Ja 292 The Story about (the Crow) Supatta
(Supattajātaka)
In the present Rāhula’s mother, after ordaining falls ill. Ven. Rāhula asks what is to be done, and she asks for mango juice, which Ven. Sāriputta then brings for her and which cures her. The Buddha tells a story of a crow, Supatta, who was willing to lay down his life to get his queen, Suphassā, some fish from the king of Benares’ table. And how the king praised and rewarded him for his valour.
1. Bārāṇasyaṁ, mahārāja, kākarājā nivāsako,
Asītiyā sahassehi Supatto parivārito.
In Benares, great king, a king of the crows dwells, named Supatta, surrounded by eighty thousand.
2. Tassa dohaḷinī bhariyā Suphassā bhakkhitum-icchati The second half of the pādayuga has one syllable too many, with no easy way to correct it.
Rañño mahānase pakkaṁ paccagghaṁ rājabhojanaṁ.
His pregnant wife Suphassā wished to feast upon the king’s own costly food cooked in the king’s kitchen.
3. Tesāhaṁ pahito dūto, rañño camhi idhāgato,
Bhattu apacitiṁ kummi, nāsāyam-akaraṁ vaṇan-ti.
Amongst these I’m the messenger who was sent, come here to the king, I pay respects to my master, I made a wound upon his nose.
In this connection, dwells means lives constantly.
Cooked means supplied with various kinds. It is hard to understand such a definition. Pakka cannot mean various kinds, and on the other hand clearly does mean cooked. Some recite: “Baked.” Siddha also means cooked.
Or, costly means the hottest, freshest, amongst the prepared fish and meat, here, singularly expensive, this is costly.
Amongst these I’m the messenger who was sent, come here to the king, amongst these two I am the messenger under the command of the king who was sent, therefore I came here, this is the meaning.
I pay respects to my master, so I came in this way paying respects, honour and veneration to my master. The definition seems to means that kummi should be taken as a 1st person indicative equal to karomi.
I made a wound upon his nose, great king, for this reason notwithstanding your or my own life, to make fall a food vessel on the food bearer’s nose, and make a wound with the tip of my beak. Respects are paid by myself to the king, now as you wish you must give punishment.