Mṛgadhara

Family: Kośala · Role: first minister · First appears: Chapter VII

In Chapter VII, Mṛgadhara, first minister to King Prasenajit of Kośala, married a wife of similar birth, and they had seven sons. After her death, he arranged marriages for his six elder sons, who, with their wives, neglected household affairs. He named six sons as he pleased and called the youngest Viśākha. At Śrāvastī, he consented when his Brahman friend offered to find a bride for Viśākha, then fetched Viśākhā with great pomp as his son’s spouse.

After the family reached Śrāvastī, Viśākhā began managing its domestic affairs. Mṛgadhara was pleased and made her mistress of the household, directing its people to follow her instructions. When he fell ill, she treated him herself, and he recovered. He later took Śrīvardhana’s daughter as his second wife.

After Viśākhā cared for King Prasenajit, he approved her being called Mṛgadhara’s mother and his own sister, then ordered that this be publicly proclaimed. Mṛgadhara had earlier described the qualities by which a woman “may be called mother.” On the seventh day, thirty-two boys hatched from the eggs Viśākhā had produced.

Relationship record

Life events

• Mṛgadhara married his first wife, and they had seven sons.(Chapter VII)
  • With: Mṛgadhara’s first wife (Chapter 007)
  • “Mṛgadhara, the first minister of King Prasenajit of Kośala, after he had married a wife of birth like unto his own, had seven sons.”
• Mṛgadhara consented to the Brahman finding a bride for Viśākha.(Chapter VII · 📍 Śrāvastī)
  • With: The Brahman friend of Mṛgadhara (Chapter 007)
  • “The minister consented, and the Brahman went his way.”
• Mṛgadhara fetched Viśākhā as his son Viśākha’s spouse.(Chapter VII)
  • With: Viśākhā Viśākha
  • “Then he set forth and fetched away Viśākhā with great pomp as his son’s spouse.”
• Viśākhā began managing the family’s domestic affairs.(Chapter VII · 📍 Śrāvastī)
  • With: Viśākhā
  • “By and by they reached Śrāvastī, and after they had recovered from the fatigues of the journey and presented ornaments to friends, relatives, and connections, Viśākhā began to attend to the domestic affairs of the family.”
• Mṛgadhara appointed Viśākhā to manage the household, making her its mistress.(Chapter VII)
  • With: Viśākhā
  • “Mṛgadhara was much pleased, asked her to manage the affairs of the household, and ordered all the people of the house to perform, according to Viśākhā’s wishes, whatsoever tasks she might allot to them. She thus became the mistress of the house,”
• King Prasenajit recovered after eating rice sent by Viśākhā.(Chapter VII)
  • With: King Prasenajit of Kośala
  • “The king ate thereof and recovered.”
• Mṛgadhara recovered after Viśākhā treated him herself.(Chapter VII)
  • With: Viśākhā
  • “Then she closed the door to the physicians and treated the patient herself. Whereupon he recovered.”
• Mṛgadhara took Śrīvardhana’s daughter as his wife.(Chapter VII)
  • With: Mṛgadhara’s second wife, daughter of Śrīvardhana (Chapter 007) Śrīvardhana
  • “Thereupon Mṛgadhara, with great pomp, took her to himself as his wife.”
• King Prasenajit approved Viśākhā being called Mṛgadhara’s mother and his own sister.(Chapter VII)
  • With: Viśākhā King Prasenajit of Kośala
  • “The king said, ‘As Viśākhā has taken care of me also, I will, after consulting my grandmother, call her my sister.’”
• King Prasenajit publicly proclaimed Viśākhā Mṛgadhara’s mother and his sister.(Chapter VII)
  • With: King Prasenajit of Kośala Viśākhā
  • “The king gave orders that Viśākhā should be set upon an elephant, and that public proclamation should be made that she, Viśākhā, was Mṛgadhara’s mother and King Prasenajit’s sister.”
• Viśākhā’s thirty-two sons hatched from the eggs.(Chapter VII)
  • With: Viśākhā Viśākhā’s thirty-two sons (Chapter 007)
  • “When Viśākhā had done all this, thirty-two boys made their appearance on the seventh day.”

Chapter VII

• married with Mṛgadhara’s first wife (Chapter 007) “Mṛgadhara, the first minister of King Prasenajit of Kośala, after he had married a wife of birth like unto his own, had seven sons.”
• child: Mṛgadhara’s six elder sons (Chapter 007) “After his wife’s death he arranged marriages for his six elder sons, but they and their wives gave themselves up to dress, and troubled themselves in no wise with household affairs.”
• child: Viśākha “To six of these he gave names at his pleasure, but the youngest one he called Viśākha.”
• friends with The Brahman friend of Mṛgadhara (Chapter 007) “A Brahman, who was on friendly terms with him, saw him sitting thus absorbed in thought, and asked him what was the cause of his behaviour.”
• with Viśākhā (Mṛgadhara calls his daughter-in-law his mother.) “If she has five qualities. If she is a nurse to the sick, if she lives in wedlock as a decorous wife, if she protects living creatures, if she is a good guardian of property, and if she has inherited wisdom—in that case she may be called mother.”
• married with Mṛgadhara’s second wife, daughter of Śrīvardhana (Chapter 007) “Thereupon Mṛgadhara, with great pomp, took her to himself as his wife.”
• child: Viśākhā’s thirty-two sons (Chapter 007) “At another time Viśākhā produced thirty-two eggs.”
• subordinate: King Prasenajit of Kośala “Mṛgadhara, the first minister of King Prasenajit of Kośala, after he had married a wife of birth like unto his own, had seven sons.”

⭐ Constellation map → · 📖 Read the original → · 🗂 Character index → · 🕰 Chronicle → · 📍 Places →

Extracted from the original text of Tibetan Tales, Derived from Indian Sources. Made with Rho MD.