raka today.
Thy mother had expected thy advent for a long time. For a long time did
she bear thee in her womb. O Chirakaraka, let thy habit of reflecting
long before acting be productive of beneficial results today. Perhaps, my
son Chirakaraka is delaying today (to achieve my bidding) in view of the
sorrow it would cause me (to see him execute that bidding). Perhaps, he
is sleeping over that bidding, bearing it in his heart (without any
intention of executing it promptly). Perhaps, he is delaying, in view of
the grief it would cause both him and me, reflecting upon the
circumstances of the case.' Indulging in such repentance, O king, the
great Rishi Gautama then beheld his son Chirakarin sitting near him.
Beholding his sire come back to their abode, the son Chirakarin,
overwhelmed with grief, cast away the weapon (he had taken up) and bowing
his head began to pacify Gautama. Observing his son prostrated before him
with bent head, and beholding also his wife almost petrified with shame,
the Rishi became filled with great joy. From that time the highsouled
Rishi, dwelling in that lone hermitage, did not live separately from his
spouse or his heedful son. Having uttered the command that his wife
should be slain he had gone away from his retreat for accomplishing some
purpose of his own. Since that time his son had stood in an humble
attitude, weapon in hand, for executing that command on his mother.
Beholding that his son prostrated at his feet, the sire thought that,
struck with fear, he was asking for pardon for the offence he had
committed in taking up a weapon (for killing his own mother). The sire
praised his son for a long time, and smelt his head for a long time, and
for a long time held him in a close embrace, and blessed him, uttering
the words, 'Do thou live long!' Then, filled with joy and contented with
what had occurred, Gautama, O thou of great wisdom, addressed his son and
said these words, 'Blessed be thou, O Chirakaraka! Do thou always reflect
long before acting. By thy delay in accomplishing my bidding thou hast
today made me happy for ever.' That learned and best of Rishis then
uttered these verses upon the subject of the merits of such cool men as
reflect for a long time before setting their hands to any action. 'If the
matter is the death of a friend, one should accomplish it after a long
while. If it is the abandonment of a project already begun, one should
abandon it after a long while. A friendship th