TWO BUDONMIST TALES Amar Chitea Katha: the Glorious Heritage of ladia_AMRAPA i. Ly a THE LICCHAV! NOBLES, WHO RULED OVER ANCIENT VAISHALI, WERE GREAT LOVERS OF BEAUTY AND TOOK A KEEN INTEREST IN THE MAINTENANCE OF THEIR: GARDENS. |THE BEST OF GARDENERS WAS EMPLOYED TO TEND 7 TP. ee Ta 5 a WHAT'S THAT UNDER | THE MANGO TREE WHY, IT’s A LADY | WHAT AN EXTRA — ORDINARY BEAUTY!gman chitre katha GE WENT OF TOMER 0 age you, fete / FAIR LADY © WHAT IS YOUR NAME © WHERE HAVE YOU COME FROM 2 AND WHAT IS -YOUR DESTINATION 2 1 DON’T HAVE A NAME «| COME FROM NOWHERE AND ‘ARE YOU GOING YES. IF YOU DO NOT stg | CERTAINLY DON’T MIND. TO LIVE IN MIND, | WOULD BUT THIS GARDEN BE- THIS. GARDENS / LIKE TO LIVE LONGS TO THE NOBLES. HERE THEY SHOULD BE INFORMED.AMRAPALI & UPAGUPT: A STRANGE LADY Is HAS APPEARED IN THE STATE GARDEN! TN ALL VAISHALI THERE 16 NO ONE AS BEAU- TIFUL AS SHE 19! wey HSN Po i f 49) rdf;amar chitra katha WHEN THEY REACHED THE GARDEN — ‘THE GARDENER KNEW WHAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT ! SHE 18 THE MOST ENCHANTING LADY I HAVE EVER SEEN! A FIERCE FIGHT BROKE OUT AMONG THE NOBLES. EACH WANTED AMRAPALI FOR | | . AIARAPALI™ HIMBELF ‘SHALL BE you'LL HAVE TO TAKE HER Fi FIRST tYOU CHOOSE ONE AMONG US, AMRAPALI- IF 1 CHOOSE ONE OF YOU,! WILL NO DOUBT BE MAKING HIM VERY ANGRY. SO | WILL NOT MARRY, ANY OF YOU. -amar chitra katha THE ELDERS OF VAISHALL, WHO HAD HURRIED TO THE GARDEN OK HEARING THE CLASH, | SUPPORTED = a wee! MF / A WISE DECISION, INDEED! \ ™ \ os Y a Ss AMRAPAL| CANNOT BELONG g ONE PERSON. SHE TO ONE . \ SHALL BELONG TO VAISHALI - | (Mle AMRAPAL! HAS NO PLACE \/ AND WE COULD TO LIVE IN. LET US HAVE A HOUSE ZG Wy DD a OH CY) AALS U PRESENT THIS GARDEN BUILT HERE HER. FOR HER.AMRAPALI & UPAGUPTA TO ENTERTAIN THE NOBLES OF VAISHALI, AMRAPAL/, ANT EXCELLENT DANCER, BEGAN TO GIVE DANCE PE} ONE EVENING, WHEN THE NOBLES||@ WERE WATCHING AMRAPALI I= PERFORM, A MEBSENGER z Is yy INDEED, THE PRIDE OF VAISHALI!THE MAGADHAN ARMY. 1 HEADING TOWARDS VAISHALI . WHAT | THAT MONSTER BIMBI- SARA AGAIN! DUTY CALLS! WE WILL SEE YOU LATER, AMRAPALI- Cf WHY DO MEN FIGHT 2 WHAT DO THEY GAIN BY KILLING ONE ANOTHER? ONE MOMENT ‘THEY APPRECIATE BEAUTY AND ART; THE NEXT, THEY THIRST FOR BLOOD.AMRAPALI & UPAGUPTA [fl HAVE. COME A