[40] 2. "O devatā whose complexion shines with radiance,
wearing garments of glowing red,
of great power, your limbs lovely with sandalwood —
who are you, O beautiful devatā, that you pay homage to me?
And your couch, of great price,
splendid, inlaid with many a gem,
seated whereon you shine forth
like the king of the devas in the Nandana Grove —
what good conduct did you practise in the past, good lady?
Of what kamma (deed) do you experience the result (vipāka)
in the world of devas? O devatā, declare, when asked:
of what deed is this the fruit?"
[The devatā replied:]
"To you as you walked for alms, venerable sir,
I gave a garland and molasses (phāṇita);
of that deed I experience
this result in the world of devas.
Yet remorse is mine, venerable sir —
a transgression, and I am pained:
I did not hear the Dhamma
well taught by the King of Dhamma.
Therefore I say this to you, venerable sir:
let anyone who would have compassion on me
rouse me in the dhammas
well taught by the King of Dhamma.
Those who have faith (saddhā) in the Buddha,
in the Dhamma, and in the Saṅgha-jewel —
they far outshine me
in lifespan, in fame, in glory;
superior in majesty and in beauty,
those other devas are of greater power than I."
The Pabhassara Vimāna, the second.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.