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160. "And a seat all of gold, eight-footed, delightful; Polished, spread with Kasi cloth, Dhataraṭṭha sat upon it. 161. "And a couch all of gold, embroidered with tiger skins; Sumukha sat close by, next to Dhataraṭṭha." For them, with golden plates, the Kasi people, taking much, brought to the swans the best food, prepared for the king. Seeing the excellent food brought, sent by the king of Kasi, the one skilled in royal duties then immediately asked. Is all well with you, sir? Are you free from illness, sir? Is this prosperous kingdom ruled by you righteously? All is well with me, O swan, and I am free from illness, O swan; And this prosperous kingdom I rule righteously. Among your ministers, is no fault found? And do they, for your sake, not cling to their lives? Indeed, among my ministers, no fault is found; Indeed, for my sake, they do not cling to their lives. Is your wife suitable, obedient and sweet-speaking? Endowed with children, beauty, and fame, does she follow your will? Indeed, my wife is suitable, obedient and sweet-speaking; Endowed with children, beauty, and fame, she follows my will. Is your kingdom unmolested, free from any trouble? Do you rule it without violence, righteously and impartially? Indeed, my kingdom is unmolested, free from any trouble; I rule it without violence, righteously and impartially. Are the virtuous honored, and the unvirtuous avoided? Do you not reject the Dhamma, and follow unrighteousness? The virtuous are honored by me, and the unvirtuous avoided; I follow the Dhamma alone, unrighteousness is rejected by me. Do you foresee the long future, O warrior? Are you intoxicated by intoxicating things, and do you not fear the other world? I do not foresee the long future, O winged one; Standing firm in the ten virtues, I do not fear the other world. Generosity, morality, renunciation, uprightness, gentleness, self-control, non-anger, non-violence, and patience... non-opposition. 177. "Thus these wholesome states, I see established in myself; From that arises joy for me, And no small happiness. 178. "And Sumukha, without thinking, Uttered harsh words; Not knowing the fault of his nature, This bird of ours. 179. "He, angered, harsh words, Uttered improperly; Which are not found in us, Nor is this like the wise." 180. "I have that transgression, Due to haste, O lord of men; And when Dhataraṭṭha was bound, Great suffering was mine. 181. "You are our father, like to sons, Like the earth to beings; For us who have fallen, Forgive us, O king-lion." 182. "Thus we approve of you, That you do not conceal your nature; You break open the fallow ground, O bird, You are straightforward, O winged one." 183. "Whatever jewels there are, In the dwelling of the King of Kasi; Silver and gold, Many pearls and lapis lazuli. 184. "Gems and conch-pearls, Cloth and yellow sandalwood; Skins and ivory goods, Much iron and black iron; This wealth I give to you, I grant you sovereignty." 185. "Indeed we are honored by you, And respected, O chief of chariots; For us who live by the Dhamma, Be our teacher. 186. "Teacher, approved by you, Permitted by you are we; Having circumambulated you, Let us see our kinsfolk, O subduer of enemies." 187. "Having thought all night, Having consulted properly; The King of Kasi permitted, The chief and best of swans." 188. "Then at the end of the night, Towards the rising of the sun; While the King of Kasi watched, They departed from the dwelling." 189. "They, having arrived safely, Seeing the supreme birds; Made a 'keka' sound, the swans Then, a great noise arose. 190. They, having come down, by the released one, By their master, respecting their master; They surrounded him all around, The egg-born, having found their support. 191. Thus, for those with friends, All aims are auspicious; Just as the Dhataraṭṭha geese, Approached their flock of kin. The Great Goose Birth Story, the Second. 535. The Nectar-Food Birth Story (3) 192. I neither buy nor do I sell, Nor do I have any store; This little bit is indeed a hard case, A measure of rice is not enough for two. 193. From little, one should give a little, From moderate, a moderate amount; From much, one should give much, Not giving is not proper. 194. This I tell you, Kosiya, Give gifts and enjoy; Having ascended the noble path, One who does not eat alone obtains happiness. 195. And vain for him is the offering, And vain also is the striving; When a guest is seated, One who eats the food alone. 196. This I tell you, Kosiya, Give gifts and enjoy; Having ascended the noble path, One who does not eat alone obtains happiness. 197. And true for him is the offering, And true also is the striving; When a guest is seated, One who does not eat the food alone. 198. This I tell you, Kosiya, Give gifts and enjoy; Having ascended the noble path, One who does not eat alone obtains happiness. 