Once upon a time Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares. A young man on his father’s death devoted himself to his mother and tended her. Every day his mother and his wife quarreled and he lost his peace of mind. One day, when his wife said she could not live with the old witch and he must decide which one of them should go, he took her word that his mother was in fault and said, “Mother! you are always raising strife in the house; so go and live in some other place, where you choose.” She obeyed, weeping, and going to a friend’s house, she worked for wages and with difficulty made a living. After she left, her daughter-in-law conceived a child, and went about saying to her husband and the neighbours that such a thing could never have happened as long as the old witch was in the house.

After the child was born, she said to her husband, “I never had a son while your mother stayed in the house, but now I have; so you can see what a witch she was.” The old woman heard that and she thought, “Surely Right must be dead in the world: if it were not so, these people would not have got a son and a comfortable life after beating and casting out their mother; I will make an offering for the dead Right.” So one day she took ground sesame and rice and a little pot and a spoon; she went to a cemetery of corpses and kindled a fire under an oven made with three human skulls; then she went down into the water, bathed herself head and all, washed her garment and coming back to her fireplace, she loosened her hair and began to wash the rice.

The Bodhisatta was at that time Sakka, king of heaven; and the Bodhisattas are vigilant. At the instant he saw, in his survey of the world, that the poor old woman was making a death-offering to Right as if Right were dead. Wishing to show his power in helping her, he came down disguised as a Brahmin traveling on the high road; at sight of her he left the road and standing near her, began a conversation by saying, “Mother, people do not cook food in cemeteries; what are you going to do with this sesame and rice when cooked?” so he spoke:–

Robed in white, with dripping hair,

Why, Kaccani, boil the pot?

Washing rice and sesame there,

Will you use them when they’re hot?

She spoke to give him information:–

Brahmin, not for food will I

Use the sesame and the rice:

Right is dead; its memory

I would crown with sacrifice.

Then Sakka spoke:–

Lady, think ere you decide:

Who has told you such a lie?

Strong in might and thousand-eyed

Perfect Right can never die.

Hearing him, the woman spoke:–

Brahmin, I have witness strong,

‘Right is dead’ I must believe;

All men now who follow wrong

Great prosperity receive.

Barren once, my good son’s spouse

Beats me, and she bears a son;

She is lady of our house,

I an outcast and undone.

Then Sakka spoke:–

No, I live eternally;

It was for your sake that I came;

She beat you; but her son and she

Shall be ashes in my flame.

Hearing him, she cried, “What do you say? I will try to save my grandson from death,” and so she spoke:–

King of gods, your will be done;

If for me you left the sky,

May my children and their son

Live with me in amity.

Then Sakka spoke:–

Katiyani’s will be done;

Beaten, you still on Right rely;

With your children and their son

Share one home in amity.

After saying this, Sakka now in all his divine apparel, stood in the air his supernatural power and said, “Kaccani, be not afraid: by my power your son and daughter-in-law will come, and after getting your forgiveness on the way will take you back with them: dwell with them in peace.” Then he went to his own place. By Sakka’s power they thought themselves of her goodness, and making enquiry through the village they found she had gone towards the cemetery. They went along the road calling for her; when they saw her they fell at her feet, and asked and obtained her pardon for their offence. She welcomed her grandson. So they all went home in delight and lived together.