ततस्तयोर्मिथस्तत्र विरोधः समजायत। देवयान्याश्च राजेन्द्र शर्मिष्ठायाश्च तत्कृते
Then, O king, a conflict arose between Devayani and Sharmishtha over that matter.
कस्माद्गृह्णासि मे वस्त्रं शिष्या भूत्वा ममासुरि। समुदाचारहीनाया न ते साधु भविष्यति
Why do you take my garment, you who are my disciple, O daughter of the Asura? Such conduct, lacking in propriety, will not be good for you.
आसीनं च शयानं च पिता ते पितरं मम। स्तौतिबन्दीव चाभीक्ष्णं नीचैः स्थित्वा विनीतवत्
Your father, sitting or lying down, always stands before my father, praising him like a bard, humbly and with deference.
याचतस्त्वं हि दुहिता स्तुवतः प्रतिगृह्णतः। सुताहं स्तूयमानस्य ददतोऽप्रतिगृह्णतः
You are the daughter of one who begs, praises, and accepts gifts; I am the daughter of one who is praised, who gives, but does not accept.
आदुन्वस्व विदुन्वस्व द्रुह्य कुप्यस्व याचकि। अनायुधा सायुधाया रिक्ता क्षुभ्यसि भिक्षुकि
Now beg, now curse, now act with hostility, now grow angry, O beggar! Unarmed, you are agitated against one who is armed; empty-handed, you are disturbed, O supplicant.
लप्स्यसे प्रतियोद्धारं न हि त्वां गणयाम्यहम्। `प्रतिकूलं वदसि चेदितःप्रभृति याचकि
You will find someone to oppose you, for I do not consider you of account. If you speak against me from now on, O beggar—
समुच्छ्रयं देवयानीं गतां सक्तां च वाससि। शर्मिष्ठा प्राक्षिपत्कूपे ततः स्वपुरमागमत्। हतेयमिति विज्ञाय शर्मिष्ठा पापनिश्चया
Seeing Devayani exalted and clinging to her garment, Sharmishtha threw her into a well and then returned to her own city, thinking, 'She is dead,' her mind set on evil.
अनवेक्ष्य ययौ वेश्म क्रोधवेगपरायणा। `प्रविश्य स्वगृहं स्वस्था धर्ममासुरमास्थिता।' अथ तं देशमभ्यागाद्ययातिर्नहुषात्मजः
Without looking back, driven by the force of anger, she went to her house; entering her own home, she remained calm, following the Asura code. Then Yayati, son of Nahusha, arrived in that place.
श्रान्तयुग्यः श्रान्तहयो मृगलिप्सुः पिपासितः। स नाहुषः प्रेक्षमाण उदपानं गतोदकम्
With his horses and chariot weary, desiring game, and thirsty, that son of Nahusha, looking around, saw a well whose water had dried up.
ददर्श राजा तां तत्र कन्यामग्निशिखामिव। तामपृच्छत्स दृष्ट्वैव कन्याममरवर्णिनीम्
There the king saw her, a maiden shining like a flame; seeing that girl of celestial beauty, he questioned her.
सान्त्वयित्वा नृपश्रेष्ठः साम्ना परमवल्गुना। का त्वं ताम्रनखी श्यामा सुमृष्टमणिकुण्डला
Having gently consoled her with the most pleasing words, the best of kings said: 'Who are you, dark-skinned, with coppery nails and well-polished jeweled earrings?'
दीर्घं ध्यायसि चात्यर्थं कस्माच्छ्वसिषि चातुरा। कथं च पतिताऽस्यस्मिन्कूपे वीरुत्तृणावृते
'You are lost in deep thought for long, and why do you sigh so cleverly? How did you fall into this well, overgrown with grass and creepers?'
योऽसौ देवैर्हतान्दैत्यानुत्थापयति विद्यया
He who, by his knowledge, revives the Daityas slain by the gods—
तस्य शुक्रस्य कन्याहं स मां नूनं न बुध्यते। एष मे दक्षिणो राजन्पाणिस्ताम्रनखाङ्गुलिः
'I am the daughter of that Shukra; surely he does not know what has happened to me. This is my right hand, O king, with coppery-nailed fingers.'
