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.
दृष्ट्वा काव्यमुवाचेदं संभ्रमाविष्टचेतना। आचचक्षे महाप्राज्ञं देवयानीं वने हताम्
Seeing Kavya, her mind seized by agitation, she spoke: 'Devayani has been harmed in the forest, O wise one.'
शर्मिष्ठया महाभाग दुहित्रा वृषपर्वणः। श्रुत्वा दुहितरं काव्यस्तत्र शर्मिष्ठया हताम्
'By Sharmishtha, O greatly fortunate one, the daughter of Vrishaparvan.' Hearing that his daughter had been harmed there by Sharmishtha—
त्वरया निर्ययौ दुःखान्मार्गमाणः सुतां वने। दृष्ट्वा दुहितरं काव्यो देवयानीं ततो वने
Kavya, in haste and sorrow, went out seeking his daughter in the forest; and seeing Devayani there—
बाहुभ्यां संपरिष्वज्य दुःखितो वाक्यमब्रवीत्। आत्मदोषैर्नियच्छन्ति सर्वे दुःखसुखे जनाः
Embracing his daughter with both arms, distressed, he spoke: 'All people experience happiness and sorrow through their own actions.'
मन्ये दुश्चरितं तेऽस्ति यस्येयं निष्कृतिः कृता
'I think you have committed some misdeed, for which this retribution has come upon you.'
शर्मिष्ठया यदुक्ताऽस्मि दुहित्रा वृषपर्वणः।। सत्यं किलैतत्सा प्राह दैत्यानामसि गायनः
'What Sharmishtha, the daughter of Vrishaparvan, said to me is true indeed; she spoke rightly—you are the singer among the Daityas.'
एवं हि मे कथयति शर्मिष्ठा वार्षपर्वणी। वचनं तीक्ष्णपरुषं क्रोधरक्तेक्षणा भृशम्
Thus Sharmishtha, daughter of Vrishaparvan, spoke to me with words sharp and harsh, her eyes reddened with anger.
स्तुवतो दुहिता नित्यं याचतः प्रतिगृह्णतः। अहं तु स्तूयमानस्य ददतोऽप्रतिगृह्णतः
While I, the daughter, always praised, begged, and accepted, she said to me—though I was praised and giving, I did not accept.
इदं मामाह शर्मिष्ठा दुहिता वृषपर्वणः। क्रोधसंरक्तनयना दर्पपूर्णा पुनः पुनः
Sharmishtha, daughter of Vrishaparvan, said this to me, her eyes bloodshot with wrath, filled with pride, again and again.
यद्यह स्तुवतस्तात दुहिता प्रतिगृह्णतः। प्रसादयिष्ये शर्मिष्ठामित्युक्ता तु सखी मया
If, father, I, the daughter, should appease Sharmishtha, who is praised and accepts, then my friend spoke thus to me.