Once upon a time when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisatta was Sakka. A wealthy Brahmin, living in Benares, left the world, and became an ascetic in the Himalaya, living by picking up roots and fruits in the forest. One day, searching for wild fruits, he saw an elephant-calf, and took it to his hermitage; he made as if it were his own son, calling it Somadatta, and tended it with food of grass and leaves.

The elephant grew up to be great; but one day he took much food and fell sick of a surfeit. The ascetic took him inside the hermitage, and went to get wild fruit; but before he came back the young elephant died. Coming back with his fruits, the ascetic thought, “Every day my child comes to meet me outside, but not to-day; what is the matter with him?” He saw the elephant lying dead and taking him round the neck he spoke:–

It is he that lies in death cut down as a tender shoot is shred;

Low on the ground he lies: alas, my elephant is dead.

At the instant, Sakka, surveying the world, thought, “This ascetic left wife and child for religion, now he is lamenting the young elephant whom he called his son, I will rouse him and make him think,” and so coming to the hermitage he stood in the air and spoke:–

To sorrow for the dead doth ill became

The lone ascetic, freed from ties of home.

Hearing this, the ascetic spoke:–

Should man with beast consort, I Sakka, grief

For a lost playmate finds in tears relief.

Sakka admonishing him:–

Such as to weep are fain may still lament the dead,

Weep not, I sage, it is vain to weep, the wise have said.

If by our tears we might prevail against the grave,

Thus would we all unite our dearest ones to save.

Hearing Sakka’s words, the ascetic dried his tears, and uttered in praise of Sakka:–

As ghee-fed flame that blazes out amain

Is quenched with water, so he quenched my pain.

With sorrow’s shaft my heart was wounded sore:

He healed my wound and did my life restore.

The barb extracted, full of joy and peace,

At Sakka’s words I from my sorrow cease.

After admonishing the ascetic, Sakka went to his own place.