1At Sāvatthī.

Now at that time the Sun God had been seized by Rāhu, lord of demons. Then the Sun God, recollecting the Buddha, at that time recited this verse:

2“Homage to you, Buddha, hero!
You’re freed in every way.
I’ve wandered into confinement:
be my refuge!”

3Then the Buddha addressed Rāhu in verse concerning the Sun God:

4“The Sun God has gone for refuge
to the Realized One, the perfected one.
Rāhu, release the Sun!
Buddhas have compassion for the world!

5He fills the darkness with light,
the shining sun, circle of magnificent flame.
Rāhu, do not swallow him as he traverses the sky.
Rāhu, release my progeny, the Sun!”

6Then Rāhu, having released the Sun, rushed to see Vepacitti, lord of demons and stood to one side, shocked and awestruck. Vepacitti addressed him in verse:

7“Why the rush?
Rāhu, you released the Sun
and came here looking like you’re in shock:
why do you stand there so scared?”

“My head would have exploded in seven pieces,
I would have found no joy in life,
if, when enchanted by the Buddha’s spell,
I had not released the Sun.”

1Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

Tena kho pana samayena sūriyo devaputto rāhunā asurindena gahito hoti. Atha kho sūriyo devaputto bhagavantaṁ anussaramāno tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi: 

2"Namo te buddha vīratthu,
vippamuttosi sabbadhi;
Sambādhapaṭipannosmi,
tassa me saraṇaṁ bhavā"ti.

3Atha kho bhagavā sūriyaṁ devaputtaṁ ārabbha rāhuṁ asurindaṁ gāthāhi ajjhabhāsi: 

4"Tathāgataṁ arahantaṁ,
sūriyo saraṇaṁ gato;
Rāhu sūriyaṁ pamuñcassu,
buddhā lokānukampakā.

5Yo andhakāre tamasi pabhaṅkaro,
Verocano maṇḍalī uggatejo;
Mā rāhu gilī caramantalikkhe,
Pajaṁ mamaṁ rāhu pamuñca sūriyan"ti.

6Atha kho rāhu asurindo sūriyaṁ devaputtaṁ muñcitvā taramānarūpo yena vepacitti asurindo tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā saṁviggo lomahaṭṭhajāto ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhitaṁ kho rāhuṁ asurindaṁ vepacitti asurindo gāthāya ajjhabhāsi: 

7"Kiṁ nu santaramānova,
rāhu sūriyaṁ pamuñcasi;
Saṁviggarūpo āgamma,
kiṁ nu bhītova tiṭṭhasī"ti.

8"Sattadhā me phale muddhā,
jīvanto na sukhaṁ labhe;
Buddhagāthābhigītomhi,
no ce muñceyya sūriyan"ti.

Paṭhamo vaggo.

9Dve kassapā ca māgho ca,
Māgadho dāmali kāmado;
Pañcālacaṇḍo tāyano,
Candimasūriyena te dasāti.