• Āsā

Daughter of Sakka. Once when Nārada was on his way to Kañcanaguhā where he dwelt and which stood at the head of Manosilātala, he carried in his hand a Pāricchattaka flower, and the four daughters of Sakka - Āsā, Saddhā, Siri and Hirī - who were in Manosilātala, resting from their sports in Anotatta, on seeing him, asked him for the flower. He said he would give it to the one among them whom they chose to be their queen. He himself was asked to choose the queen, but he referred them to Sakka who, in his turn, sent them to the ascetic Macchariya-Kosiya in the Himālaya. Sakka sent in advance a cup of ambrosia to the ascetic and told his daughters that the one among them, with whom Kosiya should share his ambrosia, would be deemed the best. When they appeared before Kosiya he asked their names, and chose Hirī for the honour of sharing his meal. In rejecting Āsā, Kosiya said, "They tell me that whoever pleases you, to him, by accomplishing the fruition of hope, you grant life, whosoever pleases you not, to him you grant it not. In this case success does not come to him through you, but you bring about his destruction." He spoke in like terms to the other two. The story occurs in the Sudhābhojana Jātaka. J. v.392ff.