1.1Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā nāgadatto kosalesu viharati aññatarasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe.At one time Venerable Nāgadatta was staying in the land of the Kosalans in a certain forest grove.¹

1.2Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā nāgadatto atikālena gāmaṁ pavisati, atidivā paṭikkamati.Now at that time Venerable Nāgadatta had been entering the village too early and returning late in the day.1.3Atha kho yā tasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe adhivatthā devatā āyasmato nāgadattassa anukampikā atthakāmā āyasmantaṁ nāgadattaṁ saṁvejetukāmā yenāyasmā nāgadatto tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ nāgadattaṁ gāthāhi ajjhabhāsi:Then the deity haunting that forest had sympathy for Nāgadatta, wanting what’s best for him. So they approached him wanting to stir him up, and recited these verses:

2.1“Kāle pavisa nāgadatta,“Entering the village too early,²2.2Divā ca āgantvā ativelacārī;and returning too late in the day,2.3Saṁsaṭṭho gahaṭṭhehi,Nāgadatta mixes with lay people,2.4Samānasukhadukkho.sharing their joys and sorrows.

3.1Bhāyāmi nāgadattaṁ suppagabbhaṁ,I’m afraid for Nāgadatta; he’s reckless,3.2Kulesu vinibaddhaṁ;shackled to families.3.3Mā heva maccurañño balavato,May he not come under the King of Death’s power,3.4Antakassa vasaṁ upesī”ti.under the sway of the terminator!”

4.1Atha kho āyasmā nāgadatto tāya devatāya saṁvejito saṁvegamāpādīti.Impelled by that deity, Venerable Nāgadatta was struck with a sense of urgency.