199. And a person offers to a lake, To many and to Gaya; At the Timbaru ford in Doṇa, In a great stream with swift current. 200. And there for him is the offering, And there for him is the striving; When a guest is seated, One who does not eat the food alone. 201. This I tell you, Kosiya, Give gifts and enjoy; Having ascended the noble path, One who does not eat alone obtains happiness. 202. Indeed he swallows a hook, With a long line and its attachment; When a guest is seated, One who eats the food alone. 203. This I tell you, Kosiya, Give gifts and eat; Having ascended the Noble Path, the moderate eater obtains happiness. 204. Indeed, these brahmins are of splendid appearance, and for what reason is this dog of yours? It creates various forms and colors, tell us, brahmins, who are you? 205. The moon and the sun, both have come here, and this is Mātali, the charioteer of the gods; I am Sakka, the lord of the thirty-three gods, and this one is called Pañcasikha. 206. Hand-drums and mudiṅgas, murajas and alambaras; they awaken him from sleep, and being awakened, he rejoices. 207. Whoever here are stingy and miserly, revilers of recluses and brahmins; having cast off their body here, at the breaking up of the body, they go to hell. 208. Whoever here aspire to a good destination, established in Dhamma, in self-restraint, in sharing; having cast off their body here, at the breaking up of the body, they go to a good destination. 209. You were our relative in former births, that stingy, angry, evil-natured one; we have come here for your sake, may the evil-natured one not go to hell. 210. Indeed, you are my well-wishers, since you admonish me; I will act accordingly, all that has been said by my well-wishers. 211. I will cease from this very day, nor will I do any evil; nor is there anything for me that should not be given, nor do I drink water without giving. 212. And if I give always in this way, these possessions of mine, Vāsava, will be exhausted; then I will go forth, Sakka, having abandoned desires as they are. 213. On the excellent mountain, the best of mountains, Gandhamādana, they rejoice, protected by the best of gods; then came the sage, knower of all worlds, carrying a branch of a splendid, fully bloomed tree. 214. Pure, fragrant, honored by the gods, the best of flowers... served by the deathless excellent ones; Not obtained by mortals or by demons, but by the gods who are worthy of it here. 215. Then four women, like golden-skinned, chief among beauties, rose up to the sage; Hope and Faith, then Fortune and Shame, thus spoke to the god-brahmin Narada. 216. "If this flower of the Pāricchattaka, great sage, has not been designated by you, Brahmin, give it to us; may all your wishes be fulfilled, and may you be to us even as Vāsava (Indra) is." 217. Narada, looking at them as they begged, spoke thus, stirring up a quarrel: "I have no need of these; whoever among you is the best, let her adorn herself with it." 218. "You, Narada, looking at us, give it to whomever you wish; for to whomever you give it, Narada, she will be considered the best among us." 219. "This speech is not proper, O beautiful ones; what brahmin would stir up a quarrel? Go and ask the lord of beings himself, if you do not know the superior and inferior here." 220. Those, greatly angered by Narada, and intoxicated by the pride of their beauty, went to the thousand-eyed one and asked the lord of beings, "Who is the best?" 221. Seeing them, Purindada, with a joyful mind, the chief of gods, with joined palms, spoke thus: "May all of you, O beautiful ones, be alike; who, indeed, O good ladies, stirred up a quarrel?" 222. "That great sage, Narada, who wanders through all the worlds, firm in the Dhamma, truthful in his actions, he told us on the excellent mountain Gandhamādana: 'Go and ask the lord of beings himself, if you do not know the superior and inferior here.'" 223. "That great sage, who wanders in the brahmin's forest, does not eat without giving food, O beautiful ones; Kosiyo gives gifts after careful selection; to whomever he gives, she is indeed the best." 224. "He who dwells in the southern direction, on the bank of the Gaṅgā, Him- That Kosiyo, whose food and drink are hard to obtain, convey ambrosia to him, charioteer of the gods. 225. That Mātali, sent by the chief of the gods, having mounted his thousand-yoked chariot; very quickly approaching the hermitage, unseen, gave ambrosia to the sage. 226. Indeed, as I was attending the sacred fire, the light-maker, the supreme dispeller of the world's darkness; having surpassed all beings, O Vāsava, who indeed placed ambrosia in my hands? 227. White like a conch, of incomparable appearance, pure, fragrant, of lovely form, wondrous; never before seen by my eyes, what deity placed ambrosia in my hands? 228. I was sent by the great Indra, O great sage, I quickly brought ambrosia; You know me, Mātali, charioteer of the gods, partake of this excellent food, do not hesitate. 229.