LONG WAY i TO SEE YOU DANCE. WILL YOU_DANCE FOR ME, FAIR ONE ? WHAT A WINSOME. PERSONALITY HE HAS | Illg® NO woNDeR THE Hila LICCHAVIS ARE PROUD Ul / OF HeR. WE DON'T HAVE Ay) A DANCER TO EQUAL HER IN ALL MAGADHA. STAY IN VAISHAL) © ANS ‘YOU ARE. VERY GENEROUS,amar chitra katha THE STRANGER STAYED WITH HER FOR A WEEK. THEN — AMRAPALI, 1 MUST “TAKE YOUR LEAVE. 1 HAVE TO GO BACK. | LOVE~YOU, AMRAPALI. WHY DON’T YOU COME AWAY WITH MES WHAT ! THE DREADED KING OF MAGADHA! YOU AMUSE ME. YOU ARE A TOTAL STRANGER. | \ DON’T EVEN KNOW YOUR NAME ! LOVE IN THE HEARTS OF IMBITIOUS. MEN ! HOW CAN YOU TALK OF LOVE, WHEN THIS VERY MOMENT BECAUSE) OF YOU HUNDREDS OF MEN ARE DYING ON THE BATTLE! aa eeeAMRAPALI & UPAGUPTA IF 1 GIVE UP MY HOSTILITIES FORTH- WITH, WILL YOU MARRY ME? WHY NOT, AMRAPALI ® | BELONG TO DON’T YOU LOVE VAISHALI ! | HAVE ME P GIVEN MY PLEDGE. WITHOUT ANOTHER WORD, THE DEJECTED BIMBISARA TURNED AND LEFT. AMRAPALI COULD NOT UNDERSTAND HER OWN FEELINGS. Naamar chitra katha A FEW DAYS LATER — | THAT COWARD, WHY DID HE BIMBISARA , DO IT? was AMRAPALL, WE . CALLED OFF FOR LOVE Sy ee THE BATTLE. Dewees DANCE YOU BEGAN, WHEN WE LEFT. AB AMRAPALI DANCED — hi THER MOVEMENTS | 7 WHAT 1S WRONG piace 2 [a8 THE NOBLES LEFT FOR THEIR HOMES — AMRAPALI’S IT WAS EVIDENT THAT HER HEARTAMRAPALI & UPAGUPTA MEANWHILE , AMRAPAL] SAT BROODING. WHY DO THE PRESENTS THAT ONCE PLEASED ME, NOW DISGUST ME ® WHY DO | FEEL LONELY «.. eh TER WITH MEP Dy WHY DID | FIND NO JOY IN DANCING FOR #) THE NOBLES WHAT A BEAUTIFUL A LOTUS ! HOW FRESH IT 1S! PARDON ME, LADY. THIS ‘\ LOTUS IS NOT FOR SALE.amar chitra katha HAVEN'T YOU HEARD®| |AS THE BOY WENT HIS WA7/— LORD BUDDHA HAS COME. TO VAIGHAL! ee eeu AND |S CAMPING AT ‘THE ENLIGHTENED KOTIGRAMA «1 AM ONE WHO KNOWS TAKING THIS THE CAUSE OF FLOWER TO HIM. SUFFERING ! ) 1 WILL GO To HIM. ffi/ out oF DesiRe 16 BORN W GRIEF. OUT OF DESIRE (| ALONE 1S BORN FEAR. FREE YOURSELF FROM DESIRE AND THE GRIEF AND ‘THE FEAR WILL WITHER AWAY.AMRAPALI & UPAGUPTA HIS WORDS FILL ME WITH PEACE! HIS VOICE 15 50. JOS o HIS VERY PRESENCE ) MIND. HOW | WISH HE \ WOULD VISIT MY HOME. AND. FILL IT WITH HIS BEING! BUT WILL THE LORD VISIT THE HOUSE OF AN UNWORTHY PERSON LIKE ME?amar chitra katha SOON IT WAS TIME FOR LORD BUDDHA TO LEAVE VAISHAL/. WHEN