Whose faculties are pacified
as steeds by charioteers well-tamed,
with pride abandoned, unpolluted,
to even devas this One’s dear.
Explanation: Those who senses are calmed as a horse trained by a horse-tamer, who have fully given up judgment, who is free of influences, the sight of those mentally stable ones please even the gods.
The Story of Venerable Mahakaccayana (Verse 94)
While residing at the Pubbarama Monastery, the Buddha spoke this verse, with reference to Venerable Mahakaccayana.
For once upon a time, on the occasion of the terminal festival, the Buddha sat on the ground floor of the mansion of the Mother of Migara, surrounded by a company of eminent lay disciples. At this time Venerable Kaccayana resided in the Avanti country. Now this Venerable, although obliged to come from a great distance, regularly attended the preaching of the Dhamma. Therefore, when the Venerables sat down, they always left a seat for Venerable Kaccayana.
Sakka the king of gods drew near with his celestial retinue from the two Worlds of Gods, and honoured the Buddha with celestial perfumes and garlands. Not seeing Venerable Kaccayana, he thought to himself, ‘Why is my noble Venerable nowhere seen? It would be well if he were to draw near’ At that very moment the Venerable drew near, and showed himself sitting in his proper seat. When Sakka saw the Venerable, he grasped him firmly by the ankles and said, “It is indeed well that my noble Venerable has come; that my noble Venerable should come, was the very thing I wished for.” So saying, he rubbed the Venerable’s feet with both hands, honoured him with perfumes and garlands, and having paid obeisance to him, stood respectfully on one side.
The monks were offended and said, “Sakka shows respect of persons in rendering honour. Such honour as this, he has not rendered to the rest of the Chief Disciples. The moment he saw Venerable Kaccayana, he grasped him by the ankles and said, It is indeed well that my noble Venerable has come; that my noble Venerable should come, was the very thing I wished for’ So saying, he rubbed the Venerable’s feet with both hands, honoured him with perfumes and garlands, and having paid obeisance to him, stood respectfully on one side” The Buddha, hearing their talk, said, “Monks, those monks who, like my son Kaccayana, keep the doors of their senses guarded, are beloved both by gods and men”