Vol. 11 · pages 31–35

12 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES I 23. His father and his mother did not like his partiality for meditation. They thought it was so contrary to the life of a Kshatriya. 24. Siddharth believed that meditation on right subjects led to development of the spirit of universal love. He justified himself by saying : “When we think of living things, we begin with distinction and discrimination. We separate friends from enemies, we separate animals we rear from human beings. We love friends and domesticated animals and we hate enemies and wild animals.” 25. “This dividing line we must overcome and this we can do when we in our contemplation rise above the limitations of practical life.” Such was his reasoning. 26. His childhood was marked by the presence of supreme sense of compassion. 27. Once he went to his father’s farm. During recess he was resting under a tree enjoying the peace and beauty of nature. While so seated a bird fell from the sky just in front of him. 28. The bird had been shot at by an arrow which had pierced its body and was fluttering about in great agony. 29. Siddharth rushed to the help of the bird. He removed the arrow, dressed its wound and gave it water to drink. He picked up the bird, came to the place where he was seated and wrapped up the bird in his upper garment and held it next to his chest to give it warmth: 30. Siddharth was wondering who could have shot this innocent bird. Before long there came his cousin Devadatta armed with all the implements of shooting. He told Siddharth that he had shot a bird flying in the sky, the bird was wounded but it flew some distance and fell somewhere there, and asked him if he had seen it. 31. Siddharth replied in the affirmative and showed him the bird which had by that time completely recovered. 32. Devadatta demanded that the bird be handed

13 FROM BIRTH TO PARIVRAJA I over to him. This Siddharth refused to do. A sharp argument ensued between the two. 33. Devadatta argued that he was the owner of the bird because by the rules of the game, he who kills a game becomes the owner of the game. 34. Siddharth denied the validity of the rule. He argued that it is only he who protects that has the right to claim ownership. How can he who wants to kill be the owner ? 35. Neither party would yield. The matter was referred to arbitration. The arbitrator upheld the point of view of Siddharth Gautama. 36. Devadatta became his permanent enemy. But Gautama’s spirit of compassion was so great that he preferred to save the life of an innocent bird to securing the goodwill of his cousin. 37. Such were the traits of character found in the early life of Siddharth Gautama. § 8. Marriage 1. There was a Sakya by name Dandapani. Yeshodhara was his daughter. She was well known for her beauty and for her ‘sila.’ 2. Yeshodhara had reached her sixteenth year and Dandapani was thinking about her marriage. 3. According to custom Dandapani sent invitations to young men of all the neighbouring countries for the Swayamvar of his daughter. 4. An invitation was also sent to Siddharth Gautama. 5. Siddharth Gautama had completed his sixteenth year. His parents also were equally anxious to get him married. 6. They asked him to go to the Swayamvar and offer his hand to Yeshodhara. He agreed to follow his parents’ wishes. 7. From amongst the young men Yeshodhara’s choice fell on Siddharth Gautama.

14 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES I 8. Dandapani was not very happy. He felt doubtful about the success of the marriage. 9. Siddharth, he felt, was addicted to the company of saints and sages. He preferred loneliness. How could he be a successful householder ? 10. Yeshodhara, who was determined to marry none but Siddharth, asked her father whether to be in the company of saints and sages was a crime. She did not think it was. 11. Knowing her daughter’s determination to marry no one but Siddharth Gautama, the mother of Yeshodhara told Dandapani that he must consent. Dandapani did. 12. The rivals of Gautama were not only disappointed but felt that they were insulted. 13. They wanted that in fairness to them Yeshodhara should have applied some test for her selection. But she did not. 14. For the time being they kept quiet, believing that Dandapani would not allow Yeshodhara to choose Siddharth Gautama so that their purpose would be served. 15. But when Dandapani failed, they made bold and demanded that a test of skill in archery be prescribed. Dandapani had to agree. 16. At first Siddharth was not prepared for this. But Channa, his charioteer, pointed out to him what disgrace his refusal would bring upon his father, upon his family and upon Yeshodhara. 17. Siddharth Gautama was greatly impressed by this argument and agreed to take part in the contest. 18. The contest began. Each candidate showed his skill in turn. 19. Gautama’s turn came last. But his was the highest marksmanship. 20. Thereafter the marriage took place. Both Suddhodana and Dandapani were happy. So was Yeshodhara and Mahaprajapati. 21. After a long term of married life Yeshodhara gave birth to a son. He was named Rahula.

15 FROM BIRTH TO PARIVRAJA I § 9. Father’s Plans to Save His Son 1. While the king was happy to see his son married and thus enter the life of a householder the prophecy of the sage Asita continued to haunt him. 2. To prevent the prophecy from coming true, he thought of getting him engrossed in the pleasures and carnal joys of life. 3. With this object in view Suddhodana built three luxurious palaces for his son to live in, one for summer, one for the rainy season and one for winter, furnished with all the requirements and excitements for a full amorous life. 4. Each palace was surrounded by an extensive garden beautifully laid out with all kinds of trees and flowers. 5. In consultation with his family priest Udayin, he thought of providing a harem for the prince with very beautiful inmates. 6. Suddhodana then told Udayin to advise the girls how to go about the business of winning over the prince to the pleasures of life. 7. Having collected the inmates of the harem, Udayin first advised them how they should win over the prince. 8. Addressing them he said : “Ye are all skilled in all the graceful arts, ye are proficient in understanding the language of amorous sentiments, ye are possessed of beauty and gracefulness, ye are thorough masters in your own styles. 9. “With these graces of yours, ye are able to move even sages who have lost all their desires, and to ensnare even the gods, who are charmed by heavenly nymphs. 10. “By your skill in expressing the heart’s feelings, by your coquetry, your grace, and your perfect beauty ye are able to enrapture even women, how much more easily men. 11. “Thus, skilled as ye are, each set in your own proper sphere, it should not be beyond your reach to captivate and capture the prince and hold

16 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES I him in your bondage. 12. “Any timid action on your part would be fit for new brides whose eyes are closed through shame. 13. “What though this hero be, great by his exalted glory, yet ‘great is the might of woman.’ Let this be your firm resolve. 14. “In olden time a great seer, hard to be conquered even by gods, was spurned by a harlot, the beauty of Kasi, planting her feet upon him. 15. “And the great seer Visvamitra, though plunged in a profound penance, was carried captive for ten years in the forests by the nymph Ghritaki. 16. “Many such seers as these have women brought to naught, how much more then a delicate prince in the first flower of his age ? 17. “This being so, boldly put forth your efforts that the posterity of the king’s family may not be turned away from him. 18. “Ordinary women captivate simple men; but they are truly women, who subdue the nature of high and hard.” § 10. The Failure of the Women to Win the Prince 1. Having heard these words of Udayin, the women strung to the heart, rose even above themselves for the conquest of the prince. 2. But even with their brows, their glances, their coquetries, their smiles, their delicate movements, the girls of the harem did not feel sure of themselves. 3. But they soon regained their confidence through the command of the family priest and the gentle temperament of the prince, and through the power of intoxication and of love. 4. The women then set upon their task and made the prince wander in the woods like an elephant in the forests of Himavat, accompanied by a herd of females. 5. Attended by women, he shone in that pleasant grove, as the sun surrounded by Apsaras in his royal garden.