It happened once that the Chaṇḍāla came home drunk, and the Brahman youth said to himself, “As the master has drunk so much more than is befitting, I will lie down to sleep beside him.” The Chaṇḍāla took to tossing about on his bed, and as he did so one side of the bed gave way. The noise this made awoke the Brahman youth, who said to himself: “As the master is so restless in his sleep, I will support the bed with my back.” Accordingly he propped up the bed with his back, and patiently held out all night [in spite of much discomfort,][4] thinking that if he moved his body, or uttered a word, the teacher would hear the noise he made, and would awake, and be unable to go to sleep again.
When the Chaṇḍāla awoke of his own accord, and saw the youth, he asked who was there. The youth replied, “O teacher, it is I, the companion of your fortunes,” and he told him all that had occurred. The Chaṇḍāla was greatly delighted, and said, “O son, as I am exceedingly pleased, I will teach you the art of magic.”
As Brahmans are of a conceited nature, the youth could not restrain himself, but must needs immediately make a trial of his magic art on the spot, and then depart. So he employed his magic power, and soared into the sky. When he came to Gandhamādana, he there plucked fruits and flowers which were out of season on earth, and gave them to the king’s purohita, who gave them to King Brahmadatta. The king asked where he had got them. The purohita replied— [[290]]
“There is a Brahman youth here from a distant country. He it is who gave them to me. As he is extremely well versed in spells and magic lore, and as the Brahman is of a better nature than the Chaṇḍāla, who is despised by the whole world, the question arises of what is to be done with the Chaṇḍāla. Be pleased to take away his employment from the Chaṇḍāla, and to confer it upon the Brahman youth.”
The king replied, “Do so.” Accordingly the Chaṇḍāla was deprived of his employment by the purohita, who conferred it upon the Brahman youth. But in consequence of the youth’s ingratitude his magic power deserted him. [[291]]
[2] Caṇḍāla, “the generic name for a man of the lowest and most despised of the mixed tribes, born from Sudra father and Brāhman mother.” [↑]
[3] Gandhamādana, “intoxicating with fragrance.… Name of a particular mountain, forming the division between Ilā-vrita and Bhadrāśva, or to the east of Meru, renowned for its fragrant forests.” [↑]