Bambhadatta’s Tale
Adapted from Hindu Tales: An English Translation of Jacobi’s Ausgewählte Erzählungen in Māhārāshṭrī
In ancient times, there lived two friends named Sambhūya and Citta, who had renounced the world to follow the path of spiritual enlightenment. They practiced severe austerities and dedicated themselves to the teachings of the Jinas.
One day, Sambhūya became enraged when the people of a nearby village accidentally destroyed his meditation hut. His anger was so great that he summoned a supernatural fire that threatened to consume the entire village. The terrified villagers pleaded for mercy, but Sambhūya’s wrath would not be appeased.
Hearing the commotion, the monk Citta approached his friend and spoke words of wisdom: “O Sambhūya, extinguish this fire of wrath. Peace of soul is the chief characteristic of great saints. Even if they have been wronged, they do not give way to anger, for anger ends in misery, is the cause of all misfortunes, and destroys the forest of good conduct.”
Citta continued, “As the forest fire kindled by the forest fire burns the essence of the forest in a moment, so the soul changed by passions consumes asceticism and self-control. Anger destroys love, increases misery, and causes pain to oneself and others. Even if one practices manifold fasts, dwells in the woods, studies sacred texts, and keeps the vow of chastity, it will all prove of no avail if one is overcome by anger.”
These wise words extinguished the fire of Sambhūya’s wrath. Filled with remorse, he returned to their dwelling place in the park, where both monks decided to undertake a complete fast as penance.
Meanwhile, King Sanamkumāra, who ruled the region, had heard of the incident. He came to the park with his entire royal court to pay homage to the two monks. The king was accompanied by his harem, including his most beautiful queen, Sunanda, known as the “Pearl Among Women.”
As the royal party bowed before the monks, Sunanda prostrated herself at Sambhūya’s feet, and her silken hair brushed against him. Despite his years of spiritual discipline, Sambhūya found himself captivated by this momentary touch. A worldly thought began to form in his mind.
Citta, perceiving his friend’s inner struggle, thought, “Alas, how hard it is to conquer delusion! Alas, how hard it is to control the senses! Even this man, who has practiced such severe penance and understood the teachings of the Jinas, is disturbed by the mere touch of a woman’s hair.”
Seeking to awaken his friend’s spiritual awareness, Citta said, “Hear me, Sambhūya! Desist from this impure resolution. The enjoyments of pleasure are unsubstantial and terrible in their consequences. They are the causes of endless wandering in the cycle of rebirth. Even while being enjoyed, they cause great disturbance. What appears as pleasure in them is merely a manifestation of delusion.”
Citta continued with teachings about the impermanence and impurity of the body, saying, “As the scabby man scratching his scab mistakes pain for pleasure, so men fevered with delusion call the pain of sensual enjoyment a pleasure. The body, dependent on food and drink, is entirely impure by nature. There is no reason to be attached to it.”
Despite these wise counsels, Sambhūya’s mind remained clouded by desire. In his delusion, he formed a worldly wish: “If there is a fruit of this penance of mine, then may I become a universal sovereign in another birth, so that I may enjoy such women.”
In time, both monks died. Because of their spiritual practices, they were reborn as gods in the Sodhamma heaven. However, due to their different states of mind at death, their subsequent paths diverged.
The soul of Citta, after falling from heaven, was born as a rich merchant’s son in the city of Purimātala. Sambhūya’s soul, still bound by his worldly desire, was reborn as the son of King Bambha and Queen Culani in the city of Kampillapura. He was named Bambhadatta, and his birth was announced by fourteen auspicious dreams, signifying his destiny as a ruler.
Prince Bambhadatta grew in both physical strength and knowledge of many sciences. His father, King Bambha, had four great friends who were also kings: Kadaya, lord of Kāsi; Kaneradatta, ruler of Gayaura; Diha, lord of Kosala; and Pupphacūla, ruler of Campa. These five kings were so fond of each other’s company that they would spend one year in each other’s kingdoms, enjoying various amusements together.
During one such year, when all the kings were gathered in Kampillapura, King Bambha was struck by a severe disease of the head that resisted all treatments. Knowing his end was near, he called his friends to his bedside. Placing his young son Bambhadatta on their laps, he entrusted the prince to their care, saying, “You must make it possible for him to rule the realm.” Having thus provided for his kingdom, King Bambha died.
After performing the funeral rites, the four kings took counsel together. They decided that until Bambhadatta was old enough to rule, they would guard the kingdom. With everyone’s consent, they appointed King Diha as regent, while the others returned to their own realms.
King Diha faithfully maintained the royal power, looked after the treasury, and attended to all matters of state. However, when he began to interact with Queen Culani in the royal harem, a dangerous attraction developed between them. Forgetting his friendship with the late King Bambha and disregarding all propriety, Diha began a love affair with the queen.
A minister named Dhanu, who had been King Bambha’s most trusted advisor, discovered this betrayal. Concerned for Prince Bambhadatta’s safety, he instructed his own son, Varadhanu, to discreetly inform the young prince about his mother’s misconduct.
The prince, unable to directly confront such a delicate matter, devised a clever way to express his knowledge. He placed a crow and a hen kokila (cuckoo) together in a cage and brought them to the royal harem, saying cryptically, “If anyone else acts thus, I shall punish them.” The next day, he brought a common elephant and the royal female elephant together, making the same statement.
King Diha understood the prince’s message and said to Queen Culani, “I am the crow, you are the hen kokila. The prince knows about us.” The queen dismissed the concern, saying, “The prince is just a child babbling nonsense.”
But Diha was not convinced. “The prince knows our secret,” he insisted, “and he stands in the way of our happiness. He must be eliminated. As long as I am with you, you can have other sons.”
Though such a thought should never enter a mother’s heart, Queen Culani, enslaved by her passion, agreed to this terrible plan. Diha proposed a scheme: “We will arrange the prince’s marriage. For the occasion, we’ll prepare a special house built with resinous materials, with hidden entrances and exits. After the wedding, when the prince is sleeping soundly, we will set fire to the house. This way, his death will appear accidental, and we will avoid public censure.”
The queen consented to this wicked plot. They began preparations for the prince’s wedding, requesting the hand of a princess from another kingdom and making all the necessary arrangements.
However, the loyal minister Dhanu remained vigilant about Prince Bambhadatta’s welfare. Suspecting foul play, he approached King Diha with a request that would ultimately save the prince’s life…
This tale teaches that worldly desires can cloud even a disciplined mind, leading to consequences that span multiple lifetimes. It also illustrates how passion can corrupt the heart, turning even a mother against her child, while loyalty and wisdom can protect the innocent from harm.
