Gesar decided to return to the region of Ling on the forthcoming January 15. On that day, the king of Gyayo prepared many presents for the king and ministers of the State of Ling. The little Princess Ngagungco, who was unhappy at their parting, asked her father that she be allowed to travel with King Gesar as far as the boundary between the States of Gyayo and Ling. Therefore, King Garlha Kengung dispatched Morci Dainba to accompany the princess and her six sisters on their journey to see off the troops of Ling.
After parting with the seven sisters of Gyayo, King Gesar marched forward. Suddenly, he saw three red-crowned cranes circling overhead, which were fellow soul birds of the Ling region. Dainma advanced towards them, and detached a letter from the neck of one of the cranes. After reading this letter, Gesar sank into a profound gloom.
The reason for this sudden dejection? Because the letter was from Cholmo and read that Tsinpa Merotse had been sick since King Gesar left the State of Ling, and had become worse and worse; before his death, the letter said:
“Tsinpa only desires to have one last meeting with you; so, my king, please return as soon as possible. ”
Gesar guessed that Tsinpa Merotse might already have died by the time he arrived at the State of Ling, and so immediately sent a letter to Cholmo via the cranes, telling her to send Tsinpa to him, so as they should meet each other on the way.
After the three red-crowned cranes came back to the Royal Palace of the State of Ling, Cholmo immediately sent Tsinpa under convoy to Gesar. Thus, Gesar and Tsinpa were reunited as the latter wished. A beautiful smile appeared on the withered and yellow face of Tsinpa Merotse. But the slightness of his breath told Gesar that Tsinpa’s spirit was very soon going to separate from his body.
“Your Majesty, I, Tsinpa Merotse, am guilty of many things, the heaviest of which crimes to bear is the death of your brother Chatsa, the hero of the State of Ling, who was killed by me. Now I am dying, but I am satisfied because I meet you again at my last moments. Please expiate my sins.”
After hearing Tsinpa Merotse’s words, Gesar was terribly grieved and said with deep concern:
“Tsinpa, you first did evil to the State of Ling, but later made great contributions to its welfare. In recognition of this, I removed your sin long ago, and will most certainly release your soul from purgatory so that it may ascend to the Pure Land of Heaven.”
Hearing these words, Tsinpa Merotse was satisfied. He closed his eyes and died at peace. Gesar spared no effort in performing the religious rites necessary for releasing Merotse’s soul to the Pure Land of Heaven.
The Ling troops continued their forward march. One day, they came to a crossroads, where stood two opposing Shashan Mountains. Chin’en looked around and saw, in the distance, a snow-capped mountain towering into the sky. At that moment, all kinds of feelings welled up in the general’s heart and caused his face to be bathed in tears.
Zhaotoin was confused by Chin’en’s tears and asked him why he was so sad. Chin’en replied:
“Uncle Zhaotoin, the snow-capped mountain in front of us is the mighty and well-known peak of Karwa Gebo to which my soul has been long attached. I was captured by the demon Nortsam when I was eight years old, and now I am 58. But during those 50 years I have never drunk the water of my hometown and never seen its mountains. I could only meet my dearest parents, loving wife and younger sister in my dreams. Today, I at last can see the mountain of my homeland, so I cannot help but shed tears.”
Hearing that Chin’en had a younger sister at home, Zhaotoin promptly became a man possessed of evil ideas:
“You really have a younger sister at home? That’s wonderful! If you would like to marry her to me, I will arrange to get you back to your homeland.”
Hearing that he could at last return to his home, Chin’en asked Zhaotoin to help him and promised that once he got there, he would ask his parents to grant him his sister’s hand in marriage.
For Chin’en’s younger sister, Zhaotoin immediately began his witchcraft. Suddenly, the hills and dales were obscured by great plumes of smoke and it became so dark all around that it was hard to identify which way they should go. Seizing this opportunity, Chin’en led Gesar’s horse onto the mountain path that led towards the Rong area. In the surrounding darkness, Gesar was unaware of the mistake.
After a walk of many miles, the Lion King began to feel uneasy, but refrained from voicing his concern out loud. The troops marched to the mountain pass where Chin’en had been previously captured. Looking beyond the pass, they could clearly see that the whole of the land before them was that of the State of Rong, thickly spread with tents. Then, Gesar understood that the reason why they hadn’t reached the State of Ling was that Chin’en had led them instead to the State of Rong. But Gesar pretended to know nothing:
“Chin’en, do you know that snowpeaked mountain? You have followed me for a long time and traveled as my companion to numerous places, but what makes you lost today?”
At the sight of King’s disconsolate expression, Chin’en struck himself on the forehead again and again. Then he took a hada scarf from the box of Buddhist sacred relics which he carried about his person for protection, and offered it to the king, saying:
“My king, I was born a prince of the State of Rong. But when I was eight years old, I was captured by the demon Nortsam and forced to serve as his subject. Later, you saved me and brought to the State of Ling. From then on, both of us were just as horses and saddles that can not be separated one from the other at any time. Dear king, during the past 50 yeas, I have continually met my relatives in my dreams, but when I have awoken, there has been nothing, only sorrow and tears. Please forgive me, my king, and allow me to return to the Land of Rong.”
