Viyahapannatti 12.9.557

12.9.557

bhaviyadavvadevā ṇaṃ bhaṃte! kiṃ egattaṃ pabhū viuvvittae? puhattaṃ pabhū viuvvittae?
goyamā! egattaṃ pi pabhū viuvvittae, puhattaṃ pi pabhū viuvvittae| egattaṃ viuvvamāṇe egiṃdiya-rūvaṃ vā jāva paṃciṃdiyarūvaṃ vā, puhattaṃ viuvvamāṇe egiṃdiyarūvāṇi vā jāva paṃciṃdiyarūvāṇi vā, tāiṃ saṃkhejjāṇi vā asaṃkhejjāṇi vā, saṃbaddhāṇi vā asaṃbaddhāṇi vā, sarisāṇi vā asarisāṇi vā viuvvaṃti, viuvvittā tao pacchā jahicchiyāiṃ kajjāiṃ kareṃti| evaṃ naradevā vi, evaṃ dhammadevā vi|
devātidevāṇaṃ–pucchā|
goyamā! egattaṃ pi pabhū viuvvittae, puhattaṃ pi pabhū viuvvittae, no ceva ṇaṃ saṃpatīe viuvviṃsu vā, viuvvaṃti vā, viuvvissaṃti vā|
bhāvadevā jahā bhaviyadavvadevā|

"Venerable Sir, are potential substance-gods able to transform into a single form? Are they able to transform into multiple forms?"
"Gautama, they are able to transform into a single form, and they are also able to transform into multiple forms. Transforming into a single form, [they transform into] a one-sensed form or up to a five-sensed form; transforming into multiple forms, [they transform into] one-sensed forms or up to five-sensed forms; and they transform into forms that are numerable or innumerable, joined or unjoined, similar or dissimilar; and having transformed, they then carry out their desired activities. So too for human-gods, and so too for Dharma-gods."
Inquiry regarding gods of gods.
"Gautama, they are able to transform into a single form, and they are also able to transform into multiple forms; however, in actuality, they have never transformed, do not transform, and will not transform."
Actual gods are as potential substance-gods.