King Gesar Transformed As An Old Beggar

Following the great victory of the Ling army, King Gesar rode alone to the territory of King Sadan of the Jiang Kingdom. He first carefully observed the routes and city gates of the Jiang region, then spent the night in a mountain pass opposite the Sadan plains. Using his powers of illusion, the Great King transformed his magnificent steed into a divine donkey with a coat of chestnut, blue, and mottled colors, and tethered it east of King Sadan's stables. He himself disguised as an old beggar with a face half-white and half-yellow. He changed his precious horn bow into a walking stick, his quiver into a divination book, his armor into a divination ritual object, and his helmet into a wooden begging bowl. Early the next morning, he set off towards the royal palace. As he walked, he begged for alms along the way: "Pity a helpless soul! Give a handful of tsampa! Give a lump of butter!"

The three-colored donkey tethered east of King Sadan's stables was discovered by the long-legged royal groom, Temo. He immediately led the donkey into King Sadan's stables, then hurried to the king's presence. Upon entering the palace, he reported: "O King Sadan upon the high golden throne, divine son descended to rule over men. Your subject has a report for the Great King, and begs Your Majesty to listen and give orders. This morning, before the high mountains donned their golden crowns, before the divine birds of the east left their nests, before the women of the household began milking, a rare and strange event occurred. Looking down from above the stables, I saw a strange donkey east of the city gate, freely grazing on green grass, snorting as it ate. Never have I seen such a bizarre creature. I went closer to inspect it. The donkey's body bore three-colored fur, as if painted by an artist; its four hooves were splendid like uncarved jade; its tail was beautiful like a crafted rainbow; its white muzzle and lips resembled a white conch shell. I know not if this donkey has an owner. I have now brought it and placed it in the stables, and specially report this matter to the Great King. I know not if this portends good or ill; if it is auspicious, my heart will be at ease. I, Temo the long-legged horse herder, along with Seca the long-legged and Quchi, we three servants all believe this to be a most auspicious and fortunate event. This year, upon the territory of our Jiang Kingdom, a thousand and a hundred springs have converged into a great pool; with water, the pastures are lush and the crops flourish—all say this is a most auspicious omen. Today, the appearance of this three-colored donkey may be a treasure rare in all the world. Whether this is so, we cannot determine, and specially beg the King to investigate clearly and make a judgment."

After groom Temo finished his report, King Sadan ordered him to bring the donkey for inspection, then ascended to the balcony. The Queen Mother Chijiang Jimu, Consort Jiangsa Namu, and others in the palace also came to watch. The groom led the donkey into the courtyard. King Sadan looked down from the balcony and said: "Judging from its coat color, hooves, muzzle, and other aspects, the arrival of this donkey symbolizes the accomplishment of endeavors. Tonight, you must guard it well."

Having spoken, the King, the Queen Mother, and the consorts descended from the balcony and returned to their chambers. The next day, as the sun climbed the snow-capped mountains, the groom drove the King's two royal steeds—the black charger and the crystal horse—along with the three-colored donkey to the riverbank for water. Just as the groom was about to water them, a messenger arrived from the King, saying: "It is still too early to water the horses now; it is better to do so at noon."

So the groom drove the donkey and horses away from the riverbank. At that time, the Great Lion King, disguised as a beggar, was begging at the city gate. At noon, when the groom watered the horses, the three-colored donkey began to fight with the black charger. As the two animals struggled, the crystal horse between them was squeezed and fell into the river. Then, as if startled, the three-colored donkey reared and bolted, also pushing the black charger into the water. King Sadan's two fine steeds were swept away by the river one after the other, terrifying the onlookers at the riverbank. Instantly, the riverbank was thrown into chaos, the clamor like sparrows seeking their nests under the eaves at dusk.

Queen Mother Died and Deep Mourning

The commotion reached the palace. The Queen Mother and her maids looked down from the balcony. By the power of Brahma's magic, the Queen Mother's vision blurred, her head spun, and she fell from the balcony, tumbling into the river and drowning. This event shook the entire royal city. The ministers were plunged into deep sorrow, and King Sadan, grieving his mother's death, lost all appetite for food and drink. He dressed in black robes, wrapped his head in black cloth, and remained in his mourning chamber all day, keeping vigil for his mother. The three-colored donkey had now vanished without a trace.

The long-legged groom Temo believed that because he had brought this three-colored donkey, the King's two treasured steeds and the Queen Mother Chijiang Jimu, an emanation of a dakini, had met with disaster in the water. Seeing no way out, he closed his eyes, leaped into the river, and ended his life.

At this time, the Great Lion King, still disguised as the old beggar, continued to sit outside the palace gate begging. Led by Consort Jiangsa Namu, the women began questioning the beggar: where he came from, what language he spoke, and where he was going. The old beggar replied: "My birthplace is the Chagar region. I left my homeland to make a pilgrimage to Jaga. On the journey, I stayed in the Lingga region for four years some time ago because the war between Hor's White Tent King and the Ling Kingdom blocked the roads, leaving me no way to proceed. Now with nowhere to go, I have drifted here. Currently, the war between Ling and Hor has ceased, and I still wish to pilgrimage to Jaga. Your King's fame is so illustrious; what food and drink will you bestow upon me?"

