The Ten Slave-Brethren

Once upon a time, a king named Mahakamsa reigned
in Uttarapatha, in the Kamsa district, in the city of
Asitanjana. He had two sous, Kamsa and Upakamsa,
and one daughter named Devagabbha. On her birthday
the brahmins skilled in omens foretold of her: "A son
born of this girl will one day destroy the country and the
lineage of Kamsa." The king was too fond of the girl to
put her to death ; but leaving her brothers to settle it,
lived his days out, and then died. When he died Kamsa
became king, and Upakamsa was viceroy. They thought
that there would be an outcry were they to put their sister
to death, so resolved to give her in marriage to none, but
to keep her husbandless, and watch ; and they built a
single round-tower, for her to live in.

Now she had a serving-woman named Nandagopa, and
the woman's husband, Andhakavenhu, was the servant who
watched her. At that time a king named Mahasagara
reigned in Upper Madhura, and he had two sons, Sagara
and Upasagara. At their father's death, Sagara became
king, and Upasagara was viceroy. This lad was Upakamsa's
friend, brought up together with him and trained by the
same teacher. But he intrigued in his brother's zenana,
and being detected, ran away to Upakamsa in the Kamsa
estate. Upakamsa introduced him to king Kamsa, and
the king had him in great honour.

Upasagara while waiting upon the king observed the
tower where dwelt Devagabbha ; and on asking who lived
there, heard the story, and fell in love with the girl. And
Devagabbha one day saw him as he went with Upakamsa
to wait upon the king. She asked who that was; and
being told by Nandagopa that it was Upasagara, son of the
great king Sagara, she too fell in love with him. Upasagara
gave a present to Nandagopa, saying, "Sister, you can
arrange a meeting for me with Devagabbha." "Easy
enough," quoth Nandagopa, and told the girl about it.
She being already in love with him, agreed at once. One
night Nandagopa arranged a tryst, and brought Upasagara
up into the tower ; and there he stayed with Devagabbha.
And by their constant intercourse, Devagabbha con-
ceived. By and by when the affair became known, the
two brothers questioned Nandagopa. She made them
promise her pardon, and then told the ins and outs of
the matter. When they heard the story, they thought,
" We cannot put our sister to death. If she bears a
daughter, we will spare the babe also ; if a son, we will
kill him." And they gave Devagabbha to Upasagara to
wife.

When her full time was come, she gave birth to a
daughter. The brothers on hearing this were delighted,
and gave her the name of the Lady Anjana. And
they allotted to them a village for their estate, named
Govaddhamana. Upasagara took Devagabbha and lived
with her at the village of Govaddhamana.

Devagabbha was again with child, and that very day
Nandagopa conceived also. When their time was come,
they brought forth on the same day, Devagabbha a son
and Nandagopa a daughter. But Devagabbha, in fear
that her son might be put to death, sent him secretly to
Nandagopa, and received Nandagopa's daughter in return.
They told the brothers of the birth. " Son or daughter ? "
they asked. " Daughter," was the reply. " Then see that
it is reared," said the brothers. In the same way Deva-
gabbha bore ten sons, and Nandagopa ten daughters.
The sons lived with Nandagopa and the daughters with
Devagabbha, and not a soul knew the secret.

The eldest son of Devagabbha was named Vasudeva,
the second Baladeva, the third Candadeva, the fourth
Suriyadeva, the fifth Aggideva, the sixth Varunadeva,
the seventh Ajjuna, the eighth Pajjuna, the ninth Ghata-
pandita, the tenth Amkura. They were well known as
the sons of Andhakavenhu the servitor, the Ten Slave-
Brethren.

In course of time they grew big, and being very strong,
and withal fierce and ferocious, they went about plunder-
ing, they even went so far as to plunder a present being
conveyed to the king. The people came crowding in the
king's court yard, complaining, " Andhakavenhu's sons, the
Ten Brethren, are plundering the land!" So the king-
summoned Andhakavenhu, and rebuked him for per-
mitting his sons to plunder. In the same way complaint
was made three or four times, and the king threatened
him. He being in fear of his life craved the boon of safety
from the king, and told the secret, that how these were no
sons of his, but of Upasagara. The king was alarmed.
" How can we get hold of them ? " he asked his courtiers.
They replied, "Sire, they are wrestlers. Let us hold a
wrestling match in the city, and when they enter the ring
we will catch them and put them to death." So they
sent for two wrestlers, Canura and Mutthika, and caused
proclamation to be made throughout the city by beat of
drum, that on the seventh day there would be a wrestling
match.

