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Sussondī Jātaka (No. 360)
Tamba was a king of Benares and his wife was the beautiful
Sussondī. Nāgadīpa was then known as Seruma, and the Bodhisatta was a young
Garuda living there. He used to go in disguise to Benares and play at dice with
Tamba. The queen heard of his beauty and contrived to see him, and they fell in
love with each other. The Garuda, by his power, raised a storm in the city and
covered it with darkness, under cover of which he carried off Sussondī. The king
was filled with grief, not knowing what had happened to his queen, as the Garuda
continued to play at dice with him. Tamba therefore sent Sagga, a minstrel, to
search for her. In the course of his wanderings, Sagga came to Bhārukaccha and
took ship for Suvannabhūmi. In the middle of the ocean the sailors asked Sagga
to play for them, but Sagga told them that his music would excite the big fish
and trouble would ensue. The sailors, however, insisting, Sagga played, and the
fish, maddened by the sound, splashed about, and the ship broke in two under the
leap of a sea-monster. Sagga lay on a plank, which drifted to Nāgadīpa. There he
saw and was recognized by Sussondī. Sussondī took him home, and, keeping him
hidden from the Garuda, enjoyed herself with him when the Garuda was away
playing at dice. Six weeks later a ship, with merchants for Benares, touched at
Nāgadīpa, and Sagga returned home. He found Tamba playing at dice with the
Garuda and recounted his adventures in song. The Garuda heard the song and
understood the references. Filled with remorse that he had not been able to keep
his wife, he brought her back to Tamba.
The story was related in reference to a love sick monk.
Ananda is identified with Tamba. J. iii.187-90.

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