An Expedition to Kill the Devil and to Save Gesar’s Concubine
After Choru became King Gesar, people in Ling Garpo lived happily and peacefully. Gesar married Sengcham Cholmo, and they immediately became attached to each other. According to ancient custom, Gesar also married Mesa Poingyi and other eleven girls. So Gesar had 13 wives who were all famous princesses in the Ling Garpo area.
One day Gesar went out to make an inspection tour of the Bangchon Chomo Pasture. A flock of fat white sheep were roaming on the green pasture.
As he had travelled a long way and, seeing that everything was Ok, he was pleased and felt sleepy. He took off his gown and covered his head with the right sleeve and then he put his feet into the left sleeve. He fell asleep on the grassland near Zhuocuohu Lake.
As he was sleeping his Aunt Morman Garmo arrived riding on colourful clouds. She whispered into his ear:
“Toipa Garwa, please do not sleep any more. Wake up, wake up! You should go to the Chamo Monastery in the East to learn the skills for vanquishing demons and monsters. Do not forget! Please take Princess Mesa with you.”
Later his Aunt left swiftly surrounded by a colourful rainbow and left her fragrance lingering on behind her.
Without any hesitation Gesar returned to the Upper Ling Garpo immediately. He decided to enclose himself for practicing austerities accompanied by Mesa. But Cholmo was unhappy with this and said:
“Oh, King. I should serve you when you practise austerities. Why are you taking Mesa?”
“My deity aunt told me to do this. You stay at home and take care of Mother.”
“Your deity Aunt?” Cholmo thought Gesar was cheating on her and asked dubiously: “Do you have an Aunt in Heaven?”
“Certainly,” Gesar said respectfully. “When it comes to danger my deity Aunt will give me a prediction and tell me how to go in the right direction.”
Cholmo only half believed what Gesar had said. In any case, she did not want Mesa to accompany Gesar. She thought for a while and then went and found Mesa and said:
“In order to vanquish the demons and monsters the Lion King has decided to go to the Chamo Monastery in the East. I will go with the King. Please stay here to look after our mother. I will see you when we come back.”
Mesa only half believed what Cholmo said but she said nothing and accepted what Cholmo had told her reluctantly.
Cholmo came back smiling and said to Gesar:
“Oh, my dear King, I do not disagree with Mesa going with you but she is not feeling well. If she goes with you while you practice your austerities, it will be very troublesome. Let her rest at home and you can take me with you.”
Gesar loved Cholmo more than Mesa. Now that Mesa was not feeling well he could not do anything about it. Then he had to violate his deity Aunt’s advice but he was very pleased to be going with Cholmo. Gesar was enclosed in the monastery to practise his austerities for seven days.
One night, Mesa dreamt that a red gale blew from the upper valley and a black gale blew from the lower valley. She was swept away by the gale. Mesa was scared. The next day, early in the morning, she brought the desserts that she had made to Gesar in the Chamo Monastery. She was very eager to meet Gesar and tell him what she had dreamt.
When Mesa passed by a spring near the Chamo Monastery, she happened to meet Cholmo who went there to get some water. Cholmo did not seem to be too happy when she saw Mesa.
“Mesa, what are you doing here?”
Heedless of her hunger and tiredness and not caring about Cholmo’s likes and dislikes, Mesa said in a hurry:
“Dear sister, I had a nightmare last night. It was so horrible. I come here to tell it to the Lion King. Dear sister, please tell the King that I need to see him.”
Cholmo agreed and left with her pail of water. She did not tell Gesar about Mesa’s nightmare. Instead, she just wandered about for a little while and then went back to Mesa:
“My dear sister, I told the King what you said. The King asked me to tell you that the dream is a dream. It is the result of your being mixed up and this occurs especially in women’s dreams. Don’t believe it. Just make sure you get back safely.”
Mesa felt a tingle in her nose. With tears in her eyes, Mesa looked at Cholmo pathetically.
“Well, in that case, dear sister, please take these desserts to the King. Please tell my dream to the King again and ask him for its meaning.” Then Mesa turned away and left sadly.
Cholmo was also in a bad mood, but she thought Gesar should not be disturbed when he was practising his austerities. She decided not to tell him about Mesa’s dream. She took the desserts to Gesar.
“Hey! These desserts are just like those that Mesa makes. Has she been here? Is there anything wrong at home?”
Cholmo was startled when she heard this but she pretended not to hear. She complained to him: “What did you say, my dear King? Is there gold or jade in the dessert made by Mesa? I can make any dessert that Mesa can. Don’t worry about anything, my King. You should concentrate completely on your practice.”
Gesar said no more and ate the desserts silently. In fact, he was not in as good a mood as before.
On the last day of Gesar’s enclosed practise: a maid came to inform him breathlessly.
“King Gesar, I’ve got some bad news! Mesa was captured by the Black Devil. Please go back to Ling Garpo Quickly.”
Gesar realised the seriousness and was preparing to chase the Black Devil. But his deity aunt stopped him.
“I told you come here with Mesa but you did not. It’s not the right time to destroy the Black Devil. Don’t chase him. Go back at once to your austerities. You have to practice until you are both intelligent and powerful enough.”
Gesar was saddened with remorse. Now he had to chase the Devil but he wasn’t allowed to do it. He went all out to practice and was waiting and looking for the chance to save Mesa.
Who had taken Mesa? How did he get to know Gesar’s whereabouts? A long time ago Zhaotoin had been the spy.