WILL 1 SEE YOU AGAIN , MASTER ? EVEN AFTER LORD BUDDHA HAD LEFT, EVERY EVENING- : CAN STILL FEEL HIS PRESENCE HERE. 4 MANY MONTHS PASSED. AND AMRAPAL! OF LORD BUDDHA. PATIENTLY WAITED FOR THE RETURN TOMORROW, BUT HE \¥ MASTER WILL COME | ‘TO VAISHALI AGAIN. PERHAPS TODAY, PERHAPS) WILL COME.ONE EVENING Zp MY MASTER I BACK !1 CAN'T }° BELIEVE MY o 9, oo? AND BEFORE SHE COULD STOP TS ‘THE WORDS POURED MASTER, WILL YOU HONOUR ME. BY EATING AT MY HOUSE. TOMORROW © JAMRAPALI SPED HOMEWARDS TO VAISHALI, TO PREPARE FOR THE COMING OF HER MASTER.amar chitra katha SUDDENLY , A FEW CHARIOTS CARRYING THE WHERE ARE NOBLES OF VAISHALI, CAME CHARGING FROM YOU SPEEDING THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION + TO? d ¥ y i BUT THE LORD HAS ALREADY AGREED TO DINE AT MY HOUSE TOMORROW. 2 WE HEARD THAT LORD BUDDHA HAS ARRIVED. WE ARE OFF TO INVITE HIM TO EAT WITH US AT THE PALACE TOMORROW. WE HAVE BEEN \ ORESTALLED! | 3 aaa 4 ) NoTALLIS - 1 LOST. NOT YET. x ) SHE CAN EASILY 2AMRAPALI & UPAGUPTA NO. EVEN IF YOU OFFER ME THE KINGDOM OF VAISHALI, | WON?T. GIVE UP THE HONOUR OF SERVING THE LORD! AMRAPALI, IF YOU LET LORD BUDDHA HAVE HIS FIRST MEAL AT VAISHALI WITH U6, WE WILL GIVE YOU ALL ‘AS AMRAPALI DROVE AWAY — WHAT SHALL)” WE DO? WE WILL GO TO THE LORD. HE CANNOT REFUSE THE NOBLES OF VAISHALI« 1 AM SORRY.1 CAN'T. HAVE ALREADY AGREED TO GO TO AMRAPALI’S HOUSE TOMORROW. LATER, AT KOTIGRAMA — LORD, PLEASE HONOUR US BY DINING WITH ‘US TOMORROW.amar chitra katha THE NEXT DAY, LORD BUDDHA WENT TO S AMRAPALI'S HOUSE» \ : aa Pa lal | iD LORD, YOU DO i \ HAVE COME, HoNouR. A(l Cet NS aun on <7), AMRAPALI, YOU HAVE BEGUN TO KNOW THE JOY OF GIVING. LORD, WHY DO | FEEL SUCH IMMENSE JOY ASI SERVE YOU? Tater — | eee ay oe RG) |...amearati BEGAN TO ee : Sa @ ) [tA0 Aue OF REMUNCIA- LORD, PERMIT Bec A TON, FINDING AT LAST THE PEACE OF MIND SHE HAD. ME TO GRANT MY GARDEN AND* HOUSE TO THE SANGHA . 20LONG, LONG AGO IN ANCIENT MATHURA} CALLED. THERE LIVED A DANCER VASAVADATTA, WHO WAS FAMED FOR HER BEAUTY AND HER ART. WHAT A PERFECT FIGURE ! WHAT A CHARI ING APPEARANCE ! WHAT GRACEFUL MOVEMENTS... HARD HEART ! SHE'S UNIQUE, INDEED!amar chitra katha AFTER THE PERFORMANCE, AS VASAVADATTA LEFT THE TOWN HALL — 1AM PREPARED TO PART WITH ALL MY WEALTH FOR A