The Vaidharba Mantra (Jataka Tale)Jataka tales is a huge collection of Buddhist literature, native to India. They are thought to have originated between 300BC to 400AD. Jataka tales concern the earlier births (Jaati) of the Bodhisattva (Enlightened being) in human / animal / bird form. Presenting the first in the Jataka tales series here :)The Vaidarbha MantraThe Pundit and his disciple were captured by a group of dacoits, while they were passing through a forest. The Pundit pleaded to the dacoits to let them free, as they were poor and carried no money or valuables with them. But the dacoits didnt relent. They held the pundit captive and asked the disciple to go to their village and bring all the money the pundit had. Otherwise, they threatened to kill the pundit. They tied the pundit to a tree.The disciple took his teachers consent and got ready to leave. Right before he left, he touched his teachers feet and while taking blessings, whispered in the teachers ear: I will be back as soon as I can with the money. But, please do not disclose anything about Vaidarbha mantra to these dacoits. This being said, he was on his way to the village.The Vaidarbha mantra was a very special mantra, which would produce a shower of precious gems, when chanted at the right time. The favorable position occurred only once in a thousand years.Soon, night fell and the dacoits gathered round a bonfire to stay warm. The pundit started getting uncomfortable in the increasingly cold weather. He wondered why his disciple took so long to return, and felt that his disciple had probably abandoned him. The stars were moving to the favourable position which made him more and more tempted to use the vaidarbha mantra.Soon, he called the chief of dacoits to his side and revealed that if they let him free, he would produce a shower of gems for them.The chief was suspicious. But the repeated requests and promises from the pundit eventually made him set the pundit free, on a condition that he produce a shower of gems as promised. The pundit soon produced a list of items for the ritual and the place was set in no time.The ritual began.. after an uneventful hour, the clouds began to gather. Its going to rain alright! said one of the dacoits. But these look like water clouds, rather than gem clouds mocked another. No sooner were the words said, a stone hit him on his head. The chief picked it up and examined it near the fire Its a ruby He said in amazement. The pundit was right!. Soon, the place was covered with gems and the greedy dacoits were filling their bags with as many as they could gather. The pundit happily took leave of them and set for his home.Wealth drew more robbers to that area. They fought the dacoits for it. But the chief convinced the other robbers that a pundit produced a shower of gems for them and the pundit would have crossed the forest, unless they hurry in the direction he went. The robbers caught the pundit and asked to produce a shower of gems for them. The auspicious hour had passed and the pundit was helpless. He pleaded with them, but the robbers would not relent. They realized that theyve been conned. They killed the pundit and returned and fought and killed every single dacoit. Soon, they were fighting among themselves for the gems.Eventually, only two were left. Exhausted, they decided to quit fighting. By now, they were hungry. One of the robbers bought food for two, ate his portion and secretly poisoned the others food. He gave the food packet to the other robber and lay down to sleep as if nothing happened. The second robber immediately drew his sword and killed the first. Now Ill live like a king! he said and he quickly ate the food brought for him and died.Meanwhile, the pundits disciple returned with the money. He was shocked to see the place strewn with gems and corpses. He searched for his teacher, and found the pundit lying dead a little far away. If only he had listened! The disciple shook his head, finished the pundits last rites and went away. Elan