[1267]
The royal road was made ready, adorned, and strewn with flowers,
from where King Vessantara had been dwelling all the way to Jetuttarā.
Then sixty thousand warriors, fair to behold,
escorted him round about on every side
when Vessantara, increaser of the realm of the Sivis, had set forth.
The women of the royal harem and the princes, the merchants (vesiyānā) and the brahmins,
escorted him round about on every side
when Vessantara, increaser of the realm of the Sivis, had set forth.
Elephant-riders, guardsmen of the ranks, charioteers, and foot soldiers
escorted him round about on every side
when Vessantara, increaser of the realm of the Sivis, had set forth.
The country folk gathered together, and the townsfolk gathered together;
they escorted him round about on every side
when Vessantara, increaser of the realm of the Sivis, had set forth.
Helmeted men bearing shields of hide, weapons in hand, well-clad in mail,
marched on ahead
when Vessantara, increaser of the realm of the Sivis, had set forth.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.