipure-white blossoms. fell . from thethéavens: » Itiwasa good :omen.\, / soutiLy dear-husband :and J had no: child- ens ,We adopted you. You :were brought up in the palace. ; You ‘were: called: our son. Yau were taught all the, duties of a Prince of,,a noble: hause, .. Bhumi- chandran, died. You.,were. fit to:,rule in his ,place..,, You became, King of all the Chavakas.,. ., ais Only, good has come of it all. ‘Since the ‘day’ of your birth, all things prosper in ‘the land." But Ido not need to ‘spéak « of tHat!' ‘On all sides, in’ rich horhés, and in poor hovels, you' hear your name blessed. No’ ‘child ‘was born of our'love. Yet you brought us every happiness.” vi wveT! ame plad of that,” replied the ding, and, he:ikissed her ‘hand fondly: .*But it is finished. :.The,:thrones of earthly ‘kings are vain things.,.,Only,; one thing, lasts. ‘That, is, the Throne of God. Nothing matters but that. I have spoken, with the sage Dharma- sayakari. I have seen the Wise Maid. 1 mist’ ‘give up this‘‘life’ of pomp and’ show. I'mitlst ‘return to my past life ‘of penance and ‘service. “My soul ‘can’ and mo peace: in this life now.” ‘|

The Queen begged him to stay. “Look all about you!" she cried. “Are there not smiling happy faces everywhere? Do you find such sturdy little children in any other city? Who can take your place? The father leaves his home. Do his wife and children continue to laugh and frolic? No, nof Punnya-rajan, do not be so rash!"

She called the chief minister. His name was Jana-mithran. His counsels had always been wise. She told him of the King’s wish. * What does Jana-mithran advise?” she asked.

Jana-mithran pleaded with the King. “[ am no sage, O my King! I cannot see the past, nor the future. [ am but a man of the world. I see only the present. But { try to read the signs aright. You were not born of a kingly line. But a great sage gave you to a King. He must have known what was best. He could see into the past and into the future. He could not make a mistake. You wish to leave us now. Are you not acting against the will of the holy Munmukha? Ponder it well, O Kingt

“Once, there was a great famine in the Jand. The earth was dry, the river beds. were dry, The sky itself seemed dry. Trees. withered and bore no fruit. Birds and

beasts died of thirst and hunger. The people were famished. Parents heard the cries of their litle ones. There was not enough food for the whole family. They fought among themselves for the little bit of rice. There was no help in all the land, Our plight was hopeless. Merchants tried to bring us food. Their caravans got lost in the desert. Their ships were wrecked at sea,

“Then you were born, From that day, all went well with us. Rain fell in its sea- sons, the trees blossomed and bore fruit. The birds and beasts roamed once more in our groves, and reared their young. You were like rain in a scorching desert. The land seemed to flow with milk and honey, No one knows the name of hunger. Sick- ness is a strange thing in our fair land. And now you speak of leaving us, Does a mother willingly desert her child? Surely then, the blessing of the gods will be taken from us. A curse, worse even than the last, will fall on our innocent heads. You seek the salvation of your own soul. Have you thought that you sacrifice thousands of helpless victims? You speak of the Lord Buddha. Would He wish you to go away? He had no thought for His own life. He

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lived ‘only for others. Look well ‘into your own heart, -O my King. Look into it as into a cleur’mirror, Do you see there: a noble desire? Or do you see adark selfish wish?”

* Thus spoke the wise Jana-mithran. And the King was moved by his words. Yet he could not give up his desire altogether, “My heart yearns to go to Manipallavam. The Wise Maid said that there 1 should see the Truth. I must go. My kingdom cannot come to harm in one month. You shall take care of it for me. I will know the’ truth at the Holy Seat of the Lotus. And I will return. I do not cease to be the King of the Chavakas.”