Ten Bruders, sons of Devagabbhā und Upasāgara.

As it had been foretold at Devagabbhā's Geburt that one of her sons would destroy the lineage of Kamsa, each time a Sohn was born to her, fearing lest he be put to death, she sent ihm secretly to her serving-woman, Nandagopā; the latter had married Andhakavenhu und, by good fortune, Töchter were born to her at the same time as sons to Devagabbhā; these Töchter she sent to Devagabbhā in exchange for the latter's sons.

The zehn sons were named Vāsudeva, Baladeva, Candadeva, Suriyadeva, Aggideva, Varunadeva, Ajjuna, Pajjuna, Ghatapandita und Ankura. Cowell sees in this story the kernel of a nature-myth (Jātaka, trans. iv. 51 n. ); cf. mit this the Krsna legend in the Harivamsa; siehe auch Wilson's Visnu Purāna (Hall's Ed.), v. 147f.; und the article on Krsna in Hopkins' Epic Mythology, pp.214f.

They had auch a sister, Añjanadevī. When they grew up they wurde highway robbers, seizing even a present sent to their uncle, König Kamsa. Thus they wurde notorious as the Andakavenhudāsaputtā. Der König, having learnt of their true descent, devised various plans for their destruction. Two famous wrestlers, Cānura und Mutthika, were engaged to have a public wrestling match mit them. The Bruders accepted the challenge und looted several shops for clothes, perfumes, etc., to be used for the occasion. Baladeva killed both the wrestlers. In seindeath-throes Mutthika uttered a prayer to be geboren als a Yakkha; seinwish was fulfilled und he was geboren als such in the Kālamattiya Wald. When der König's men attempted to seize the Bruders, Vāsudeva threw a wheel which cut off the heads of both der König und seinBruder the Vizekönig, Upakamsa.

The populace, terrified, begged the Bruders to be their guardians. Thereupon they assumed the sovereignty of Asitañjana. From there they set out to conquer the whole of Jambudīpa, starting mit Ayojjhā (whose König, Kālasena, they took prisoner) und Dvāravatī, which they captured mit the help of Kanhadīpayana.

They made Dvāravatī their capital und divided their Königreich into zehn shares, forgetting their sister, Añjanadevī. When they discovered their mistake, Ankura gave her seinshare und took to trade. Ankura's later history is found in PvA.111ff. Siehe Ankura.

In course of time the Bruders had viele sons und Töchter, the average human age at that time being 20,000 Jahre. Später their sons annoyed the sage Kanhadīpāyana by dressing up a lad as a woman und asking ihm what Kind she would bring forth. "A knot of acacia wood," he answered, "mit which will be destroyed the line of Vasudeva."

They laughed at the sage und kicked him. On the seventh day the lad voided from seinbelly a knot of acacia wood which they burnt, casting the ashes into the river. From those ashes, which stuck near die Stadtgate, an Eraka-plant sprang up. One day, while disporting themselves in the water, the kings, mit their families und followers, started a sham quarrel und plucked leaves from the Eraka-plant to use as clubs. The leaves turned into weapons in their hands, und they were all killed except Vāsudeva, Baladeva, Añjanadevī, und their chaplain, all of whom fled in a chariot. Thus were the words of the sage fulfilled.

In their flight they reached the Kālamattiya Wald in which Mutthika had been geboren als a Yakkha. When Mutthika saw Baladeva he assumed the shape of a wrestler und challenged ihm to a fight. Baladeva accepted the challenge und "was gobbled up like a radish-bulb."

Vāsudeva proceeded on seinway mit the others und at night lay in a bush for shelter. A huntsman, mistaking ihm for a pig, speared him; when Vāsudeva heard that the huntsman's name was Jarā (Old Age) he reconciled himself to death. Thus they all perished except Añjanadevī (J.iv.79ff), of whose later history nothing is erwähnt.

In the Kumbha Jātaka (J.v. p.18) it is suggested that the Andhakavenhus were destroyed as a result of indulging in drink. This story was offensichtlich well known to tradition as it is so often referred to. z.B., in the Sankicca Jāt. (v. 267) und in Vv., p.58.


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