King’* efforts to make the Prince interested in worldly life :* The king Shuddhodana loved the Prince very much because his mother had * when he was only seven days old. He was the only son of his father. The Prince was a born thinker. He had no interest in worldly life since his childhood. The king tried his best that the Prince should become interested in worldly life. The dream readers also had predicted him that the Prince would be either the king of kings or a great preacher and he would renounce the world.
Desire of the Prince to see the outside world: One day the Prince heard the music on Veena.. In reality it was the message of gods for him. So he desired to go to the city. He sought permission of the king to go round the city and see the outside world. The king gave him permission to see for himself the kingdom and its subjects. He made proper arrangements and ordered his charioteer Channa to go with the Prince.
Precautions made by the king : The king remembered of dream readers and he was doubtful of the Prince. So he ordered that the city should be decorated. There should be no painful sight on the way of the Prince. No ailing man or old man should come on his way. The aim of the king in doing so was that the Prince should be away from the pain and sufferings of the world.
