एक
बार एक स्वर्णिम राज-हंस मिथिला
में रुका, जहाँ उसने एक कौवी के साथ सहवास किया जिससे काले
मेघ के समान एक कौवा पैदा हुआ जिसका नाम उसके
वर्ण और छवि के अनुकूल विनीलक
रखा गया। कुछ ही दिनों में हंस और कौवी अलग-अलग हो गये और हंस फिर से हिमालय के निकटवर्ती एक
सरोवर में वास करने लगा। वहाँ उसने एक
सुंदर हंसी के साथ विवाह कर एक नया घर-संसार
बसाया। हंसी ने दो सुन्दर सफेद हंसों को जन्म दिया।
हंस-पुत्र जब बड़े हो गये और उन्हें विनीलक के अस्तित्व का ज्ञान हुआ तो पिता की आज्ञा
ले, वे विनीलक से मिलने मिथिला जा पहुँचे। गंदे कूड़े के ढेर पर रहते विनीलक को उन्होंने अपने
साथ पिता के पास हिमालय चलने का निमंत्रण दिया। विनीलक ने
उनका निमंत्रण सहर्ष स्वीकार कर
लिया। तब दोनों ही हंसों ने एक लकड़ी के दोनों छोरों
से पकड़ विनीलक को उस पर सवार होने का आग्रह किया। जब विनीलक ने
वैसा किया तो उन्होंने हिमालय की तरफ
उड़ना आरम्भ कर दिया। मार्ग में उन्हें मिथिला के
राजा विदेह की सवारी दिखाई पड़ी जिसे चार
सफेद घोड़े खींच रहे थे। राजा की
सवारी देख विनीलक चिल्ला उठा "देख!
राजा की सवारी उसके सफेद घोड़े ज़मीन पर खींच रहे हैं किन्तु
मेरी सवारी तो सफेद अनुचर आसमान पर! दोनों हंसों को कौवे की अपमान-जनक
वाणी से क्रोध तो बहुत आया मगर पिता की
भावनाओं को ध्यान में रखते हुए उन्होंने उसे नीचे नहीं गिराया और
हिमालय में लाकर पिता के सामने
रख दिया। फिर उन्होंने विनीलक के अपशब्दों
से भी पिता को अवगत कराया। विनीलक के गुणों को
सुन पिता ने अपने दोनों पुत्रों को फिर
से विलीलक को मिथिला छोड़ आने को कहा क्योंकि वह हिमालय पर रहने
योग्य नहीं था। तब हंसों ने उसे उठाकर फिर मिथिला पहुँचा आये जहाँ वह मलों के ढेर
में अपना वास बना काँव-काँव करता हुआ रहने
लगा।
O nce,
a golden gander paired with a female crow, who gave birth to an offspring.
They called him Vinilaka (Dingy), as he was neither golden like his father;
nor black like his mother. The
gander was also married to a resplendent white goose, who gave birth to
two wise, white and comely ganders.
The
female crow and her son lived in Mithila. So, the gander often visited
her and his son, Vinilaka there. One day, when he returned from Mithila,
the two young ganders asked him as to where was he coming from. The father
said that he had been to Mithila to visit his other son, who was born
of a female crow. As he was his father too, as he was theirs, so he had
visited him in Mithila. The two young ones then thought of helping their
father. So, they proposed to bring Vinilaka to their abode.
Having
obtained the address of Vinilaka and the consent of his father to bring
Vinilaka, they flew to Mithila. There, after greeting Vinilaka and introducing
themselves, they conveyed their intention to carry him to their father.
Vinilaka happily welcomed the invitation. So, the two asked him to perch
on a stick, which they could hold by their beaks and fly to their abode.
When Vinilaka was thus
being flown, Videha, the king of Mithila was visiting some place on his
royal chariot underneath. His chariot had four milky-white horses. Seeing
the king being carried by four white horses on the land and he himself
being carried by two white ganders in the air he thought that he was greater
than the king. So, he shouted, I am the Greatest. I am superior to king
Videha, because he is being carried by the white horses on the land; but
I have the subjects, who carry me in the air. The two ganders were offended
and thought of dropping him on the ground. But considering the possible
grief of their father they silently brought him before the latter. But
they informed him what Vinilaka had uttered on the way. The father gander
also considered that Vinilaka was not fit to stay with them. So, he asked
him to go back to Mithila. The two ganders again carried Vinilaka and
flew to his city. There, they dropped him on the heap of dung and flew
back. Since then Vinilika lived there, in the place most suitable to him.
See
Vinilaka Jataka Jataka Pali No.
160.
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