Virtues of Gods
The Royal Brothers
In one of his previous lives, Buddha was born as a prince in the royal family of Varanasi. His father named him Mahisas. Prince Mahisas had a younger brother named Chandrakumar. The queen died while the boys were very young, and the king married again. The new queen gave birth to a beautiful son named Suryakumar.
Pleased with the new queen and her infant son, the king approached her, saying, “I will gladly grant you a boon. What do you wish for?”
“Nothing immediately, but I will have my boon granted at the proper time,” replied the queen, smiling gratefully.
The Queen’s Boon
Years passed, and Suryakumar grew into a brilliant young prince. The queen then told the king, “Now is the time for you to grant me my boon. Grant that my son inherits the throne!”
“But I have two worthy elder sons. How can I promise such a thing?” asked the pensive king.
The queen was displeased. Fearing that she might harm his elder sons, the king called the two princes to his side privately. He shared his concerns and advised them to leave the kingdom immediately. “When you hear that I am no more, return to the palace and claim the throne,” he said.
A Dangerous Journey
Mahisas and Chandrakumar prostrated themselves before their father. The king kissed them with tears in his eyes and bade them farewell. However, the youngest prince, Suryakumar, was extremely fond of his brothers. He could not bear to be apart from them and joined them as they ran away from the palace.
The three reached the foot of the Himalayas. One day, while resting under a tree, Mahisas said to Suryakumar, “Go to the beautiful lake yonder and enjoy a good bath. When you return, bring water in a lotus leaf for us to drink.”
The Yaksha’s Challenge
In that lake resided a supernatural being, a Yaksha, appointed by Kubera, the god of wealth. The Yaksha had the power to kill or imprison anyone who touched the water, except those who knew the virtues of gods.
The Yaksha had devoured many travelers who had entered the water and failed to answer his question. As soon as Suryakumar stepped into the water, the Yaksha asked him, “Tell me, young man, what are the virtues of gods?”
“Perhaps, to shine as the sun and the moon,” replied Suryakumar.
“You know nothing about it,” the Yaksha said, and he imprisoned the prince.
Siblings in Peril
When Suryakumar did not return in time, Mahisas sent Chandrakumar to the lake. When questioned by the Yaksha, Chandrakumar replied, “To rule the universe and to wander in all spheres are perhaps the virtues of gods.”
“You know nothing,” the Yaksha said and captured him as well. When Chandrakumar also failed to return, Mahisas felt anxious and approached the lake himself. He saw the footprints of his brothers leading towards the water but none indicating their return. “There must be a demon in the lake,” he thought.
Confronting the Yaksha
As Mahisas hesitated on the bank, the Yaksha, now disguised as a handsome man, approached him and asked, “Why are you standing on the shore instead of entering the water?”
Mahisas studied the stranger carefully and challenged, “Tell me the truth. I suspect it is you who have taken my innocent brothers’ prisoner!”
“You are right,” confessed the Yaksha. “But why have you done this?” Mahisas asked.
“Whoever enters the water comes under my authority. I can do to them whatever I please,” replied the Yaksha.
The Virtues of Gods
“Is there no exception?” Mahisas inquired.
“There is. He who can tell me the virtues of gods would be an exception,” the Yaksha replied.
“I can tell you,” Mahisas claimed.
“Then do tell,” demanded the Yaksha.
“To shun pride, to refrain from speaking ill of others, to remain calm and full of goodwill—these are the virtues of gods,” said Mahisas. The Yaksha was completely satisfied with this answer. He allowed Mahisas to use the lake for his bath and entertained him with many delicious dishes.
A Brother’s Choice
“I will free one of your two brothers as a boon. Whom do you choose?” asked the Yaksha.
“In that case, let me have my youngest brother, Suryakumar,” responded Mahisas.
“This is rather strange,” observed the Yaksha. “Why do you prefer your stepbrother over your full-fledged brother?”
“I love both my brothers equally. However, if I must return with only one, I choose Suryakumar because, being the youngest, he deserves greater attention and protection. Additionally, he joined us out of love, and without our mother to care for him, he will make her extremely sad if lost. Finally, if we go back and say he was lost to a Yaksha, no one will believe us. People might already suspect we did away with our rival,” explained Mahisas.
The Return Home
The Yaksha was impressed by Mahisas’s wisdom and common sense. He restored both of Mahisas’s brothers to him.
Soon, the princes learned that their father had died. They returned to the capital, where the people received them with great joy. Mahisas became king, appointed Chandrakumar as his commander, and named Suryakumar the crown prince.
Thus, through wisdom, selflessness, and the bonds of brotherhood, they overcame the challenges before them.