Nagas, snake charmers and Buddha's past life
The following excerpt taken from the book "All About Dravidas, Tamil Sangams, Kumari Kandam And Tolkappiyam" Author: London Swaminathan
Kalhana, the 12th century historian and author of Rajatarangni mentions this story.
There is a very interesting story about a Dravidian magician in his book Rajatarangini (River of Kings).
It is a true story according to Kalhana and it happened during the reign of Jayapida (751 CE). From Fourth Taranga (Chapter) of Rajatarangini: On one occasion, to the king who had acquired glory in all directions a certain person of divine figure spoke in a dream with folded hands: “O King! in your realm I have been residing in comfort with my relatives; I am the Lord of the Nagas called Mahapadma, I come to you for asylum. ‘A certain Dravidian spell-monger is trying to draw me away from here in order to sell me for money in the Territory of Maru (desert) which yearns for water. If you save me from him, I shall show in your country, a hill which produces god ore.
The king having heard it in the dream, despatched spies in all directions the very next day. King’s spies found him and brought him before the king (Jayapida). When he confessed his intention, the king pardoned him.
The king asked the Dravidian spell-monger (magician): “How is it possible for you to draw out this Naga, who excels in spiritual power, from the interior of the lake which extends for several Yojanas?”
Dravidian magician said to the king, “O, King! Inconceivable are the powers of the spell (mantra). If you desire to see it, come and see the marvel. The king followed the magician to the lake.
The Dravidian muttered incantations and then shot some arrows. The lake became dry. Then the king could see a snake (Naga) about a span in size with a human face, which was wriggling in the mud surrounded by several small snakes. O King! I am going to catch him now. But the king ordered him not to catch the snake. At once the Dravidian spell monger (magician) withdrew the power of his spell and the lake became full. (The Vulur/Wular lake was called the Mahapadma lake after this naga who was supposed to live in it). King disposed the magician by paying him some money. The king was expecting the Naga to show him the Hill of Gold ore. But it did not happen. When the king asked him about it Mahapadma Naga said, “I asked for asylum; you did not give me asylum; but you drove away the spell-monger. So I will show you the hill of copper. When the king got the directions to it, he excavated copper from Kramarajya Hill and struck a hundred crores of Dinnaras (coins)”.
Other similar story:
This story reminds me of Buddha in one of his past lives as Naga as mentioned in Jataka stories. Buddha was royal king naga with his relatives and he was captured by snake charmer who exploited the snake for money by putting shows on street. Buddha in the form of Naga was later on released by his brother Naga on the discovery. Buddha underwent all the exploitations willingly in that form of Naga to master the virtue of forbearance in the pursuit of buddhahood.
