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.
उक्ताप्येवं भृशं मां सा निगृह्य विजने वने। कूपे प्रक्षेपयामास प्रक्षिप्य गृहमागमत्
Even after being spoken to in this way, she harshly subdued me in the lonely forest, threw me into a well, and after casting me in, went home.
स्तुवतो दुहिता न त्वं याचतः प्रतिगृह्णतः। अस्तोतुः स्तूयमानस्य दुहिता देवयान्यसि
You are not the daughter who praises, nor do you accept when begged; you are the daughter of Devayani, not one who is praised.
वृषपर्वैव तद्वेद शक्रो राजा च नाहुषः। अचिन्त्यं ब्रह्म निर्द्वन्द्वमैश्वरं हि बलं मम
Vrishaparvan himself knows this, as do Shakra and King Nahusha: my power is divine, beyond thought, undivided, and lordly.
जानामि जीविनीं विद्यां लोकेस्मिञ्शाश्वतीं ध्रुवम्। मृतः संजीवते जन्तुर्यया कमललोचने
I know the science of life, eternal and certain in this world, by which, O lotus-eyed one, a dead being is revived.
कत्थनं स्वगुणानां च कृत्वा तप्यति सज्जनः। ततो वक्तुमशक्तोऽस्मित्वं मे जानासि यद्बलम्
A virtuous person, after boasting of their own qualities, feels remorse; therefore, I am unable to speak, though you know my strength.
तसमादुत्तिष्ठ गच्छामः स्वगृहं कुलनन्दिनि। क्षमां कृत्वा विशालाक्षि क्षमासारा हि साधवः
Therefore, arise, let us go home, delight of your lineage; forgive, O wide-eyed one, for forgiveness is the essence of the good.
यच्च किंचित्सर्वगतं भूमौ वा यदि वा दिवि। तस्याहमीश्वरो नित्यं तुष्टेनोक्तः स्वयंभुवा
Whatever exists everywhere, whether on earth or in heaven, I am always the lord of that, as declared by the self-born, pleased with me.
अहं जलं विमुञ्चामि प्रजानां हितकाम्यया। पुष्णाम्यौषधयः सर्वा इति सत्यं ब्रवीमि ते
I release water for the welfare of beings; I nourish all plants—this I tell you truly.
एवं विषादमापन्नां मन्युना संप्रपीडिताम्। वचनैर्मधुरैः श्लक्ष्णैः सान्त्वयामास तां पिता
Thus, when she was overcome by despair and pressed by anger, her father comforted her with gentle and sweet words.
यः परेषां नरो नित्यमतिवादांस्तितिक्षते। देवयानि विजानीहि तेन सर्वमिदं जितम्
Know, Devayani, that the man who always endures the harsh words of others conquers all this.