Details of thangka; Maneney Gyalmo, the queen of heaven, is shown near the top. Aku Chipon, Gesar's chief counselor, is seated on the other side of the king.

II.The giant of the north

For a time, Gesar went into strict seclusion in a hermitage.  But then Maneney appeared to him.  “Is the wise man without wisdom?  Oh dreaming boy, have you forgotten this is your fifteenth year?  This year your element is water, and that fearsome demon King Lutsan’s element is fire.  If water is poured out, will not the fire be quenched?  Why hesitate?  Start out at once.”

So Gesar sent hurriedly for Dukmo.  “We have known the command would come,” he said to her, “and now the time is here.  By sunrise you must bring Kyang Go, my mighty chestnut steed, from the flower-meadow.  Bring a saddle-cloth with lotus designs, bring my golden saddle.  Bring my talisman and tinderbox.”

But Dukmo could not easily separate herself from the king.  Instead she called to her servant, “Prepare yak meat and goat and lamb so that they melt in the mouth.  Then bring them at once.”  So Dukmo went in to her husband, carrying the carefully arranged delicacies.  Bowing before him, she sang of her sorrow:

If Gesar the God-king goes north,
What will become of his loving wife?
What will become of Ling-castle’s nine turrets?
If Gesar the God-king goes north,
What will become of the turquoise dove?
What will become of the gold-eyed, the small fish?

Gesar was touched by her tears, yet admonished her, “If I am away 108 years, if my beard and hair turn white, if my back is bent crooked, should I not follow heaven?”  But he relented and allowed Dukmo to start out on the journey with him.

But again Maneney materialized, ordering him to send Dukmo back.  So Gesar went on alone until he came to the entrance of three dark valleys.