The Princess Seeks Refuge and the Submission of the Men Kingdom

After the invincible King Gesar vanquished King Xinchi, as he descended from the sky, he saw Princess Meiduo Zhuoma and her mother, Queen Dawa Zedeng, standing beside the golden pinnacle of the palace tower, nearly consumed by the raging flames. When Princess Meiduo Zhuoma saw the Lion King descending from heaven, she prostrated herself repeatedly, knocking her head to the ground in worship, praying and crying out for rescue. She offered the Joyful Gathering Auspicious Treasure to King Gesar as a gift to spare her life. King Gesar welcomed both mother and daughter and settled them in the royal garden on the great lawn, where lotus flowers were in full bloom.

Meanwhile, the valiant warriors of Lingga surrounded the great castle of Dongri Langzong from all sides, forcing the remaining troops of the Men Kingdom to surrender their weapons and hand over the Men Kingdom Royal Palace.

Upon learning that Princess Meiduo Zhuoma was in the royal garden together with the invincible King Gesar, the Darong uncle Chao Tong was beside himself with joy. He muttered to himself, "Ah! Princess Meiduo Zhuoma — now she shall be mine!"

He hastily gathered ninety-nine kinds of betrothal gifts for wooing Meiduo and was about to petition King Gesar for her hand in marriage when Michong spoke to Chao Tong with mischievous intent:

"Listen to me, ministers of King Gesar,

Hear what Michong has to say.

Someone deliberately stirs up trouble,

Sowing discord between Men and Ling,

Insisting Meiduo is the root of all misfortune.

Gods and demons playing tricks is nothing new —

Meiduo need not grieve so deeply.

Go quickly and report to the Lion King:

With sincere heart she submits to Lingga,

And will obey whatever the King commands.

Darong Chao Tong,

At such an advanced age, you know no shame!

Before the assembled lords and heroes,

You dare to ask for Meiduo's hand?

As the saying goes: butter accompanies fine dishes,

But eat too much and it harms the liver and gall.

Chao Tong's songs may be moving,

But hear too many and they become tiresome.

If Meiduo is to be betrothed to someone,

Among all the heroes of Lingga,

I would have no objection to any of them.

But if she is given to that old man Chao Tong,

Who already has a wife —

Michong will never rest easy!

Though Michong's stature is small,

He is still a man,

And it is right and proper for him to marry and raise a family.

The white khata on the golden table

Is my offering of betrothal —

I humbly request the lords and ministers to consider my suit."

Chao Tong's eyes flashed like shooting stars as he glared at Michong, grinding his teeth in fury, too angry to speak. Most of the ministers understood that Michong was merely teasing and paid it no mind, laughing it off with a smile.

At this moment, Princess Meiduo Zhuoma prostrated herself three times before the invincible King, offered hundreds of strings of pearls, and then sang her prayer:

"Lords and ministers of Lingga, hear my words:

My father, King Xinchi,

Was struck down by the Lion King's arrow.

The million mighty warriors of the Men Kingdom

Have all been vanquished by the Ling armies.

As for the root of this war between Men and Ling,

Some blame me as the chief culprit,

But the truth speaks louder than words.

From this day forward,

Meiduo will host a seven-day feast:

We shall open fifty thousand jars of aged wine,

And slaughter a thousand animals with ears.

From the great Lion King above,

Down to the soldiers and common folk below,

I humbly beg you all to grace my celebration.

Meiduo also wishes to offer all the treasures of the Men Kingdom,

For I have but one request:

For my father King Xinchi and all the fallen souls —

Soldiers and civilians of both Men and Ling

Who perished by the blade —

I beg you to deliver them from the underworld."

Dongjiong Dala Chiga Surrenders and the Grain Storehouse is Opened

The Lion King, holding the Auspicious Fulfillment Vase filled with sweet nectar, bestowed it upon Meiduo Zhuoma and the three heroes of the Men Kingdom, transforming them into people of virtuous heart.

Dongjiong Dala Chiga, who recognized that King Gesar of Ling was indeed a Buddha, thought to himself: "If not to him, then to whom should I pledge my allegiance?" Tears streamed down his face at this realization. He laid his white helmet, white armor, and white horse before the assembled heroes of Lingga. He then presented the seven pairs of priceless jewels from his amulet box to the Lion King, the supreme teacher, and sang joyfully:

"I, Dongjiong Dala Chiga,

In times past, when I was young,

Lacked the teachings of the Buddha.

I worshipped only the demon of delight,

And became an executioner of men,

Guilty of many sins and evils.

Therefore, O Great Jewel King!

From this day forward, I am resolved

To place you upon the crown of my head,

To pledge my sincere allegiance to you.

I will follow virtue and abandon vice,

And walk the righteous path,

Obeying all your commands.

Today, in your compassion, please forgive me.

May the aspirations I have expressed

Be fulfilled through your blessings."

