THE GREAT CHRONICLE OF BUDDHAS
936
not too far either, just a suitable distance away from where the Buddha could hear his
music.
Deva PaÒcasikha's Songs to The Accompaniment of His Lute
From that appropriate position Deva PaÒcasikha played his lute singing songs
1
on the
subjects of the Buddha, the Dhamma, the Sangha
,
the
Arahat
, and of sensual pleasures.
(1)
Vande te pitaraÑ bhaadde timbaruÑ s|riyavacchase
yena jÈtÈsi kalyÈnÊ Œnanda jananÊ mama.
My noble Lady of glowing complexion like the radiant sun
Offspring of Lord Timbaru!
You are as fair as fair can be,
Possessing the five qualities of feminine beauty,
The source of my delight.
Out of my fondness for you,
I worship your father Timbaru.
(2)
VÈtova sedataÑ kanto pÈnÊyaÑva pipsato
A~gÊrasi piyÈmesi dhammo arahatÈmiva.
(3)
Œturasseva bhesajjaÑ bhojanaÑva jighacchato
ParinibÈpaya maiÑ bhadde jalantamiva vÈrinÈ.
(2-3) O glowing complexioned Lady!
Just as a sweating man welcomes a cool breeze,
Just as a thirsty man welcomes drinking water;
Just as the
arahat
welcomes the Dhamma;
Just as one afflicted by malady welcomes the medicine,
Just as a famished one welcomes the food.
So also I, the deva with Five Knots, adore you.
Just as water quells the blaze,
O my noble Lady!
Let your smile quell the fire of passion in me!
(4)
SÊtokadaÑ pokkharaniÑ yuttaÑ kiÒjakkhareeÓunÈ
NÈgo ghammÈbhitattova ogÈhe te thamÊdaraÑ.
Just as a tusker oppressed by heat
Wishes to descend into the cool waters of a lily pond,
So also I would fain descend into your soft bosom.
(5)
Acca~kusova nÈgova jitaÑ me tuttatomaraÑ
KÈraÓaÑ nappajÈnÈmi sammatto lakkhan|ruyÈ.
O my noble Lady! Just as a tusker in musk,
Defying the pike that checks him, is blinded by passion,
I too, being infatuated with your graceful thighs,
1. The word-for-word renderings in the original Myanmar, beautiful and learned, are penned by the
Sibhani Sayadaw who presided over the Fifth Buddhist Council in Mandalay. He was awarded (1)
Narinda bhisiri Saddhamma dhaja mahÈ dhammarÈjÈdhi rÈjaguru and Narinda bhisÊri
Sadhammajotipala dhaja mahÈ dhammarÈjÈdhi rÈjaguru title by King Mindon and Narindha bhi
dhaja atuladhipati sÊri pavara mahÈ dhammarÈjÈ dhirÈjaguru title by King Thipaw. The Sayadaw
wrote the Burmese meaning of the songs in his treatise ‚Kavi maÓÉana medanÊ‛. Only the gist of
each song is given here in English prose.