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8 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
ocean of sorrow and misery to a state of happiness.”
I
- “But I shall not see that Buddha. Hence, O Raja, I weep and in sadness I sigh deeply, for I shall not be able to reverence him.”
25 The king thereafter offered to the great sage Asita and Nardatta, his nephew, suitable food, and having given him robes made a rightwise circuit round him.
- Thereupon Asita said to Nardatta, his nephew, “When thou shalt hear, Nardatta, that the child has become a Buddha, then go and take refuge in his teachings. This shall be for thy weal and welfare and happiness.” So saying Asita took leave of the Raja and departed for his hermitage.
§ 5. Death of Mahamaya
On the fifth day the ceremony of name-giving took place. The name chosen for the child was Siddharth. His clan name was Gautama. Popularly, therefore, he came to be called Siddharth Gautama.
In the midst of rejoicing over the birth and the naming of the child Mahamaya suddenly fell ill and her illness became very serious.
Realising that her end was near she called Suddhodana and Prajapati to her bedside and said : “I am sure that the prophecy made by Asita about my son will come true. My regret is that I will not live to see it fulfilled.”
“My child will soon be a motherless child. But I am not worried in the least as to whether after me my child will be carefully nursed, properly looked after and brought up in a manner befitting his future.”
“To you Prajapati, I entrust my child, I have no doubt that you will be to him more than his mother.”
“Now do not be sorry. Permit me to die. God’s call has come and His messengers are waiting to take me.” So saying, Mahamaya breathed her last. Both Suddhodana and Prajapati were greatly grieved and wept bitterly.
Siddharth was only seven days old when his