After Dongjiong had expressed his heart's desire through song, the invincible King Gesar decreed: "Today an auspicious omen has appeared. Dongjiong Dala Chiga! From now on, you must not be as you were in former days. The Men Kingdom comprises eighteen great regions — these eighteen regions shall be eighteen great tribes, and I entrust them to your governance. I appoint you the Great Chieftain of the Men Kingdom tribes. I order you to distribute all the treasures, livestock, and grain of the Men Kingdom among its common people, satisfying the desires of rich and poor alike. Lingga shall not confiscate the Joyful Gathering Auspicious Treasure or the Accomplishment Nectar — their disposition shall be decided at a later time."

From that very day, the mute, the deaf, the lame, and the blind of the Men Kingdom were all brought before King Gesar. After receiving seven days of empowerment and blessings from the King, the blind regained their sight, the deaf recovered their hearing, the mute found eloquent speech, and the lame walked with ease and steadiness. Only then did the people truly understand that the invincible King Gesar was a living Buddha, and their joy knew no bounds.

Following the prophecy of the celestial gods, the invincible King Gesar betrothed Princess Meiduo Zhuoma to Young Master La Guo Benglu, to serve as his lifelong tea companion. At the joyous wedding feast, everyone sat together in a circle, enjoying rich meats and fine wine, celebrating happily for seven full days.

One day, the invincible King Gesar said to Princess Meiduo Zhuoma: "Behold — I shall now deliver the souls of your father King Xinchi and all the fallen of Men and Ling who perished by sword and arrow."

He then recited the secret mantras, liberating all the departed souls to the Pure Land. Before the very eyes of the princess and the gathered people of Men and Ling, the souls rose like startled birds: King Xinchi of the Men Kingdom was reborn in the realm of the Gandharva Kingdom at Dawa Mountain. The red demon horse that devoured raw human flesh was reborn in the warlike Asura realm. All the fallen soldiers of both Men and Ling were reborn in the sacred land of the Buddha of Infinite Light. Witnessing this miraculous sight, lords, ministers, and warriors alike were filled with great joy.

The invincible King Gesar, accompanied by fifty ministers, made a personal journey to the great rice-producing regions of the Men Kingdom. Princess Meiduo Zhuoma, holding conch powder in her left hand and a turquoise-adorned ceremonial arrow in her right, sang to the Black Serpent Spirit, keeper of the grain storehouse:

"O Lion King of Majestic Power, Gesar,

This year you grace the Men Kingdom in person.

In the upper regions of the Southern Land lie the grain storehouses —

Rice, millet, and Chinese grain.

Today the time has come to open the stores.

O Black Serpent Spirit, master of the granary,

And you, fierce Scorpion Demon,

Come quickly and offer tribute.

O old Earth Goddess of the Men Kingdom,

Raise high your bowl of rainbow-colored stones,

Strike your cymbals loud as summer thunder,

So the fierce beasts may calm their roars,

And the poisonous snakes retreat to their caves.

The fifty ministers have arrived,

With Meiduo as their guide,

The Lion King shall open the granaries."

The Treasures Are Distributed and the Army Begins Its Homeward March

After the song concluded, the Black Serpent Spirit, keeper of the grain storehouse, took the cymbals from the Earth Goddess's rainbow-colored stone bowl and struck them — the sound echoed like summer thunderbolts. In an instant, the roaring of tigers on the right mountain, the howling of leopards on the left mountain, and the growling of bears on the central mountain gradually fell silent. The black, white, and speckled poisonous snakes that had blocked the mountain valleys slowly retreated from sight.

The Black Serpent King of the Grain Storehouse, offering a thirteen-layered golden mandala as the centerpiece, presented the cymbals from the Earth Goddess's stone bowl to the Lion King. The Lion King said: "The key to opening this granary lies with the dakini princess of the Men Kingdom."

Princess Meiduo Zhuoma of Men replied: "The seven pairs of conch keys are in my hands, but would it not be better for the King to open the storehouse with this divine arrow?" So saying, she offered the sacred arrow.

King Gesar drew his bow, nocked the divine arrow, and let it fly. Instantly, the great doors of the granary burst open, and rice piled up like mountains on the threshing ground. The fifty ministers of Lingga took charge of all the grain stores. First, they made offerings of rice to the invisible gods, demons, and nagas, and then opened the granaries to relieve the people. The soldiers and civilians of the Men Kingdom, overjoyed to receive endless rice like falling rain, held celebrations of unprecedented grandeur.

Before long, the invincible King Gesar issued his decree: all Ling armies were to return in triumph to Dokham Ling that very day. The lords, ministers, and valiant warriors of Lingga formed orderly ranks, each one imposing and majestic, and set forth toward Lingga.

The twelve inner ministers and elders of Dokham Lingga — including Gyalo Dunpa Kyenzen, the chief of Seca, Achin, Wengbu Shijia Guru, and Miching Nima Gyentsen — along with the consorts led by Queen Sangjang Zumu, dressed in their finest attire and went to the Flowery Tiger Plain of Madheya to welcome the Lion King and the heroes of Lingga home in triumph.

