Gesar’s Journey to Practice and the Omen

 

Under King Gesar’s rule, the people of Ling lived a peaceful and happy life, as smooth and calm as milk and cheese. One day, Gesar left the palace to inspect the lands and arrived at the Bangjiongqium grassland, located at the junction of rocky mountains and snow-covered peaks. The snowy mountain shone brilliantly white, the grassland was lush and green, and between the two stretched a barren patch of reddish-brown rocks. This strip of red-brown stones separated the grassland from the snowy peaks, yet also connected them, creating a simple but beautiful natural painting.

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On the grassland, the people of Ling Gabu grazed their animals. Horses roamed on the right side, cattle on the left, and sheep in the center. The plump and snow-white sheep looked like pieces of snow rolling down from the snowy mountains or pearls drifting across a green meadow.

 

Seeing such peaceful beauty, King Gesar felt content. A wave of drowsiness overcame him. He took off his robe, tucked his head into one sleeve and his feet into the other, and fell asleep beside Lake Zhuocuo on the grassland.

 

While Gesar was sound asleep, the goddess Langmangam descended from the pure heavenly realm of the Thirty-Three Skies, riding on colorful clouds. A delightful fragrance filled the air. The scent made Gesar sleep even more soundly.

 

The goddess leaned close to Gesar’s ear and gently called out, “Thubpa Gawa, my dear child, do not oversleep. Quickly, go to the Cham Monastery in the east to practice the Great Wrathful Demon-Subduing Mantra. You have only twenty-one days—this is the order of White Brahma King. And remember, take Queen Meza with you when you go.”

 

After delivering her message, the goddess disappeared into a rainbow, leaving behind the soothing fragrance and her inspiring prophecy.

 

Gesar wasted no time. He immediately returned to Upper Ling Gabu, thinking as he walked, “To defeat all demons and destroy their armies, I must practice the Great Wrathful Mantra, just as Buddha Shakyamuni inspired the Wrathful King to subdue evil with five divine powers. The time has come. I must follow the goddess’s instructions and take Queen Meza to Cham Monastery for retreat.”

 

Queen Zumu’s Scheme to Join Gesar

 

When Gesar returned to Upper Ling Gabu and shared his plan to take Meza with him to the retreat, Queen Zumu was displeased. “Oh, my king, what are you saying? If you’re going into retreat to practice, it should be me who serves you. Why should Meza go instead?”

 

“Zumu, this is the heavenly order. I think it’s better for you to stay home and take care of Mother,” Gesar explained, trying to calm her.

 

Zumu, unwilling to let Gesar take Meza with him, came up with a plan. She approached Meza and said, “To subdue the demons, the king is going to Cham Monastery to practice the Great Wrathful Mantra. He has ordered me to accompany him as his attendant. You can stay at home with Mother. Once the retreat is over, we’ll meet again.”

 

Meza, though suspicious of Zumu’s motives, reluctantly agreed. She knew Zumu’s competitive nature and suspected this was a ploy to go with the king. But Meza chose to yield and nodded in agreement.

 

Zumu, overjoyed, ran back to Gesar and said, “My king, it’s not that I don’t want Meza to accompany you, but her health hasn’t been good lately. Retreat is a tough ordeal, so I think it’s better for her to rest at home while I accompany you.”

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Gesar, who already favored Zumu slightly more than Meza, agreed without much hesitation. Although he knew the goddess had instructed him to bring Meza, he trusted Zumu’s words and was happy to have her company for the retreat.

 

Meza’s Ominous Dream Comes True

 

Seven days had passed since King Gesar began his retreat to practice the Great Wrathful Mantra. One night, back in Ling Gabu, Queen Meza had a terrifying nightmare. She dreamed of a red wind blowing from the upper valley and a black wind blowing from the lower valley. The two winds caught her and swept her away. Meza woke up startled and frightened, unable to make sense of the dream.

 

The next morning, unable to shake her fear, Meza prepared some sweets she had made herself and set off for Cham Monastery to see King Gesar. She was desperate to tell him about her dream and ask for its meaning. She believed that Gesar, with his supernatural wisdom, could interpret the dream and protect her from any danger.