समुद्धर गृहीत्वा मां कुलीनस्त्वं हि मे मतः। जानामि हि त्वां संशान्तं वीर्यवन्तं यशस्विनम्
'Lift me out by taking my hand, for I consider you of noble lineage. I know you are calm, powerful, and renowned.'
तस्मान्मां पतितामस्मात्कूपादुद्धर्तुमर्हसि
'Therefore, you ought to rescue me, who have fallen into this well.'
गृहीत्वा दक्षिणे पाणावुज्जहार ततोऽवटात्। उद्धृत्य चैनां तरसा तस्मात्कूपान्नराधिपः
Taking her by the right hand, the king lifted her out of the pit; having swiftly raised her from the well, the ruler of men—
गच्छ भद्रे यथाकामं न भयं विद्यते तव। इत्युच्यमाना नृपतिं देवयानीदमुत्तरम्
said, 'Go, noble lady, wherever you wish; you have nothing to fear.' Thus addressed by the king, Devayani replied as follows.
उवाच मामुपादाय गच्छ शीघ्रं प्रियो हि मे। गृहीताहं त्वया पाणौ तस्माद्भर्ता भविष्यसि
She said, 'Take me with you quickly, for you are dear to me. You have taken my hand, therefore you shall be my husband.'
इत्येवमुक्तो नृपतिराह क्षत्रकुलोद्भवः। त्वं भद्रे ब्राह्मणी तस्मान्मया नार्हसि सङ्गमम्
Thus addressed, the king, born of the Kshatriya line, replied, 'O noble lady, you are a Brahmin woman, therefore union with me is not proper.'
सर्वलोकगुरुः काव्यस्त्वं तस्य दुहिता शुभे। तस्मादपि भयं मेऽद्य ततः कल्याणि नार्हसि
'You are the daughter, O auspicious one, of Kavya, the teacher of all worlds; therefore, I am also afraid today, and so, O blessed one, it is not fitting.'
यदि मद्वचनान्नाद्य मां नेच्छसि नराधिप। त्वामेव वरये पित्रा तस्माल्लप्स्यसि गच्छ हि
'If, O ruler of men, you do not desire me today according to my words, then my father will choose you for me, and thus you shall obtain me; go now.'
आमन्त्रयित्वा सुश्रोणीं ययातिः स्वपुरं ययौ। गते तु नाहुषे तस्मिन्देवयान्यप्यनिन्दिता
Having taken leave of the lovely-hipped lady, Yayati returned to his city; and when Nahusha's son had departed, Devayani, faultless one, also—
क्वचिद्गत्वा च रुदती वृक्षमाश्रित्य धिष्ठिता। ततश्चिरायमाणायां दुहितर्यथ भार्गवः
Going somewhere, she stood weeping, leaning against a tree; then, as the daughter lingered long, the Bhargava—
संस्मृत्योवाच धात्रीं तां दुहितुः स्नेहविक्लवः। धात्रि त्वमानय क्षिप्रं देवयानीं समुध्यमाम्
Remembering her, the Bhargava, overcome with affection for his daughter, spoke to her nurse: 'Nurse, quickly bring Devayani, who has gone out.'
इत्युक्तमात्रे सा धात्री त्वरिताऽऽनयितुं गता। यत्रयत्र सशीभिः सा गता पदममार्गत
As soon as she was thus addressed, the nurse hurried to bring her; wherever she went, she searched for her, step by step.
सा ददर्श तथा दीनां श्रमार्तां रुदतीं स्थिताम्। वृत्तान्तं किमिदं भद्रे शीघ्रं वद पिताह्वयत्
There she saw her, distressed, exhausted, and weeping, standing; 'What has happened, dear one? Quickly tell me, your father is calling.'
एवमुक्ताह धात्रीं तां शर्मिष्ठावृजिनं कृतम्। उवाच शोकसंतप्ता घूर्णिकामागतां पुरः
Thus addressed, she told her nurse that Sharmishtha had done her wrong; tormented by grief, she spoke to Ghurnika, who had come before her.
त्वरितं घूर्णिके गच्छ शीघ्रमाचक्ष्व मे पितुः
'Go quickly, Ghurnika, and at once tell my father.'
सा तत्र त्वरितं गत्वा घूर्णिकाऽसुरमन्दिरम्
Then Ghurnika hurried there, to the mansion of the Asura.