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of the great and powerful Naga, having gone to his relatives; To me, who was asking, his father-in-law said, as they understood my well-led desire. 'We will indeed give you the fair-bodied, beautiful-eyed one, sweetly smiling, with a body anointed with sandalwood; If you bring here the heart of a wise man, obtained righteously; By this wealth, the maiden can be obtained, we do not desire any other wealth beyond this.' Thus, I am not deluded, listen, O warrior, nor do I have any wrong grasping; With your heart, obtained righteously, the Nagas will give Irandhatī, the Naga maiden. Therefore, I am intent on your death, thus is my purpose in your death; Right here, I will throw you into hell." or, having killed him, I will bring his heart. Quickly lift me up, Kātiyāna, if you have need of my heart; Whatever are the virtues of a good man, all of them I will reveal to you today. Then Puṇṇaka, the chief artisan of the Kurus, having quickly placed him on the mountain peak; seeing him seated under the banyan tree, questioned the artisan of excellent wisdom. You have been lifted by me from the precipice, today I have need of your heart; Whatever are the virtues of a good man, all of them reveal to me today. I have been lifted by you from the precipice, if you have need of my heart; Whatever are the virtues of a good man, all of them I will reveal to you today. Be a follower of the departed, young man, and avoid the wet hand; Never be treacherous to friends, and do not fall under the sway of unchaste women. How is one a follower of the departed? How does one burn a wet hand? Who is an unchaste woman? And who is a betrayer of friends? Explain this matter to me, as I ask. One who invites with a seat a stranger, or one never seen before; and a person who does his bidding, the wise call him a follower of the departed. One who stays even one night in a house, where a person receives food and drink; Should not think evil of him even in mind; a betrayer of friends burns a wet hand. Under the shade of which tree one might sit or lie down; one should not break its branch, for a betrayer of friends is evil. Even if a man were to give this entire earth filled with wealth to a woman he trusts; having gotten the chance, she might disrespect even that, do not fall under the sway of such unchaste women. Thus is one a follower of the departed, and thus again does one burn a wet hand; and that is an unchaste woman, and that is a betrayer of friends, be righteous, abandon unrighteousness. The Chapter on the Virtues of a Good Man. ālāgirikaṇḍaṃ 1572. “I stayed in your house for three days, I was served with food and drink; You were my friend, I release you, Go home, O wisest one, as you wish. 1573. “Let the purpose of the Naga clan be lost, Let the Naga maiden be enough for me; You, by your own good words, Are released by me today from death, O wise one.” 1574. “Come, O Yakkha, take me too, Act for your father-in-law's sake through me; And let us see the Naga lord's palace, The Naga's never-before-seen abode.” 1575. “What would be harmful to a man, A wise one should not wish to see; Then by what reason, to an enemy's village, Do you wish to go, O wisest one?” 1576. “Indeed, I also know this, A wise one should not wish to see it; But no evil has been done by me anywhere, Therefore, I do not fear the coming of death.” 1577. “Come then, you shall see the place of immeasurable power, Come, O Katta, with me; Where the Naga goes with dances and songs, Like King Vessavaṇa to Naḷiñña. 1578. “That place, frequented by Naga maidens in groups, Played in constantly, day and night; Abundant with garlands, covered with many flowers, Shines like lightning in the sky. 1579. “Endowed with food and drink, With dances, songs, and music; Full of adorned maidens, It shines with garments and ornaments. 1580. “So Puṇṇaka seated Katta, the chief of the Kurus, Behind him on the seat; Taking Katta, the one of excellent wisdom, He led him to the Naga king's abode. 1581. “Having reached the place of immeasurable power, Katta stood behind Puṇṇaka; The Naga king, observing the assembly, Spoke to his son-in-law first.” 1582. “Why did you go to the mortal world? searching for the heart of a wise one; Has he arrived here with prosperity, bringing the doer of unblemished wisdom?” 1583. “Indeed, he has come, whom you desire, obtained by Dhamma, my Dhamma-protector; See him speaking face to face, pleasant indeed is the company of good people.” The Section of Kālāgirika. 1584. “Having seen what was never seen before, a mortal afflicted by the fear of death; Bewildered, he did not salute, this is not like those with wisdom.” 1585. “I am not bewildered, O Nāga, nor am I afflicted by the fear of death; One to be slain should not salute, nor should one salute one to be slain. 