Page:The Tamils Eighteen Hundred Years Ago.djvu/202

Rh now killed by the sword of the Vidyadhara? If you do know it, tell me graciously so that it may console my sorrowing heart.”

“Listen to me maiden!” the spirit replied. “In your former birth, when Brahma-dharma was preaching the Law, you wished to feast him on a certain day, and asked your cook to be ready by early dawn. But when he came in the morning and tripped and fell on the cooking utensils and broke them, enraged at his carelessness, your husband killed the cook. It is that sin that still haunts you. I shall now tell you what is to happen to you in the future. Hearing of the murder of his son, the king will cast you into prison, but the queen will intercede for you, and releasing you from jail, will keep you with her. The venerable Buddhist monk will then plead for you with the queen, and you will be set at liberty. You will then go to Aputra, who is now king of Chavakam, and with him you will again visit Manipallavarn. Leaving that island, you will in the guise of a monk visit Vanji, and there learn the tenets of other religions. You will then proceed to Kanchi and feed the poor during a famine in that city. There you will meet the Buddhist abbot and from him you will learn the Buddhist doctrine and become a nun. In future births, you will be born as a man in Uttara Magadha and eventually become one of the foremost and favorite disciples of Buddha.” Knowing her future, Manimêkalai was greatly relieved in mind and deeply thankful to the spirit.

On the following morning, the visitors to the temple of Champa-pati saw the corpse of Udaya-kumara and reported it to the monks of Chakra-valak-kôddam. They questioned Manimêkalai, and having ascertained from her, how and by whom he had been killed, they concealed the prince’s body in a separate room and proceeded to the palace. Having obtained permission through the guards, they appeared before the Chola king who was seated on his throne, majestic like Indra. “Hail monarch!, may thy reign be prosperous! may all thy days be happy!” said one of the monks, “even in former days, many men have died in this city for the women they loved. When Parasurma was killing all the kings of Jambu-dweepa, in days of old, Kanthan then reigning at Pukâr, deemed it prudent to conceal himself