Verses on Dhamma 25.12.p22

25.12.p22

Taṃ sutvā sāmaṇero ‘‘ayaṃ nāgarājā attano icchāya na dassati, ahaṃ balakkāraṃ katvā ānubhāvaṃ jānāpetvā imaṃ abhibhavitvāva pānīyaṃ gaṇhissāmī’’ti cintetvā, ‘‘mahārāja, upajjhāyo maṃ anotattatova pānīyaṃ āharāpeti, tenāhaṃ idameva harissāmi, apehi, mā maṃ vārehī’’ti vatvā imaṃ gāthamāha –

When the novice heard this, he thought to himself, "This dragon will not give me water of his own free will. I will therefore employ violence, display great supernatural power, overpower him, and take the water." So the novice said to the king of the dragons, "Mighty king, my preceptor directed me to fetch drinking-water from Lake Anotatta and nowhere else. Therefore I will fetch only this water. Depart from me; do not seek to hinder me." So saying, he pronounced the following Stanza, Hence only will I fetch drinking-water; this alone do I seek. If you possess power and strength, king of dragons, restrain yourself.