Once upon a time when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisatta came to life as the son of the king by his queen-consort. And when he was grown up, at his father’s death he became the king. Kakate was his chief queen and as lovely as an Apsara.

Now at this time a certain Garuda king came disguised as a man, and played dice game with the king of Benares. Falling in love with the chief queen Kakati, he carried her off with him to the dwelling place of the Garudas and lived happily with her. The king missing her told his musician named Natakuvera to go in quest of her.

He found the Garuda king lying on a bed of eraka grass in a certain lake, and just as the Garuda was on the point of leaving that spot, he seated himself in the midst of the royal bird’s plumage, and was in this way conveyed to the dwelling place of the Garudas. There he enjoyed the lady’s favours, and again seating himself on the bird’s wing returned home. And when the time came for the Garuda to play at dice with the king, the ministrel took his lute and going up to the gaming board he stood before the king, and in the form of a song gave utterance to the first stanza :–

Fragrant odours round me playing

Breath of fair Kakati’s love,

From her distant home conveying

Thoughts my inmost soul to move.

On hearing this the Garuda responded in a seconded in a second stanza:–

Sea and Kebuk stream defying

Didst thou reach my island home?

Over seven oceans flying

To the Simbal grove didst come?

Natakuvera, on hearing this, uttered the third stanza:–

“It was through thee all space defying

I was borne to simbal grove,

And over seas and rivers flying

It was through thee I found my love.

Then the Garuda king replied in the fourth stanza:–

Out upon the foolish blunder,

What a booby I have been!

Lovers’ best were kept asunder,

Lo! I’ve served as go-between.

So the Garuda brought the queen and gave her back to the king of Benares, and came not there any more.

The Master, his lesson ended, revealed the Truths and identified the Birth: – at the conclusion of the Truths discontented Brother attained the fruition of the First Path: – “At that time the discontented Brother was Natakuvera, and I myself was the king.”