Jataka 145 Radha
Radha Jataka
Once on a time when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisatta was born a parrot. A certain Brahmin in the Kasi country was as a father to him and to his younger brother, treating them like his own children. Potthapada was the Bodhisatta's name, and Radha his brother's.
Now the Brahmin had a bold bad wife. And as he was leaving home on business, he said to the two brothers, "If your mother, my wife, is minded to be naughty, stop her." "We will, papa," said the Bodhisatta, "if we can but if we can't we will hold our peace."
Having thus entrusted his wife to the parrots charge, the Brahmin set out on his business. Every day thenceforth his wife misconducted herself; there was no end to the stream of her loves in and out of the house. Oved by the sight Radha said to the Bodhisatta, "Brother, the parting injunction of our father was to stop any misconduct on his wife's part, and now she does nothing but misconduct herself. Let us stop her." "Brother," said the Bodhisatta, "your words are the words of folly. You might carry a woman about in your arms and yet she would not be safe. So do not essay the impossible." And so saying he uttered this stanza:
How many more shall midnight bring? Your plan
Is idle. Naught but wifely love could curb
Her lust and wifely love is lacking quite.
And for the reasons thus given, the Bodhisatta did not allow his brother to speak to the brahmin's wife, who continued to ged about to her heart's content during her husband's absence. On his return, the Brahmin asked Potthapada about his wife's conduct, and the Bodhisatta faithfully related all that had taken place.
"Why, father," he said, "should you have anything more to do with so wicked a woman?" And he added these words, "My father, now that I have reported my mother's wickedness, we can dwell here no longer." So saying, he bowed at the brahmin's feet and flew away with Radha to the forest.