Safeguard Recitals (a book of protection chants)

The First Recital - 48
“Tathāgataṁ Arahantaṁ, Suriyo saraṇaṁ gato,
“To the Realised One, the Worthy One, the Sun has gone for refuge,
Rāhu Suriyaṁ pamuñcassu! Buddhā lokānukampakā. 1 [2]
you must release the Sun, Rāhu! (For) the Buddhas pity the world.
Yo andhakāre tamasī pabhaṅkaro, verocano maṇḍalī uggatejo,
He who, in complete darkness, is a light-maker, who is brilliant, a great circle of fire,
mā Rāhu gilī caraṁ antalikkhe! Pajaṁ mama Rāhu pamuñca Suriyan!”-ti, [3]
do not devour he who roams the sky, Rāhu! Release the Sun, who is my kinsman, Rāhu!”
Atha kho Rāhu asurindo Suriyaṁ devaputtaṁ muñcitvā,
Then the asura lord Rāhu, having released the Sun god,
taramānarūpo yena Vepacitti asurindo tenupasaṅkami,
hurriedly approached the asura lord Vepacitti,
upasaṅkamitvā saṁviggo lomahaṭṭhajāto, ekam-antaṁ aṭṭhāsi.
and after approaching, anxious, and horrified, he stood on one side.
Ekam-antaṁ ṭhitaṁ kho
While he was standing on one side
Rāhuṁ asurindaṁ Vepacitti asurindo gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:
the asura lord Vepacitti recited this verse to the asura lord Rāhu:
“Kin-nu santaramāno va Rāhu Suriyaṁ pamuñcasi?
“Why did you so hurriedly release the Sun god, Rāhu?
Saṁviggarūpo āgamma kin-nu bhīto va tiṭṭhasī?” ti. [4]
After coming (here) why do you stand (there) like someone anxious and frightened?”
“Sattadhā me phale muddhā, jīvanto na sukhaṁ labhe,
“My head will split into seven, while living I will have no happiness,
- Buddhagāthābhigītomhi no ce muñceyya Suriyan”-ti. [5]
- I am one to whom the Buddha has chanted a verse if I do not release the Sun.”
1 MPP, PPV, PPV2: lokānukampakā-ti