[209] Thus have I heard. At one time the Blessed One was dwelling at Rājagaha, on the mountain Gijjhakūṭa. Then Pañcasikha, son of the gandhabbas, when the night was far advanced, of surpassing radiance, having illuminated the entire mountain Gijjhakūṭa, approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, he stood to one side. Standing to one side, Pañcasikha, son of the gandhabbas, said this to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, what I have heard face to face with the gods of the Tāvatiṃsa heaven and received face to face, that I shall announce to the Blessed One."
The Blessed One said: "Announce it to me, Pañcasikha."
"Venerable sir, in former days, long ago, on the Uposatha day of the fifteenth, on the full-moon night of the Pavāraṇā, the gods of the Tāvatiṃsa heaven in their entirety were seated assembled together in the Sudhammā hall, and a great celestial assembly was seated all around, and the Four Great Kings were seated at the four quarters: in the eastern quarter the Great King Dhataraṭṭha was seated facing west, placed at the head of his gods; in the southern quarter the Great King Virūḷhaka was seated facing north, placed at the head of his gods; in the western quarter the Great King Virūpakkha was seated facing east, placed at the head of his gods; in the northern quarter the Great King Vessavaṇa was seated facing south, placed at the head of his gods. Venerable sir, when the gods of the Tāvatiṃsa heaven in their entirety are seated assembled together in the Sudhammā hall, and a great celestial assembly is seated all around, and the Four Great Kings are seated at the four quarters, such is the arrangement of their seats; then afterwards come our seats.
Venerable sir, those gods who, having lived the holy life under the Blessed One, had recently been reborn in the Tāvatiṃsa host, outshone the other gods in beauty and in glory. On that account, venerable sir, the gods of the Tāvatiṃsa heaven were pleased, gladdened, filled with rapture (pīti) and joy, saying: 'Truly, sirs, the heavenly hosts are filling up, and the hosts of the asuras are dwindling!'
Then, venerable sir, Sakka, lord of the gods, knowing the satisfaction of the gods of the Tāvatiṃsa heaven, rejoiced with these verses:"
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.