The wrestling ring was prepared in front of the king's
gate ; there was an enclosure for the games, the ring was
decked out gaily, the flags of victory were ready tied.
The whole city was in a whirl ; line over line rose the
seats, tier above tier. Canura and Mutthika went down
into the ring, and strutted about, jumping, shouting,
clapping their hands. The Ten Brethren came too. On
their way they plundered the washermen's street, and clad
themselves in robes of bright colours, and stealing perfume
from the perfumers' shops, and wreaths of flowers from
the florists, with their bodies all anointed, garlands upon
their heads, earrings in their ears, they strutted into the
ring, jumping, shouting, clapping their hands.

At the moment, Canura was walking about clapping
his hands. Baladeva, seeing him, thought, " I won't touch
yon fellow with my hand ! " so catching up a thick strap
from the elephant stable, jumping and shouting he threw
it round Canura's belly, and joining the two ends together,
brought them tight, then lifting him up, swung him round
over his head, and dashing him on the ground rolled him
outside the arena. When Canura was dead, the king
sent for Mutthika. Up got Mutthika, jumping, shouting,
clapping his hands. Baladeva smote him, and crushed
in his eyes ; and as he cried out " I'm no wrestler ! I'm
no wrestler ! " Baladeva tied his hands together, saying,
" Wrestler or no wrestler, it is all one to me," and dashing
him down on the ground, killed him and threw him outside
the arena.

Mutthika in his death-throes, uttered a prayer " May
I become a goblin, and devour him ! " And he became
a goblin, in a forest called by the name of Kalamattiya.
The king said, " Take away the Ten Slave-Brethren." At
that moment, Yasudeva threw a wheel 1 , which lopped off
the heads of the two brothers 2 . The crowd, terrified, fell
at his feet, and besought him to be their protector.

Thus the Ten Brethren, having slain their two uncles,
assumed the sovereignty of the city of Asitaiijana, and
brought their parents thither.

They now set out, intending to conquer all India.
In a while they arrived at the city of Ayojjha, the seat
of king Kajasena. This they encompassed about, and
destroyed the jungle around it, breached the wall and
took the king prisoner, and took the sovereignty of the
place into their hands. Thence they proceeded to Dvara-
vati. Now this city had on one side the sea and on one
the mountains. They say that the place was goblin-
haunted. A goblin would be stationed on the watch, who
seeing his enemies, in the shape of an ass would bray as
the ass brays. At once, by goblin magic the whole city
used to rise in the air, and deposit itself on an island
in the midst of the sea ; when the foe was gone, it would
come back and settle in its own place again. This time,
as usual, no sooner the ass saw those Ten Brethren
coming, than he brayed with the bray of an ass. Up rose
the city in the air, and settled upon the island. No city
could they see, and turned back ; then back came the
city to its own place again. They returned again the
ass did as before. The sovereignty of the city of Dvaravati
they could not take.

So they visited Kanhadipayana 1 , and said : " Sir, we
have failed to capture the kingdom of Dvaravati ; tell us
how to do it." He said: "In a ditch, in such a place,
is an ass walking about. He brays when he sees an
enemy, and immediately the city rises in the air. You
must clasp hold of his feet 2 , and that is the way to
accomplish your end." Then they took leave of the
ascetic ; and went all ten of them to the ass, and falling
at his feet, said, " Sir, we have no help but thee ! When
we come to take the city, do not bray ! " The ass replied,
" I cannot help braying. But if you come first, and four
of you bring great iron ploughs, and at the four gates
of the city dig great iron posts into the ground, and when
the city begins to rise, if you will fix on the post a chain
of iron fastened to the plough, the city will not be able to
rise." They thanked him ; and he did not utter a sound
while they got ploughs, and fixed the posts in the ground
at the four gates of the city, and stood w r aiting. Then the
ass brayed, the city began to rise, but those who stood at
the four gates with the four ploughs, having fixed to the
posts iron chains which were fastened to the ploughs, the
city could not rise. Thereupon the Ten Brethren entered
the city, killed the king, and took his kingdom.

