Chirayus

A king of Chirayu. Nagarjuna, his minister was kind, and had good knowledge of chemistry. He once discovered a potion to keep his king and himself perpetually young. They both consumed it. A few days later his son died. He decided to make a potion that would prevent death. He mixed various ingredients and waited to add the final one, since the prescribed hour for that was 5 days away. The devas grew frightened and began thinking of ways to stop him. They sent the ashwinis who told Nagarjuna that his son was well in devaloka and that he should stop his process. He agreed. Some time later Chirayus made his son Jeevahara prince, and the prince rushed to his mother Dhanapara to convey the good news. But his mother said that his father had many sons and they had all been made princes but the king had outlived them. He was 800 years old thanks to Nagarjuna’s potion. She advised him that everyday at noon Nagarjuna would ask whether he had any guests and would offer them anything they asked for. She said that he should ask for Nagarjuna’s head and if he died, the king would also die of grief or at least retire to the forests. Jeevahara did exactly that and the minister offered him his head. But the prince lost several swords in trying to cut the minister’s neck, strengthened by the potion. The king came to know of this and tried to dissuade the prince. Nagarjuna told him that he had donated his head in the last 99 incarnations and wanted to complete his 100th birth too. He embraced the king and spread some powder on the prince’s sword. The prince could then easily cut his head. The king retired to the forest and earned salvation. But the minister’s sons killed Jeevahara and saddened by this, the queen also died as per Kathasaritasagara Ratnaprabhalambaka Taranga 7.