पौरवेणाथ वयसा राजा यौवनमास्थितः। यायातेनापि वयसा राज्यं पूरुरकारयत्
Then the king, endowed with Puru's youth, enjoyed youthfulness, and Puru, with Yayati's age, governed the kingdom.
ततो वर्षसहस्राणि ययातिरपराजितः। स्थितः स नृपशार्दूलः शार्दूलसमविक्रमः
Thereafter, for a thousand years, Yayati, unconquered and tiger among kings, remained, possessing the vigor of a tiger.
ययातिरपि पत्नीभ्यां दीर्घकालं विहृत्य च। विश्वाच्या सहितो रेमे पुनश्चैत्ररथे वने
Yayati, after spending a long time with his wives, enjoyed himself with Vishvachi again in the Chaitraratha forest.
नाध्यगच्छत्तदा तृप्तिं कामानां स महायशाः। अवेत्य मनसा राजन्निमां गाथां तदा जगौ
Yet, that illustrious one did not attain satisfaction in desires; realizing this in his mind, O King, he then recited this verse.
न जातु कामः कामानामुपभोगेन शाम्यति। इविषा कृष्णवर्त्मेव भूय एवाभिवर्धते
Desire is never quenched by the enjoyment of desired objects; like fire fed with clarified butter, it only grows stronger.
यत्पृथिव्यां व्रीहियवं हिरण्यं पशवः स्त्रियः। नालमेकस्य तत्सर्वमिति मत्वा शमं व्रजेत्
Whatever rice, barley, gold, cattle, and women exist on earth—all that is not enough for one person; knowing this, one should seek contentment.
यदा न कुरुते पापं सर्वभूतेषु कर्हिचित्। कर्मणा मनसा वाचा ब्रह्म संपद्यते तदा
When one does not commit sin toward any being, by deed, mind, or speech, then one attains Brahman.
न बिभेति यदा चायं यदा चास्मान्न बिभ्यति। यदा नेच्छति न द्वेष्टि ब्रह्म संपद्यते तदा
When a person does not fear, nor causes fear in others, and neither desires nor hates, then one attains Brahman.
इत्यवेक्ष्य महाप्राज्ञः कामानां फल्गुतां नृप। समाधाय मनो बुद्ध्या प्रत्यगृह्णाज्जरां सुतात्
Thus reflecting on the insignificance of desires, the wise king, having steadied his mind with understanding, accepted old age back from his son.
ततो वर्षसहस्रान्ते ययातिरपराजितः।' दत्वा च यौवनं राजा पूरुं राज्येऽभिषिच्य च। अतृप्त एव कामानां पूरुं पुत्रमुवाच ह
Then, at the end of a thousand years, the unconquered Yayati, after giving back youth and installing Puru as king, though still unsatisfied in desires, spoke to his son Puru.
त्वया दायादवानस्मि त्वं मे वंशकरः सुतः। पौरवो वंश इति ते ख्यातिं लोके गमिष्यति
"Through you I have an heir; you are the perpetuator of my line, my son. The lineage will be known in the world as the Paurava line because of you."
ततः स नृपशार्दूल पूरुं राज्येऽभिषिच्य च। ततः सुचरितं कृत्वा भृगुतुङ्गे महातपाः
Then that tiger among kings, having installed Puru in the kingdom, performed virtuous deeds and practiced great austerity on the Bhṛgu mountain.
कालेन महता पश्चात्कालधर्ममुपेयिवान्। कारयित्वा त्वनशनं सदारः स्वर्गमाप्तवान्
After a long time, in accordance with the law of time, he departed this world; having performed the rite of fasting with his wife, he attained heaven.
ययातिः पूर्वजोऽस्माकं दशमो यः प्रजापतेः। कथं स शुक्रतनयां लेभे परमदुर्लभाम्
Yayāti, our ancestor, the tenth son of Prajāpati—how did he obtain the exceedingly rare daughter of Śukra?
एतदिच्छाम्यहं श्रोतुं विस्तरेण तपोधन। आनुपूर्व्या च मे शंस राज्ञो वंशकरान्पृथक्
This I wish to hear from you in detail, O sage rich in austerity; also tell me, in order, the separate progenitors of the king's lineage.
