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เทวะตาภิสัมมันตะนะคาถา Devatābhisammantanagāthā The Verses of Address to the Devas Chanted as an address to the unseen beings present at a place, commonly at the opening of a blessing ceremony or the consecration of a site. page 27 ขุ.ขุ. 25/89, ขุ.อุ. 25/221 16 verses

An address to all beings gathered, earthbound or in the air: hear this well-spoken word, be kindly to humankind, and guard those who make offerings.

Pali source
ขุ.ขุ. 25/89, ขุ.อุ. 25/221
When chanted
Chanted as an address to the unseen beings present at a place, commonly at the opening of a blessing ceremony or the consecration of a site.

A note on this chant. The book prints this chant in Pali only, with no Thai translation. The English here is a working translation prepared for this edition — it is not the book's own, and has not yet been checked by a teacher.

Historical background

This chant belongs with the preceding one and follows it in the book's numbering, but its posture is different. The last set dedicated merit to the devas; this one speaks to them directly. It opens by naming who is being addressed — beings gathered here, whether of the earth or of the intermediate space — and asks first for their attention rather than their favour.

The preceding chant carried a canonical footnote; this one is printed with no attribution at all, and none has been supplied in its place. No Thai rendering appears beneath it either, so the chant is given here with its Pali and an English translation only.

Meaning and purpose

The opening stanza is an address, not a request. It calls upon whatever beings have assembled, ภุมมานิ or อันตะลิกเข — of the earth or of the air — and asks two things of them: that they be glad in mind, and that they listen respectfully to what is about to be said. The order matters. Nothing is asked of these beings until they have been greeted and their goodwill sought.

The second movement states what is being offered them: a well-spoken word, something that gives rise to mindfulness in merit, free of evil, an instruction in Dhamma for those who would follow it. The gift to the devas is the teaching itself. Only after this does the verse turn, with ตัส์มา หิ, therefore — and the request follows.

The request is for loving-kindness towards the human race, and specifically towards those who bear strong devotion to these beings and who carry offerings by day and by night. The final stanza gives the reason with unusual candour: human beings are of slender power, while these beings are unseen and of great might. The asymmetry is stated plainly, and the closing line draws its conclusion — therefore guard them, being heedful.

The chant

As the book prints it: page 27 →

1

ยานีธะ ภูตานิ สะมาคะตานิ

yānīdha bhūtāni samāgatāni

Whatever beings are here assembled,

2

ภุมมานิ วา ยานิ วะ อันตะลิกเข

bhummāni vā yāni va antalikkhe

whether of the earth or those in the air,

3

สัพเพ วะ ภูตา สุมะนา ภะวันตุ

sabbe va bhūtā sumanā bhavantu

may all those beings be glad of mind,

4

อะโถปิ สักกัจจะ สุณันตุ ภาสิตัง.

athopi sakkacca suṇantu bhāsitaṃ.

and moreover let them listen respectfully to what is spoken.

5

สุภาสิตัง กิญจิปิ โว ภะเณมุ

subhāsitaṃ kiñcipi vo bhaṇemu

Some little that is well spoken we would utter to you,

6

ปุญเญ สะตุปปาทะกะรัง อะปาปัง

puññe satuppādakaraṃ apāpaṃ

giving rise to mindfulness in merit, free of evil,

7

ธัมมูปะเทสัง อะนุการะกานัง

dhammūpadesaṃ anukārakānaṃ

an instruction in Dhamma for those who would follow it.

8

ตัส๎มา หิ ภูตานิ สะเมนตุ สัพเพ

tasmā hi bhūtāni samentu sabbe

Therefore let all beings assemble.

9

เมตตัง กะโรถะ มานุสิยา ปะชายะ

mettaṃ karotha mānusiyā pajāya

Show loving-kindness towards the race of men,

10

ภูเตสุ พาฬ๎หัง กะตะภัตติกายะ

bhūtesu bāḷhaṃ katabhattikāya

who bear strong devotion towards the beings,

11

ทิวา จะ รัตโต จะ หะรันติ เย พะลิง

divā ca ratto ca haranti ye baliṃ

who by day and by night bring their offerings,

12

ปัจโจปะการัง อะภิกังขะมานา.

paccopakāraṃ abhikaṅkhamānā.

hoping for help in return.

13

เต โข มะนุสสา ตะนุกานุภาวา

te kho manussā tanukānubhāvā

Those human beings are of slender power,

14

ภูตา วิเสเสนะ มะหิทธิกา จะ

bhūtā visesena mahiddhikā ca

while the beings are of especially great might,

15

อะทิสสะมานา มะนุเชหิ ญาตา

adissamānā manujehi ñātā

unseen, though known to men.

16

ตัส๎มา หิ เน รักขะถะ อัปปะมัตตา.

tasmā hi ne rakkhatha appamattā.

Therefore guard them, being heedful.

เทวะตาภิสัมมันตะนะคาถา นิฏฐิตา.

devatābhisammantanagāthā niṭṭhitā.

Here end the Verses of Address to the Devas.

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