1.1“Yadā ahosiṁ pavane,“Once I lived in the forest1.2kuñjaro mātuposako;as an elephant who provided for his mother.1.3Na tadā atthi mahiyā,At that time no one on earth1.4guṇena mama sādiso.could equal my virtues.

2.1Pavane disvā vanacaro,Seeing me in the forest, a forester2.2rañño maṁ paṭivedayi;informed the king about me.2.3‘Tavānucchavo mahārāja,‘Great King, an elephant that befits you2.4gajo vasati kānane.is dwelling in the forest grove.

3.1Na tassa parikkhāyattho,No need to dig a moat around him,3.2napi āḷakakāsuyā;nor tether him to a post in a pit.3.3Saha gahite soṇḍāya,Taken by the trunk,3.4sayameva idhehi’ti.he will come here by himself.’

4.1Tassa taṁ vacanaṁ sutvā,When he heard these words,4.2rājāpi tuṭṭhamānaso;the king, elated,4.3Pesesi hatthidamakaṁ,sent an elephant-tamer,4.4chekācariyaṁ susikkhitaṁ.a well-trained and expert tutor.

5.1Gantvā so hatthidamako,When the elephant-tamer reached there,5.2addasa padumassare;he saw me in a lotus pond,5.3Bhisamuḷālaṁ uddharantaṁ,pulling out lotus roots5.4yāpanatthāya mātuyā.to feed my mother.

6.1Viññāya me sīlaguṇaṁ,Discerning my moral virtue,6.2lakkhaṇaṁ upadhārayi;he checked me for marks.6.3‘Ehi puttā’ti vatvāna,Saying, ‘Come, child’,6.4mama soṇḍāya aggahi.he took me by the trunk.

7.1Yaṁ me tadā pākatikaṁ,What was at that time7.2sarīrānugataṁ balaṁ;the natural strength of my body,7.3Ajja nāgasahassānaṁ,would equal a thousand7.4balena samasādisaṁ.of the elephants of today.

8.1Yadihaṁ tesaṁ pakuppeyyaṁ,If I had been upset8.2upetānaṁ gahaṇāya maṁ;with those who came to capture me,8.3Paṭibalo bhave tesaṁ,I would have had the power8.4yāva rajjampi mānusaṁ.to defeat even a kingdom of men.

9.1Api cāhaṁ sīlarakkhāya,Nevertheless, for the sake of guarding my ethics,9.2Sīlapāramipūriyā;and fulfilling my perfection of ethics,9.3Na karomi citte aññathattaṁ,I did not let my mind change,9.4Pakkhipantaṁ mamāḷake.even as they caged me.

10.1Yadi te maṁ tattha koṭṭeyyuṁ,And even were they to beat me10.2pharasūhi tomarehi ca;with hatchets and lances,10.3Neva tesaṁ pakuppeyyaṁ,I would never become upset,10.4sīlakhaṇḍabhayā mamā”ti.for fear of violating my ethics.”

11.1Mātuposakacariyaṁ paṭhamaṁ.