KÄnÄrittha
One of the four sons of the NÄga-king Dhaá¹araá¹á¹ha and his queen SamuddajÄ, the others being Sudassana, BhÅ«ridatta and Subhaga. When KÄnÄrittha heard that his mother was a human, wishing to test her one day while drinking her milk, he assumed a serpent’s form and struck her foot with his tail. SamuddajÄ threw him on to the ground with a shriek and accidentally struck his eye with her nail, thereby blinding him. Henceforth he, whose name had been Ariá¹á¹ha, was known as KÄnÄrittha (J.vi.168). When, after BhÅ«ridatta’s disappearance (see BhÅ«ridatta JÄtaka) from the NÄga-world, his brothers set out to search for him, KÄnÄrittha was sent to the world of the gods, for he was so cruel by nature that they knew that if he went to the world of men he would destroy it by fire (J.vi.190). When, after his search, he returned to the NÄga-world, he was appointed doorkeeper of BhÅ«ridatta’s sick-room; there, seeing Subhaga dragging a brahmin roughly into the NÄga-world, he prevented him from ill-treating the man and told him of the greatness of all brahmins, illustrating his words with various stories (J.vi.197; details see pp.200ff). It is said that in his immediately preceding birth, he had been a brahmin, well-versed in sacrificial lore. BhÅ«ridatta heard (from his bed) Ariá¹á¹ha’s undue praise of brahmins and refuted his statements (J.vi.205ff).
KÄnÄrá¹tha is identified with Sunakkhatta (J.vi.219).
|