Thus they conquered all India, and in three and sixty
thousand cities they slew by the wheel all the kings of
them, and lived at Dvaravati, dividing the kingdom into
ten shares. But they had forgotten their sister, the Lady
Anjana. So " Let us make eleven shares of it," said they.
But Ariikura answered, "Give her my share, and I will
take to some business for a living ; only you must remit
my taxes each in your own country." They consented,
and gave his share to his sister; and with her they
dwelt in Dvaravati, nine kings, while Ariikura embarked
in trade.

In course of time, they were all increased with sons
and with daughters ; and after a long time had gone by,
their parents died. At that period, they say that a man's
life was twenty thousand years.

Then died one dearly beloved son of the great King
Vasudeva. The king, half dead with grief, neglected
everything, and lay lamenting, and clutching the frame
of his bed. Then Ghatapandita thought to himself,
"Except me, no one else is able to soothe my brother's
grief; I will find some means of soothing his grief for
him." So assuming the appearance of madness, he paced
through the whole city, gazing up at the sky, and crying
out, " Give me a hare ! Give me a hare ! " All the city was
excited : " Ghatapandita has gone mad ! " they said. Just
then a courtier named Rohineyya, went into the presence
of King Vasudeva, and opened a conversation with him by
reciting the first stanza :

Black Kanha 1 , rise! why close the eyes to sleep? why lying- there?
Thine own born brother see, the winds away his wit do bear,
Away his wisdom! Ghata raves, thou of the long black hair!

Up rose the king, and quickly came down from his
chamber; and proceeding to Ghatapandita, he got fast
hold of him with both hands ; and speaking to him, uttered
the third 1 stanza :

In maniac fashion, why do you pace Dvaraka all through,

And cry, "Hare, hare!" Say, who is there has taken a hare from

you ?

To these words of the king, he only answered by
repeating the same cry over and over again. But the
king recited two more stanzas:

Be it of gold, or made of jewels fine,
Or brass, or silver, as you may incline,
Shell, stone, or coral, I declare
I'll make a hare.

And many other hares there be, that range the woodland wide,
They shall be brought, I'll have them caught: say, which do you
decide?

On hearing the king's words, the wise man replied by
repeating the sixth stanza :

I crave no hare of earthly kind, but that within the moon 2 -.
bring him down, Kesava ! I ask no other boon !

" Undoubtedly my brother has gone mad," thought the
king, when he heard this. In great grief, he repeated the
seventh stanza:

In sooth, my brother, you will die, if you make such a prayer,
And ask for what no man may pray, the moon's celestial hare.

Ghatapandita, on hearing the king's answer, stood
stock still, and said: "My brother, you know that if
a man prays for the hare in the moon, and cannot get
it, he will die ; then why do you mourn for your dead son ?

If, Kanha, this you know, and can console another's woe,
Why are you mourning still the son who died so long ago?"

Then he went on, standing there in the street " And
I, brother, pray only for what exists, but you are mourning
for what does not exist." Then he instructed him by
repeating- two more stanzas:

My son is born, let him not die! Nor man nor deity

Can have that boon ; then wherefore pray for what can never be ?

Nor mystic charm, nor magic roots, nor herbs, nor money spent,
Can bring 1 to life again that ghost whom, Kaiiha, you lament.

The king, on hearing- this, answered, "Your reminder
was good, dear one. You did it to take away my
trouble." Then in praise of Ghatapandita he repeated
four stanzas :

Men had I, wise and excellent to give me good advice:
But how hath Ghatapandita opened this day mine eyes!

Blazing was I, as when a man pours oil upon a fire ;

Thou didst bring water, and didst quench the pain of my desire.

Grief for my son, a cruel shaft was lodged within my heart ;
Thou hast consoled me for my grief, and taken out the dart.