SMILE FROM HER. WiTH NOT SO MUCH AS A GLANCE AT HER ADMIRERS, VASAVADATTA SAT IN HER CHARIOT AND RODE HOME WITH HER COMPANION « THEY ARE ALL MADLY IN LOVE WITH YOU. COULDN'T YOU SEE IT IN THEIR ‘WHY, VASAVADATTA ® fj | NO! NOT ONE OF WHY DON’T YOU MARRY | , ha ‘THEM POSSESSES ONE OF THEM ? IS THERE \\ te RSA WHAT | AIM LOOKING FOR. You DEM WORTHY OF Pa YOUR LOVE ?AMRAPALI & UPAGUPTA ” ONE EVENING, AS VASAVADATTA WAS STANDING IN THE BALCONY OF HER MANSION, SHE SAW A YOUNG MONK PASS BY IN THE STREET BELOW. ; a MAN ! \y)) Se. ES “Sy Ai \ { WHEN VASAVADATTA WAS TOLD OF THE MONK’S REACTION — PERHAPS , HE HESITATES TO VISIT ME BECAUSE HE IS VASAVADATTA WISHES TO SEE YOU, HOLY ONE. WILL YOU COME IN 2 NOT NOW. 1 WILL SEE HER vw POOR AND CAN'T BRING ME PROPER TIME. GIFTS- TELL HIM | DON’T WANT, 5 ANYTHING FROM HIM- OF THE DANCER, WAS UPAGUPTA,A DISCIPLE OF LORD BUDDHA‘amar chitra katha HER FRIEND WENT BACK TO UPAGUPTA. VASAVADATTA WAS STUNNED. ‘WHY SHOULD O MONK, MY NO, 1 CANNOT. IT FRIEND DOES NOT 1 MOT YET TIME YY THE ONLY. MAN CRAVE FOR GIFTS TO VISIT 1 CHOOSE TO OR RICHES. PLEASE VASAVADATTA - LOVE;SHUH VISIT HER. SHE STOPPED GIVING DANCE PERFORMANCES, MUCH TO THE ANNOYANCE OF THE PEOPLE OF MATHURA» WHAT 15 THE MATTER \_| WITH VASAVADATTA °F LIFE IN MATHURA \HAS LOST ITS CHARM. HOW COULD SHE BE SO CRUEL TO US | OVER THAT HEARTLESS MONK- IT IS NOT GOOD FOR HER HEALTH AND LOOKS «1 MUST FIND SOMETHING TO DISTRACT HER.AMRAPALI & UPAGUPTA A FEW DAYS LATER — ‘A FAMOUS SCULPTOR 15 HOLDING AN EXHIBI— ‘TION OF HIS WORKS. LET US GO AND SEE IT, VASAVADATTA - “ty =’ = 5 ~< = ae ZA ee ie ALL RIGHT, \F you INSIST. N iM AT THE SHOW, VASAVADATTA FORGOT HER SORROW FOR A WHILE. ‘SUCH EXQUISITE WILL YOU WHATEVER IT SELL THIS MAY COST,1 AM PREPARED TO BUY IT. QUOTE YOUR PRICE. YOU MIGHT FIND THE. PRICE TOO IT’S YOURS, IF YOU AGREE TO DANCE 25VASAVADATTA HESITATED — |e OU CAN'T GO BACK ETS IN YOUR WORD. YOU THE NEXT EVENING, PEOPLE FLOCKED TO THE THANKS TO THE CHIEF SCULPTOR OF OUR CITY. IT WAS INDEED A CLEVER BARGAIN! AT. THE END OF THE PERFORMANCE , VASAVADATTA RECEIVED THUNDEROUS APPLAUSE. BUT INSTEAD PLAN lOF. ONLY MADE HER BROOD ee OF PEOPLE LONG PE FOR A SIGHTAMRAPALI & UPAGUPTA IN THE DAYS THAT FOLLOWED, THE CHIEF SCULPTOR BEGAN TO VISIT; THE DANCER 70 CAPTURE