Kākātījātaka untranslated

Kākātījātaka (Ja 327). Kākātī was the chief queen of the King of Benares (the Bodhisatta). A certain Garuḍa king came disguised as a man and played at dice with the king. Having fallen in love with Kākātī, the Garuḍa carried her off to his abode by the Simbalī Lake and there lived with her. The king, missing his queen, sent his physician, Naṭakuvera, to look for her. The physician hid himself in the Garuḍa’s plumage and thus reached the palace where Kākātī was. There he enjoyed her favour and returned to Benares in the Garuḍa’s wing. While the Garuḍa and the king were playing at dice, Naṭakuvera sang a song telling of his experiences with Kākātī. The Garuḍa, realising what had happened, brought the queen back to Benares.

The story was related by the Buddha to a monk who was discontented on account of a woman. The monk is identified with Naṭakuvera (Ja.iii.90-2).

The story is among those related by the bird Kuṇāla, in the Kuṇālajātaka (Ja 536). There (Ja.v.428) we learn that the Garuḍa’s name was Venateyya, who is identified with Kuṇāla.

The Kākātījātaka very closely resembles the Sussondījātaka (Ja 360). Ja.iii.187ff.