1586. How should one salute, or cause to salute? That action does not fit, for one whom a man wishes to kill.” 1587. “It is so, as you say, you speak the truth, O wise one; One to be slain should not salute, nor should one salute one to be slain. 1588. How should one salute, or cause to salute? That action does not fit, for one whom a man wishes to kill.” 1589. “Is this of yours impermanent or permanent, this manifestation of power, splendor, strength, and energy? I ask you, O King of Nāgas, this matter: how did you obtain this mansion? 1590. Was it obtained by chance, or born of transformation for you, self-made, or given by the gods? Explain to me, O King of Nāgas, this matter: how indeed you obtained this mansion. 1591. “It was not obtained by chance, nor born of transformation for me, not self-made, nor given by the gods; By my own deeds, blameless ones, by merits, I obtained this mansion.” 1592. “What was your vow, what then your holy life, of what well-practiced deed is this the result? This manifestation of power, splendor, strength, and energy, and this great mansion of yours, O Nāga.” 1593. “I and my wife, in the human world, both were faithful givers; My house was then a watering place, ascetics and brahmins were satisfied. 1594. “Garlands and scents And ointments, and perfumes, and lamps, and beds, and shelters; Coverings, and food, and drink, respectfully we gave gifts there. 1595. “That was my vow, that was my holy life, of that well-practiced deed this is the result; The attainment of psychic power, splendor, strength, and vigor, and this great mansion, O wise one.” 1596. “If thus you have obtained this mansion, and know the attainment of the fruits of merit; Therefore, practice the Dhamma diligently, so that you may not again abandon the mansion.” 1597. “There are no ascetics or brahmins here, to whom we might give food and drink, O doer; Tell me, when asked, this matter, how we may not again abandon the mansion.” 1598. “Indeed, you have dependents here, sons and wives and servants; Towards them, by word and by deed, be always uncorrupted.” 1599. “Thus, O Naga, without corruption, observe by word and by deed; Having stayed here in the mansion for your lifespan, from here you will go up to the world of devas.” 1600. “Surely that chief king grieves, without you, whose life you are; Even one afflicted by suffering, meeting you, would find happiness, even if sick.” 1601. “Surely, O Naga, you speak the Dhamma, the supreme, well-practiced path to welfare; Indeed, in such calamities, the distinction of those like me is known.” 1602. “Tell us, was he obtained for nothing? Tell us, did he win him in a gamble? ‘He was obtained by Dhamma,’ so he says. How then did you come into his hand?” 1603. “The king who was the lord there, him he won in a gamble, they say; That king, being defeated, gave me to him. I was obtained by Dhamma, without violence.” 1604. The great Naga, delighted and elated, having heard the wise one’s well-spoken words; Taking the one of excellent wisdom by the hand, then entered his wife’s presence. 1605. “By whom, O stainless one, you are pale, by whom food does not appeal; And my complexion is not such, this one is the dispeller of darkness.” 1606. “Whose heart’s desire you are, O The sun has set. Listen to his words, rare is the sight again. 1607. Having seen him, the pure one, of great wisdom, raising her ten-fingered añjali, with a joyful mind, delighted in form, she spoke thus to the best of the Kuru doers: 1608. "Having seen what was never seen before, a mortal, standing in fear of death, is bewildered and does not salute; this is not like those with wisdom." 1609. "I am not bewildered, O Nāgī, nor do I stand in fear of death; one to be executed does not salute, nor does one salute one to be executed. 1610. How would one salute, or cause to be saluted, one whom a person wishes to kill? That action is not fitting." 1611. "It is so, as you say, you speak the truth, O wise one; one to be executed does not salute, nor does one salute one to be executed. 1612. How would one salute, or cause to be saluted, one whom a person wishes to kill? That action is not fitting." 1613. "Is this of yours impermanent or permanent, this manifestation of power, splendor, strength, and vigor? I ask you, O Nāga maiden, about this matter: How did you obtain this mansion? 1614. Was it obtained by chance, or by ripening of deeds, self-made, or given by the gods? Tell me, O Nāga maiden, about this matter, just how you obtained this mansion." 1615. "It was not obtained by chance, nor by ripening of deeds for me, not self-made, nor given by the gods; by my own deeds, which were not evil, by merits, I obtained this mansion." 1616. "What was your vow, what was your holy life, of what well-practiced deed is this the result? This manifestation of power, splendor, strength, and vigor, and this great mansion of yours, O Nāgī?" 1617. "Both I and my husband, were faithful givers of gifts; my house was then like a drinking-place, ascetics and brahmins were satisfied. 1618.