HER (MAGE IM STONE. | | BuT yours WiLL MY TALENT, = WHICH BRINGS SO MUCH HAPPINESS TO YOU, ONLY MAKES MY ENVIOUS RIVALS TH ME. pe HATE ME. LAST FOR CENTURIES. WHY DOESN'T HE COME ? THE WORK IS YET TO BE DAYS SINCE HE LAST CAME! f/ HAVE HIS RIVALS DONE AWAY WITH HE WAS LAST SEEN ENTERING THE HOUSE. OF VASAVADATTA,amar chitra katha LATER, THE BODY OF THE MISSING SCULPTOR WAS FOUND BURIED NOT FAR FROM VASAVADATTA’S HOUSE. SHE WAS CHARGED WITH THE MURDER OF THE SCULPTOR. DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY IN YOUR \ DEFENCE P VASAVADATTA 1S GUILTY. CONFISCATE HER PROPERTY AND HAVE HER BANISHED FROM MATHURA. ATS Se) 78 VASAVADATTA WAS TURNED OUT OF HER HOUSE,AN ANGRY MOB JEERED AT HER AND PELTED HER WITH STONES. SEE THAT YOU NEVER DARKEN OUR CITY AGAIN! 3AMRAPALI & UPAGUPTA BLEEDING PROFUSELT, VASAVADATTA REACHED THE OUTSKIRTS OF MATHURA AND FOUND REFUGE IN A CREMATORIUM - - 2 so VASAVADATTA, | KNOW YOU ARE INNOCENT ! FRIEND, LET US THEY HAVE DELIBERATELY. | | NOT BLAME DONE THIS TO YOU. i7 SHE_ DOESN'T DESERVE ANY SYMPATHY. PEOPLE COMING IN AND OUT OF MATHURA, LOOKED UPON VASAVADATTA, NOW SERIOUSLY ILL WITH FESTERING WOUNDS, AS AN UNTOUCHABLE. Ot /_LEAVE HER TO. DIE.WHY DO YOU (\ WASTE YOUR TIME ON HER P ws Set THEY WOULD SPIT AT HER AND SOMETIMES . EVEN STONE HER AS THEY PASSED BY. VASAVADATTA , | HAVE COME THEN CAME UPAGUPTA, THE BUDDHIST MONK. HEE E FRIEND, COVER My BODY. LET HI NOT SEE ME IN THIS STATEamar chitra katha a © MONK, WHEN ALL MATHURA ADMIRED ME, YOU ALONE SPURNED ‘ME. WHY HAVE. YOU CHOSEN TO VISIT ME NOW WHEN 1 AM A MASS OF FESTERING FLESH, SHUNNED BY ALL? TIME YOU DID NOT NEED ME, VASAVADATTA. YOU DO, NOW. COME, LET US GO TO ‘MY MONASTERY,AMRAPALI & UPAGUPTA VASAVADATTA , YOU ‘ARE YET TO DISCOVER A BEAUTY GREATER THAN THE ONE YOU i) HAVE LOsT—THE BEAUTY OF THE A pL ial ii -< : CURIOUS TO KNOW MORE, SHE BEGAN TO [ LigHT THE Yj ATTEND THE DISCOURSES OF LORD BUDDHA. | LAMP WITHIN eI ~ YOU «++ YOU CAN'T CALL EVEN |= 117 Bee THE BODY YOUR ven .* Vy, eel PEA WHEN THE BODY IS eS it Bee CAST AWAY IT BE- COMES FOOD FOR OTHERS. LIGHT THE LAMP WITHIN YOU, AND ONLY THEN WILL YOU FIND VASAVADATTA FELL AT THE FEET OF LORD BUDDHA- i a LORD, ADMIT ME INTO YOUR } = ORDER. ‘SO BE IT, MY CHILD. MAY YOU FIND PEACE OF \MIND.