[80] 6. Having seen the deva, the bhikkhu questioned him:
"In a lofty mansion (vimāna), long-enduring,
with ornaments fastened upon your hands, glorious,
[you dwell] in your divine mansion even as the moon;
and divine lutes (vīṇā) sound forth sweetly,
in eight groups of eight, trained, comely of form,
and divine maidens, splendid ones who fare among the Thirty (Tidasa),
dance and sing and give delight.
You have attained divine power (iddhi) and are 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 does your radiance (vaṇṇa) shine forth in every direction?"
That devaputta, elated at being questioned by Moggallāna,
… of what deed (kamma) this is the fruit:
"When I was a human being among humans,
having been engaged [for the task], I watched over the milch cows of others;
then an ascetic (samaṇa) came into my presence,
and the cows went off to eat the beans (māsa).
'Twofold is today's duty, and I must do both' —
thus indeed, venerable sir, did I consider then;
and then, having duly (yoniso) recovered presence of mind (saññā),
'I have given [it], venerable sir,' [I said, and] flung down the rag.
In haste I went down to the bean field
before this [herd] should ruin the wealth of the man to whom it belonged;
and there a black serpent of great venom
bit me on the foot as I was hurrying.
I was in anguish, oppressed by suffering (dukkha);
and the bhikkhu, having unfastened that rag,
gave the junket (kummāsa), out of compassion for me.
Passing away thence, having died, I am [now] a deity (devatā).
Just that was the wholesome deed done by me,
and the pleasant [fruit of that] deed I experience for myself.
For greatly indeed, venerable sir, have I been shown compassion by you:
out of gratitude (kataññutā) I pay homage to you.
In the world with its devas and its Māras
there is no other sage (muni) so compassionate as you;
for greatly indeed, venerable sir, have I been shown compassion by you:
out of gratitude I pay homage to you.
In this world or in the world beyond
there is no other sage so compassionate as you;
for greatly indeed, venerable sir, have I been shown compassion by you:
out of gratitude I pay homage to you."
The Gopāla Mansion (Gopālavimāna), the sixth.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.