[60] 10.
"Mounted upon an elephant (nāga) of gleaming white bulk —
flawless, mighty of tusk, of great swiftness —
mounted upon that noble tusker, well-caparisoned,
you have come here through the air, in the sky.
Upon the elephant's two tusks have been conjured
lotus-pools of limpid water, in full bloom;
and among the lotuses troops of musical instruments sound forth,
and these enchanting ones dance.
You have attained divine power (deviddhi), one of great majesty:
when you were a human being, what merit (puñña) did you make?
By reason of what is your majesty thus ablaze,
and your radiance (vaṇṇa) illumines all directions?"
That young deva (devaputta), elated
at being questioned by Moggallāna,
… of what deed (kamma) this is the fruit:
"Just eight handfuls of flowers
I laid upon the stūpa (thūpa) of the Blessed One Kassapa,
with a confident heart, with my own hands.
Because of that my radiance is such …
and my radiance illumines all directions."
The Nāga Mansion (Nāgavimāna), the tenth.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.