Safeguard Recitals (a book of protection chants)

“Na ha nūna so bhikkhave bhikkhu
“Surely, monks, that monk did not
The First Recital - 37
cattāri ahirājakulāni mettena cittena phari.
suffuse the four royal families of snakes with a mind (full of) friendliness.
Sace hi so bhikkhave bhikkhu cattāri ahirājakulāni mettena cittena phareyya
For if, monks, that monk had suffused the four royal families of snakes with a mind (full of)
friendliness
na hi so bhikkhave bhikkhu ahinā daṭṭho kālaṁ kareyya.
then that monk, monks, would not have been bitten by a snake and died.
Katamāni cattāri ahirājakulāni?
Who are the four royal families of snakes?
Virūpakkhaṁ ahirājakulaṁ,
The Virūpakkha royal family of snakes,
Erāpathaṁ ahirājakulaṁ,
the Erāpatha royal family of snakes,
Chabyāputtaṁ ahirājakulaṁ,
the Chabyāputta royal family of snakes,
Kaṇhāgotamakaṁ ahirājakulam.
the Kaṇhāgotamaka royal family of snakes.
Na ha nūna so bhikkhave bhikkhu
Surely, monks, that monk did not
imāni cattāri ahirājakulāni mettena cittena phari.
suffuse these four royal families of snakes with a mind (full of) friendliness.
Sace hi so bhikkhave bhikkhu imāni cattāri ahirājakulāni
For if, monks, that monk had suffused these four royal families of snakes
mettena cittena phareyya,
with a mind (full of) friendliness,
na hi so bhikkhave bhikkhu ahinā daṭṭho kālaṁ kareyya.
then that monk, monks, would not have been bitten by a snake and died.
Anujānāmi bhikkhave,
I allow you, monks,
imāni cattāri ahirājakulāni mettena cittena pharituṁ,
to suffuse these four royal families of snakes with a mind (full of) friendliness,
attaguttiyā attarakkhāya attaparittāyā” ti.
to guard yourselves, to protect yourselves, to safeguard yourselves.”