sutta » sn » sn11 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 11.6

Kulāvakasutta

Bird Nests The Bird Nests

Sāvatthiyaṁ.
At Sāvatthī.
At Savatthi.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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