ययातिरासीन्नृपतिर्देवराजसमद्युतिः। तं शुक्रवृषपर्वाणौ वव्राते वै यथा पुरा
Yayāti was a king, radiant as the lord of the gods; as before, Śukra and Vṛṣaparvan gave him their daughter.
तत्तेऽहं संप्रवक्ष्यामि पृच्छते जनमेजय। देवयान्याश्च संयोगं ययातेर्नाहुषस्य च
Now I shall fully recount to you, O Janamejaya, as you ask, the union of Devayānī and Yayāti, son of Nahusha.
सुराणामसुराणां च समजायत वै मिथः। ऐश्वर्यं प्रति संघर्षस्त्रैलोक्ये सचराचरे
There arose a great conflict between the gods and the asuras throughout the three worlds, moving and unmoving, for the sake of sovereignty.
जिगीषया ततो देवा वव्रिरेऽङ्गिरसं मुनिम्। पौरोहित्येन याज्यार्थे काव्यं तूशनसं परे
Desiring victory, the gods chose the sage Aṅgiras as their priest for officiating at sacrifices, while the others chose Kāvya Uśanas.
ब्राह्मणौ तावुभौ नित्यमन्योन्यस्पर्धिनौ भृशम्। तत्र देवा निजघ्नुर्यान्दानवान्युधि संगतान्
Those two brāhmaṇas, ever rivals, competed intensely; there, the gods defeated the assembled dānavas in battle.
तान्पुनर्जीवयामास काव्यो विद्याबलाश्रयात्। ततस्ते पुनरुत्थाय योधयांचक्रिरे सुरान्
But Kāvya, relying on the power of his knowledge, revived those dānavas; rising again, they fought the gods anew.
असुरास्तु निजघ्नुर्यान्सुरान्समरमूर्धनि। न तान्सञ्जीवयामास बृहस्पतिरुदारधीः
The asuras, in turn, slew the gods on the battlefield; but Bṛhaspati, wise of mind, did not revive them.
न हि वेद स तां विद्यां यां काव्योवेत्ति वीर्यवान्। सञ्जीविनीं ततो देवा विषादमगमन्परम्
For he does not know that science which the mighty Kāvya knows—the art of reviving; therefore, the gods fell into great despair.
ते तु देवा भयोद्विग्नाः काव्यादुशनसस्तदा। ऊचुः कचमुपागम्य ज्येष्ठं पुत्रं बृहस्पतेः
Then the gods, seized by fear, approached Kaca, the eldest son of Bṛhaspati, and spoke to him.
भजमानान्भजस्वास्मान्कुरु नः साह्यमुत्तमम्। या सा विद्या निवसति ब्राह्मणेऽमिततेजसि
Support us, who seek your aid; grant us your utmost help. That knowledge resides in the brāhmaṇa of immeasurable brilliance.
शुक्रे तामाहर क्षिप्रं भागभाङ्गो भविष्यसि। वृषपर्वसमीपे हि शक्यो द्रष्टुं त्वया द्विजः
Bring that knowledge swiftly from Śukra; you shall receive a share of the offerings. Near Vṛṣaparvan, O brāhmaṇa, you can see him.
रक्षते दानवांस्तत्र न स रक्षत्यदानवान्। तमाराधयितुं शक्तो भवान्पूर्ववयाः कविम्
He protects the dānavas there, but does not protect the non-dānavas. You alone, being young, are able to win over the sage.
देवयानीं च दयितां सुतां तस्य महात्मनः। त्वमाराधयितुं शक्तो नान्यः कश्चन विद्यते
And his beloved daughter Devayānī—you alone are able to win her favor; no one else can do so.
शीलदाक्षिण्यमाधुर्यैराचारेण दमेन च। देवयान्यां हि तुष्टायां विद्यां तां प्राप्स्यसि ध्रुवम्
By virtue, generosity, sweetness, proper conduct, and self-control—if you please Devayānī, you will surely obtain that knowledge.
तथेत्युक्त्वा ततः प्रायाद्बृहस्पतिसुतः कचः। तदाऽभिपूजितो देवैः समीपे वृषपर्वणः
Saying 'so be it,' Kaca, son of Bṛhaspati, then departed, honored by the gods, to the abode of Vṛṣaparvan.