64, 65. Then the Chief of the Devas became agitated by those phenomena; and discovering by reflection the cause of them, and being filled with apprehension at the sufferings to which the king exposed himself, hastily came to the royal residence, where he found every one perplexed with sorrow and fear, except the king. On beholding the calmness of his countenance, though he was in so miserable a condition, _S_akra was affected with the utmost amazement. He approached the monarch, and impelled by gladness and joy, he eulogised his performance in his lovely voice. 66. 'Oh, thou hast reached the summit of pious behaviour! oh, the loftiness of thy treasure which is the practice of virtue! oh, how charmingly clever is thy mind in showing thy favour to others! Verily, being given to thee, Earth has obtained a protector!' After so praising him, _S_akra, the Lord of the Devas, applied excellent herbs, fit to heal wounds immediately, which herbs were partly divine, partly such as are used by men. So he put a stop to his pains, and made his body as it was before. In return for which the king honoured him by kind attendance in a courteous and reverent manner. Then _S_akra went back to his own abode. * * * * * In this way, then, the intensely compassionate do not mind their own pleasure, being afflicted by the sufferings of others; [who, then, ought not to set aside the attachment to anything so mean as wealth? Thus ought to be said when stimulating the zeal of charitable people. Likewise, when explaining the virtue of compassion; when glorifying the Tathâgata; also on the subject of listening with attention to the preaching of the Law. Moreover, the words said by the Lord: 'Monks, these Five have done much, indeed,' will be explained by their being connected with this story. For they were the five Yakshas of that time. To them the Lord imparted the first of the ambrosia of the Law, just as he had promised.] * * * * * The story of Maitrîbala is not met with in the _K_ariyâpi_t_aka nor in the five volumes of the Pâli _G_âtaka, which have appeared up to date; it will probably be found in the part not yet published. Something like it is told in the ninety-first pallava of Kshemendra's Avadânakalpalatâ. There a king of the _S_ibis gives up his flesh and blood in order to obtain a sûkta or well-said sentence[77]. This tale, however, is not yet printed, nor may we expect it soon to be so. But in another part of that poem, already published, I have met with the story of king Ma_n_i_k_û_d_a, which bears in many respects a striking resemblance to ours. See 3, 56 foll. [77] Somendra in his introductory _s_lokas describes the ninety-first story thus: svamâ_m_sâs_ri_kpradânena ya_h_ _S_ibi_h_ sûktam agrahît (_s_l. 36). IX. THE STORY OF VI_S_VANTARA.