Page:History of India Vol 1.djvu/350

292 guest, to the palace of the king, and the entire population of the capital of Magadha thronged to see the great preacher of the religion of love, who had suddenly appeared in the land. The king then assigned a bamboo grove (Veluvana) close by for the residence of Gautama and his followers, and there Gautama rested for some time, shortly afterward gaining two distinguished converts, Sariputra and Moggallana.

The fame of Gautama had now travelled to his native town, and his old father expressed a desire to see him once before he died. Gautama accordingly went to Kapilavastu, but, according to custom, remained in the grove outside the town. His father and relations came to see him there; and the next day Gautama himself went into the town, begging alms from the people who had once adored him as their beloved prince and master.

The king took his son into the palace, where all the members of the family came to greet him except his wife. The deserted Yasodhara, with a wife's grief and a wife's pride, exclaimed, "If I am of any value in his eyes, he will himself come; I can welcome him better here." Gautama understood this and went to her, attended by only two disciples; and when Yasodhara saw him enter, a recluse with shaven head and yellow robes, her heart failed her, she flung herself on the ground, held his feet, and burst into tears. Then, remembering the impassable gulf between them, she rose and stood aside. She listened to his new doctrines, and when Gautama was subsequently