Consort Jiangsa Namu said: "My son, Yula, and three hundred sixty soldiers went to the Ling Kingdom. Have you heard any news of Yula and the others? What has been the recent situation of the war between Hor and Ling?"

The old beggar answered: "I did see a group of men, though I know not if one was your son. In the first ten days of last month, as I passed through Hor, I encountered a contingent of troops. They all said they came from the Jiang Kingdom. They were invited by the Hor people. I heard the leading officer made a pact with the Hor, both sides swearing to share weal and woe, forming an alliance to face a common enemy. Judging by the time, they might return soon, perhaps tomorrow or the day after, they could be home."

Jiangsa Namu and the other women inquired in great detail. To comfort the King, Qula exaggerated to King Sadan, saying that Hor was still at war with Ling and that Prince Yula had already formed an alliance with Hor to resist their common enemy. Hearing this, the King pondered: This alliance between Hor and Jiang, I know not if it is true or false. If Yula and the others are safe and sound, that would be good enough. At this thought, a look of happiness immediately appeared on the King's face. Though unwilling to leave his mourning chamber, he still said to his ministers: "Investigate carefully. If that old beggar at the city gate truly can divine, have him perform a divination. Command him to carefully divine and clarify the situation of Yula Toju and the others, the circumstances of the Hor-Jiang alliance, and the inauspicious disasters that have appeared in our country. Then report the truth to me."

The Ominous Divination

The ministers obeyed, leaving the mourning chamber and proceeding directly to the city gate. The old beggar was still there. As the ministers approached, he said: "Ah! Noble sirs, bestow some food upon this beggar!"

Qula asked: "You said you can divine. The King has sent us to ask you for a divination. Perform it quickly. What divination tools do you require?"

The beggar replied: "Noble sirs, the tools for divination need not be many. I only need the various colored arrows used to invoke the war gods, the various fine incenses used when offering lamps to the war gods, a lump of butter the size of a goat, and one white and one red khata for offering to the local deities. With these things, I need nothing else."

The ministers immediately prepared the aforementioned items for the old beggar. The beggar took the colored divination arrows in hand, murmured incantations, and began the divination. Then he sang a song foretelling fortune and misfortune:

I, the diviner, am an emanation of the celestial gods,

Able to foreknow the affairs of the human world.

Whether ill or auspicious, I can sing it forth,

I hope the noble sirs will listen carefully.

The patterned divination threads number in the millions,

The white thread symbolizes the white vulture in the high sky.

Once the white vulture flies onto the red thread,

The red thread must be carefully guarded against.

The black thread symbolizes the greedy black crow,

The crow drools at the sight of food,

Its heart covets, always wanting to snatch it away—

This is the divination sign of forming enmity with foes.

The green thread symbolizes the beautiful green peacock,

The peacock's feathers are full and shine brightly,

The peacock leaves its homeland to fly to another land,

Its beautiful feathers fall scattered upon the ground.

The officers and soldiers who went forth to battle,

Each sits cross-legged upon their horse's back.

Whether ill or auspicious, the King and ministers must consider,

The diviner need not elaborate in detail.

The grey thread symbolizes the fierce owl,

Symbolizing the appearance of demonic obstacles and disasters.

Methods must be devised immediately for defense,

Absolutely must not delay or hesitate.

If one insists on forcing things according to one's own wishes,

The King, ministers, and subjects will inevitably suffer calamity.

This is clearly shown in the divination,

To speak truthfully, I fear it will alarm your hearts.

To avoid arousing suspicion in the noble sirs' hearts,

To avoid you saying this beggar lies,

It is not for begging that I speak nonsense—

These words, please decide for yourselves.

The small white conch divine horse upon the city gate,

Fierce ghosts and evil spirits hide within it.

Whether true or not, go and see for yourselves,

The beggar will not give detailed pointers further.

There are still some strange signs in the divination,

Speaking of them, I fear you won't believe and will invite disaster.

From the day I began divining until today,

Never have I seen a divination more dreadful than this.

The first sign shows Shakyamuni's chariot canopy—

This is the Buddhist teaching occupying the Jiang land.

The second sign shows the white conch horse's mane burned by fire—

This is the master of the white conch horse meeting calamity.

The third sign shows a chaotic thicket of blades and arrowheads—

The common people will lose their lives beneath the blades.

All three divination signs are inauspicious,

I urge you to sheathe your swords and unhorse, do not wage war.

If you still insist on taking up arms,

The King, ministers, and people will inevitably be scattered.

All three signs are very clear,

The army and people will be in great danger of losing their lives.

The karma of past misdeeds now bears fruit,

Like crops about to be struck by hail.

Like seedlings encountering a year of great drought,

Leaves wither, branches dry, hardly able to survive.

Sometimes demons descend like thunderbolts,

Sometimes epidemics spread in all directions,

Men will die, cutting off descendants,

Women will become widows guarding empty tents.