 

When Meza reached a spring near the monastery, she saw Zumu fetching water. Zumu’s face darkened as she spotted Meza, her displeasure showing in her tone. “Meza, what brings you here?”

 

Meza ignored her fatigue and Zumu’s sour expression. She hurriedly said, “Sister Zumu, I had a terrible nightmare last night! I’ve come to tell the king about it. Please let him know I’m here.”

 

Zumu pretended to agree and left with the water, but she had no intention of telling Gesar about Meza’s dream. After some time, Zumu returned with an empty bucket and told Meza, “Sister Meza, I told the king about your dream. He said dreams are illusions born of confusion, especially women’s dreams, which are even less trustworthy. He asked you to go back home and wait. In two weeks, we’ll all return.”

 

Hearing this, Meza felt tears well up in her eyes. Her nose stung as she looked pitifully at Zumu. “Alright then, Sister Zumu. Please at least give the sweets I brought to the king and tell him my dream again. Make sure to ask him about its meaning.” With that, her tears streamed down her cheeks, and she turned to leave.

 

Zumu felt a pang of guilt but convinced herself that it was better not to disturb the king’s practice for something trivial. She decided not to tell Gesar about Meza’s visit but presented the sweets to him instead.

 

“These sweets… they seem like something Meza made. Did she come here? Is everything alright at home?” Gesar asked, startled.

 

Zumu’s heart skipped a beat, but she maintained her composure. “Why would you think that, my king? Did Meza’s sweets come with gold? Or jewels? Anything Meza can make, I can make just as well. Don’t overthink it, and focus on your practice.”

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Gesar said no more, but his heart was uneasy. He continued eating the sweets, unable to regain his earlier peace of mind.

 

Meza’s Nightmare Comes True

 

Although Gesar dismissed women’s dreams as insignificant, Meza’s unease only grew. She longed to see the king again, but Zumu’s interference left her with no choice but to wait. She sighed and focused on her daily tasks, hoping to endure until the king’s retreat was over.

 

On the day Gesar completed his retreat, Meza was weaving cloth outside her tent. Suddenly, the exact scene from her nightmare unfolded before her eyes. A red wind blew from the upper valley, and a black wind came from the lower valley. Between the two winds appeared a tall, terrifying figure. His skin was pitch black, and his expression was cruel and menacing. Like an eagle snatching a lamb, he seized Queen Meza and carried her into the sky.

 

Meza’s maid, Marlegui, panicked and didn’t know what to do. She rushed to Cham Monastery, banged on Gesar’s door, and cried out, “King Gesar! Something terrible has happened! Queen Meza has been taken by the Black Demon into the sky! Please hurry back to Ling Gabu!”

 

Gesar immediately mounted his horse to chase the demon, but he was stopped by the goddess Langmangam’s voice:

 

“Oh man of this land,

Running around in panic is foolish!

Though your head is large,

You lack wisdom.

Did I not warn you before,

To take Meza with you to practice?

I told you again and again,

But you didn’t listen.

You left Meza at home,

Now the demon has taken her.

Where are you going now?

 

Blindly chasing is pointless;

It is not yet time to defeat the Black Demon.

The white lion on the snowy peak

Grows its jade mane by staying in the mountains.

The striped tiger of the forest

Keeps its patterns by staying in its den.

The golden-eyed fish of the deep sea

Maintains its scales by staying in the ocean.

I told you before,

You must take Meza with you to practice.

You ignored my words.

If you want to defeat the demon,

Your time will come, but it is not now.

Return and prepare yourself—

Only when wisdom and courage are ready can you act.”

 

Hearing the goddess’s words, Gesar was filled with regret. He could neither chase the demon nor ignore the situation. Frustrated and uneasy, he resolved to intensify his practice and prepare for the day he could rescue Meza.

 

Notes

 

Retreat: A practice method in Vajrayana Buddhism. During a retreat, practitioners isolate themselves behind closed doors to focus on their spiritual practice, without any contact with the outside world. Hence, it is called "retreat."

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