sutta » sn » sn11 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 11.6

Kulāvakasutta

The Bird Nests Bird Nests

Sāvatthiyaṁ.
At Savatthi.
At Sāvatthī.

“Bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, devāsurasaṅgāmo samupabyūḷho ahosi.
“Bhikkhus, once in the past the devas and the asuras were arrayed for battle.
“Once upon a time, mendicants, a battle was fought between the gods and the titans.

Tasmiṁ kho pana, bhikkhave, saṅgāme asurā jiniṁsu, devā parājiniṁsu.
In that battle the asuras won and the devas were defeated.
In that battle the titans won and the gods lost.

Parājitā ca kho, bhikkhave, devā apāyaṁsveva uttarenamukhā, abhiyaṁsveva ne asurā.
In defeat the devas withdrew towards the north while the asuras pursued them.
Defeated, the gods fled north with the titans in pursuit.

Atha kho, bhikkhave, sakko devānamindo mātali saṅgāhakaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:
Then Sakka, lord of the devas, addressed his charioteer Matali in verse:
Then Sakka, lord of gods, addressed his charioteer Mātali in verse:

‘Kulāvakā mātali simbalismiṁ,
‘Avoid, O Matali, with your chariot pole
‘Mātali, don’t ram the bird nests

Īsāmukhena parivajjayassu;
The bird nests in the silk-cotton woods;
in the red silk-cotton woods with your chariot pole.

Kāmaṁ cajāma asuresu pāṇaṁ,
Let's surrender our lives to the asuras
I’d rather give up our lives to the titans

Māyime dijā vikulāvakā ahesun’ti.
Rather than make these birds nestless.’
than deprive these birds of their nests.’

‘Evaṁ, bhaddantavā’ti kho, bhikkhave, mātali saṅgāhako sakkassa devānamindassa paṭissutvā sahassayuttaṁ ājaññarathaṁ paccudāvattesi.
‘Yes, your lordship,’ Matali the charioteer replied, and he turned back the chariot with its team of a thousand thoroughbreds.
‘Yes, lord,’ replied Mātali. And he turned the chariot back around, with its team of a thousand thoroughbreds.

Atha kho, bhikkhave, asurānaṁ etadahosi:
Then, bhikkhus, it occurred to the asuras:
Then the titans thought,

‘paccudāvatto kho dāni sakkassa devānamindassa sahassayutto ājaññaratho.
‘Now Sakka's chariot with its team of a thousand thoroughbreds has turned back.
‘Now Sakka’s chariot has turned back.

Dutiyampi kho devā asurehi saṅgāmessantī’ti bhītā asurapurameva pāvisiṁsu.
The devas will engage in battle with the asuras for a second time.’ Stricken by fear, they entered the city of the asuras.
The titans will have to fight the gods a second time!’ Terrified, they retreated right away to the citadel of the titans.

Iti kho, bhikkhave, sakkassa devānamindassa dhammena jayo ahosī”ti.
In this way, bhikkhus, Sakka, lord of the devas, won a victory by means of righteousness itself.”
And that’s how Sakka came to win victory by principle.”