To transform disaster into fortunate conditions,

Only quickly dismantle the white conch horse.

Otherwise, evil spirits will be hard to eradicate completely,

The King, ministers, and common people will all suffer great calamity.

In the Snowy Land, the Lion is mighty and majestic,

Its green mane is fuller than before.

On the white earth road, the Dragon King gallops,

Its neigh is more resonant than before.

The divine might of the Lion King equals the heavens,

The fame of the ministers and heroes spreads in all directions.

Lingga's population prospers, the country is peaceful,

The wishes of the King and ministers can certainly be realized.

All these, I ask the noble sirs to consider carefully,

Think thrice before acting, then there will be no future troubles.

My various divination signs are extraordinary,

How to accept or reject them, judge for yourselves.

The Destruction of the Sacred Relic and Gesar's Return

After the old beggar finished singing, Xieqin Baidui, a minister of Jiang, was deeply hesitant. He believed the white conch horse was a divine object passed down from ancestors, the dwelling place of the Jiang kingdom's demon gods and ancestral spirits, and should not be dismantled. Qula and Caima, however, took the divination signs as true. They also noted that the three-colored donkey that brought misfortune had vanished. Since the divination said ghosts and evil spirits hid within the white conch horse, even if it was a divine object, it must be dismantled. The opinions of the various ministers could not be unified for the moment, so they reported the divination signs to the King for his judgment. Minister Qula truthfully reported to the King the crucial point of the divination result: the need to dismantle the white conch horse. Upon hearing this, the King initially said nothing, only thinking: This white conch horse is a divine heirloom passed down through generations, the dwelling place of the Jiang kingdom's demon gods and ancestral spirits. I truly do not wish to dismantle it. But to prevent disaster from befalling, perhaps acting according to Qula's words is not unacceptable. The soul of that three-colored donkey, which showed ill omens, might have hidden inside it; dismantling it might be justified. So the King said: "Ministers, handle it as the situation demands! Dismantling the white conch horse may not be unacceptable. According to Qula, it harbors a root of calamity; even if a divine object, it has become a hiding place for ghosts and demons. Only by destroying it can we avoid disaster. I will remain in this mourning chamber, keeping vigil for my mother for nine years before leaving."

Minister Baidui harbored doubts. He thought: Of ten diviners, nine often deceive. Moreover, his own view could not be reconciled with the two ministers'. And the King believed Qula's words; further remonstrance would be useless. He might as well comply.

Then the ministers together approached the beggar diviner. Qula said: "Now we shall act according to your divination words! May the Jiang land be auspicious, with favorable winds and rains, bountiful harvests, and thriving livestock."

The beggar said: "That is good. Now dismantle the white conch horse! No special tools are needed; just an iron hammer the size of an eight-year-old child can smash the white conch horse to pieces."

The ministers prepared the iron hammer for the old beggar. The old beggar grasped the hammer with both hands, raised it high, and said loudly: "O white conch horse that invites disaster, vanish like a demon's illusion!"

Then he sang a hammer-striking song:

O wondrous white conch horse,

Beloved and cherished, yet also bringing sorrow.

Hungry ghosts, fierce demons, and the three great demon leaders,

Prick up your ears and listen carefully.

This black iron hammer, size of an eight-year-old child,

I invoke the war gods of the sky to wield it,

Quickly smash this shining white conch horse,

Into fine powder and dust, consigned to the wild wind.

If I lack the power to destroy it,

This beggar is willing to end his life in the Jiang realm.

Let the power and influence of the Jiang people scatter like stars,

Let the teachings of the Jiang people be given to the wind.

The many karmic connections foretold in the divination,

Are all tightly linked to the fate of all beings.

If the white conch horse can be smashed,

All benefits for sentient beings can be preserved.

In the coming month's time,

Joyous and happy events will follow one after another.

If I am still alive and my life is long,

I will surely witness these happy events with my own eyes.

After singing, the old beggar swung the hammer down through the air. With a loud crack, the white conch horse shattered into pieces, from which fresh red blood flowed out. The blood, like a flood, quickly streamed towards the direction of the royal palace. Thus, the precious divine object that ensured King Sadan's success and endeavors was destroyed. From then on, the crystal white conch horse, the Queen Mother Chijiang Jimu, and even the long-legged groom Temo, whom no demon king could defeat, were all eliminated. At this moment, the disguised old beggar, leaning on his walking stick, strode away towards the east.

Having crossed two mountain passes, Gesar still did not know where his chestnut steed was. Anxious, he called for his precious steed: "When the demonic white conch horse was smashed, my chestnut steed, where did you go? My chestnut steed, whose kindness is weighty as a mountain, come today and be my guardian. You, horse, and I, man, are two friends. Quickly return to the Ling army camp. The Great King makes plans sitting in the central command tent; the divine steed awaits orders dwelling in the stables."

As soon as the Great King finished speaking, the divine chestnut steed immediately appeared from within the colored clouds, then galloped along a path of five-colored rainbow light to the side