style="font-size:15px;"> The king then ordered one of his eyes to be carefully removed, using proper medical procedure so that it remained undamaged. With immense joy he offered the beggar the eye, which gleamed with the beauty of a blue lotus petal. Shakra, the king of the gods, then performed an act of magic so that the king and his retinue perceived the eye to be fixed in the brahmins socket. When he saw the beggar bearing this single open eye, the king’s heart became filled with the greatest joy and he gave him the second eye too.
At the gift of his eyes, the king’s face
resembled a lotus-pond empty of lotuses,
bearing a look of joy, unshared by his citizens.
The brahmin, however, was seen with eyes intact.
Throughout the palace and royal city,
the ground was sprinkled with tears of grief.
But Shakra felt astonishment and great joy
at seeing the king’s unshakeable aspiration for
awakening.
His heart filled with wonder, Shakra then had this thought:
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“What strength! What courage!
What desire to benefit living beings!
Though I see this feat with my own eyes,
I almost doubt it has occurred!
It is not right for a man of such astounding courage* to suffer this way for long. I will therefore strive to show him a way of restoring his eyesight.”
The king’s wounded eyes healed up in due course and the grief of the people in the palace, city, and countryside gradually lessened, becoming the topic of hackneyed songs. One day, in his fondness for solitude, the king was sitting crosslegged on the bank of a lotus-pond in a park. Fine trees bowed under the weight of blossoms; a gentle breeze blew, cool, fragrant, and soothing; and the area hummed with swarms of honey-making bees. While he sat there, Shakra, the king of the gods, appeared before the king. When asked who he was, the god replied:
“I am Shakra, king of the gods.
I have come to visit you.”
“Welcome! Please tell me your need!” Addressed with such polite words, Shakra replied to the king:
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“Choose a boon, royal seer.
Tell me whatever you desire.”
The king was accustomed to giving and it was not his habit to tread the path of petitions and poverty. With composure, modesty, and humility, he replied with the following words:
“My wealth is abundant,
my army powerful and great.
But blindness makes only death
attractive to me now.
Unable to see the faces of petitioners
gleam brightly with joyful serenity
at having their wishes fulfilled,
I have come to cherish death, Indra.”
“Enough of such thoughts!” Shakra answered. “Only good men achieve what you have attained. Let me ask you this instead:
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How can your mind still dwell on beggars
when they’ve brought you to this plight?
And then tell me, hiding nothing,
what conclusion your mind has reached.”
“Why do you insist on making me boast?” the king asked. “Nevertheless, lord of the gods, listen to these words:
If both in the past and present,
the petitioning voices of beggars
have been as dear to me as blessings,
may one of my eyes arise!”
Because of the power of the king’s affirmation of truth and because of his exceptional accumulation of merit, an eye appeared as soon as he uttered these words. It resembled the petal of a blue lotus and a piece of sapphire seemed to lie in its center. The king was filled with joy at the appearance of this miraculous eye and addressed Shakra once more:
“If, despite being asked for one eye,
I joyfully gave the brahmin two,
and if I solely felt delight and jubilation,
may I also receive a second eye!”
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As soon as he said this, a second eye appeared to him, as if rivaling the first.
The earth and her mountains shook.
The ocean surged forward, breaking its shore.
Heavenly drums sounded,
continuous, deep, and charming.
In every direction the sky displayed a delightful clarity.
The sun shined with the purity of an autumn glow.
Flowers of various hues fell from the firmament,
floating around, tinged with sandal powder.
Gods gathered with troops of nymphs,
their eyes blooming with wonder.
A delightful breeze began to blow.
Joy expanded in the hearts of every being.
Filled with wonder and joy,
powerful spirits made auspicious utterances,
praising the king’s superior deeds,
heard in every direction:
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“What nobility! What compassion!
See the purity of his heart!
How indifferent his mind is to his happiness!
We pay homage to you, miracle of bravery and
courage!
How splendid the world has you as its protector!
Your glorious lotus-eyes have opened once more!
Stores of merit are not in vain.
For virtue in time wins through mightily.”
Praising
