Page:Katha sarit sagara, vol2.djvu/334

 this, he went following up the track of the drops of blood, that he saw lying close to one another on the ground.

In the meanwhile Garuda, who was engaged in devouring Jímútaváhana, saw that he was pleased; so he immediately stopped, and said to himself; " Strange ! This must be some matchless hero; for the great-hearted one rejoices even while I am devouring him, but does not lose his life. And on so much of his body as is not lacerated, he has all the hairs erect, as it were a coat of mail; and his look is lovingly fixed on me, as if I were his benefactor. So he cannot be a snake; he must be some saint; I will cease from devouring him, and question him." While Garuda was thus musing, Jímútaváhana said to him; " King of birds, why do you desist? There is flesh and blood in my body, and you are not satisfied as yet, so go on eating it." When the king of birds heard this, he asked him with much astonishment, " Great-souled one, you are not a snake, so tell me who you are." But Jímútaváhana answered Garuda, " In truth I am a Nága; what is the meaning of this question of yours? Do your kind, for who, that is not foolish, would act* contrary to the purpose he had undertaken?" While he was giving this answer to Garuda, Śankhachúda came near, and called out to Garuda from a distance, " Do not do a rash and criminal deed, son of Vinatá. What delusion is this that possesses you ? He is not a snake; lo ! I am the snake designed for you." When Śankhachúda had said this, he came up quickly, and standing between those two, and seeing Garuda bewildered, he went on to say; " Why are you perplexed; do you not see that I have hoods and two tongues; and do you not observe the charming appearance of this Vidyádhara?" While Śankhachúda was saying this, the wife and parents of Jímútaváhana came there with speed. And his parents, seeing him mangled, immediately cried out, " Alas, son ! Alas, Jímútaváhana ! Alas, compassionate one who have given your life for others ! How could you, son of Vinatá, do this thoughtless deed?" When Garuda heard this, he was grieved, and he said, " What ! Have I in my delusion eaten an incarnation of a Bodhisattva? This is that very Jímútaváhana, who sacrifices his life for others, the renown of whose glory pervades all these three worlds? So, now that he is dead, the time has arrived for my wicked self to enter the fire. Does the fruit of the poison-tree of unrighteousness ever ripen sweet ?" While Garuda was distracted with these reflections, Jímútavahána, having beheld his family, fell down in the agony of his wounds, and died.

Then his parents, tortured with sorrow, lamented, and Śankhachúda again and again blamed his own negligence. But Jímútaváhana's wife, Malayavatí, looked towards the heaven, and in accents choked with tears