Part 7: Origin of friendship of Sumitra and Citragati

Just then Citragati came there in his aerial car, as he was wandering through the air for amusement, and saw the city miserable from grief. When he learned about the criminal poisoning, he got out of his aerial car and sprinkled the prince with water charmed by a magic art. The prince, his eyes opened, got up, asking, “What’s this?” his heart uninjured. There is no limit to the power of a charm. The king told him, “Your mother Bhadrā^[1], hostile, gave you poison. This man, at once a brother for no reason, allayed it, son.”

His hands placed together respectfully, Sumitra said to Citragati: “Indeed, I know your family just from your idea of assistance to strangers. Nevertheless, favor me now by telling me about your family. Whose mind is not eager to hear about the relatives of the great?”

Then an attendant of Citragati, a minister’s son, told everything, the family-line, et cetera, delighting the ears of all. Sumitra, delighted, said to him: “Really the poisoner and the poison did me a favor today. How otherwise would the meeting with you have taken place? You did not give mere life to me; but furthermore I have been saved from a low birth resulting from death without complete renunciation and the formula of homage.^[2] What can I do in return for you bestowing unequaled benefits, like a rainy season cloud, on the world of living creatures, thou ocean of compassion?” Citragati asked permission of Sumitra, who continued talking like this and had entered into friendship, to go to his own city. Sumitra said: “Brother, a kevalin, named Suyaśas, is now wandering in places near here. You may go after paying homage to him when he has come here in course of time. Pass the time until his arrival right here.”

Citragati agreed and spent several days, amusing himself pleasantly with him, as if they were twins. Both went to a garden one day and the kevalin, Muni Suyaśas, came there like a living wishing-tree. They circumambulated and paid homage to him who was standing on golden lotuses and surrounded by gods, his arrival long desired, and sat down.

King Sugrīva heard about it, and came and paid homage to the muni. He delivered a sermon that was daylight for the sleep of delusion. At the end of the sermon Ciíragati bowed to the muni and said: “I have been well enlightened about dharma by you devoted to compassion. For a long time I have not known laymanship even though it is hereditary in the family, like one not sharing a treasure before him, Lord. Sumitra here has been an unequaled benefactor by whom Your Reverence, the teacher of such dharma, was pointed out to me.” With these words, Citragati, wise, adopted lay-dharma completely along with right-belief under the muni.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Really his step-mother, of course.

[2]:

Pratyākhyāna and namaskāra.