That dart extracted, free from pain, tranquil, and calm I keep;
Hearing, youth, thy words of truth, no more I grieve nor weep.

In this manner was Vasudeva consoled by Prince
Ghata.

After the lapse of a long time, during which he ruled
his kingdom, the sons of the ten brethren thought : " They
say that Kanhadipayana is possessed of the divine eye. Let
us put him to the test." So they procured a young lad,
and drest him up, and by binding a pillow about his belly,
made it appear as though he were with child. Then they
brought him into his presence, and asked him, " To what,
sir, Avill this girl give birth?" The ascetic perceived 1 that
the time was come for the destruction of the ten royal
brothers ; then, looking 1 to see what the term of his own
life should be, he perceived that he must die that very
day. Then he said, "Young sirs, what is this man to you ? "

"Answer us," they replied persistently. He answered,
" This man on the seventh day from now will bring forth
a knot of acacia wood. With that he will destroy the line
of Vasudeva, even though ye should take the piece of
wood and burn it, and cast the ashes into the river."
" Ah, false ascetic ! " said they, " a man can never bring-
forth a child ! " and they did the rope and string business,
and killed him at once. The kings sent for the vouno-
men, and asked them why they had killed the ascetic.
When they heard all, they were frightened. They set a
guard upon the man; and when on the seventh day he
voided from his belly a knot of acacia wood, they burnt
it, and cast the ashes into the river. The ashes floated
down the river, and stuck on one side by a postern gate ;
from thence sprung an eraka plant.

One day, the kings proposed that they should go and
disport themselves in the water. So to this postern gate
they came ; and they caused a great pavilion to be made,
and in that gorgeous pavilion they ate and drank. Then
in sport they began to catch hold of hand and foot, and
dividing into two parts, they became very quarrelsome.
At last one of them, finding nothing better for a club,
picked a leaf from the eraka plant, which even as he
plucked it became a club of acacia wood in his hand.
With this he beat many people. Then the others plucked
also, and the things as they took them became clubs, and
with them they cudgelled one another until they were
killed. As these were destroying each other, four only-
Vasudeva, Baladeva, the lady Aiijana their sister, and the
family priest mounted a chariot and fled away ; the rest
perished, every one.

Now these four, fleeing away in the chariot, came to
the forest of Kalamattika. There Mutthika the Wrestler
had been born, having become according to his prayer
a goblin. When he perceived the coming of Baladeva,
he created a village in that spot ; and taking the semblance
of a wrestler, he went jumping about, and shouting, "Who's
for a fight ? " snapping his fingers the while. Baladeva,
as soon as he saw him, said, " Brother, 111 try a fall with
this fellow." Vasudeva tried and tried his best to prevent
him ; but down he got from the chariot, and went up to
him, snapping his fingers. The other just seized him in
the hollow of his hand, and gobbled him up like a radish-
bulb. Vasudeva, perceiving that he was dead, went on all
night long with his sister and the priest, and at sunrise
arrived at a frontier village. He lay down in the shelter
of a bush, and sent his sister and the priest into the
village, with orders to cook some food and bring it to him.
A huntsman (his name was Jara, or Old Age) noticed the
bush shaking. " A pig, sure enough, 1 ' thought he ; he
threw a spear, and pierced his feet. " Who has wounded
me ? " cried out Vfisudeva. The huntsman, finding that
he had wounded a man, set off running in terror. The
king, recovering his wits, got up, and called the huntsman-
" Uncle, come here, don't be afraid!" When he came-
"Who are you?" asked Vasudeva. "My name is Jara,
my lord." "Ah," thought the king, "whom Old Age
wounds will die, so the ancients used to say. Without
doubt I must die to-day." Then he said, " Fear not,
Uncle ; come, bind up my wound." The mouth of the
wound bound up, the king let him go. Great pains came
upon him ; he could not eat the food that the others
brought. Then addressing himself to the others, Vasudeva
said : This day I am to die. You are delicate creatures,
and will never be able to learn anything else for a
living; so learn this science from me." So saying, he
taught them a science, and let them go ; and then died
immediately.

Thus excepting the lady Anjana, they perished every
one, it is said.