Gadhi - Tribal - King

Sage Vasishtha

Continued from here (The Story of Gadhi)

O Rama, Gadhi, who still remained immersed in the river, then saw that he was in the region known as Bhutamandalam as a foetus in the womb of a tribal woman. He was surrounded by filth and flesh in the body of that woman. In course of time, he was born as her son. For a time he wallowed in his own excreta. He was dark in color like his parents. He was well-beloved in the family. Soon he grew up into a robust young man. He was a good hunter. He got marries to a tribeswoman. He roamed the forest freely. He led a nomadic life, sometimes sleeping under a tree, sometimes hiding himself int he bushes and sometimes making a cave his abode. And, he became a father. His children were as violent and wicked as he was. He had a large family, numerous relations and friend. He grew old. He did not die, but one by one lost all his friends and relatives to death. Disgusted, he left his native realm and wandered away to foreign lands. Aimlessly he wandered in many countries.

One day, he entered a kingdom which was very rich and prosperous. He was walking along the main road of the capital city of this kingdom. He saw in front of his a huge royal elephant which had been richly caparisoned. This elephant had a mission. The king who ruled over that kingdom had just died without an heir. In accordance with the custom, the royal elephant had been commissioned to find a suitable successor. It was looking for a suitable person, even as a jeweller might look for a precious gem. The hunter looked at the elephant for sometime with a mixture of curiosity and wonder. The elephant picked him up with its trunk and quickly placed him on its own back. At that very moment there arose in that city a tumultuous sound of drums and bugles. The people everywhere exclaimed in great joy "Long live the king". The elephant had chosen the king.

Very soon, the hunter was surrounded by the members of the royal court. The beautiful women of the court surrounded him and began to dress him and adorn him with princely garments and jewels. They garlanded him; they applied various unguents and perfumes. The hunter shone as a radiant king. And they crowned him while he was seated on a throne on the back of that very elephant. Thus a tribesman and hunter became the king of kIrapura! Thereafter, he enjoyed all the royal pleasures and privileges.

By and by, the very nature of his position taught him the art of ruling the kingdom: he became a well known king named Gavala.

Continued here