On this day, Queen Sangjang Zumu adorned herself with eighteen precious conch hair ornaments, wore eighteen layers of finest brocade silk, and fastened a multicolored apron inlaid with golden and silver bells and whistles. She appeared extraordinarily beautiful, like a celestial maiden descended to earth. Her attendants held golden pitchers filled with butter tea, silver pitchers brimming with barley wine, and conch pitchers filled with curd and fresh milk, to welcome the victorious King and his ministers. Zumu offered the welcoming wine to the King of Ling and all the heroes in turn.

Darong Chief Chao Tong was beside himself with joy, crying out loudly: "The war between Men and Ling lasted three long years — today we celebrate the triumph! My son La Guo Benglu and that maiden Meiduo Zhuoma shall be wed on this auspicious day! Joy upon joy without limit, pleasure upon pleasure without end! I thank you all for gracing this celebration!"

Danma chimed in teasingly: "Princess Meiduo Zhuoma of Men marrying into Lingga as our guardian goddess of the gate — how wonderful! Chao Tong, hurry and hand over the eighty ornamental keys of the Darong family to Meiduo Zhuoma!"

At these words, the lords and ministers of Lingga could not contain their laughter.

The King's Injunctions and Three Years of Secluded Practice

The invincible Lion King Gesar, seated upon the majestic golden throne with the Azure Dragon backrest, beneath the peacock canopy of sovereignty, declared with delight: "Commanders of all the vassal states under Lingga, hear my words! You ministers and warriors — after today's joyful celebration, tomorrow's affairs of state must proceed as follows." He then sang with unimpeded vajra melody:

"After three songs, the melody begins,

And I invoke the gods once more.

White Brahma King of the upper realms!

Gula, fierce deity of the middle sphere!

Zuna, Dragon King of the lower depths!

Wilma war gods, grant your protection!

Dharma protectors, lead the chorus!

If you do not know this place,

It is the very axis of the world,

The site of the Buddha's enlightenment,

The sacred mandala of Eastern Lingga.

If you ask who I am —

The executioner who kills in the morning,

The teacher who liberates in the afternoon,

The messenger sent by a thousand Buddhas,

The god of wealth for both Han and Tibetan lands,

The Buddha who has attained the tenth ground,

The benefactor who delivers all sentient beings,

The hero who subdues demons and vanquishes monsters —

I am King Gesar!

If you ask what song this is,

It is called 'The Song That Shakes the Marketplaces.'

I, the Mighty King, have four melodies:

The first is 'Thunderbolt of the Clear Sky' —

When I shot the demon Lutsan in the forehead,

I sang this melody.

The second is 'Heaven and Earth Turn Dark' —

When I suppressed the Hor demons,

I sang this melody.

The third is 'The Breath of the Six Vital Channels' —

When I tore out the demon heart of Lijiang,

I sang this melody.

The fourth is 'Self-Arising Emptiness' —

When I burned old demon Xinchi with fire,

I sang this melody.

In conquering the four evils I sang four melodies,

Four melodies that subdued the four demon realms.

Commanders of all Ling's divisions —

The Yellow Tent Hor and the Black Demon Kingdom,

The Purple Jiang and the Men Kingdom,

Together with Lingga, the five great nations —

Today we return in victory!

Let everyone celebrate to their heart's content!

Princess Meiduo and La Guo —

Fate has brought you together from a thousand miles away —

Let everyone rejoice in your union!

From this day forward, you two shall

Govern the entire Darong tribe,

And work together for the benefit of Lingga.

Commanders of all Ling's divisions,

Your king for all your lives,

The Lion King of Majestic Power, Gesar,

Has now subdued the enemies of the four directions.

He shall retire to the Senju Dazi Palace,

To fulfill his vow to the celestial goddesses.

After three years of scripture study and meditation,

I shall issue further decrees as needed.

People of all Ling's divisions,

Now that the four enemies are subdued,

Return each to your own great encampments.

Take refuge in the Three Jewels and pray constantly,

Devote yourselves sincerely to the Dharma,

Atone for the sins of killing and wrongdoing.

The welfare of all beings shall be my concern.

Ministers and warriors of Lingga,

Hold these words dear in your hearts."

As soon as King Gesar's song concluded, the noblewomen of Lingga presented everyone with a bowl of auspicious farewell wine. The elders, ministers, noblewomen, and heroes of Lingga first each offered an auspicious farewell khata to the invincible King Gesar, then exchanged khatas among themselves, and returned to their respective castles and fortresses in boundless joy, settling down to live in peace and prosperity.

After enjoying the festive days, King Gesar went before the statue of the Wrathful Tara, and with radiant countenance, sat in meditation in the meditation hall, closing the door for three years of secluded practice. During this time, the soldiers and civilians of Lingga enjoyed lives of boundless happiness. And Princess Meiduo Zhuoma and Young Master La Guo Benglu lived together in sweet harmony and contentment.